South Western Districts and the DHL Western Province XV extended their winning records on the third day of the FNB U18 Craven Week at Hoërskool Middelburg on Wednesday.
SWD and DHL WP XV recorded their second wins of the competition, while Free State and the Limpopo Blue Bulls got off the mark, following their respective defeats on day one.
After edging Free State 35-34 in their first fixture of the tournament, SWD dominated the clash against the Obaro Golden Lions on Wednesday, scoring eight tries in a resounding 54-22 victory. Christiaan Vorster and Jacobus de Villiers scored two tries apiece for the Eagles.
Earlier in the day, Limpopo completed an incredible comeback against the Griffons, after trailing 19-0 in the first quarter. Hooker Ziahn Lombaard scored a hat-trick while fullback Ryno Mienie slotted seven conversions to steer their team to an unlikely 49-44 victory.
Fresh off their 52-6 win over the Griffons, the WP XV racked up a further 45 points and seven tries against the Hollywood Foundation Pumas, with lock Gershom Pieters and replacement forward Caleb Koeberg grabbing a brace apiece.
Free State bounced back from a first-round loss to SWD, scoring seven tries in a 52-33 victory against the Blue Bulls. Fullback Lamla Mgedezi and No 13 Ethan Adams starred for the winners, scoring three and two tries respectively, while centre Thabiso Simelane claimed a hat-trick for the losing side.
The tournament will continue at Hoërskool Middelburg on Thursday, with Sanlam Boland facing the Valke at 10h00, and DHL Western Province tackling the Sharks High Schools side later in the day.
FNB U18 Craven Week day three fixtures results (Wednesday, 9 July):
Obaro Golden Lions 22-54 SWD
SWD put their best foot forward and already led 26-07 at the halftime break. SWD continued to dominate and eventually scored ten tries to lead 54-17, and ten minutes still to play. SWD finished the match with only 13 players, giving the Lions space out wide. A great try with time up on the clock cut SWD's lead to 54-22, which was also the final score.
Golden Lions: 1 Liam Devenier, 2 Ayanda Funeka, 3 Nathan Frank van der Merwe, 4 Vincent Roberts, 5 Zian Smith, 6 Sam Bruwer, 7 Eugene De Lange, 8 Chinedu Amadi, 9 Talent Sithole, 10 Jeandre Uithaler, 11 Joel Akilo, 12 Ethan Lourens, 13 Ty Ax, 14 Phano Letsie, 15 Matthew Hunt. Replacements: 16 Clinton Agu, 17 Andre Poulton, 18 Dylan Engelbrecht, 19 Michael Bownes, 20 Grady Ngui, 21 Shaye Lourens, 22 Aidan Bester, 23 Tidimalo Moeketsane.
South Western Districts: 1 Kai Pratt, 2 Keenan Myners, 3 Rezandre Gelderbloem, 4 Diaan Augustyn, 5 Ethan Schoeman, 6 Johannes Snyman, 7 Zano Botha, 8 Jacobus De Villiers, 9 Jandrian Goosen, 10 Reinhart Viljoen, 11 Lee-Winn Pretorius, 12 Christian Vorster, 13 Anrich Scheffer, 14 Liam Lightley, 15 Jade Petersen. Replacements: 16 Sinesihle Mdlankomo, 17 Matthew Prins, 18 Francois Le Roux, 19 Diederik Ferreira, 20 Virgil Pockpas, 21Tyrese Plaatjies, 22 Reshaan Damans, 23 Deveno Bernado.
Free State 52-33 Blue Bulls
The Free State stormed into the match and scored a try after just three minutes of play to take a 05-00 lead. The Bulls hit back almost immediately with a try to take a 07-05 lead. After twenty minutes of play, both teams scored two tries and were level on 12-12. The Free State started to build a lead, scoring a try and converting a penalty to lead 22-12 with three minutes to play. The Vodacom Bulls scored a try minutes before the end of the first half to trail 22-19; however, a silly mistake by the Bulls allowed the ball to bounce, and the Free State pounded to go into the second half lead 27-19.
Despite the Free State scoring before a minute of play in the second half, the Blue Bulls clawed their way back into contention and trailed 26-32 with twenty minutes still to play in the second half. The Free State dominated the final twenty minutes, scoring three tries to one of the Blue Bulls to secure a 52-33
Free State: 1 David Hayidakis, 2 Xander Smit, 3 JG Badenhorst, 4 Claud Steyn, 5 AJ Meyer, 6 Bukho Mlali, 7 Adem Niewoudt, 8 AJ Booysen, 9 Brendon de Wee, 10 Darius Erwee, 11 Eddie Mabena, 12 O'Ryan Kleyn, 13 Ethan Adams, 14 Siybonga Kenny, 15 Lamla Mgedezi. Replacements: 16 Lisakhanya Taba, 17 Kwanda Dyonase, 18 Marinus Oosthuizen, 19 Alexi Tyropolis, 20 Sherwin Buys, 21 Toriq Schambreel, 22 Unathi Ntuli, 23 Esona Marks.
