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  • Wales edge out Junior Boks with last-minute score

    The Junior Springboks suffered the heartbreak of conceding a last-minute try and conversion to be edged out of the Junior World Championships, 18-17, (halftime 6-7) by Wales in Vannes, France, on Tuesday.
    The Junior Boks had twice come from behind to hold the lead in the final quarter and looked on course for a place in Sunday’s final and a chance to retain the world crown they won in Cape Town 12 months ago.

    Lock forward Irne Herbst collected a short throw at the front of the lineout to crash over for the first try and give South Africa a 7-6 lead on the half hour. Then, replacement flank Kwagga Smith, reclaimed the lead for South Africa with the second try on the hour to make it 14-11.

    Handré Pollard had converted both tries and added a penalty to give South Africa a 17-11 with five minutes remaining. However, Wales right wing Ashley Evans dived on flyhalf Sam Davies’ chip into the in goal area and Davies then converted from wide out on the right to give Wales a last-gasp victory.

    Dawie Theron, the Junior Springboks coach, said Wales executed their game plan better on the day and kept the young South Africans in their own half for most part of the match with accurate kicks.

    “We knew they would test us with a kicking game and I must say they did extremely well to frustrate us by finding favourable field positions. They forced us to run from deep and then defended well, which frustrated us and, which in turn, led to some errors.

    “I want to praise the efforts of the boys throughout the tournament and especially in this match. They came back twice from behind and in the end it really hurt to lose like that, with a conversion with almost the last kick of the match. I think their flyhalf kept his cool quite well to succeed with that kick,” said Theron.

    Team captain, Ruan Steenkamp, echoed the words of his coach and praised the efforts of his team mates. “We gave it our best effort but on the day it was not enough. They did their homework on us and never allowed us to create a platform for our backline. The boys are extremely disappointed because we are all very proud to represent our country.

    “We have one more match left to play and we will lift ourselves and play with pride. The defeat will hurt for a while, but we have our next match on Sunday and we will play as best as we can,” said Steenkamp.

    Lock Irné Herbst, who scored South Africa’s first try, said the Welsh prevented his team mates from gaining the upper hand with some fierce tackling.

    “We came back strongly in the scrums and competed well in the lineouts, but they persisted with their tactic to making us turn back with long kicks into our half. We tried our best and on the day it was unfortunately not good enough,” said Herbst.

    The Junior Springboks will contest the playoff for third place on Sunday against the loser of the New Zealand versus England semi-final.

    Scorers:

    South Africa – Tries: Irne Herbst, Kwagga Smith. Conversions: Handré Pollard (2). Penalty: Pollard.
    Wales – Tries: Ellis Jenkins, Ashley Evans. Conversion: Sam Davies. Penalties: Sam Davies (2)

  • Cape Schools Fixtures – 2013

    Cape Schools Fixtures – 2013

    The 2013 Cape Schools Week will this year be hosted by Paarl Gim with matches from 22 – 26 June.

    The week is the brainchild ofthe late Ray Connellan, a great schoolmaster and rugby man. An Old Boy of Selborne in East London, he taught at Queen’s College in Queenstown and then moved to Wynberg in 1974, playing an important part in Wynberg’s rugby and indeed in schools rugby in the Western Province. And later he taught at SACS.

    His idea was that there would be matches between Eastern Cape and Western Cape schools, which fitted well as both provinces had holidays at the same time in midyear. The first week was in 1980 and is played every two years. In 2011 it was at Dale in King William’s Town.

    He died on 9 June 2013.

    Fixtures 2013

    Saturday, 22 June 2013

    14.00: Boland Landbou vs Dale
    15.20: Rondebosch vs Muir
    16.40: Paarl Gim vs Grey High
    18.00: Wynberg vs Queen’s
    19.20: SACS vs Selborne

    Monday, 24 June 2013

    14.00: Rondebosch vs Selborne
    15.20: SACS vs Queen’s
    16.40: Boland Landbou vs Grey High
    18.00: Wynberg vs Muir
    19.20: Paarl Gim vs Dale

    Wednesday, 26 June 2013

    08.00: SACS vs Grey High
    09.20: Wynberg vs Dale
    10.40: Boland Landbou vs Selborne
    11.50: Rondebosch vs Queen’s
    13.10: Paarl Gim vs Muir

  • History – Craven Week

    History – Craven Week

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  • Craven Week Fixtures – 2013

    Craven Week Fixtures – 2013

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  • KwaZulu-Natal Results – 15 June 2013

    There were two shock results in KZN this weekend, one on Friday when Glenwood lost against George Campbell and on Saturday when Maritzburg College was thrashed by Westville on Goldstones, where it had been expected to be a tight game.

