Blog

 

President Steyn het sy rieme in die hoofwedstryd van sy jaarlikse sportdag in Bainsvlei net buite Bloemfontein teen Bothaville met 20-39 styfgeloop.

Die Steyners se verdediging het hom so ietwat in die steek met tye gelaat. Dit was ’n fisieke stryd waarin Bothaville se agterspelers die nekslag toegedien het.

Bothaville was deurgans in beheer, maar kon slegs ’n skrale voorsprong van 17-15 met die omdraaislag geniet.

Die wenspan se flank Stefan Bester is vir sy goeie spel in die kragmeting met twee drieë beloon. Terwyl die vleuel Morné Dodds en skrumskakel, Willem van der Merwe, ook ’n klop op die skouer vir hul vertonings verdien.

St. Andrew sal die Vrystaatse B-liga bo-aan die puntelys afsluit na hy Brandfort met 27-24 op die sportdag geklop het. Brandfort sal wel voel dat hulle dalk in ’n eindstryd vir Saints kan verras na die vertoning.

Die Hoër Landbouskool Hendrik Potgieter van Reddersburg het vir Riebeeckstad met 55-5 die loef afgesteek. Sand du Plessis het ook nie veel probleme ondervind om Zastron met 48-13 kaf te draf nie.

Dit was veral die kantman Timothy Jones wat sake vir Zastron by die afbreekpunte moeilik gemaak het. Die Maroentruie se skrumskakel, Nicky Hattingh, het ook gereeld met sy lopies ver ente veld gewen.

Jim Fouché het goeie rugby opgedis om Landboudal van Jacobsdal met 34-3 te verslaan.

Sentraal het amper daarin geslaag om Duineveld op sy tuisveld in Upington uit te oorlê vir ’n roemryke sege. Die

Velties het egter kalm gebly om ’n naelskraapse sege van 32-31 te behaal.

Tralies het teen rustyd met 14-12 voorgeloop. Dit was veral die span van die Rosestad se slot Bubbles van der Walt en senter Dirk Cilliers wat dorings in die tuisspan se vlees was.

Vir Duineveld was sy vaskopstut, Stefan Hanekom, vleuel Sebastiaan Jobb en slot Jovan Oosthuizen uitstekend.
Fichardtpark het op sy tuisveld in die Rosestad vir Diamantveld behoorlik die skrik op die lyf gejaag. Diamonds het uiteindelik met 36-28 geseëvier. Fichies was met lemoentyd met 20-17 in die saal.

Diamonds se senter De-an Ackerman asook die slot Bernard Jansen was uitstekend. Vir Fichies het die stut Wandré Nortjé, agtsteman Tristan Roberts en die senters Charles Vorster en Ettienne Broodryk uitstaande.

Tydens die 90ste interskole tussen die Hoërskool Kalahari van Kuruman en Vryburg het laasgenoemde met 22-17 die septer geswaai.

Puntemakers: 

Bothaville 37 (17): Drieë: Stefan Bester (2), Morné Dodds, Carlo Kleynhans, Hloni Manama, Justin van der Schyff. Doelskop: Kleynhans. President Steyn 20 (15): Drieë: Johnny Khomisi (2), Marco Smith. Doelskop: Gailin Neels. Strafdoel: Neels. 

Jim Fouché 34: Landboudal 3: Strafdoel: Tiaan van Wyk. 

Sand du Plessis 48: Drieë: Nicky Hattingh (2), JG Oberholzer, Arthur Watkins, Waldrick le Roux, Rudolph Coetzee, Strafdrie. Doelskoppe: William Bloem (5). Strafdoel: Bloem. Zastron 13. 

Brandfort 24: Drieë: Kyle Wait (2), Christiaan Botha, Johan Muller. Doelskoppe: Francois Fourie (2). St. Andrew 27.

