Western Province prove that they are the best team at the 50th Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven week

The win meant that Western Province became the only team at the week to win all three of their games, and they were rewarded with the inclusion of seven of their players in the SA Schools team that was announced at the end of the tournament.

The 28-man squad will make up the teams that will play games against their counterparts from England, Wales and France. They meet England in Cape Town on August 9, followed by clashes against France in George on August 13 and Wales in Wellington on August 17.

Only one other side ended up unbeaten – the Griffons, who won their second and third games after drawing their first.

There were two shock results on the final day – SWD produced a great second half display to beat the Blue Bulls, and the Pumas beat Free State 25-22, thanks to a last gasp penalty in a thriller of a main curtain-raiser.

The SA Schools Squad:
Forwards -Rikus Bothma (Western Province), Daniel du Plessis (Western Province), Daniel du Preez (KZN), Jean-Luc du Preez (KZN), Thomas du Toit (Western Province), Joseph Dweba (Golden Lions), Ruan Kramer (Free State), Thabani Mtsi (Border), Ox Nche (Free State), Abongile Nonkontwana (Blue Bulls), Refuoe Rampeta (Free State), JD Schickerling (Western Province), Francois Steyn (Blue Bulls), PJ Toerien (Blue Bulls), Jacques Vermeulen (Western Province), Conraad van Vuuren (Mpumalanga)

Backs - Daniel du Plessis (Western Province), Remu Galant (SWD), Warrik Galant (SWD), Grant Hermanus (Western Province), Dewald Human (SWD), Malcolm Jaer (Eastern Province), Jurie Linde (Blue Bulls), Justin Phillips (Blue Bulls), Brandon Thompson (Mpumalanga), Duhan van der Merwe (SWD), EW Viljoen (Free State), Leolin Zass (Boland).
Coach: Chris October (Western Province), assistant coach: Roean Bezuidenhoudt (Griffons). Manager: David Coert (Boland).

Results

Namibia 33 Zimbabwe 10, E Province Country Limpopo Blue Bulls 36, Griquas 94 Border Country 5, KwaZulu-Natal 77 Border 14, KwaZulu-Natal 77 Border 14, Griffons 34 Boland 27, Leopards 34 Griquas Country 17, E Province 29 Valke 21, Pumas 25 Free State 22, Western Provincae 45 Golden Lions 29.

Western Province and the Golden Lions clash in the title game of the 50th Coca-Cola Under 18 Craven Week

The 50^th Anniversary of the Coca-Cola Craven Week will be brought to a close on Saturday when Western Province and the Golden Lions meet in the final game of the tournament, the main game of the last day, which has become known as the unofficial title game of the event.

There is, of course, no official champion of Craven Week. It is purely a festival of rugby, but everyone knows that, in most years, the two top sides are given the honour of playing in that last game. And the winner of that encounter has the bragging rights until the following year.

This year the two teams who will be featured are among those who have made most appearances in the week’s showpiece fixture. Western Province, in fact, have played in the main game more times than any other team, by quite a long way.

They have made 22 final game appearances down the years, followed by Free State with 17. The Golden Lions are next on the list with 12 appearances, followed by the Blue Bulls with 9.

This is Western Province’s sixth appearance in the last 10 years, and the Lions’ fifth. WP last had the honour in 2010, while this is the Golden Lions’ third consecutive final.

As far as main game victories are concerned, Western Province head the list with 11, followed by Free State on 8 and the Blue Bulls on 6.

Coca-Cola Craven Week main game results since 2000

2000: Pumas vs Boland, 19-18

2001: South Western Districts vs Blue Bulls, 26-20

2002: Western Province vs Free State, 31-16

2003: Western Province vs Free State, 22-17

2004: Free State vs Western Province, 17-16

2005: Golden Lions vs Eastern Province, 38-15

2006: Blue Bulls vs Golden Lions, 35-20

2007: Free State vs Western Province, 52-3

2008: South Western Districts vs Free State, 31-25

2009: Western Province vs Free State, 19-17

2010: Free State vs Western Province, 42-21

2011: Free State vs Golden Lions 28-17

2012: Golden Lions v Blue Bulls 47-0

2013: Golden Lions v Western Province

Saturday’s Fixtures

C Field – 9:15am Border CD v Griquas, 10.45pm Griquas Country v Leopards

B Field – 9:15am Limpopo Blue Bulls v EP Country, 10:45am Griffons v Boland, 12:15am E Province v Valke.