    Maritzburg College 10 Westville 50
    Westville arrived on Goldstones ready for the contest but College did not pitch with their A game. They lacked cohesion, tackling was poor and passes were poorly constructed. Westville scrumming was better, an area where College had been expected to do well. This resulted in Westville winning an abundance of ball and using it to good effect.

    The records show that this is the largest point difference in a loss against a KZN school on Goldstones. In 2007 College lost by a difference of 37 points against Glenwood and their biggest loss was 3-86 against Grey College in 2006. What makes it even more remarkable is that it is Westville’s 4th only win against College in 28 matches. Their last win was in 2009.

    Did the ‘flu virus that struck down half the side, causing the match against Kearsney to be postponed just a week before, have an influence? Two players were still affected and those that were back could not have been fully fit for this game. This was not an excuse made by College and Westville also had some players out with injury. The result will stand in the records of both schools.

    Westville came well prepared with a definite plan on how to beat College in the game. They executed their attacking moves at pace and had College on the back foot from early on. Using various strategies, attacking wide, using probing kicks and then attacking in channels close to the tight phases certainly worked. College has produced some wonderful defense in matches this season but it fell away on Saturday.

    At the end of the first quarter the score was 15-0 and Westville had dominated with College offering little in reply. Two tries in the first 10 minutes, the first by lock Jordan Martin and then by centre Lindo Buthelezi, converted by Louis Snyman, who also kicked a penalty. Before halftime Snyman kicked two more penalties and converted centre Brad Ellse’s earlier try, to leave Westville 28-0 in front.

    College came out after the break and looked a different side as they played their best rugby in the match for a period of about 15 minutes. In that time eighth man Darren Goodsen scored one of his trade-mark tries using his strength to get over after a good College maul and the pacy wing Banele Ngwenya got over in the corner. Neither was converted but it appeared as if College was going to make inroads into the Westville lead.

    This did not last however and the last quarter was again all Westville, as they scored another three tries. Two of these went to Buthelezi for his hattrick and the final try to wing Jason Wilkes. Snyman converted the first two and a penalty for Westville to bring up their half century in a well-deserved win.

    George Campbell 13 Glenwood 12
    This will go down as the major surprise result of the season, reminiscent of the win by Northwood, also by a point, in 2011. In both cases it was away and followed a few days after the KZN capping ceremony where Glenwood had the majority of players in both the Craven and Academy Week teams.

    The green jerseys did not fire perhaps because of complacency and the untried conditions under lights on the narrow Campbell field. Did the Glenwood players also have half an eye on the game on Monday and then on Craven week? There was some dew which did make handling difficult but it was the physicality of the GC players that unsettled Glenwood.

    Glenwood scored two tries through flank Rupert Kay and wing Spark Ngcobo with the first converted by Morné Joubert. Campbell scored a try by flank Thando Mbatha with a conversion and two penalties by M Nkosi.

    Kearsney 34 Hilton 9; Michaelhouse 45 DHS 13; Clifton 17 St Charles 22; Port Natal 16 Glenwood ii 27; Kloof 15 Hillcrest 6; Kuswag 44 Kingsway 0

  • Junior Springbok team to face Wales in JWC semis

    Junior Springbok team to face Wales in JWC semis

    There are five changes in the starting line-up of the Junior Springboks to play against Wales in the IRB Junior World Championship rugby semi-final in Vannes, France, on Tuesday evening.

    Amongst the backs, flyhalf Robert du Preez returns to play in the No 10 jersey while Handré Pollard moves to inside centre in place of Rohan Janse van Rensburg. Stefan Ungerer reclaims the No 9 jersey from his Sharks provincial team mate Hanco Venter.

    Andrew Beerwinkel will start at loose head prop in place of Sti Sithole while Luan de Bruin is restored to the side after missing the match against France because of suspension. De Bruin’s suspension of four weeks was set aside following a successful appeal. Marné Coetzee therefore moves to the bench to make way for De Bruin.

    Amongst the replacements, flanker Kwagga Smith comes in for the injured Jannes Kirsten while Justin Geduld, who missed the French match because of a slight knee injury, was included amongst the backs after passing a fitness test on Monday.