Diamantveld 36 (17): Drieë: Charles Williams (2), Lambert Cronjé, Glen Nieuwoudt, Timothy Harding, De-An Ackerman. Doelskoppe: Ackerman (2), Williams. Fichardtpark 28 (20): Drieë: Adriaan Delie, Charles Vorster, Ian Mollentze. Doelskoppe: Jevan Botes (2). Strafdoele: Botes (3).

Sentraal 31 (14): Drieë: Ruan van der Walt (2), Gerhard Roodt, GW Bierman. Doelskoppe: Jacques Mulder (2), Jano Earle. Strafdoel: Mulder. Duineveld 32 (12).

Vryburg 22 (15): Drieë: Kobus Vermaak, Lozano McCarthy, Francois Pelser. Doelskoppe: André Kock (2). Skepdoel: Kock. Kalahari 17 (10): Drieë: Pierre van der Walt, Nico Erasmus, Shaun Grobler. Doelskop: Johnny Hollenbach.

HTS Middelburg se Rooi Bulle het vir ’n opskudding gesorg deur gister die Nelspruit Rhinos op sy tuisveld met 26-20 in die eindstryd van die Pumas se Makroskole-liga.

Die Rhinos was sonder twyfel die gunsteling om as kampioen gekroon te word en sy vaskopstut, Dewald Maritz, het boonop ook frustrasie gehad waarvan hy ontslae sou wou raak na hy uit die SA Skole-span weggelaat is.

Die Rooi Bulle se haker, Ruben Cross, het voorlangs die pap dik aangemaak en met sy inklimspel beïndruk. Hy het terwyl meeste van die verdedigers die wenspan se SA Skole-flank, JC Pretorius, dopgehou het sy kans om sy span se held te wees aangegryp.

Die losskakel, Riekert Barnard, het ook ’n uitstaande vertoning gelewer. Sy skopskoen was ook die grootste verskil tussen die twee spanne op die telbord.

Die Rhinos het die ligawedstryd tussen die twee spanne vroeër vanjaar met 43-29 gewen. Die Rooi Bulle het hul pad in die Virseker Beeldtrofee heelwat makliker gemaak deur die eindstryd te wen. Hulle sal nou in die kwarteindronde van die kompetisie teen Waterkloof te staan kom. Nelspruit sal teen na die nederlaag vir Monument van Krugersdorp in die kwarteindronde moet trotseer.

Kempton Park en Noordheuwel het met 0-elk gelykop gespeel en sal Dinsdag mekaar weer ontmoet om te bepaal wie teen Menlopark in ’n kwalifiserende wedstryd om die Beeldtrofee vir Makroskole te staan sal kom.

Hoërskool Rustenburg het nie veel probleme ondervind om sy plek in die ander kwalifiserende kragmeting in die reeks te bespreek nie. Rustenburg het vir Die Anker van Brakpan met 55-7 die loef afgesteek. Hy sal nou teen Eldoraigne in die kwalifiserende wedstryd sake uitspook.

Ben Vorster van Tzaneen is die Limpopo se Grootskole-kampioen na hy die Hoërskool Pietersburg met 26-21 in die eindstryd in Polokwane die loef afgesteek het. Dié jaargroep van Ben Vorster kon nog nooit die Pieties sedert 0.14-vlak klop nie wat die sege nog meer merkwaardig maak.

Vereeniging Gimnasium kan daarmee spog dat hy die voorste skolespan in die Vaaldriehoek is. Gimmies het Transvalia van Vanderbijlpark met 33-23 in die eindstryd van die Valke se Grootskole-liga in die Isak Steyl-stadion verslaan.

Gimmies het die sege verdien en die meeste van die speelwerk in die wedstryd gedoen. Veral die span se skrumskakel, DW Briers, en die haker, Enrico Robbertse, was dorings in Transvalia se vlees.

Ligbron het op sy tuisveld in Ermelo vir Secunda as die Pumas se Grootskole-kampioen onttroon. Ligbron het die wedstryd met 27-20 gewen na hy teen rustyd met 5-14 agter was. Secunda het wel in die eerste helfte met ’n sterk wind van agter gespeel.