A Field- 9:15am Zimbabwe v Namibia, 10:45am Border v KwaZulu-Natal, 12:15am Blue Bulls v SWD, 1.45pm Free State v Pumas, 3.15pm Golden Lions v Western Province.

THE BLUE BULLS GIVE THE GOLDEN LIONS A HIDING AT THE COCA-COLA UNDER-18 CRAVEN WEEK

The Blue Bulls handed the Golden Lions the biggest hiding in the main game at the Coca-Cola Craven Week that anyone can remember when they beat them 47-0 in the final game of the 2012 Week in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

The Lions had no answer for the power play of the Bulls forward and, although they did have a fair amount of possession, they were largely ineffective against a side that tackled like demons and outplayed them in the loose phases.

The Bulls produced the perfect balanced performance - good in the set phases, strong on the drive and deadly in the backs. This combination led to seven tries scored in the game and, in the end, the Lions would have been praying for the final whistle to sound.

The Powerade Chosen one for the game, Rohan Janse Van Rensburg got two of the Blue Bulls tries, with the others coming from Jaco Hayward, Jurie Linde, Thabo Mabuza, Steven Meiring and Marquit September. Ryno Eksteen kicked two penalties and three conversions.

Earlier, Eastern Province beat KwaZulu-Natal 27-24 in a thriller to become the only other team to finish the week with three wins out of three.

The game was played in a torrential downpour, which made handling difficult and it was very tight for most of the 70 minutes. KZN led 12-9 at the break and were ahead by single point with five minutes to go when EP's star winger scored a long-range individualistic try to give his side the victory.

The win meant that the hosts were one of only two teams, along with the Bulls to win all three games at the week.

EP's tries were scored by Petersen, Thembalethu Williams and Gabriel Le Roux. Ernst Stapelberg kicked two penalties and three conversions.

Joshua Moon dotted down twice for the Young Sharks and Robert Anderson kicked four penalties and a conversion.

Results

SWD 20 Boland 10, Griffons 34 Griquas Country 5, Namibia 28 Zimbabwe 7, Western Province 29 Pumas 14, Limpopo 20 Border 7, Eastern Province 27 KwaZulu-Natal 24, Free State 30 Valke 5, Blue Bulls 47 Golden Lions 0.

A group of 50 players to play in trials to select the South African Schools team was named after the final game.

They will play matches in Kempton Park on July 28 before the team to play against under18 teams from England, Wales and France next month will be chosen.

SA Schools Trial Squad

Abongile Nonkontwana (Blue Bulls), Aidon Davis (Eastern Province), Akhona Sihunu (Border), Cashwell Khoza (Blue Bulls), Chad Solomon (Western Province), Chris Massyn (Lions), Christiaan Meyer (Valke), Courtney Cupido (Boland), Daniël du Preez (KwaZulu-Natal), Dayan van der Westhuizen (Blue Bulls), Duhan van der Merwe (South Western Districts), Dylan Smith (Lions), Edward Schmidt (Free State), Francois Esterhuizen (Boland), Ganfried May (South Western Districts), Gideon Koegelenberg (Boland), Handré Pollard (Western Province), Heinrich Viljoen (Blue Bulls), Hyon Andrews (Blue Bulls), Jakó van der Walt (Lions), Jano Venter (Pumas), Jason Worral (Western Province), JD Schickerling (Western Province), Jean-Luc du Preez (KwaZulu-Natal), Jesse Kriel (KwaZulu-Natal), Johan Bannink (Blue Bulls), Johan Labuschagné (Valke), Jurie Linde (Blue Bulls), Justin Phillips (Blue Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Lions), Leighton van Wyk (Western Province), Liam Hendricks (Western Province), Koch Marx (Lions), Marcus Kleinbooi (Blue Bulls), Matjikinyane Molapo (Limpopo Blue Bulls), Nicholas Janse van Rensburg (Limpopo Blue Bulls), Ox Nche (Free State), Pierre Schoeman (Blue Bulls), Ramone Samuels (Western Province), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Blue Bulls), Rynard Snyman (Griffons), Ryno Eksteen (Blue Bulls), Sandile Khubeka (KwaZulu-Natal), Selvyn Davids (Eastern Province), Sergeal Petersen (Eastern Province), Stephan Vermeulen (Lions), Thabo Mabuza (Blue Bulls), Warrick Galant (South Western Districts), Wesley Adonis (Western Province), Wilco Louw (Boland).

PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR AT THE COCA-COLA UNDER-18 CRAVEN WEEK

The Coca-Cola Craven Week has always been a talent-spotters paradise and over the years there have always been those who would speculate about those players who we are likely to see more of in the years to come.

The week was last in these parts in 2000 and the records show that The Pumas beat Boland 19-18 in the main game of that week. It must have been a memorable final and even more noteworthy would have been the crop of outstanding players on the field.

The Eastern Province side that year was captained by Luke Watson, and he was joined by no fewer than eight other players who were to go on to play for South Africa. They were Fourie Du Preez, Ricky Januarie, Derrick Hougaard, Brian Habana, Wynand Olivier, Jacques Cronje, Jannie Du Plessis and Wian Nel.

Whether the class of 2012 will get to match that rich crop of stars remains to be seen. There were, however, a number of outstanding players in action in Port Elizabeth this week many of whom, in the words of the talent spotters: “we are likely to see more of in the years to come.”

The name most bandied about going into the week was that of Handre Pollard, Western Province flyhalf. He was the star of the Baby Boks triumph in the junior World Cup and much was expected of him.

He was, unfortunately, injured early in his first game, and we never really got to see him play. So much has been said about him, however, that his name will be heard again, no doubt.

In his absence, the flyhalf to shine was the Blue Bulls’ Ryno Eksteen. Other backs to catch the eye were Blue Bulls centre Jurie Linde and Eastern Province wing Selvyn Davis.

The backline player to really stand out has been KwaZulu-Natal fullback Jesse Kriel. He has a bright future in the game, no question.

The forwards on display have also been impressive. The Du Preez twins, Jean-Luc and Daniel have made an impact for KwaZulu-Natal, as have Blue Bulls prop Pierre Schoeman and his flanker team mate Thabo Mabuza.

The one forward who has had many talking, however, was Golden Lions hooker Malcolm Marx. He is big and skilful and looks ready to take his place in Super Rugby almost immediately.

He’s not the only one, of course, and any list like this will always be woefully incomplete.

Compiling it has been, however, one of the pleasures of being a Coca-Cola Craven Week aficionado.

It’s just one of the thing that make this tournament better than any other of its kind in the world.

“All Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, of which there are four, are aimed at identifying and nurturing talent within South Africa,” said Coca-Cola SA Marketing Asset Manager, Craig Van Niekerk.  “Seeing players progress through the various Coca-Cola Rugby Youth Weeks is amazing and we are proud to be the sponsor to make this transition possible.”

Saturday’s Fixtures

A Field – 9.10am SWD v Boland, 10.40am Western Province v Pumas, 12.10pm Eastern Province v KwaZulu-Natal, 1.40pm Golden Lions v Blue Bulls.

B Field – 9.10am Griquas v Griffons, 10.40am Border v Limpopo, 12.10pm Valke v Free State.

C Field – 9.10am Eastern Prvince Country v Leopards, 10.40am Namibia v Zimbabwe, 12.10pm Griquas v Border Country.

SARU TEST REFEREES AT THE COCA-COLA CRAVEN WEEK

The Coca-Cola SA Rugby youth weeks that take place at this time each year are all about the cream of South Africa’s school rugby players showing their stuff on the rugby field, but it goes a lot further than that in a number of ways.

One of the more important side-activities taking place at each of the four weeks – the Coca-Cola under-13 Craven Week, the under-16 Grant Khomo Week, the National Academy week and the under-18 Craven Week – is the evaluation and coaching of SA Rugby’s  referee contenders.

SA Rugby’s manager of referees, Andre Watson has been at the under-18 week in Port Elizabeth all week and he says the opportunities offered by these tournaments are ideal for them to have an intensive look at the next generation of provincial panel referees.

“We don’t use the Craven Week as a proving ground for inexperienced newcomers,” Watson stresses. “All of these referees are capable of refereeing at this level, for us it’s about their further development and about identifying which of them are ready to take the next step up.”

