They ran out comfortable 56-32 winners over the Pumas in a high quality game in front of a big crowd on an unseasonably warm day.
Free State’s victory was forged in their backline, where they have a number of SA Schools candidates. The slickness of their passing, and their timing, was such that the game Pumas defence could not plug all the gaps and the Free Staters ran in seven tries on their way to half a century of points.
Free State’s number 10 Pieter Jordaan scored four tries and he looks a good early bet for SA Schools, along with his centres Jan Serfontien and Dries Swanepoel .
Not that the Pumas were completely outplayed. They have a more than useful pack of forwards, with lock Neil Bekker and flank Kwagga Smith showing up particularly well.
Pieter Jordaan scored four tries for Free State. The others were by Jannie Strumpher, Jan Serfontein and Francois Pretorius. Strumpher kicked three penalties and six conversions.
The Pumas scored five tries through Albertus Smith, Anele Blaauw, Jan Visser, Jeremiah Gouws and Willem du Plessis. Tyrone Pienaar kicked a penalty and a conversion and Jacobus Wolmarans a conversion.
The Blue Bulls showed that they are going to be a force at this Craven Week, beating Boland 50-15 and scoring seven tries in the process.
Boland were game in the first half, holding their illustrious opponents to a 22-10 lead at half time.
They had no answer to the power of the Bulls forwards in the second half, however, and the Pretoria side were unstoppable in the latter stages of the game.
Leslie Van der Westhuizen and Roelof Smit scored two tries each for the Bulls, with Juan Gunter, Justin Forwood and Sean Robinson getting the others.
Flyhalf Faf Tredoux converted six of the tries and kicked a penalty. Jacques Rossouw, Jason Kriel and Kobus Putter dotted down for Boland.
There was heartbreak for the hosts, Griquas. They gave their all against SWD in the final game of the day, but ended four points short. It was a pulsating game which went from end to end and it finished with Griquas attacking furiously and SWD defending desperately, 23-19 ahead.
SWD outscored their opponents by three tries to one and deserved their win. For the home crowd it was a disappointing end to the day and the chances of Griquas making it through to the main game have slipped away.
Michale Bernhardt (two) and Christopher Richardson were the SWD try-scorers. Sylvian Mahuza kicked a penalty and a conversion and Kershwill Williams a conversion.
Len Le Roux scored Griquas’ try, with Elrico Fielies kicking four penalties and a conversion.
The Namibian national schools team got things rolling with a solid performance in beating the Northwest Province Leopards 40-19. It was an attractive game, full of running rugby, with the Namibians more accurate in their execution and deserved winners in the end.
Centre and captain Daniel Arries scored two tries for Namibia, as did winger Pieter Cronje (two)with the other one coming from Donavon Kandjii. Lou Rickerts kicked two penalties, two conversions and a drop goal and Denver Muroua one.
Hermanus Smith, Wynand Bosman and Adriaan Esterhuizen crossed over for the Leopards, with Esterhuizen also slotting two conversions.
In other early action, the Valke were far too strong for the Eastern Province Country (North East Cape) side. They scored six goals on their way to a 42-15 win and dominated the forward exchanges to the extent that the EP side simply had no ball to work with in the second half.
The Valke tries were by Armandt Peens, Christiaan Meyer, Frederick Roodt, Jacobus Cronje, Johan Van Tonder and Taain Ramat. Warren Potgieter converted all six tries in a flawless display of goal-kicking.
James Moore and Richard van Straaten got tries for the EP Country side and Nitsikelo Mlameli kicked a penalty and a conversion.
Of the 40 years of its existence, Coca-Cola has been part of the week for the past 26, a statistic the company is proud of. “Coca-Cola sponsors tournaments at the highest level and we are fully aware that no country can be successful without a strong development programme in place and Coca-Cola has played a major role in finding Springboks. More than 90 percent of the current squad have competed in one of the Coca-Cola Youth Weeks,” said Zayd Abrahams, Head of Sparkling Beverages, Coca-Cola South Africa.
Abrahams said further: “But the four weeks we are involved with, namely the Coca-Cola U13, Academy, Under 16 and Under 18 weeks are also about living for a difference and living a healthy lifestyle. These are the messages we also promote throughout each tournament.”
RESULTS –
Namibia 40 Leopards 19,
Valke 42 EP CD 15,
Blue Bulls 50 Boland 15,
Free State 56 Pumas 32,
SWD 23 Griquas 19.
Tuesdays fixtures: 10:25 Zimbabwe v Border CD, 11:45 Griffons v Limpopo, 1.05pm Golden Lions v E Province, 2.25pm W Province v KwaZulu-Natal, 3.45pm Griquas CD v Border.
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| Ayabonga Gantweni from EP Country District during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between EP CD and Falcons |
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| Ismail Ramatduring day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between EP CD and Falcons |
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| Jason Kriel from Boland during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Boland and Bulls at GWK |
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| KK Hlongwane from Free State during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Free State and Pumas |
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| Michael Bernard from SWD during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Griquas and SWD at GWK |
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| Neethling Fouche from Free State during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Free State and Pumas |
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| Nicefore Omba from Pretoria during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Boland and Bulls |
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| Patrick Mathe from Pretoria during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Boland and Bulls |
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| Pieter de Villiers from Namibia during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Leopards and Namibia |
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| Ryno Wepener (Oakdale Landbou) from SWD during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Griquas and SWD |
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| SWD celebrates during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Griquas and SWD |
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| Sylvian Mahuza (Outeniqua) from SWD during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Griquas and SWD |
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| Sylvian Mahuza from SWD during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between Griquas and SWD |
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| Willem Venter from EP Country District during day 1 of the Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week in the game between EP CD and Falcons |
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