The 2018 edition of the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and Coca-Cola Academy Week will be hosted at Paarl Boys High from 8 to 14 July, in celebration of the school’s 150th anniversary, with both tournaments getting a fresh makeover.
“It is fitting that the U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week and Coca-Cola Academy Week will be hosted at Paarl Boys’ High as they celebrate their 150-year anniversary,” said SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux.
“Boys’ High has a rich rugby history and is renowned as one of the top rugby schools in the country, with a number of Springboks being borne from its ranks, including Corné Krige, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Carel du Plessis and Mannetjies Roux.”
U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week (Paarl Boys High)
U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week day five fixtures (Friday, 13 July, Brug Street Grounds):
08h00 – SWD 48-14 King Price Pumas (A Field)
SWD controlled all the action in the first half in a misty and muddy game that struggled to get going. In the second half the Pumas came back strongly and camp for long periods in the 22 of SWD but they could not convert this into points. Although the SWD did not dominate as in the 1st half they still kept on scoring tries although mostly long-distance efforts.
SWD was in fine form on the attack against the King Price Pumas as they scored an impressive eight tries in foggy morning conditions for a rewarding 48-14 victory. The team powered their way to a 31-14 lead thanks to a balanced performance between their forwards and backs, and they built on this in the second half, which saw Janco Klinck earn his hat-trick and Ridge Gaffley a brace. They supported this with a solid defensive effort to deny the Mpumalanga side from adding to their score.
Scorers:
SWD: Tries: Gous, Gaffley (2), Steyn, Klinck (3), Taute Conversions: Strydom (4)
Pumas: Tries: van Zyl (2), Conversions: Visser (2)
08h00 – Griquas 24-15 Unitrans Limpopo Blue Bulls (B Field)
Bidvest Waltons Griquas’ accurate goal-kicking steered them to a 24-15 victory against the Ultimate Aim Limpopo Blue Bulls as both teams crossed the chalk three times. The Limpopo side scored all of their points before the break, while the Kimberley side scored two converted tries to trail by a point at halftime. Their third try to add to three conversions and a penalty goal by SJ Oberholzer, however, sealed the victory for them.
Scorers:
Griquas: Tries: vd Merwe, Bruwer, Maritz Conversions: Oberholzer (3) Penalty: Oberholzer
Limpopo: Tries: Potgieter, Apea-Adu, Maubane
09h30 – DHL Western Province XV 20-16 Ultimate Aim Blue Bulls (A Field)
The Western Province rewarded for their play in the first half with two well-worked tries, but one must say that the Bulls lacked commitment and energy big time. The Bulls came back in the second half by replacing players who were not at all interested in the game. With 15 minutes to go and the score 20-13 it was game on. Unfortunately, the Bulls left it too late and could only score a converted penalty in the last 20 minutes of the game.
The DHL Western Province XV held their nerve in a tight clash against the Ultimate Aim Blue Bulls with a strong first half putting them in the driving seat for a narrow 20-16 victory, which ensured that they remained unbeaten. The home team played their way to a 15-0 lead, before facing a determined second-half fight-back by the Pretoria side in which they scored all 16 of their points. But it was not enough as DHL Western Province XV held on for the result.
Scorers:
WP XV: Tries: vd Merwe, Maritz, Titus Conversion: Pietersen Penalty: Peterson
Blue Bulls: Try: Claassens Conversion: Roets Penalty: Roets (3)
09h30 – Eastern Province 21-10. Leopards (B Field)
Eastern Province dominated the first half against the Leopards as they ran hard on attack and stretched the defence wide, which paved the way for them to outscore the -Potchefstroom side three tries to one for a 21-10 victory. Their efforts saw them take a 14-3 lead halftime lead, and they managed to stand their ground in a competitive second half for the victory.
Scorers:
EP: Tries: Ngcivana, Muller Conversions: Jacobs (2)
Leopards: Try: Twigg Conversions: Jackson Penalty: Jackson
11h00 – Build-it Border 33-17 Free State (A Field)
Another "big" team that disappointed at this Craven Week is the Free State and one expected a backlash after their disappointing performance on Thursday. They were, however, met by a very good Border team who defended their unbeaten status at this year's Craven Week with style. Border more used to the muddy conditions? or maybe they just had something worthwhile to defend.
