THE BLUE BULLS END UP AS THE STRONGEST TEAM IN THIS YEARS COCA-COLA U13 CRAVEN WEEK

The Blue Bulls End Up As The Strongest Team In This Years Coca-Cola U13 Craven Week

Bloemfontein 29 June 2012 ­- The curtain came down on the 41st Coca-Cola Craven Week at Grey College in Bloemfontein on Friday with a cracker of a final game between Western Province and the Blue Bulls.

The boys from Pretoria came back from an 8-5 halftime deficit to win 19-8 in the end in a high quality game that confirmed the riches of rugby talent that exist in the lower age groups at South Africa's schools.

The win made the Blue Bulls one of just two teams to finish the week with four wins out of four and they become the unofficial champions of the Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week.

Province took control from the start and when they went ahead in the fourth minute via try by lock Philip Van Dyk in the fourth minute, it looked like it was going to be an easy win for them. Henry Chamberlain added a penalty soon afterward, but that was to be the last points they scored.

The Bulls kept in tight and their forwards did well to keep control of the ball. They got a try through flanker, Gerhard Bierman, on the stroke of half time to make it 8-5 at the break.

It was all the Bulls in the second half. Their impressive flank, Divhan Du Preez got his fourth try of the week and diminutive scrumhalf Johan Mulder rounded off the scoring when he darted over from a ruck seven minutes from the end. Werner Nel and Charles Goedhals each kicked one conversion.

The defeat meant that Western Province won three of their four matches. Boland and the Leopards we the other sides that won three out of four games at the week.

Griquas beat the Valke 16-10 in the main curtain-raiser to become the only other team to end the week unbeaten. They were 7-10 down at half time before flyhalf Rikus Pieters slotted three second-half penalties to secure the victory. Their try was by Desmond Jacobs. Luke De Beer dotted down for the Valke and Lionel Ackerman added a penalty and a conversion.

The Golden Lions ended a disappointing week with their fourth consecutive loss. They went down 17-12 to the hosts, Free State, who were also below par - their win over the Lions was their second victory at the week.

Results

Pumas 43 Zimbabwe 0, Namibia 15 Border Country Districts 3, Free State 17 Golden Lions 12, Border 15 Limpopo 10, Eastern Province 20 KwaZulu-Natal 5, Leopards 17 Griffons 5, Boland 22 SWD 12, Griquas 17 Valke 10, Blue Bulls 19 Western Province 8.