The process is managed by veteran refereeing administrator, Gabby Pappas, and it’s quite an operation.

“We have referee evaluators, coaches and mentors here and every decision the referees on the field make, or don’t make, is scrutinised,” Watson says. “We use a sophisticated software package called Fair Play that allows our evaluators to note, with the click of a mouse, every action of a referee that needs to be looked at later.

“Each incident is recorded and the referee receives a package of all of those to do a self-evaluation and they are then discussed with the evaluators and remedial action is taken, if necessary.

The seriousness of the process is illustrated by the involvement, among others, of Watson himself and former Test referee Tappe Henning. South Africa’s latest addition to the international panel, Jaco Pyper is also there, providing peer support to the referees, on a one-to-one basis.

“We believe that exercises like this are what have made South African referees among the best in the game,” Watson says. “We are bringing through as many quality referees each year as our colleagues are producing quality new players,” he says. “The Coca-Cola Youth Week play a massive part in that process.

“All Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, of which there are four, are aimed at identifying and nurturing talent within South Africa,” said Coca-Cola SA Marketing Asset Manager, Craig Van Niekerk.  “Making it possible to develop all aspects of the game through the various Coca-Cola Rugby Youth Weeks is amazing and we are proud to be the sponsor to make it possible.”

GOLDEN LIONS FACE THE BLUE BULLS IN THE FINAL GAME IN THE COCA-COLA UNDER-18 CRAVEN WEEK

The Golden Lions will play in the main game of the Coca-Cola Craven Week for the second year in a row when they face the Blue Bulls in the final game of the 2012 week at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (kickoff 1.40pm).

The Lions were beaten by Free State in last year’s final game in Kimberley.

The Bulls beat the Pumas 36-10 in their second game on Thursday to become one of just three sides, along with the Lions and the hosts, Eastern Province, to win two out of two going into the final day of the week.

There is no doubt that the two sides deserve the honour of playing in the unofficial final. The Lions beat Border on day one, and then ended the hopes of the highly-fancied KwaZulu-Natal side on day three.

The Blue Bulls were matched up against pre-tournament favourites, Western Province in their first outing, and beat them quite easily, 47-27.

They then coasted home 36-10 against the Pumas in Thursday’s late game, with most of their reserves on the field.

It’s going to be a massive forward battle on Saturday, and a thrilling encounter.

Eastern Province, as the hosts, and as reward for the two wins out of two, will play KwaZulu-Natal in the main curtain-raiser.

The Bulls scored six tries against the Pumas, via Arend Bannink (two), George Erasmus, Marquit September and Ryno Eksten. Eksteen was successful with a penalty and four conversions.

Willard Kotzenburg scored a try for the Pumas and Brendan Thomson kicked a penalty and a conversion.

In other action on the fourth day Western Province beat SWD 39-33 in a thriller.

The game was very close throughout, but Province drew clear in the last quarter, only for SWD to come right back at them, and WP were hanging on for the last minute or two.

There were 11 tries in the game – six from Province and five from SWD.

The Western Province tries came from Grant Hermanus, Jason Worral, Morne Nortje, Petrus Bothma, Ramone Samuels and Wesley Adonis. Worrall also kicked a penalty and three conversions.

Duhan Van der Merwe and Dewald Human scored two five pointers each for SWD and Leighton Eksteen got one try. Warrick Galant converted three of the tries and Human one.

“All Coca-Cola Youth Weeks, of which there are four, are aimed at identifying and nurturing talent within South Africa,” said Coca-Cola SA Marketing Asset Manager, Craig Van Niekerk.  “Seeing players progress through the various Coca-Cola Rugby Youth Weeks is amazing and we are proud to be the sponsor to make this transition possible.

Thursday’s Results

Griquas Country 38 Border Country 5, Limpopo 68 Zimbabwe 21, Griffons 33 EP Country 28, Western Province 39 SWD 33, Blue Bulls 36 SWD 10.

Saturday’s Fixtures

A Field – 9.10am SWD v Boland, 10.40am Western Province v Pumas, 12.10pm Eastern Province v KwaZulu-Natal, 1.40pm Golden Lions v Blue Bulls.

B Field – 9.10am Griquas v Griffons, 10.40am Border v Limpopo, 12.10pm Valke v Free State.

