The SARU u/20 Cup once again produced some scintillating rugby with the brilliant individual talent on display giving all hope for the future of Springbok rugby.
Unfortunately one must also concede that some basic principles of rugby apparently is not valued or simply just completely ignored by various coaches. Lineouts, scrums and defence of most of the teams are shocking at times for some and most of the time for the majority of teams.
Two losses at this stage will be enough to lose out on the finals to be played on 16 April 2022. The Lions u/20s is the early favourites to regain their 2021 title, while the DHL Western Province u/20s and Vodacom Bulls u/20s are the two hopefuls and a brilliant Cell Sharks a doubtful outsider.
The Vodacom Bulls u/20 side now sit in second place on the SA Rugby u/20 Cup log following a hard-fought 45-40 win against Cell C Sharks u/20 in a high-scoring encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
After an end-to-end opening quarter of the game, it took the sides 17 minutes to break the deadlock, with the visiting Cell C Sharks u/20 side opening the scoring with a try before the home side was awarded a penalty try in the 20th minute to gain the lead for the first time.
The Cell C Sharks added another try and penalty before the half-time break, but that was not enough as the Vodacom Bulls u/20 team scored twice with tries from Tiaan Lange and Neil le Roux to take their lead after the opening 40 minutes to 19-13.
Winger Katlego Letebele got the scoreboard ticking early in the second half when he dotted down in the 42nd minute. This was before the visitors accelerated their efforts and were rewarded with two back-to-back tries, followed by two penalties.
It was then time for the Vodacom Bulls bench to come to the party, and replacement props Juann Else and Tielman Nieuwoudt dotted down for the home side. Despite another five-pointer from the Cell C Sharks, the Tshwane-based side had by then done enough to pip the visitors 45-40 in the end.
The Leopards u/20 travelled to Bloemfontein looking for their first win of the season against an unbeaten Toyota Free State u/20. After a hard-fought first twenty minutes, the Leopards u/20 managed to beat their hosts with 24-17 after a brilliant second half.
The Cheetahs dominated the Leopards u/20 for the first 20 minutes and could not convert all the scoring opportunities into points. The Cheetahs led 10-00 at the halftime break after scoring a try and a converted penalty.
In the second half, the Leopards dominated from the word go and played some spectacular running rugby helped on by their dominating pack of forwards and to outscored their host with three tries to one.
The Lions u/20 hosted the DHL Western Province u/20 at the Emirates Airline Park in a top of the log battle in the 2022 SARU u/20 Championship. The Lions u/20s had to defend for their life at the end but managed to stop the wave after wave attack during the last ten minutes to win with 22-17.
The game did not disappoint as both sides did not shy away from a very physical battle. It took the hosts twelve minutes to open the scoring by hooker Ricardo Fourie. Fourie has scored a try in all three matches in the 2022 season. Western Province u/20 replied almost immediately when Pashcal Ekeji scored a great try to level the score.
The rest of the first forty minutes was an extremely physical battle with several injuries. The Lions u/20 scored two tries during the last five minutes of the first half to stretch their lead to 19-07 at the break.
Both sides could only add a converted penalty each during the third quarter, however, it was clear that the visitors started building towards their famous comeback during the last ten minutes of the game.
Paschal Ekeji, who had a great game, scored the visitors' second try with six minutes to go and it was game on with the score 22-17.
Only sometimes desperate defence by the hosts kept the boys from Cape Town from scoring a final minute winning try. A brilliant physical game by the two top teams in the 2022 SARU u/20 Cup.
Eastern Province had a bye this weekend.
Upcoming Fixtures (19/03/2022):
DHL Western Province vs Toyota Free State
Cell C Sharks vs Lions
Leopards vs Eastern Province
Log as at 14/03/2022