Linden het sy plek in die Beeldtrofee bespreek deur Dinamika met 15-10 in Alberton te klop. Linden sal nou na Secunda reis vir uitspeelwedstryd in die streekkompetisie.

Oos-Moot het op Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria sy titel as kampioen van die Blou Bulle se Grootskole behou deur Pretoria-Noord met 46-19 kaf te draf.

In Potchefstroom het Lichtenburg en Potch Volkies vir ’n opwindende eindstryd gesorg. Lichtenburg het uiteindelik met 42-36 as oorwinnaars van die veld gestap.

Die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool van Pretoria het in Pietermaritzburg vir Maritzburg College met 59-7 ’n drag slae toegedien. Die span se buitesenter, Marnus Potgieter, het ’n driekuns aan drieë in die wedstryd behaal.

Al die uitslae: 

NOORDVAAL

 

Blou Bulle: Affies 59, Maritzburg College 7; Menlopark 35, Zwartkop 29; Oos-Moot 46, Pretoria-Noord 19; Die Wilgers 33, Erasmus (Bronkhorstspruit) 19; Pretoria THS 25, Cullinan 10; Maragon Olympus 18, Woodhill 9.

Leeus: Linden 15, Dinamika 10; Fochville 36, Bekker 7; Helpmekaar 23, Garsfontein 22; King Edward VII 50, Pretoria Boys’ High 19; Parktown Boys’ High 24, Jeppe Boys’ High 17; President 10, Carletonville 7.

Limpopo: Ben Vorster 26, Hoërskool Pietersburg 21; Frans du Toit 55, Eric Louw 21; Ben Viljoen 42, Merensky 24; Curro Heuwelkruin 57, Stanford Lake College 14.

Luiperds: Hoërskool Rustenburg 55, Die Anker 7; Lichtenburg 42, Potchefstroom Volkskool 36; Schweizer-Reneke 22, Zeerust 15; Vryburg 22, Kalahari 17.

Pumas: HTS Middelburg 26, Hoërskool Nelspruit 20; Ligbron 27, Secunda 20; Penryn College 40, Kanonkop 32; Morgenzon Landbou 55, Hendrina 5; Steelcrest 51, Kriel 7.

Valke: Kempton Park 0, Noordheuwel 0; Vereeniging Gimnasium 33, Transvalia 23; Brandwag (Benoni) 34, Stoffberg 24; Parys 21, Die Ankerskool 21; Heilbron 55, Balfour 24.

VRYSTAAT/GRIEKWAS

Welkom Gimnasium 22, Voortrekker 10; Jim Fouché 34, Landboudal 3; Bothaville 37 President Steyn 20; Hennenman 12, Wessel Maree 10; Witteberg 28, Wilgerivier 25; Diamantveld 36, Fichardtpark 28; Duineveld 32, Sentraal 31; Hentie Cilliers 59, HTS Sasolburg 12; Goudveld-Hoërskool 29, HTS Welkom 17; AHS Kroonstad 80, Hoërskool Kroonstad 10; Sandveld 26, Welkom Sekonder 12; Harrismith 17, Ficksburg 12; Reitz 12, Vrede 10; Sand du Plessis 48, Zastron 13.

OOS-KAAP

Selborne College 34, Hudson Park 17; Brandwag (Uitenhage) 32, Despatch 14; Marlow Landbou 14, St. Andrew’s College 14; Woodridge College 8, Muir College 7; Graeme College 15, Pearson 10.

WES-KAAP

Hoër Jongenskool Paarl 25, Rondebosch Boys’ High 6; Paul Roos Gimnasium 50, Wynberg Boys’ High 5; Paarl Gimnasium 41, Oakdale Landbou 19; Boland Landbou 47, Bishops 19; Stellenberg 36, De Kuilen 5; Brackenfell 25, Hermanus 22; DF Malan 34, Hamlets-klub 0; Swartland 46, Strand 12; Durbanville 24, Worcester Gimnasium 19; Hopefield 24, Labori 10; Dirkie Uys 25, Porterville 20; Schoonspruit 24, Vredenburg 0; PW Botha 21, York 20; Hugenote (Wellington) 10, Charlie Hofmeyr 9; Augsburg Gimnasium 38, Piketberg 7; SACS 47, Hoërskool Bellville 7; President 12, Bosmansdam 12.

