The hosts,
Eastern Province, announced their intention to play in the one of the late
games on the final day of the 2012 Coca-Cola Craven Week in Port Elizabeth on
Saturday clear when they produced the best performance of the opening day on
Monday.
They beat the
Valke and produced a spectacle of exciting running rugby that had a good crowd
at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on its feet.
It’s early days
yet, but the EP side has a number of players in its ranks who can look forward
to being named in the SA rugby High Performance squad that will be announced at
the end of the week.
Their wingers,
Selvyn Davis and Sergeal Petersen, flyhalf in Ernst Stapelberg and loose
forwards Cyril-John Velleman and Aidon Davis were up there with the best on
display on the first day.
Petersen scored
two tries and Davis one, they are both lightning fast and are good finishers.
Stapelberg controlled the game and has a deadly boot. He kicked two penalties
and five conversions.
The surprise
result of the day was the ease with which KwaZulu-Natal beat Free State. The
word was out early on that this was not going to be the usual Free State team –
Grey College is having a poor year – but a 48-24 loss to the young Sharks was
unexpected.
Free State were
dead and buried at 36-3 down at half time already and they got two late
consolation tries which flattered them on the scoreboard.
The Golden Lions
were the other big winners on day one. They turned on the power in the second
half of their game against Border to extend a 16-14 halftime win to a 29-14
victory in the end.
Results
Leopards 36
Namibia 29, Boland 16 Griquas 12, Lions 29 Border 14, KwaZulu-Natal 48 Free
State 24, Eastern Province 41 Valke 7.
Tuesday’s big
game is between the Blue Bulls and Western Province. WP have played in the main
game of all the SA Rugby Coca-Cola Youth Weeks so far this season and win over
their traditional northern rivals will put them on track for that honour at the
Coca-Cola under-18 Craven Week too.
Tuesday's
fixtures
9.30am Zimbabwe v
Border Country, 11am Griquas Country v Eastern Province Country, 12.30pm
Limpopo v SWD, 2pm Pumas v Griffons, 3.30pm Western Province v Blue Bulls.
The tournament
organisers have matched KwaZulu-Natal and the Golden Lions in Wednesday’s late
game, with EP facing Boland in the curtain-raiser.
Wednesday’s
fixtures
9.30am Griquas v
Namibia, 11am Valke v Leopards, 12.30pm Free State v Border, 2pm
Eastern Province
v Boland, 3.30pm KwaZulu-Natal v Golden Lions.
Coca-Cola South Africa is pleased with the
way the tournament has panned out this year. “Coca-Cola South Africa is
proud to be the brand where future stars start their quest in tackling the
future,” said Craig van Niekerk, Coca-Cola South Africa, Marketing Assets
Manager. “Our Coca-Cola Grant Khomo is aimed at encouraging young rugby players
to utilize this platform to improve skills as well as live an active and
healthy lifestyle which is in line with our Live For A Difference
strategy.”
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