Results from day 1 of the U13 Coca-Cola Craven Week

Border and Western Province were the most impressive teams on view on the first day of the under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week at Glenwood Boys’ High School in Durban on Monday.

Border ran in nine tries in demolishing the Blue Bulls 52-10. Centre Luwaka Bata and fullback Siposiso Java got two tries each and the Bulls had no answer to Border’s pace, and their willingness to run the ball at every opportunity.

The markedly bigger Blue Bulls team tried to keep it tight – their tries came from lineout drives close to the Border line – but they were ineffective against the inventiveness and ball skills of the Eastern Cape side.

Western Province were no less impressive in their game against the Pumas. Playing in front of the entire Sharks Super Rugby squad - who spent the afternoon at the under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week, and practiced on the Glenwood field at the end of the day’s play – they scored 10 tries in a one-sided 56-0 win.

Province dominated all phases of the game. Their forwards won just about all the possession going, allowing their backs to run amok. In the end left winger Junaid Abrahams got a hat trick of tries and fullback Kerwin Stewart and rightwing Dalvon Blood scoring two each.

On this showing you can expect at least one of those two teams to be in the prestigious final game of the week on Friday.

In the final game of the day, the hosts, KwaZulu-Natal and the Golden Lions entertained the big crowd with some all-out attacking play. The sides were evenly-matched, with both sides scoring two tries, and the Lions taking the victory 15-12 thanks to a last minute penalty.

In other action on the opening day, South Western Districts caused something of a surprise by beating Free State 10-8 and Boland played some attractive running rugby in downing the Northern Free State Griffons 43-12

Play continues on Tuesday, Wednesday is a rest day, and the teams play again on Thursday. Their final fixtures on Friday will be played at the King’s Park stadium.

Day 1 Results

Griquas 36 Zimbabwe 12, Valke 13 Namibia 0, SWD 10 Cheetahs 8, Boland 43 Griffons 12, Border 52 Blue Bulls 10, Leopards 37 Border Country 5, W Province 56 Pumas 0, Golden Lions 15 KwaZulu-Natal 12.

Day 2 Fixtures

Field A

8:30 Zimbabwe vs Border CD

9:30 Cheetahs vs Pumas

10:30 Blue bulls vs SWD

11:30 Leopards vs Griquas

12:30 EP vs Lions

13:30 Boland vs KZN

14:30 Border vs Limpopo

15:30 WP vs Valke

Field B

8:30 Namibia vs Griffons