 

 

Die grootste interkole-rugbywedstryd ter wêreld beloof om vanjaar aan al die verwagtinge van die skouspel te voldoen. Paarl Gimnasium het gister vir Oakdale Landbou op sy agterplaas net buite Riversdal met 41-19 verslaan.

Die span se enigste nederlaag tot dusver vanjaar was teen Garsfontein op die jaarlikse Noord/Suid-toernooi.

Die Hoër Jongenskool Paarl moes aanvanklik harder vir sy sege van 25-6 oor Rondebosch Boys’ High werk. Boishaai kon teen rustyd slegs ’n voorsprong van 12-6 opbou. Die sege is Boishaai se 35ste op ’n streep. Die span het ook vanjaar agt spelers tot die Suid-Afrikaanse Skole-span bygedra.

Boland Landbou het Bishops in Kaapstad met 47-19 die loef afgesteek. Die wenspan het die bal lug gegee met sy vleuel Adriaan Stander en buitesenter, Durin Nasson wat albei twee keer ’n draai agter die doellyn gaan maak het.

Die Afrikaanse Hoërskool Kroonstad het met sy grootste sege nog oor Hoërskool Kroonstad gesorg dat Kroonstad vir die negende jaar in ’n ry rooi geverf is.

Rooiskool se losskakel, Chappies van der Walt, het 35 punte in sy span se weghol-oorwinning van 80-10 oor Blouskool aangeteken. Van der Walt het ’n driekuns aan drieë behaal en ook tien van sy span se 12 drieë verdoel.

Die twee drieë wat nie verdoel is nie, het Rooiskool glad nie pale toe gekorrel nie.

Welkom Gimnasium het met ’n sege van 22-10 oor Voortrekker in Bethlehem dit duidelik gemaak dat hy nie sommer vanjaar afstand van die titel as Griffon-kampioen gaan doen nie. Voor die kragmeting was die twee spanne die enigste twee onoorwonne spanne oor in die liga.

Bothaville het President Steyn se partytjie in die hoofwedstryd van sy jaarlikse sportdag in Bainsvlei net buite Bloemfontein bederf. Bothaville het die wedstryd met 37-20 gewen.

In die vernaamste voorwedstryd vir die hoofwedstryd het Jim Fouché vir Landboudal met 34-3 kaf gedraf.

Results:

Blue Bulls XV 17,  KwaZulu-Natal XV 20
Blue Bulls XV 13,  Namibia 11
Blue Bulls XV 17,  Western Province XV 28

Team

15 C Killian (Waterkloof), 14 T Tsombe (Pretoria Boys’ High School), 13 A Kekana (Pretoria Boys’ High School), 12 J Meyer (Waterkloof), 11 S Botha (Affies), 10 G Bezhuidenhout (Louis Trichardt), 9 M Booi (Mamelodi), 8 G Wait (Akasia), 7 S Lebese (Kgomotse), 6 T Venter (Waterkloof), 5 D Goosen (Waterkloof), 4 E Hlaka (Capricorn), 3 N Pieterse (Tuine THS), 2 E van der Walt (Voortrekkerhoogte), 1 S Potgieter (Wilgers)
Replacements: 16 C Dlamini (Attridgeville), 17 K Mautla (Soshanguwe), 18 J Sefoko (Pretoria THS), 19 C Hugo (Waterkloof), 20 M Ramanyenyiwa (Dhepta), 21 D Shirinde (Amogelang), 22 R Theunissen (Pretoria Noord)

1

Salmaan Moerat, captain of the DHL Western Province U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week side, will lead the SA Schools team in the U19 International Series in August, while Enrista Blue Bulls centre Louritz Van der Schyff has been selected to lead the SA Schools A team.

