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The Coca-Cola Under-13 Craven Week delivered another gripping day of action at Warmbad Hoȅrskool in Bela-Bela on Tuesday as the tempo and quality of rugby rose to a new level with the teams settled in and the nerves forgotten.

For South Western Districts, the Limpopo Blue Bulls, Free State and Boland day two marked a significant step in establishing themselves as forces to be reckoned with thanks to encouraging victories which made up for their disappointing starts to the tournament on Monday.

Western Province, the Pumas, Blue Bulls and Lions meanwhile continued their winning ways as they delivered solid performances to top the unofficial log as the only unbeaten teams with two days of matches remaining.

Such was the high quality of the performances South Western Districts, the Pumas, Free State and Griffons registered bonus-point victories, with the Free State’s Rocco Steyn and Thabo Mlambo of the Griffons scoring hat-tricks of tries.

Unfortunately for KwaZulu-Natal, the determined Boland side had the upper hand as they used their pace and fine skills to make the most of their chances for a 13-7 victory and the upset of the day, while visitors

Zimbabwe and Namibia again struggled to make their presence felt forcing them to settle for their second round of defeats.

South Western Districts set the tone for the day early in the morning as they ran circles around Griquas and took advantage of the gaps in defence, which earned them four tries and a 22-5 victory.

Hosts, the Limpopo Blue Bulls, also discovered their form after a heavy defeat against KwaZulu-Natal on Monday by showing a new-found confidence on attack and a tighter defensive effort, which earned them a 22-5 victory against the Valke to the delight of the crowd.

In a fitting end to the day the Blue Bulls beat the Leopards 14-0 in a hard-fought encounter after a 0-0 deadlock at the break, while the Lions also showed their mettle in an arm-wrestle of a clash against Border for a 18-5 win.

Two tries by the Blue Bulls in the third quarter pushed the team into the lead against the Leopards, which was sufficient to seal the victory despite a tightly-contested fourth quarter.

In the Lions camp, meanwhile, two first-half tries to only one by the Leopards handed them a 15-7 lead and a psychological edge in the physical clash. With the forwards continuing their dominance in the second half and the side doing well to pin Border in their own half, the Lions increased their score to 18 points in the third quarter thanks to a penalty by fullback Muzilikazi Manyike to secure their second victory in as many matches.

The players will have tomorrow at leisure to rest ahead of the final rounds on Thursday and Friday.

Scorers: 

South Western Districts 22 (12) – Tries: Fagan Terblanché, Georgen Kiewiet, Jean Bruiners, Keenan Baartman. Conversion: Bradford Hendricks. Griqualand West 5 (5) – Try: Pieter Smith.

Limpopo Blue Bulls 22 (12) – Tries: Melvin Maake (2), Niaan Taljaard, Albert Wells. Conversion: Martin du Plessis. Valke 5 (5) – Try: Jonathan de Lacey.

Mpumalanga 22 (10) – Tries: Coenraad Visser, Junior Ngomezulu, Martinus Venter, Shaun McLaren. Conversion: Arrie Heyl. Border Country Districts 14 (14) – Tries: Eric Krexeza, Nompho Sizwe. Conversions: Mzwandile Qhasumoya (2).

Free State 26 (5) – Tries: Rocco Steyn (3), Jacobus Agenbach. Conversions: Alex-Zander du Plessis (3). Namibia 5 (5) – Try: Bernard Wessels.

Blue Bulls 14 (0) – Tries: George Luzolo, Marcelle Mombers. Conversions: Reghardt Roets (2). Leopards 0.

Western Province 10 (3) – Try: Juan Mostert. Conversion: Mostert. Penalty: Mostert. Eastern Province 7 (7) – Try: Hendrik du Toit. Conversion: Werner Gouws.

Boland 13 (8) – Tries: Dehan Marais (2). Penalty: Brent Manuel. KwaZulu-Natal 7 (0) – Try: Thabiso Mdletshe. Conversion: Michael Goedeke.

 

The Golden Lions, Western Province, Border and KwaZulu-Natal on Monday established themselves as the early pace-setters in the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week at Warmbad Hoȅrskool in Bela-Bela as they cruised to convincing victories on the opening day.

The action proved to be thrilling as it featured a few runaway victories, an upset, tightly-contested clashes and a 0-0 draw. But it was the impressive running rugby and high skills levels that created excitement among the spectators and administrators.

