Boland welcomes the U18 Coca-Cola Academy Week

The Under-18 Coca-Cola Academy Week kicked off at HTS Drosdy in Worcester on Monday, and the rugby supporters of the Boland region were out in force to support it.

Dr Ivan Meyer, the provincial minister of finance for the Western Cape, was among them and he said it was great seeing so many spectators from Boland, and from the rest of the country, showing a spirit of togetherness and respect for each other and for the game.

“Boland has a great rugby history and it’s good that this has been recognised in allowing the region to host this week,” he said. “Bringing people together at a sporting event like the U18 Coca-Cola Academy Week builds a good spirit and promotes an active healthy living in the community,” he said.

Meyer hopes the tournament will create long lasting memories and allow the players to make friends from all over the country that live the game.

“A tournament like this cannot succeed without good solid logistical support and project management from the local organization committee, SARU and Coca-Cola South Africa,” Meyer said. “People do not understand what it takes to organize a tournament of this size and SARU are very strict about the minimum requirements that need to be adhered to, to get people to organize a tournament like this takes people from different backgrounds to work together for a common cause.”

The Western Cape government is grateful to Coca-Cola and SA Rugby for what they are doing for the region though this tournament.

Meyer’s thoughts are echoed in Coca-Cola’s objectives as Fetsi Mbele, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager, explains, “Not only does the Under-18 Coca-Cola Academy Week unearth talented youngsters and bind people from all over the country through rugby, it also promotes  a healthy and active lifestyle through their sport of choice.”

Photo caption from left to right: Johnny Cardoso (Coca-Cola South Africa), Jurie Roux (CEO SARU), Dr. Ivan Meyer (Provincial minister of finance for the Western Cape) and Ray Bjierre (Peninsula Beverages Company General Manager)

Ends.

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Seven unbeaten teams after day 2 of the U18 Coca-Cola Academy Week

Western Province, the Golden Lions, KwaZulu-Natal, Boland XV, Eastern Province Country Districts, Blue Valke and Limpopo Blue Bulls all go into the rest day on Wednesday at the U18 Coca-Cola Academy Week held in HTS Drosdty in Worcester with two wins out of two..

The Blue Bulls, following their epic win over Boland on day one, were once again were involved in a titanic clash against a Western Cape Team but this time they came up short 17-8 against the powerful Western Province lineup.

Unlike yesterday where Western Province convincingly beat the Cheetahs, all did not go Western Province’s their way against the Blue Bulls. The Bulls defense was hard to crack and the heroes of the day was the Province defensive line.

The Blue Bulls attacked at every opportunity, and put their bodies on the line but WP had an answer to everything they threw at them and responded on the scoreboard where it hurt the most.

Western Province scored two unconverted tries in the first half through Calvin Nel and Michael Meyer to a penalty from the Blue Bulls Flyhalf Hendrik Mulder.

The second half was a closer battle with both teams having a lot of chances and exchanging tries through Mujaahid van der Hoven for Western Province and Carlo de Nysschen from the Blue Bulls.

Another team that proved that they could have a chance to play in the title game on Thursday was the Golden Lions who beat powerful Border 27-22. After dominating territory and possession for the first 30 minutes of the game, Lions outside centre, Sibusiso Mngomezulu, got a yellow card and that allowed Border to keep the scores close and flatter themselves.

The Lions scored tries through Hacjivah Dayimani, Ntobeko Mkhwanazi, Tapiwa Mangwana and Tiaan Schutte. For Border. Bubule Gongqa, Bulela Sotyelelwa and Jason Owen Bantom crossed the line.

The last game of the day was expected to be a close affair between KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Province but the KZN team upped a gear from yesterday’s performance to win 61-12.

The Natalians dominated all aspects of the game and never allowed EP to show the class that they displayed when they beat South Western Districts on the opening day.

Other big winners on the day were Eastern Province Country Districts who beat the Red Valke 19-7, Namibia who beat the Griffons CD 20-12, and the hosts, Boland, who proved that they are a very good team despite going down go WP yesterday, by beating the Pumas 24-13,

Results Day 2

Western Province 17 Blue Bulls 8, Red Valke 7 EP CD 19, Golden Lions27 Border 22, Griffons CD 12 Namibia 20, Boland 24 Pumas 13, Griquas 29 KwaZulu-Natal CD 12, SWD 17 Griffons 20, Boland XV 16 Griquas CD 0, Limpopo Blue Bulls 23 Free State 19, Golden Lions XV 22 Pumas CD 18, SA LSEN 40 Border CD 0, Blue Valke 16 Leopards 13, KwaZulu-Natal 61 Eastern Province 12.

Day 1 of the U18 Coca-Cola Academy Week ends with a humdinger

Boland and the Blue Bulls end the first day of the U18 Coca-Cola Academy Week held at HTS Drosdty in Worcester on Monday with the hardest fought match of the day.

The Blue Bulls ended up disappointing a very partisan crowd as they scored a try with a couple of minutes to go to beat Boland 31-24 in a game where each team kept on taking the lead only to lose it a couple of minutes later.

The Blue Bulls scored their tries through a brace from Lylle Maart and tries from Shakeel Fredericks  and Chevan Swart. Boland were kept in the game by a brace from Jaydrin Kotze and a try from lock Jaco Abel.

Western Province was the most impressive team on the day. They were full of running against an outgunned Free State side and looked like a complete team, with big strong forwards and skilled hard-running backs.

Carlu Sadie, Danrich Visagie, Michael Meyer, Mitchell Carstens, Mujaahid van der Hoven and Taigh Schoor all crossed the for Province line in the one sided affair.

Free State could only manage one try through Johan Steyn after he was setup by a brilliant solo run by George Mokhomo in the last quarter of the game, but the Western Province had already won the game by then.

Eastern Province was another team to shine when they beat the Mpumalanga Pumas in one of the most exciting games of the day.

In the first 30 minutes of the first half the teams traded tries with Pumas wing Fana Ngwenya  and lock Lukhanyiso Makaula scoring and nippy Eastern province scrumhalf Lucianon Grootboom and eigthman Dean van der Westhuizen responding with their own tries. Eastern Province managed to edge ahead 23-17 in last 5 minutes of the first half, thanks to two penalties kicked by Garrick Mattheus.

EP then showed their class in the second half scoring another four tries through Dean van der Westhuizen, his second of the match, Denver Johan Kleu, Duan Joe Du Plessis, Duwayne Baartman to two from the Mpumalanga Pumas winning the game 49-31.

The Gauteng Lions work made to work hard by the Red Valke who led the game until half time. The Lions only got into their game in the second half to score 19 unanswered points to win by a flattering 26-12.

There were also big wins for Eastern Province Country districts who beat the Leopards 37-0, the Blue Valke who beat the SA LSEN team 31-8 and Border who beat the Griffons 34-10.

Day 1 Results

Griffons 10  Border 34, Griquas 17 Griffons CD 18, Border CD 0 Griquas 33, Limpopo Blue Bulls 31 Pumas CD 3, Golden Lions 26 Red Valke 12, EP CD 37 Leopards 0, EP CD 37 Leopards 0, Pumas 31 Eastern Province 49, Border CD 0 Griquas CD 33, Valke 31 SA LSEN 8, Western Province 43 Free State 5, Namibia 22 KwaZulu-Natal CD 22