The SA Schools and SA Schools A teams will take on their counterparts from England, Wales, France and Italy from 12 to 20 August in Cape Town and Paarl, with the teams set to battle it out in three rounds of matches.

The squads, which consist of 26 players each and are sponsored by Coca-Cola, were selected by a panel of national and SA Schools selectors following the conclusion of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven and Academy Weeks in Durban.

Moerat, who led DHL Western Province to a 27-20 victory against the Bidvest Golden Lions in the final match of the Coca-Cola Craven Week last Saturday, is one of seven players in the SA Schools squad that featured in the tournament last season, while Enrista Blue Bulls fullback Abner van Reenen retains his place in the SA Schools A team.

The other players who were selected for the SA Schools team for the second successive season, or promoted from the SA Schools A team, are centre Manual Rass, flyhalf Damian Willemse, looseforward Khanya Ncusane (all from DHL Western Province), utility forward PJ Steenkamp (Enrista Blue Bulls), centre Wandisile Simelane (Bidvest Golden Lions) and Khwezi Mafu (Eastern Province).

The coaching staff and management teams of the SA Schools and SA Schools A teams, meanwhile, will be named in due course.

The first round of matches in the U19 International Series will be hosted at City Park in Crawford, Cape Town, on Friday 12 August. Then follows the second round of matches, at the fields of the Diocesan College (Bishops) in Rondebosch, on Tuesday 16 August, while the final round of action will take place at the fields of Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday, 20 August.

The two SA Schools squads will assemble at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday, 7 August and will begin their on-field preparations for the tournament the following day.

SA Schools (in alphabetical order):

Name	Position	Province	School
Emilio Adonis	Wing	Enrista Blue Bulls	Garsfontein
Reece Bezuidenhout	Prop	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
PJ Botha	Hooker	Bidvest Golden Lions	Monument
Ruan de Swardt	Flyhalf	Enrista Blue Bulls	Affies
Ben-Jason Dixon	Lock	DHL Western Province	Paul Roos
Muller du Plessis	Wing	DHL Western Province	Paarl Gym
Richman Gora	Scrumhalf	Thepa Trading Griffons	Welkom Gymnasium
Daniel Jooste	Hooker	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Rewan Kruger	Scrumhalf	Bizhub Free State	Grey College, Bloem
Gianni Lombard	Fullback	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Khwezi Mafu	No 8	Eastern Province	Grey High, PE
Mike Mavovana	Wing	DHL Western Province	Rondebosch Boys
Nathan McBeth	Prop	Bidvest Golden Lions	Monument
Salmaan Moerat (captain)	Lock	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Khanya Ncusane	No 8/ Flank	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Johan Neethling	Prop	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Sihle Njezula	Utility back	Eastern Province	Grey High, PE
JC Pretorius	Flank	Pumas	HTS Middelburg
Rikus Pretorius	Centre	Bizhub Free State	Grey College, Bloem
Manuel Rass	Centre	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Sazi Sandi	Prop	Eastern Province CD	St Andrews College
Charl Serdyn	Flank	DHL Western Province	Paarl Boys
Wandisile Simelane	Centre	Bidvest Golden Lions	Jeppe
PJ Steenkamp	Lock/Flank	Enrista Blue Bulls	Garsfontein
Muller Uys	Flank	DHL Western Province	Paarl Gym
Damian Willemse	Flyhalf	DHL Western Province	Paul Roos

SA Schools A (in alphabetical order):