    Junior Springboks coach, Dawie Theron, commented: “This is a very important match for us and we know that Wales is a well-coached side with a good structure and especially a very good kicking game. We have done our homework and believe that we are a well-prepared physical side and we are comfortable with the way we want to play. The team is looking forward to play in this semi-final match.”

    Kick-off time is 18:15 and SuperSport will show both semi-finals live, with broadcasting starting from 18:00.

    The SA Under-20 team to play Wales on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 in Vannes:
    15. Cheslin Kolbe (DHL Western Province)
    14. Luther Obi (Platinum Leopard)
    13. Dries Swanepoel (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    12. Handré Pollard (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    11. Seabelo Senatla (SARU contracted)
    10. Robert du Preez (The Sharks)
    9. Stefan Ungerer (The Sharks)
    8. Ruan Steenkamp (captain, Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    7. Jacques du Plessis (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    6. Roelof Smit (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    5. Dennis Visser (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    4. Irné Herbst (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    3. Luan de Bruin (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
    2. Jacques du Toit (Toyota Free State Cheetahs)
    1. Andrew Beerwinkel (Vodacom Blue Bulls)

    Reserves:
    16. Michael Willemse (DHL Western Province)
    17. St Sithole (DHL Western Province)
    18. Aidon Davis (EP Kings)
    19. Kwagga Smith (MTN Golden Lions)
    20. Percy Williams (MTN Golden Lions)
    21. Justin Geduld (SARU contracted)
    22. Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
    23. Marné Coetzee (The Sharks)

    Some interesting JWC facts:
    Seven teams have contested an IRB Junior World Championship semi-final in New Zealand, England, South Africa, France, Australia, Wales and Argentina.
    Stade de la Rabine in Vannes will become the seventh venue to host a JWC semi-final after Rodney Parade (2008), Cardiff Arms Park (2008), Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium (2009), Estadio El Coloso del Parque (2010), Stadio Comunale di Monigo (2011) and Newlands (2012).
    A total of 50 tries have been scored across the 10 JWC semi-finals to date. Thirty-two of these have been turned into seven pointers.

    The most tries scored in a semi-final is six, which has happened three times – New Zealand v Australia (2009), England v South Africa (2009) and England v France (2011).
    The most penalties kicked in a semi-final is seven in England’s victory over South Africa in 2009, the fewest is two in that year’s other encounter between New Zealand and Australia.

    No drop goals have been slotted between the posts in a semi-final to date.
    For more information please contact Rayaan Adriaanse, the Junior Springboks Media Manager, on +33 6 79 14 33 03
    Issued by SARU Corporate Affairs

  • Kearsney College down Hilton College

    Kearsney College down Hilton College

    Kearsney hosted Hilton in perfect playing conditions on their Founders weekend.

    Kearsney showed early dominance and scored the first try in the seventh minute of the match. Fullback Chris Lines brilliantly collected a failed touch finder from Hilton and showed good pace and spatial awareness as he ran back at Hilton. From the tackle Kearsney attacked the right hand side of the field.

    From the ruck Ayron Schramm received the ball and made a well-timed offload to Lines after beating a number of defenders with dazzling footwork. Tristan Tedder converted for a 7 – nil lead.

    Hilton applied good pressure with very sound tactical kicking and good chase tactics which produced three first half penalties. Tedder added a penalty of his own and prop MthunziMoloi crashed over for a try just before halftime, for a Kearsney lead of 15-9 at the break.

    The first of the three second half Kearsney tries was a spectacular counter attack from a failed Hilton punt. Ryan van der Waal, Lines, Schramm and Jean-Luc du Preez were particularly prominent, with centre Blair Cremer diving over after some good continuity play by the hosts.

    The penultimate try was scored by captain Dan du Preez with his trademark close to the ruck running line. Unfortunately Tedder did not enjoy his usual productive tee-kicking day, but converted for a 27 – 9 lead.

    Fittingly, man of the match Lines scored the last try from a shortened line out, receiving a flat pass from scrum half Matt Reece-Edwards and running 25m for his second try of the match. Tedder converted for a final score 34-9.

    Outstanding players for the hosts were Lines, Schramm and JL du Preez.

    The game ended a notable week in which Kearsney’s 1st XV captain Daniel du Preezwas named as KZN Craven Week captain.It is the third season that he has been selected to play at the prestigious Craven Week, and after last year’s event he was selected for the SA Schools team.

    In total six players from Kearsney College’s 1st XV will represent KZN u18 at Craven Week. Daniel will captain his twin brother and flank Jean-Luc, scrumhalf Matt Reece-Edwards, number eight Ayron Schramm, flyhalf Tristan Tedder and hooker Jordan Meaker.