The Golden Lions began their 36-0 rampage against Zimbabwe as early as the second minute with back Jason Freeman scoring the first of the side’s six tries. So convincing were the Gauteng-based team they ran in four tries in the first 20 minutes for a 22-0 half-time lead, and with Zimbabwe on the back-foot from the outset, they had no reply.

Western Province also showed their class by thumping Griquas 31-7 in a one-sided encounter. In total the Cape side crossed the tryline five times – with Dimitri Mngqolo scoring twice – while Griquas were forced to settle for a single try by Pieter Smith for their only points of the day. The top point-scorer of the day, Juan Mostert, also emerged from Western Province, with his 11-point contribution consisting of a try and three conversions.
Border, meanwhile, staged a fantastic second-half comeback against the Free State after trailing 17-14 at the break to register their 28-17 bonus-point victory. Border’s physicality and their dominance at the advantage line, in particular, were highlights of their performance, as was their ability to maintain their high tempo until the dying minutes. These factors delivered the bonus-point try seven minutes before full time.

KwaZulu-Natal also got their campaign off to a strong start as they walloped the hosts, Limpopo Blue Bulls 33-5 with their five tries pushing them into second position on the unofficial log table.

The upset of the day was undoubtedly Eastern Province going down 10-5 to a spirited Leopards outfit. In an arm-wrestle of a match the Leopards scored a well-worked first-half try by Douwie Andricus to take a 5-0 lead at the break. EP, however, bounced back strongly which earned them an early second-half try to level the scores. But the hard-working Leopards refused to lie down and worked their way into the right area of the field for the winning try three minutes of time.

Scorers: 

Golden Lions 36 (22) – Tries: Davan du Plessis, Franco Schutte, Jason Freeman, Muzilikazi Manyike, Thuso Diyale, Tristan Dullisear. Conversions: Manyike (2). Dean Lategan. Zimbabwe 0. 

Mpumalanga 17 (12) – Tries: Coenraad Visser, Dylan Pretorius, Jean Jordaan. Conversion: Visser. Namibia 0. 

Border 28 (14) – Tries: Bulelani Ngaki (2), Thabang Maifo, Wyclef Vlitoor. Conversions: Jaden Hendrikse (4). Free State 17 (17) – Tries: Charl van der Merwe, De Wet Marais, Johann de Jager. Conversion: Alex-Zander du Plessis. 

Border Country Districts 5 (0) – Try: Wanda Fana. Griffons 3 (3) – Penalty: Richard Kriel. 

Leopards 10 (5) – Tries: Douwie Andricus, Gerhardt Muller. Eastern Province 5 (0) – Try: Lorenzo Ferreira.

Western Province 31 (14) – Tries: Dimitri Mngqolo (2), Juan Mostert, Nivan Petersen, Saeed Fakier. Griqualand West 7 (0) – Try: Pieter Smith. Conversion: Chris Klijnhans.  

Blue Bulls 19 (12) – Tries: Dewald Pienaar, Landi Mahlangu, Makhasa Maeko. Conversions: Reghardt Roets (2). Boland 5 (0) – Try: Fredwin Goedeman. 