Name	Position	Province	School
Zinedine Booysen	Scrumhalf	SWD Eagles	Oakdale
Austin Davids	Utility Back	Enrista Blue Bulls	Garsfontein
Lubabalo Dobela	Flyhalf	Eastern Province	Grey High, PE
Cabous Eloff	Prop	Enrista Blue Bulls	Affies
Schalk Erasmus	Hooker	Enrista Blue Bulls	Affies
Keagan Glade	Prop	Bidvest Golden Lions	KES
Tyrone Green	Flyhalf	Bidvest Golden Lions	Jeppe
Gugu Nelani	Prop	Sharks	Northwood
Christopher Havenga	Lock	Bidvest Golden Lions	Monument
Janco van Heyningen	Wing	Bizhub Free State	Grey College, Bloem
Cameron Hufke	Utility Back	GWK Griquas	Noord-Kaap
Jessie Johnson	Flank	DHL Western Province	Paul Roos
Athi Magwala	Flank	DHL Western Province	Boland Landbou
Tadendaishe Mujawo	Right wing	Bidvest Golden Lions	St Benedict’s
Sanele Nohamba	Scrumhalf	Sharks	DHS
Ayabonga Oliphant	Utility Back	Eastern Province	Grey High, PE
Ryno Pieterse	Lock/Flank	Enrista Blue Bulls	Garsfontein
Dylan Richardson	Hooker	Sharks	Kearsney College
Dian Schoonees	No 8	Bizhub Free State	Grey College, Bloem
Mornay Smith	Prop	Enrista Blue Bulls	Eldoraigne
Mark Snyman	Flank	Bidvest Golden Lions	Helpmekaar
Sicelo Tole	Centre	Eastern Province	Muir College
Louritz Van der Schyff (captain)	Centre	Enrista Blue Bulls	Affies
Abner van Reenen	Fullback	Enrista Blue Bulls	Garsfontein
Jaco van Tonder	Lock	Bizhub Free State	Grey College, Bloem
Juan van der Mescht	Lock	Sharks	Glenwood

U19 International Series fixtures:

Friday, 12 August (City Park Stadium – Crawford, Cape Town):

13h00 – France vs England

14h30 – SA Schools A vs Italy

16h00 – SA Schools vs Wales

Tuesday, 16 August (Bishops, Diocesan College – Rondebosch, Cape Town)

13h00 – Wales vs Italy

14h30 – SA Schools A vs England

16h00 – SA Schools vs France

Saturday, 20 August (Paarl Boys High – Paarl)

13h00 – France vs Italy

14h30 – SA Schools A vs Wales

16h00 – SA Schools vs England

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Results

Lions 29,  Free State 46
Lions 62,  Eastern Province 7
Lions 29,  Western Province 21

Players: 15 Divan Ferguson (Alberton), 14 Juandre Williams (Alberton), 13 Bradley Moolman (Monument), 12 Kabous Janse van Rensburg (Monument), 11 Clinton Wagman (Florida), 10 Elton Jantjes (Florida), 9 Whestley Moolman (Monument), 8 Ben Sekgobela (Florida), 7 PJ Uys (Monument), 6 Andre Jantjies (Florida), 5 Griffith van Wyk (Monument), 4 Leander Visser (Alberton), 3 Ruan Dreyer (Monument), 2 Byron van der Nest (Alberton), 1 Marvin Njody (Monument). Replacements: 16 Francois du Toit (Florida), 17 Srdjan Dabovic (Florida), 18 Jimmy Hughes (Monument), 19 Siyanda Yaka (Monument), 20 Jaco Taute (Monument), 21 Wandile Mjekevu (King Edward VII), 22 Frederique de Kock (Florida). 

Big wins on Wednesday took centre stage in the main games of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and Coca-Cola Academy Week at Kearsney College in Durban to spice up the competition as the final day’s play draws nearer.

In the last two matches in the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, DHL Western Province outplayed hosts, the Sharks, 60-5, and the Pumas overpowered Namibia 51-15. In the Coca-Cola Academy Week, the Sharks defeated Border 40-25.
In stark contrast, DHL Western Province had to work hard for their 31-29 victory against the Bidvest Golden Lions in the Coca-Cola Academy Week to emerge as one of the main contenders to battle it out in the final match of the tournament on Saturday.

The victories for all four teams ensured that they will enter the final day’s play on Saturday unbeaten.
Wednesday’s play was riveting, with a total of 702 points scored across the two tournaments – 350 of which were scored in the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week from 50 tries and 352 in the Coca-Academy Week from 52 tries.