    Kearsney will play Maritzburg College this Thursday (20th) at 2.45pm in a re-scheduled 1st XV game following the original fixture being rained out.

  • Vrystaat vee Grens-platteland uit die pad

    DIE Vrystaatse Cravenweek-span het 125 redes om nie te opgewonde te raak oor sy weghol-oorwinning oor Grens-platteland in die hoofwedstryd van die eerste Vrystaatse Bondedag in Bloemfontein nie. Hoewel die span se afrigters, Roelf Meyer en Dirkie Groenewald tevrede sal wees dat hulle span by hulle spelpatroon gehou het, moet daar nie te veel gelees word in die sege van 125-0 op die hoofveld van Grey-kollege nie.

    Die Vrystaat is ongetwyfeld sedert 2006 die mees suksesvolste span op die Cravenweek vir hoerskole. Vrystaat het in hierdie tydperk vyf keer in die hoofwedstryd van die toernooi gespeel en was ook in 2007, 2010 en 2011 die nie-amtelike kampioen. Grens-platteland was weer in hierdie tydperk die swakste span op die toernooi.

    Vrystaat het teen rustyd reeds ‘n stewige voorsprong van 61-0 opgebou. Dit is jammer dat Grens-platteland die Vrystaters moes trotseer. Die gasheer sou aanvanklik teen Grens in die hoofwedstryd gespeel het, maar die span het ‘ ‘n dag voor die Bondedag onttrek.

    Die wenspan se vleuel, Henry Immelman het vier van sy span se 19 driee in die wedstryd gedruk. Die kantman, Marius Louw het self ‘n driekuns aan driee behaal. Die heelagter, EW Viljoen het 20 punte via twee driee en vyf doelskoppe aangeteken.

    Die Vrystaat het slegs vier doelskoppe gemis. Die buitesenter, Stephen Rautenbach het sewe driee verdoel, terwyl die plaasvervanger-skrumskakel Sharwin Cupido met drie doelskoppe geslaag het.

    Die oorwinning is ongetwyfeld die grootste sege wat die Vrystaatse o.18-span nog ooit behaal het. Die Vrystaat kom volgende Saterdag in Rustenburg om 14:00 in die hoofwedstryd van die Noordvaal Bondedag teen die Blou Bullet e staan. Die behoort ‘n veel groter toets vir die span voor die 50ste Cravenweek in Polokwane van 8 tot 13 Julie te bied.

    Puntemakers:

    Vrystaat o.18 125 (61) -€“ Driee: Henry Immelman (4), Marius Louw (3), EW Viljoen (2), Ali Mgijima (2), Sheldon Fortuin, Andries Kriek, Casper Fourie, De Wet Bezuidenhout, Andrew du Plessis, Ox Nche, Victor Maruping, Sharwin Cupido. Doelskoppe: Stephen Rautenbach (7), Viljoen (5), Cupido (3). Grens-platteland 0.

  • Griffons klop Griekwas op eerste Vrystaatse Bondedag

    Griffons klop Griekwas op eerste Vrystaatse Bondedag

    DIE Griffons se Cravenweek-span sal heelwat selfvertroue uit sy oorwinning van 43-34 oor sy eweknie van Griekwaland-Wes neem. Die Perses het met die omdraaislag ‘n skrale voorsprong van 17-15 geniet.

    Die Perses se slot Arno de Blom en flank Gerrit Otto was hulle span se twee uitstaande spelers in die sege.

    Die span se ander kantman, Andre Janse van Vuuren het twee keer agter die Poubloues se doellyn gaan kuier.

    Die Vrystaatse Akademie-span het ook heeltemal te veel skietgoed vir sy eweknie van Grens-platteland en ‘n weghol-sege van 102-3 behaal. Die span se senter, Andre Swarts het 34 van sy span se punte aangeteken. Hy het vier van sy span se 16 driee gedruk en ook sewe van die driee verdoel. Die agtsteman Alex Jonker en senter Carel-Jan Coetzee het albei dubelle driedruk-plesier ervaar.

    Die Vrystaat Kiewiete het sy wedstryd teen Sandveld 47-12 gewen. Die span se agtsteman Jan Serfontein en flank Niel Terblanche was voorlangs ysters. Agterlangs was die heelagter Jean Janse van Rensburg en losskakel Dean Tucker uitstaande. Die span trek Saterdag vir ‘n oefekamp saam voor hulle Maandag teen Suid-Natal in sy eerste wedstryd op die VKB Reitz-week te staan kom.

