DHL Western Province on Saturday took top honours in the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and the Coca-Cola Academy Week at Kearsney College in Durban in a satisfying day for the provincial union, which wrapped up the SA Rugby Youth Weeks.
DHL Western Province on Saturday took top honours in the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and the Coca-Cola Academy Week at Kearsney College in Durban in a satisfying day for the provincial union, which wrapped up the SA Rugby Youth Weeks.
DHL Western Province defeated the Bidvest Golden Lions 27-20 in an entertaining final match of the Coca-Cola Craven Week, while their Coca-Cola Academy Week counterparts fought until the end against the Blue Bulls for a 23-12 victory.
The victory for the Coca-Cola Craven Week team ensured that they retained their status as the top team after a 95-0 victory in the final match last season against Eastern Province, while the DHL Western Province Academy Week team built on the success of the side in the final match since the 2014 season.
In a thrilling closing day to the Youth Weeks, a total of 22 matches featuring all 44 teams were played at Kearsney College and Glenwood High School respectively.
Over the five days in the Coca-Cola Craven Week 269 tries and 1888 points were scored, while 268 tries and 1902 points were scored in the Coca-Cola Academy Week.
The main game of the Coca-Cola Craven Week between DHL Western Province and the Lions was scintillating as both teams gave everything to get onto the front foot. The difference between the sides, however, was that DHL Western Province made better use of their point-scoring chances, and they backed this up with a determined defensive effort.
The opening exchanges of the clash were tight as the teams exchanged penalty goals. DHL Western Province scored the first try of the match in the 15th minute compliments of Manuel Rass as they spread the ball wide, but this was cancelled out by Lions flyhalf Tyrone Green, who won a turnover and later touched down under the posts. The Cape side, however, had the final say with a try by Muller Uys to take a 20-10 halftime lead.
The second half was tightly-contested as the Lions struck first with a try one minute into the half, but this was cancelled out by DHL Western Province two minutes later as they crossed the tryline for their third try. Both teams ran hard at one another as the match progressed, but neither could break through the defence.
The Lions closed the gap on the scoreboard to 27-20 compliments of a penalty by centre Wandisile Simelane eight minutes before the final whistle, but that proved to be the last points of the match, and saw DHL Western Province emerge as the top team for the second successive year.
In the final match of the Coca-Cola Academy Week, the Blue Bulls ran hard at DHL Western Province from the opening exchanges and did well to break through tackles and work their way close to the tryline. But they were denied from crossing the chalk by the tenacious Cape side’s defence.
Unfortunately for DHL Western Province, however, penalties conceded in kickable positions, allowed the Pretoria side to slot over three first-half penalties to take a 9-0 lead. But the opposition fought back and managed to apply pressure on attack as they put together phases on attack. They were unable to breach the Bulls defence, but they earned their first points five minutes before half time compliments of a penalty.
Both teams gave everything in the second half, but DHL Western Province made the most of their chances with Johannes Steenkamp taking a gap and accelerating en route to the tryline to touch down under the posts, for a 10-9 lead. The teams exchanged penalties shortly after, but the Cape side made a breakthrough in the 63rd minute as Theo Boshoff scored a try, while Steenkamp added his second penalty to seal a 23-12 victory for the team. Steenkamp’s two penalties, two conversions and try earned him a personal total of 15 points.
Coca-Cola Craven Week day five results (Saturday, 16 July):
Zimbabwe 3 (0) – 34 (5) Namibia
Boland 26 (19) – 64 (26) Border
GWK Griquas CD 29 (14) – 8 (3) Border CD
EP 12 (12) – 64 (24) SWD
Komati Fruit Limpopo Blue Bulls 35 (21) – 5 (0) EP CD
Enrista Blue Bulls 74 (34) – 8 (8) Bizhub Free State
Thepa Trading Griffons 24 (5) – 36 (24) Leopards
Pumas 26 (13) – 23 (12) Sharks
Valke 12 (5) – 43 (21) GWK Griquas
DHL Western Province 27 (20) – 20 (10) Bidvest Golden Lions
Coca-Cola Academy Week day five results (Saturday, 16 July):
Pumas CD 17 (0) – 15 (8) SA LSEN
GWK Griquas CD 24 (12) – 7 (7) Border CD
Border 10 (10) – 24 (7) SWD
Free State 44 (23) – 10 (10) Sharks CD
Griffons CD 14 (0) – 60 (36) Limpopo Blue Bulls
Thepa Trading Griffons 36 (21) – 26 (14) Leopards
Pumas 3 (3) – 39 (27) Boland
Blue Valke CD 13 (3) – 18 (0) EP CD
Red Valke 12 (12) – 34 (12) GWK Griquas
Bidvest Golden Lions 29 (8) – 22 (17) Sharks
Namibia 15 (0) – 17 (10) EP
DHL Western Province 23 (3) – 12 (9) Blue Bulls
