In Kimberley, there were strong performances from the perennial achievers at the U16 Grant Khomo Week. The Western Cape sides again proved a handful, with Western Province XV beating the Leopards and Western Province edging the Golden Lions, after having to overcome a 11-5 deficit at the break, but rallying strongly in the second half to clinch the win. Boland showed good form in beating Griquas, but SWD ran into a rampant Blue Bulls team.
Western Province XV 31 (24), Leopards 17 (10)
The WP XV started like a house on fire and opened up an early lead, looking as if they would run the Leopards off their feet. After the initial onslaught, the Leopards slowly started to claw their way back into the game and only were behind by 10-24 at the halftime break. The speed at which the first half was played took its toll as both teams could only score a try a piece in the second half, WP XV winning deservedly 31-17.
The Player of the match was hooker Liam Burger (WP XV) who scored two tries while the Leopards' fullback, Lorenzo Snyers scored twelve of their points with a try, two conversions and a converted penalty.
WP XV: Tries: Liam Burger (2), Samuel Badenhorst, Michael Satade, Xander Engelbrecht. Conversions: Rayaan Solomons (2), Retagan van Rooi.
Leopards: Tries: Lorenzo Snyers, Alexander Benedetti. Conversion: Lorenzo Snyers. Penalty goal: Lorenzo Snyers.
Namibia 12 (5), Border Country Districts 0 (0)
An exciting match with Namibia using their chances to score points while Border did not use their try scoring opportunities. Namibia's Janco van Tonder scored two tries to earn himself the man of the match award.
Namibia: Tries: Janco van Tonder (2). Conversion: Waldre Kotze.
Free State 28 (14), Border 12 (0)
Free State stormed into the lead scoring two unanswered tries in the first half to lead 14-00 at the halftime break. The second half was a much more even affair with both sides scoring two tries with Border who could walk off the field "happy" with their second-half performance. David Du Toit eight-man of Free State was the stand-out player and earned the man of the match award.
Free State: Tries: Heinrich Theron, Ethan Adams (3). Conversions: Alzeadon Felix (3), Toriq Schambreel.
Border: Tries: Thina Fenako, Bubbles Mtshini. Conversion: Itha Mbulana.
Zimbabwe 15 (10), Griquas XV 7 (0)
Zimbabwe showed some class opening the match with two unanswered tries to lead 10-00 at the halftime break. The second half, as in most other matches ended with both teams scoring a try and tired boys walking off the pitch. Takudzwa Matsvimbo loosehead prop of Zimbabwe displayed great form and was deservedly named man of the match.
Zimbabwe: Tries Thomas Judson (2), Wayne Kuraimunashe.
Griquas: Try: De Wet du Plooy. Conversion: Ethan Faber.
Blue Bulls 47 (17), SWD 7 (0)
Much was said regarding the Bulls' lack of form coming into this tournament, however, it was one-way traffic all the way with the boys from Pretoria scoring seven tries to the one of SWD. The Bulls scored thirty unanswered points in the second half with the man of the match Bulls' eight-man Ruan Lippold causing SWD's defence a lot of headaches.
Blue Bulls: Tries: Mphela Mphela, Muntingh Hamman, Ruan Lippold, Malan Graham, Janco Purchase, Mikhayle Tompson, Katlego Shebu. Conversions: Bokang Moropyane (4).
SWD: Try: Keanon Jantjies. Conversion: Elgernon Meyer.
Thepa Trading Motswako Griffons 45 (26), Limpopo Blue Bulls 21 (7)
The Griffons' running brand of rugby proved too much for the Limpopo Bulls who were caught napping on a few occasions. Man of the match Rylen Kirsten eight-man of the Griffons scored three of the winning teams' seven tries.
Griffons: Tries: Rylen Kirsten (3), Frederick Fourie, Hloni Mokotjo. Conversions: Ru-Bran Kock (4), Frederick Fourie.
Limpopo: Tries: Botter Geyer, Unathi Mlotshwa, Damian Bye. Conversions: Unathi Mlotshwa (3).
Sharks 42 (21), Eastern Province 13 (10)
The Sharks were from the word go, the dominant side and the score could have been a lot worse for Eastern Province, however, several mistakes by the Sharks on the attack helped to keep the score " respectable". Six tries were scored by the Sharks against the one by Eastern Province tells only half of the story with the Sharks issuing an early warning to the other provinces. The Sharks' flyhalf H Aka Boqwana was brilliant at ten controlling the game with maybe just the best performance of a ten on day one of the Grant Khomo tournament.
Sharks: Tries: Vuyo Gwiji, Carlyle Hawkins, Imivuyo Kemka, Zenkosi Mthiyane, Swelihle Mbatha, Aiden Botha. Conversions: Tomas Baguley (6).
EP: Try: Johannes Van Zyl. Conversion: Lucraine Muggels. Penalty goals: Muggels (2).
Valke 29 (7), Pumas 0 (0)
The final score does not tell the whole story with both teams giving their all it what must have been the most brutal encounter of the day. The Pumas may be guilty of making a few unforced errors on the attack, however, as I wrote before an exciting and brutal display of two committed teams. Storm Labuschagne, #6 of the Valke was a well-deserved player of the match.
Valke: Tries: Storm Labuschagne, R-Jay Pietersen, Zaid Rippenaar, Divan Francis. Conversions: Kayle Venter (3). Penalty goal: Kayle Venter.
DHL Western Province 24 (5), Golden Lions 17 (11)
The Golden Lions dominated territory in the first half on the back of a brilliant display at flyhalf by Simphiwe Moyo who kept his team in contention with an almost perfect performance with the boot. Western Province outscored the Lions with four tries to one with two late tries securing a close win against a more than willing Lions that fought until the last seconds of the match on the attack, looking for a late try to save the day. Viaan Mentoor, flyhalf of Western Province was named man of the match.
WP: Tries: Almero Keizer, Viaan Mentoor, Tristan Fransman, Reuben Kruger. Conversions: Ashwin Cox (2).
Golden Lions: Try: Junior van Wyngaardt. Penalty goals: Simphiwe Moyo (4).
Boland 36 (22), Griquas 14 (0)
Boland's speed of play was too much for the hosts and already scored four tries as the sides changed sides to lead 22-00. The second half saw a spirited comeback by Griquas but unfortunately for the hosts, Boland had a reply every time Griquas scored a try. Winger Lungi Mothibe of Boland was named man of the match with flanker Ewald Vorster stealing the show with two well-worked tries.
Boland: Tries: Armand Croeser, Fortune Goni, Ewald Vorster (2), MJ van der Westhuizen, Luan Giliomee. Conversions: Luan Giliomee (3).
Griquas: Tries: SW van Heerden, Sylvester Hoffman. Conversions: Simon Liversage (2).
Fixtures for Tuesday, 28 June:
A-field:
08h30: SWD v Griquas
09h50: Border v Pumas
11h10: Valke v Griffons
12h30: Golden Lions v Boland
13h50: Free State v Blue Bulls
15h20: DHL Western Province v Sharks
B-field:
08h30: Namibia v Limpopo Blue Bulls
09h50: Border CD v Griquas XV
11h10: Zimbabwe v Leopards
12h30: WP XV v Eastern Province