C Field – 9.10am Eastern Prvince Country v Leopards, 10.40am Namibia v Zimbabwe, 12.10pm Griquas v Border Country.

THE BLUE BULLS DEMOLISH WESTERN PROVINCE IN DAY TWO OF THE COCA-COLA UNDER 18 CRAVEN WEEK

The Blue Bulls demolished Western Province 47-27 on the second day of the 2012 Coca-Cola Craven Week in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday and look on track for a spot in Saturday’s final game of the week.

The late game on Tuesday was always going to be the showpiece of the first round of fixtures and a close encounter was expected.

That’s exactly what it was, for the first half anyway, and the sides changed ends with Province 27-26 ahead after the sides has swopped tries and penalties in an extremely close but entertaining opening period.

It was all different after the break, however, and the Bulls forwards took control up front, unleashing their dangerous backs who ran straight and timed their passes to perfection, creating all sorts of problems for the Province defence.

The upshot was three further second half tries by the Bulls to none by Province and the Cape outfit looked well-beaten in the end.

It was a team performance by the victors, but one or two individuals bear mentioning. Scrumhalf Justin Phillips was a constant sniping threat, while flanker Thabo Mabuza was difficult to stop once he got going.

Bulls flyhalf, Ryno Eksteen missed a few goalable shot at the posts, but he got his backline going so effectively in the second half that it made no difference in the end.

WP flyhalf and captain, Handre Pollard, showed that he is a class player, he took a knock in the first half, however, and struggled after the break when his forwards were well beaten by the rampant Blue Bulls pack.

The Bulls scored tries through Pierre Schoeman, Rohan Van Rensburg, Markus Kleinbooi (two), Dayan Van der Westhuizen and Jaco Hayward (two). Ryno Eksteen kicked six conversions.

For Province Rikus Bothma, Jason Worrall and Chad Solomon scored tries. Pollard kicked two penalties and three conversions.

In earlier action SWD produced their customary display of exciting running rugby in beating Limpopo 46-18. They scored eight tries in the process and are going to be threat to Western Province when the two sides meet on Thursday.

In Wednesday’s games, the Golden Lions face KwaZulu-Natal in the final fixture of the day. The winners of that encounter could well go through to Saturday’s main game.

Results

Zimbabwe 31 Border Country 9, Eastern Province Country 28 Griquas Country 27, SWD 46 Limpopo 18, Pumas 48 Griquas 24, Blue Bulls 47 Western Province 27.

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.

The Coca-Cola Craven Week organising committee have matched Western Province against SWD and the Blue Bulls v the Pumas in what will be two intriguing fixtures on Thursday.

Thursday’s Fixtures

9.30am Griquas Country v Border Country, 11am Limpopo v Zimbabwe, 12.30pm Eastern Province Country v Griffons, 2pm Western Province v SWD, 3.30pm Blue Bulls v Pumas.

LOCAL SCHOOLS COME TO SUPPORT THE COCA-COLA UNDER 18 CRAVEN WEEK

Choosing a venue for the Coca-Cola Craven Week often involves a trade-off between giving the players the experience of playing on the most famous fields in the country and the risk of appearing in a close to empty concrete bowl.

There's something depressing about an empty stadium, with the shouts of a handful of spectators echoing about the place. So, in some years, the SA Schools Rugby authorities have chosen to hold the week at school venues. Hoerskool Nelspruit, Paul Roos Gimnasium, Grey College and Affies have all hosted very successful Coca-Cola Craven Weeks in the past.

This year the week is at the fabulous Nelson Mandela Bay stadium in Port Elizabeth, and it has been nothing short of fantastic. The crowds haven't been huge, although there were a good few thousand in when the hosts, Eastern Province played their game on Monday. Somehow the design of a modern arena like this one has taken away that empty atmosphere, although the high quality rugby that has been seen on the first two days has certainly contributed to that

And on Tuesday the organisers had the great idea of bussing in school kids from the local township areas to support the Eastern Province Country District team. There must have been 2 000 of them and they added some welcome  colour and singing and, in the somewhat forgotten - these days - spirit of Craven Week, they loudly cheered good attacking rugby, irrespective of which side was producing it.

All part of the wonderful experience of being at the Coca-Cola Craven Week for those who are fortunate enough to be there.