The SA Schools and SA "A" played each other at the Boland Landbou Stadium on Thursday. The teams were named at the conclusion of the U18 Craven Week in George. In a match that proved to be more competitive than most expected the SA Schools beat SA Schools "A" 36-26.
The SA Schools dominated from the first whistle, however, it took them ten minutes to score the first points when Siphosethu Mnebelele collected a pass from captain JJ Theron to bulldoze his way over the tryline. SA Schools "A" replied from the kick-off to score in the corner to level the scores 07-07 after thirteen minutes of play.
Following their try the SA Schools 'A" side started to believe that they can upset the bookies and started to dominate with traditional rugby, which resulted in a penalty try with ten minutes left to play. However, the SA Schools replied almost immediately and scored two relatively easy tries to lead 21-14 going into the second half.
SA Schools "A" opened the second half with an unconverted try in the corner to reduce the SA Schools team lead to 21-19. It took SA Schools ten minutes to reply to the great start of the SA Schools "A" and scored off the back of a 5m lineout try to lead 26-19.
SA Schools "A" once again replied almost immediately with a brilliant try, involving skill, brilliance and interplay, to level the scores 26-26 with fifteen minutes left to play. A second try from the back of a lineout-maul restored the SA Schools' lead with twelve minutes to go in the first half.
The SA Schools "A" spent most of the last ten minutes on the attack, however, the SA Schools scored a try after the time was up to "deservedly" win 36-26.
Scorers:
SA Schools: Tries: Siphosethu Mnebele, Jacobus Grobbelaar, JJ Theron, Simphiwe Ngobese, JC Mars, Ruan Welman. Conversions: Ian van der Merwe (3)
SA Schools "A": Tries: De Wet-Grant Fourie, penalty try, Cheswill Jooste, Ceano Everson. Conversions: Yaqeen Ahmed (2).
Teams:
SA Schools: 15 JC Mars, 14 Luyanda Kunene, 13 Demitre Erasmus, 12 Janco Purchase, 11 Jameel de Jongh, 10 Ian van der Merwe, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 JJ Theron (c), 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Divan Fuller, 5 Ulrich van der Westhuizen, 4 Jacobus Grobbelaar, 3 Jean Erasmus, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Phiwayinkosi Kubeka. Replacements: 16 Ruan Welman, 17 Lithemba Mfupi, 18 Simphiwe Ngobese, 19 Riley Norton, 20 Xola Nyali, 21 Christiaan van der Westhuizen, 22 JT Kapank, 23 Kyle Smith.
SA Schools ‘A’: 15 JT Strydom, 14 Scott Nel, 13 Benito Goeda, 12 Pieter van der Merwe, 11 Cheswill Jooste, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Brooklyn Newman, 8 Aidan Norris, 7 Matt Romao, 6 De Wet-Grant Fourie, 5 Zuko Poswa, 4 Danio Botha, 3 Herman Lubbe, 2 Imaani Pemba (c), 1 Ranon Fouché. Replacements: 16 Christian Everitt, 17 Sibabalwe Booi, 18 Ryan Jack, 19 Abri van der Westhuizen, 20 Vuyo Gwiji, 21 Ceano Everson, 22 Dominic Malgas, 23 Gilemo Mentoe.
