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Craven Week glory for DHL WP

PUBLISHED: July 13, 2013


The DHL Western Province Under-18 team finished as champions of the 2013 Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week in Polokwane, beating the Golden Lions by 45-29 in today’s ‘final’.

In the process, the Province Craven Week team joined the DHL WP Under-13 and Under-16 teams as the unofficial champions of their respective youth weeks this season – as WP suffered just one defeat in ALL schools tournaments across the country in 2013.

The WP Under-18 Academy Week team lost just one match last week – against eventual champs, SWD – whilst the WP U18 LSEN team and the Under-18 Girls Sevens side finished their respective competitions unbeaten and the U16 Girls finished their campaign in Oudtshoorn as champions earlier this week.

The WP Craven Week side had beaten the Pumas by 40-24 (on Monday) and the Blue Bulls by 30-6 (on Wednesday) earlier this week to set up today’s finale to the 2013 Craven Week, the 50th edition of this historic tournament.

And the WP youngsters did not disappoint in the finale, winger Grant Hermanus (the official Man of the Match) missing just one kick at goal for a points-haul of 20 on the day, whilst prop Thomas du Toit, flank Jacques Vermeulen, scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, wing Dewald Naude and centre Daniel du Plessis all weighed in with tries.

Western Province opened up the scoring with two early penalties by the in-form Hermanus for a 6-0 lead.

They continued to reap the rewards as they dominated territory and possession, which earned them two tries in quick succession by Thomas du Toit and Herschel Jantjies, and another penalty for a 23-0 lead.

The pressure got to the Lions, with the team opting for a penalty goal minutes before half time, which proved unsuccessful, rather

than kicking for touch, which left them scoreless at the break.

The Lions, however, clawed their way back into the game early in the second half with a well-worked try by Erwin Harris who took advantage of an overlap on attack.

The Cape side, in reply, inflated their lead to 30-7 with yet another try created by Hermanus, who danced his way through the defence to put his team on the front foot. But the Lions refused to lie down and ran in two late tries, which had the crowd on edge. But Western Province’s impressive inside centre, Daniel du Plessis, sealed the win with three minutes to spare as he scored his team’s fifth try.

The DHL WP Under-18 scorers (Final v Golden Lions):
Tries: Du Toit, Vermeuelen, Jantjies, Naude, Du Plessis
Cons: Hermanus 4
Pens: Hermanus 4

Coca-Cola Craven Week results (Day Five):
Western Province 45 Golden Lions 29
Free State 22 Pumas 25
Blue Bulls 29 SWD 37
Eastern Province 29 Valke 18
Griffons 34 Boland 27
Griquas CD 17 Leopards 34
Border 14 KwaZulu-Natal 77
Zimbabwe 10 Namibia 33
Border CD 5 Griquas 94
Limpopo Blue Bulls 36 EP CD 39