Build-it Border was in command from the outset against Free State as their forwards and backs made their presence felt and forced their way over the advantage line consistently to power the side to a 33-17 victory. Jordan Janse van Rensburg crashed over for two of his team’s five tries, while Thomas Bursey kicked four conversions. In turn, they limited the Free State to three tries to come out on top.
Scorers:
Border: Tries: Goosen, Taylor, van Rensburg (2), Zwelendaba Conversions: Bursey (4)
Free State: Tries: Wessels, Mzayiya, Small-Smith Conversions: Du Plessis
11h00 – Blue Bulls XV 29-17 Golden Lions XV (B Field)
The Blue Bulls XV’s superior ability to round off their point-scoring chances guided them to a 29-17 victory against the Bidvest Golden Lions XV after taking a narrow five-point lead at halftime. Both sides put their physical forwards to good use in an attempt to work their way onto the front foot, but in the end the Blue Bulls XV’s four tries to three by their Gauteng neighbours and a solid kicking display by Dieter Crafford who scored three conversions and a penalty goal sealed the win for them.
Scorers:
Blue Bulls: Tries: Snyman, Oosthuizen, Flusk, Alberts Conversions: Crafford (3) Penalty: Crafford
Golden Lions: Tries: Lawu, Chaitezwi, Iye Conversions: Botha
12h30 – Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions 15-12 Boland (A Field)
As the day continued and the pitch dried the pace became faster and the Lions and Boland really pitched for this party. The Lions steadily increased their lead with the ever-present Izan Esterhuizen tearing the defence apart allowing his teammates the space to score great tries. The Lions lead 32-7 at the break.
The Second half more of the same with the Lions winning with ease at the end.
The Bidvest Waltons Golden Lions proved too powerful for Boland as they dominated the clash physically and retained possession for long periods, while they did well to break through the defence for a comprehensive 51-12 victory. Such was the high quality of their attack they raced to a 32-7 halftime lead, and they maintained this form as the match progressed, which saw Franco Schutte and Henco van Wyk contribute braces as the team touched down seven times to two by Boland.
Scorers:
Golden Lions: Tries: Brandon, Westraad, Schutte (2), van Wyk (2) Swanepoel Conversions: Manyike (2), Raubenheimer (3) Penalties: Raubenheimer (2)
Boland: Tries: April, Mahoney Conversions: April
12h30 – NWU Valke 19-22 Griffons (B Field)
The Thepa Trading Griffons held on for a narrow 22-19 victory against the NWU Valke in a tight match, as they scored four tries to the Welkom side’s three. Zeilinga Strydom touched down twice for the Valke in a determined effort by the Kempton Park side, but their efforts were not enough as the Thepa Trading Griffons showed their fighting spirit until the end.
Scorers:
Valke: Tries: Pienaar, Strydom (2) Conversions: de Jager (2)
Griffons: Tries: Liebenberg, vd Nest, de Kock, Meyer Conversions: Liebenberg
14h00 – Sharks 8-47 DHL Western Province (A Field)
DHL Western Province powered their way to a 47-8 victory against the Sharks in a physical finale to U18 Coca-Cola Craven at Paarl Boys’ High’s Brug Street Grounds on Saturday to complete a rewarding day for the union after they also emerged as the top side in the Coca-Cola Academy Week.
The victory ensured that they were one of only three teams who finished the tournament unbeaten, with the DHL Western Province XV and Build-it Border also continuing on their winning ways.
The hosts dominated possession in the first half and used their opportunities, which paid off as they built up a 14-8 halftime lead. DHL WP continued to make their presence felt after the break with their forwards and backs doing their bit to force the team onto the front foot and the rewards followed as they added five tries to take their tally to seven. Juan Mostert scored twice, while Kade Wolhuter kept the scoreboard ticking with five conversions.
All that can be said is make the WP u/18 Craven week team all Bokkies.
Scorers:
Sharks: Try: Pretorius Penalty: Pretorius
WP: Tries: Kotze, Mgolodela, Roos, Mostert (2), Venter, Alexander Conversions: Wolhuter (5), Hendricks
