There were some impressive performances in Welkom on Monday, where the SA Rugby U16 and U18 Girls Week kicked off at HT Pelatona Projects Stadium, with the Valke in particular, showing their intent with a 63-0 win over Griffons, scoring no less than 16 tries in the biggest win of the day.
Valke scrumhalf Dineo Swartbooi bagged the first hat-trick of the U16 Week, and she was later followed by Blue Bulls flyhalf Thabitha Ngobeni, who scored three tries and conversion against the Pumas to become the leading points scorer at the tournament.
The Mastercard Golden Lions, Eastern Province and Border Country Districts all recorded emphatic wins as a total of 47 tries were scored on the opening day.
The Blue Bulls and Western Province also recorded good victories, but in different ways. The Western Cape side squeezed past SWD 10-5 in a very tight game, while the Blue Bulls dismissed the Pumas’ effort with ease, winning 42-14 and scoring 25 unanswered points in the second half.
The U18s will get in on the action in Welkom on Tuesday, with eight matches scheduled and the clash between DHL WP and Border expected to be the highlight. With a number of Springbok Women personnel in attendance, including head coach Stanley Raubenheimer, all performances will be looked at in detail.
U16 Girls Week scorers on day one:
Border Country Districts 37 (32) Free State 0 (0)
Border CD – Tries: Sine Gxalaba, Zimbini Striga, Esihle Ngibe (2), Liliy Ntshidi, Anelisa Striga (2). Conversion: Semi Maliwa.
Valke 63 (29), Griffons 0 (0)
Valke – Tries: Katleho Sibiya, Nokkhanya Sidu, Dineo Swartbooi (3), Itumeleng Malala, Paddy Moloi, Lusanda Mngoma, Tesmeque Maritz (2), Tshegofatso Ranake. Conversions: Malala (4).
Border 27 (5), Boland 0 (0)
Border – Tries: Zeze Gcaza (2), Hluma Tsheula, Zanele Sikela, Yandi Menzi. Conversion: Sino Nqenekile.
Eastern Province 37 (17), Griquas 0 (0)
EP – Tries: Shorty Malahle, Lin Duma (2), Kleintjie Leeuskieter, Eleine de Vos, Janique Scholz. Conversion: Scholz.
Mastercard Golden Lions 41 (15), Leopards 0 (0)
Golden Lions – Tries: Bonolo Lebakeng, Angelique Ross-Allen, Chloe Reed (2), Chloe Olenga, Sande Ndandani (2). Conversions: Katleho Radebe, Amarachi Ezeh.
Limpopo Blue Bulls 22 (0), Sharks 15 (10)
Limpopo – Tries: Vanessa Gabadi, Makungu Ntsumele, Nkuriso Shebori (2). Conversion: Gabadi.
Sharks – Tries: Asanda Mnyandu, Aphiwe Zaca (2).
DHL Western Province 10 (5), SWD 5 (5)
WP – Tries: Coby Afrika, Cleo Harris.
SWD – Try: Lee-Ann Muller
Blue Bulls 42 (17), Pumas 14 (14)
Blue Bulls – Tries: Lethabo Masopye, Kgothatso Baloyi, Boikanyo Matlala, Thato Mokone, Emogan Le Fleur, Thabitha Ngobeni (3). Conversion: Ngobeni.
Pumas – Tries: Risper Mgwenya, Pearl Mkhabela. Conversions: Anele Dube (2).
U18 fixtures:
10h00: Eastern Province v Pumas; Leopards v Limpopo Blue Bulls
11h20: Blue Bulls v Sharks; Griffons v Valke
12h30: Zimbabwe v Mastercard Golden Lions; Griquas v Free State
13h40: Border v DHL Western Province; Boland v SWD