In the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, Western Province, who won the final match of the 2015 tournament with a stunning 95-0 victory, showed that they could be equally threatening this season as they as they cruised to a 43-0 half-time score against the Sharks.

Such was the high quality of their attack they ran circles around the Sharks to cross the chalk seven times, while their effective defence denied the hosts from getting close to the tryline. The Cape side continued to force their way through the defence in the second half to add two more tries to their tally.

The Sharks fought back with intent as they put together phases on attack and ran hard at Western Province, while they tightened up their defence. These efforts were rewarded with a try, but the five points proved to be their only points of the match, as a combination of mistakes at crucial times the tenacious Western Province defence continued to shut them out. The Capetonians added a penalty in the 60th minute to take the score to 60-5, which proved to be final score.

The opening exchanges between the Pumas and Namibia were tight with the visitors touching down the first try of the match in the 15th minute. The Pumas hit back immediately with two tries in five minutes and a penalty to force their way into the lead.

Namibia responded with a penalty before the break to reduce the deficit to 10 points. The Mpumalanga side, however, ran the show in the second half with their effective attack and solid rounding-off, which earned them five more tries to stretch their score to 51. Despite trailing far behind, Namibia refused to give up and touched down for their second try to go down 51-15.

Boland opened up the scoring in their clash with a try in the fourth minute, but a penalty by the Port Elizabeth side followed by a brace of three tries in 10 minutes and another penalty pushed them into a comfortable 30-7 half-time lead.

Boland, however, came out firing in the second half thanks to a skilful display in which they crossed the tryline four times, while they limited Eastern Province to only one try. But the Wellington side’s efforts fell just short as they went down 37-33.

In the early games the Thepa Trading Griffons pipped GWK Griquas Rural 34-32 and GWK Griquas sailed to a 78-5 victory against Old Mutual Zimbabwe.

The Griffons showed their class on attack from the outset as they ran in four tries in the first 31 minutes, while Griquas Rural kicked two penalties and scored one try to trail 24-13 at the break. Griquas Rural continued to keep the scoreboard ticking with penalty goals in the second half, with flyhalf Iwan Lombard slotting over six in the match and two conversions for 22 points. They also added a last-minute try, but this was not enough to sneak into the lead as the Griffons added two second-half tries to their tally, which allowed them to hold on for the 34-32 victory.

Griquas delivered a solid performance on attack and defence against Zimbabwe and they did well to take advantage of the space out-wide to pile on the tries throughout the match. Zimbabwe tried hard to make their presence felt, but handling errors denied them from applying pressure on Griquas, which left them with only one try for their efforts. In stark contrast Griquas touched down a staggering 12 times for a rewarding 78-5 victory.

Wing Cameron Huffke scored four of these tries and slotted over nine conversions for a personal total of 38 points.
In the Coca-Cola Academy Week, Border stunned hosts, the Sharks, early on in their clash as they took advantage of a yellow card for the home team to score their first try and added another six minutes later. The Sharks cancelled this out with two of their own before the break.

Border, however, had the final say as they slotted over a penalty on the stroke of half time to take an 18-12 lead. This served as motivation for the hosts, as they delivered a determined second-half performance to run in an impressive four tries, which shut the East London side out of the match. Despite this Border, fought until the end and earned a try for their efforts, which saw them go down 40-25.

The clash between DHL Western Province and the Bidvest Golden Lions was thrilling, with Lions clawing their way back from a 28-3 deficit, but were denied by a last-gasp penalty by the Cape side.

Western Province stunned the Lions with a quartet of tries in the first half, while the Johannesburg side only kicked a penalty in return. But the tide turned for the Lions after the break and they hit back with four tries to take a 29-28 lead. Western Province were awarded a late penalty, which Theo Boshoff slotted over to snatch a 31-29 win.

The SA LSEN (Learners with Special Education Needs) team also won their second match in the tournament as they recorded a 38-26 victory against Griffons CD.