    Die Perses se o.16-span was 22-7 oor Griekwas-platteland baas. Die span van die Noord-Vrystaat het rustyd 5-0 voorgeloop. Vir die wenspan het sys enter Gerald Ekron uitgeblink. Hy het eers op buitesenter uitgedraf en daarna op binnesenter sy blink vertoning voortgesit. Die agtsteman SJ Malherbe en flank Pieter Jordaan verdien ook ‘n klop op die skouer vir hulle vertonings.

    Die Vrystaat Arende het Griekwas-platteland se Cravenweekspan 53-24 uitgestof. Griekwas se o.19-span het sy eweknie Griffons naelskraaps 30-29 uitoorle. Die Perses se plattelandse Akademie-span het sy eweknie van Griekwas-platteland 48-0 verslaan.

    Puntemakers:

    Griffons o.18 43 (17) – Driee: Andre Janse van Vuuren (2), Shaun Reynolds, Shane Grobler, Wian van der Watt, Sechaba Matsoele. Doelskoppe: Reynolds (5). Strafdoel: Reynolds. Griekwas o.18 34 (15).

    Vrystaat Akademie 102 – Driee: Andre Swarts (4), Alex Jonker (2), Carel-Jan Coetzee (2), Dwayne Wessels, Stanley Ramotsana, Callie Janse van Vuuren, Patrick Mbangi, Johan Nel, DP de Lange, Thando Magalakanqa, PC Labuschagne. Doelskoppe: Swarts (7), Jeandre Christiaans (4). Grens-platteland Akademie 3.

    Vrystaat Kiewiete 47 – Driee: Chester Sejake (2), Lee-hane Ontong (2), Janus Sander, Eugene Strydom, Kgosi Molapo. Doelskoppe: Sander (3), Dean Tucker (3). Sandveld 12.

    Griffons o.16 22 (5) – Driee: GJ van Eeden, Kardelo Moleko, Urzell Speelman, Donovan Bouwer. Doelskop: Bouwer. Griekwas-platteland o.16 7 (0) – Drie: Lynthen Barthies. Doelskop: Joe Willemse

  • Junior Springboks make it three out of three to clinch semi-final place

    Junior Springboks make it three out of three to clinch semi-final place

    The South African Under-20 team overcame a committed France team in front of their home crowd to record a third successive victory and clinch a place in the Junior World Championship semi-finals with a 26-19 victory (halftime 8-7) in La Roche-sur-Yon on Thursday.

    The Junior Springboks twice trailed in the match – and were matched for tries, three-all – but they showed tremendous defensive commitment and character to resist a home nation desperate to record a significant victory in their campaign, having already lost to England.

    Dawie Theron, the Junior Springboks’ coach, praised his team for clinching a vital victory against a very committed French team.

    “We knew that the French would be passionate and very committed because they had so much to play for. They were lifted by a fantastic crowd and gave it their all. However, I am proud of the effort by each of my players because the win is what matter most, and we deserved it in the end.

    “Our guys stood firm, made some vital tackles and in the end we clinched it with a great try by Cheslin Kolbe.”

    Theron added that he was not happy with the efforts in the scrums, and that his team will work hard in the next four days to correct their mistakes.

    “We missed Luhan (de Bruin, suspended prop) and there was some puzzling calls made against us. The coaches will go and have a look at the video and try to figure out what went wrong. We are in the semi-finals and will give it our best effort in the next match,” said Theron.

    Junior Springbok captain, Ruan Steenkamp, said the ferocious French forward pack made it difficult for them to gain momentum.

    “They disrupted us from the start and forced us into mistakes. We could not get the momentum that we wanted but we showed a lot of bravery and heart out there. We played much better towards the end, especially during the last ten minutes. I am just relieved that we managed to beat them because they are a dangerous team.

    “We will now regroup and prepare for the semi-final,” said Steenkamp.

    The International Rugby Board must still confirm the semi-finals, but South Africa – who finished top of Pool A – will most likely play against Wales on 18 June in Vannes.

    Scorers:

    South Africa – Tries: Dries Swanepoel, Luther Obi, Cheslin Kolbe. Conversion: Handré Pollard. Penalties: Pollard (3).

    France – Tries: Thibault Regard, Marco Tauleigne, Baptiste Serin. Conversions: Enzo Selponi, Serin.

    Issued by SARU Corporate Affairs