KwaZulu-Natal 33 (12) – Tries: Siyanda Cele (2), Gcinatha Gumede, Michael Smith, Zolile Shange. Conversions: Michael Goedeke (4). Limpopo Blue Bulls 5 (5) – Try: Franco du Plessis. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIE VKB-rugbyweek skop vandag hier af met die gasheer die Oos-Vrystaat en Lynx-Noord wat mekaar in die hoofwedstryd die stryd aansê. Die gasheer is saam met Suid-Vrystaat en die Vrystaat Kiewiete die vroeë gunstelinge om uiteindelik as kampioen gekroon te word.
Die eindstryd van die week word Donderdag hier in die Riemland beslis. Die Kiewiete en Suid-Vrystaat het verlede jaar die louere in die eindstryd gedeel. Die GWK XV-tal was die enigste span wat verlede jaar in al drie sy wedstryde aan die wenkant was. Die span sal egter nie vanjaar weer in aksie wees nie.
Die Colt-span van Griekwas ka nook dalk ?n sterk aanspraakmaker wees. Die span se losskakel, Guillermo Minnie het verlede jaar die Vrystaat op die Cravenweek in Port Elizabeth verteenwoordig. Hy is egter Griekwas se keurders oor die hoof gesien en sal ?n punt hê om te bewys hier.
Dié week het al heelwat provinsiale spelers opgelewer. Dougie Hellmuth, Elandré Hugget, Gert Greyling en wyle Nardus ?Pompies? Wessels is van die provinsiale spelers wat al hulle tande op die Reitz-week geslyp het. Die Springbok-losvoorspelers Juan Smith (Vrystaat Kiewiete – 1999) en Deon Stegmann (Vrystaat Arende – 2003) het ook al met hulle spel op dié week beindruk.
Daar word vanjaar weer na afloop van die week ?n span bekend gemaak wat oorsee sal toer. Die span word alom as die Suid-Afrikaanse platteland-span gereken. Die span sal later vanjaar na Frankryk ?n toer onderneem.
Die twee spanne van Gauteng, Lynx-Noord en Lynx-Suid, is ook altyd spanne om mee rekening te hou.
Die Oos-Vrystaat kon nog nooit daarin slaag om die toernooi te wen nie. Die span verloor egter die laaste paar jaar heelwat spelers wat aan die Akademie-week vir die Griffons se plattelandse akademie-span speel. Die Kiewiete beskik oor ?n gevaarlike agterhoede wat heelwat spanne met hulle vaart moeilikheid behoort te besorg.
Die vorige kampioene van die VKB-week:
1998 ? Noordelike Provinsie; 1999 ? Lammergeiers; 2000 ? Luiperds Platteland; 2001 ? Mpumalanga; 2002 ? Pumas en Luiperds Platteland; 2003 ? Luiperds Platteland; 2004 ? Vrystaat Arende; 2005-2006 ? Diamantstreek; 2007-2008 ? Vrystaat Kiewiete; 2009 ? Lammergeiers; 2010 ? Vrystaat Kiewiete; 2011 ? Lynx-Noord en GWK XV-tal; 2012 ? Vrystaat Kiewiete en Suid-Vrystaat.
Vandag se bepalings:
09:00 ? Sandveld t. Cobras; 10:20 ? Lynx-Suid t. Luiperds Platteland; 11:40 ? Colts t. Valke; 13:00 ? Vrystaat Kiewiete t. Suid-Natal; 14:20 ? Suid-Vrystaat t. Noord-Natal; 15:40 ? Oos-Vrystaat t. Lynx-Noord.

If you would like to order a photo sent an e-mail with the number below the photo to hannes@rugby.supersportschools.com for payment details. Photos cost R40 and will be e-mailed through.

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The South African College High School (SACS) head out to Paarl Gimnasium for the bi-annual Cape School Week full of anticipation. While the squad may be hampered by injuries there is much excitement at the opportunity to play against our traditional boy’s school rivals from the Eastern Cape. All the Eastern Cape Schools are bringing their Craven Week players so the quality of rugby is sure to be very high.

SACS are without some key players but as ever this provides other squad members with an opportunity to step up and cement a place in the team for the second half of the season. It also provides the coaches with a chance to look at some younger players with a view to squad selection for 2014, SACS face Selborne College first up (19h20 on Saturday 22 June). The teams met last year at Grey High where SACS ran out winners, 28-23. Selborne started the season slowly but has produced some good results of late and will pose a formidable challenge. Their direct style of rugby with test the resolve of the SACS forwards while they are renowned for the support play out wide.

On Day Two (Monday 24 June) SACS are up against Queens College at 15h20. Queens have racked up some impressive wins of late and play an exciting brand of running rugby. They always have a good halfback combination and loose-forwards who play like terriers but it’s the ability of their forwards and backs to combine that is legendary.

In their final game, SACS play against Grey High from Port Elizabeth. Grey are arguably the strongest Eastern Cape team at the Festival and this will be a huge game for SACS on the final day (Kick-off at 8 am on Wednesday 26 June). SACS beat Grey 17-nil at Cape Schools Week in 2011 but Grey avenged that with a comfortable 32-10 win in 2012. The early game on the final day will be a tough one for both teams, with a lot at stake.

As was the case against Wynberg, SACS are without important players like Rodgers (shoulder), Basson (eye), Murray (hamstring) as well as Labuschagne (hip) and Williams (ankle). Joel MacQuene was selected for the WP Academy team but will tour with SACS but won’t be available for all 3 games. The good news is that Ambler-Smith (shoulder), Deary (ankle) and Douglas (shoulder) have recovered from their injuries and will tour to Paarl. Outstanding opportunity for all the new boys in the squad to show what they can do!

Cape Schools Week is unique and has stood the test of time since it was founded in 1980. Sadly the founder, Ray Connellan, passed away last week but this tournament will be a special one as we remember a great schoolmaster and friend.