The SA LSEN team stamped their authority early in the match as they scored three converted tries in the first 12 minutes to work their way to an encouraging 21-0 lead at the break. The Griffons CD, however, forced their way back into the match with back-to-back tries in the opening exchanges of the second half to create a competitive final quarter.

Both teams added two tries as the match progressed, but a handy penalty by the SA LSEN team in the 66th minute allowed them to wrap up the 38-26 victory.

In the opening three matches of the day, SWD defeated Eastern Province CD 30-15 and the Blue Valke secured a 36-24 victory against GWK Griquas Rural, while the Pumas defeated the Thepa Trading Griffons 36-17.

SWD staged a strong second-half comeback from 8-0 down at the break to power their way to victory as they out-scored Eastern Province CD five tries to two, while the Blue Valke dominated their clash against Griquas Rural from the outset as they used their point-scoring chances effectively to secure the victory.

The Pumas, meanwhile, took control of their clash against the Griffons from the outset as they forced their way over the tryline three times in the first 20 minutes, while they limited the Welkom side to one try in the first half, which earned them a 19-5 lead. They built on this shortly after the break with two back-to-back tries to stretch their lead to 36 points. The Griffons fought back strongly and scored two tries in five minutes shortly before the final whistle, but these efforts proved to be too little too late.

In Thursday’s matches Eastern Province CD and Border CD will kick off the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week at 09h35, while the Limpopo Blue Bulls and Konica Minolta Free State will meet in the opening match of the Coca-Cola Academy Week at 08h35.

The main games in the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week will see the Pumas line up against Namibia and DHL Western Province take on hosts, the Sharks.

In the top clashes in the Coca-Cola Academy Week, meanwhile, the Blue Bulls will be pitted against the Leopards, Eastern Province will take on the Red Valke and Boland will go head-to-head with Namibia.

Die speelstyl van Suid-Afrikaanse spanne is ook vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Rugbyunie (Saru) ’n kopseer.

Die president van Saru, Oregan Hoskins, het tydens ’n geleentheid op die 53ste Cravenweek vir hoërskole ’n beroep op die skoleafrigters van die land gemaak om te help dat die land se spanne uit die kettings hul tradisionele speelstyl breek.

“Ek dink ons as Suid-Afrikaners weet dit het tyd geword dat ons stop om deur ’n muur te probeer hardloop en liewer om die muur te probeer nael,” het Hoskins gesê.

Die Sharks se breier Gary Gold, die voormalige Springbok-hulpafrigter en senter Dick Muir asook die gewese Bok-senter en rugbyghuru Brendan Venter het die afgelope paar weke kritiek oor die afrigting op skolevlak uitgespreek.

Die wenmotief het volgens hulle ook te belangrik op skolevlak geraak. Dit was egter duidelik op die eerste drie dae van die Cravenweek dat afrigters op dié vlak nie soveel klem op verdediging lê as wat die breiers van proffesionele span doen nie.

Die eerste drie dae van die toernooi het 136 drieë in 15 wedstryde opgelewer. Dit is bykans ongelooflike tien drieë per wedstryd. Skolerugby lewer steeds van die mees opwindende rugby weekliks in Suid-Afrika op.

Hoskins het die feit benadruk dat afrigters op skolevlak ’n uiters belangrike rol in die ontwikkeling van spelers asook die spel in Suid-Afrika speel. Die Springbokke se laaste drie breiers Allister Coetzee, Heyneke Meyer en Jake White was almal eers onderwysers voor hulle die belangrikste afrigtingspos in die land beklee het.

“Ek doen ’n beroep op die skoleafrigters om ons asseblief te help om ons styl van rugby te verander. Dit kan ongelukkig nie bo begin nie, dit moet by die afrigting op skolevlak begin,” het Hoskins aan die Cravenweek-afrigters gesê.

Suid-Afrika se sterk skolesisteem speel ’n groot rol om die Springbokke een van die voorste spanne in wêreldrugby te hou. En die onderwysers wat as afrigters en administrateurs by skolerugby betrokke is speel ’n beduidende rol in die sukses.