Blue Bulls: 1 Roal Kruger, 2 Bauke Swart, 3 Deon Botes, 4 Akinwale Akingbola, 5 Christiaan De Wet, 6 Luan Potgieter, 7 Elwin Jansen Van Vuuren, 8 Stefan McDonald, 9 Zirk Meyer, 10 Ruben Groenewald, 11 Junaide Stuart, 12 Dylan Stumke, 13 Thabiso Simelane, 14 Drewyn Baron, 15 Junade Pasensie Replacements: 16 Okuhle Hini, 17 Jeffrey Singo, 18 Luan Van der Berg, 19 Daniel Malakiya, 20 Thabiso Mbembele, 21 Lamond Baaitjies, 22 Justin Julies, 23 Khumo Manakana
DHL Western Province XV 45-14 Hollywood Foundation Pumas
Western Province scored four converted tries to lead 28-00 after twenty minutes of play, before the Pumas could cross for their first try to trail 07-28. Western Province continued to dominate in the second half and scored seven tries to the two of the Pumas to win 45-14
Western Province XV: 1 Pieter Cilliers, 2 Thomas Muller. 3 Bernhard Du Toit, 4 Gershom Pieters, 5 Bernhardt Schulze, 6 Caleb Koeberg, 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 8 Steph Van der Merwe, 9 Mickyle Booise, 10 Leighton Brinkhuis, 11 Kunene Gadu, 12 Iwan Jordaan, 13 Tiaan Basson, 14 Jason Ocks, 15 Shellvon Mabooi. Replacements: 16 Noah Gila, 17 Chadley Davids, 18 Lisekhonikamva Zola Madwayi, 19 Jean Dreyer, 20 Siphesihle Mbungendlu, 21 Liam De Villiers, 22 David Kadima, 23 Mark Grindlay.
Pumas: 1 Lindani Ndlela, 2 D'Angelo Roberts, 3 Gert Cloete, 4 Janco Aucamp, 5 Ethan Kock, 6 CW Hanekom, 7 Franko Rossouw, 8 Vaughn Van Zyl, 9 Liam Pringle. 10 Matthew Abbey, 11 Tinyiko Silubane, 12 Rian Botha, 13 Jacques Greyling, 14 Kefilwe Phamotse, 15 Katlego Baloyi. Replacements: 16 Roux Grobler, 17 Mpho Mushadu, 18 Sillindokuhle Tshabalala, 19 Sifiso Hlungwane, 20 Khensani Buthelezi, 21 Beast Nkgadima, 22 Lungelo Maseko, 23 Siyanda Dennison.
Limpopo Blue Bulls 49-44 Griffons
The Griffons started like a house on fire and scored their first try after just ninety seconds of play in the first half to lead 07-00. The Griffons added two tries to extend their lead to 19-00 after seventeen minutes of play before the Limpopo Bulls scored two converted tries, to cut the Griffons' lead to 19-14 after twenty-five minutes of play. Both teams added tries before the halftime break, with the Griffons leading 31-21.
The second half was an all-action affair. With fifteen minutes to play, the Griffons led 44-42. Despite being a player short, the Limpopo Bulls continued their fine form in the second half and secured a 49-44 win with a try and minutes still to play.
Teams:
Limpopo Bulls: 1 Thabang Nkuna, 2 Ruben Pohl, 3 Rhandzo Malatji, 4 Juan Jansen Van Vuuren, 5 Ludke Pienaar, 6 Andru De Beer, 7 Tumi Ramohale, 8 FC Smith, 9 Celliers van der Merwe, 10 Anzio Swartbooi, 11 Tshenello Nkwana, 12 Maritz Meintjes, 13 Gehan Hendricks, 14 Prince Aphane, 15 Ryno Mienie. Replacements: 16 Ziahn Lombaard, 17 Kristen Swanepoel, 18 Stephan Jansen van Rensburg, 19 Puki Mpiti, 20 Funi Simba, 21 Siya Mahlangu, 22 Fortune Sehlabane, 23 Phenyo Pula.
Griffons: 1 Ewald Booyens, 2 Myburgh Jacobs, 3 Sibabalwe Bucwa, 4 Divan Marais, 5 Theo Van Wyk, 6 Rico Jansen Van Vuuren, 7 Berto van Niekerk, 8 Emile Mahlelebe, 9 Edre Wille, 10 Olereko Sebatana, 11 Xander Wiltshire, 12 Sedwin Gysman, 13 Tyrese Baartman, 14 Qlin Booyse, 15 Joze Draghoender, Replacements: 16 Reabetswe Olifant, 17 Cobus Labuschagne, 18 Tumelo Hlakoane, 19 Danie Fourie, 20 Dian Serfontein, 21 Davian Pule, 22 JC Van Rhyn, 23 Donay Williams.
U18 Academy Week day three fixtures results (Wednesday, 9 July):
B Field
Blue Bulls 52-19 Limpopo Bulls
SWD 25-07 Free State
Boland 05-32 Sharks
Western Province 25-21 Golden Lions XV
Golden Lions 56-10 Eastern Province
C Field
Leopards 26-07 Border CD
Namibia 34-29 LSEN
Zimbabwe 12-31 Griffons
Vake 23-19 Griquas
Border 27-17 Pumas
