One of the things that alarmed me about Craven Week 2017 was the high number of missed tackles and the lack of commitment towards the tackle especially by players away from the breakdown. There were tries galore as the 20 teams involved combined to register more than a point per minute per game over the 5-match days. They ended up averaging over 10 tries / 72 points per game. I was convinced that this Craven Week 2017 had set a new record for worst defence display ever (or glass half full best attacking rugby ever), so I examined the basic stats from 2007-2017 and published them below the 2017 table.

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This will be the Golden Lions’ 7th Craven Week “final” in 13 seasons since 2005. Their last win was back in 2005. The Lions have 14 titles to their name. This is KZN’s 1st final since 1990. That’s 27 years ago. KZN has 2 titles to their name. The two teams met 30 years ago in 1987 when they shared the spoils. …

KZN will attempt to win their 3rd ever final and 1st in 27 years. The Golden Lions are in search of title number 15, which will be a 1st in 12 years.

Venue City : St Stithians College, Johannesburg Dates : Mon 17- Sat 22 July 2017
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It’s quite well known that the u13 to u18 Craven Week conversion ratio is low.…

Unlike the previous two seasons when an SA Schools “A” was selected in addition to the SA Schools team, this year only one SA Schools team will be chosen for the under-18 international series.…

YEAR	NAME	SCHOOL	PROVINCE	POSITION
2016	Damian Willemse	Paul Roos	Western Province	Flyhalf
2015	Ernst van Rhyn	Paarl Gymnasium	Western Province	Flank
2014	Curwin Bosch	Grey High	Eastern Province	Flyhalf
2013	Grant Hermanus	Paarl Gymnasium	Western Province	Wing
2012	Sergeal Petersen	Grey High	Eastern Province	Wing
2011	Jan Serfontein	Grey College	Free State	Centre
2010	Johan Goosen	Grey College	Free State	Flyhalf
2009	Andile Jho	Dale College	Border	Centre
2008	Sampie Mastriet	HTS Drostdy	Boland	Wing

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DATE	TEAM			TEAM
17-Jul	Valke	41	12	Limpopo
17-Jul	EPCD	62	3	Griquas CD
17-Jul	Griffons	48	31	KZN Sharks CD
17-Jul	Eastern Province	22	22	Griquas
17-Jul	KZN Sharks	46	7	SWD
17-Jul	Western Province	38	31	Boland
18-Jul	Golden Lions XV	62	14	Zimbabwe
18-Jul	Valke Platteland	51	12	Border CD
18-Jul	SA LSEN	57	36	Griffons CD
18-Jul	Pumas CD	16	15	Namibia
18-Jul	Border	35	15	Leopards
18-Jul	Blue Bulls	26	23	Free State
18-Jul	Pumas	23	22	Golden Lions
19-Jul	Limpopo	64	17	Griquas CD
19-Jul	Griquas	34	19	KZN Sharks CD
19-Jul	SWD	45	31	Eastern Province
19-Jul	EPCD	34	27	Valke
19-Jul	Boland	28	18	Griffons
19-Jul	Western Province	50	36	KZN Sharks
20-Jul	Namibia	31	17	Griffons
20-Jul	Zimbabwe	64	15	Border CD
20-Jul	Leopards	33	17	Pumas CD
20-Jul	SA LSEN	43	31	Valke CD
20-Jul	Golden Lions XV	31	8	Border
20-Jul	Golden Lions	48	38	Free State
20-Jul	Blue Bulls	46	31	Pumas
22-Jul	Griquas	59	30	Border CD
22-Jul	EPCD	27	21	Pumas
22-Jul	Namibia	27	24	Zimbabwe
22-Jul	KZN Sharks CD	26	26	Griffons CD
22-Jul	Golden Lions	26	19	Boland
22-Jul	Griquas	22	10	SA LSEN
22-Jul	Valke CD	40	36	Pumas CD
22-Jul	Free State	38	29	KZN Sharks
22-Jul	Leopards	35	34	Eastern Province
22-Jul	Valke	38	31	Limpopo
22-Jul	Border	34	27	Griffons
22-Jul	Blue Bulls	49	37	WP
22-Jul	Golden Lions XV	45	14	SWD

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At Grey College, Bloemfontein starting on Monday 10 July 2017

DAY	TEAM			TEAM
4	Western Province	28	0	Eastern Province
3	Western Province	31	5	Golden Lions
2	Western Province	41	10	Limpopo
1	Western Province	71	0	Griffons
3	Eastern Province	29	17	Blue Bulls
2	Eastern Province	17	14	KZN Sharks
1	Eastern Province	32	15	Leopards
4	Blue Bulls	26	17	Golden Lions
2	Blue Bulls	22	7	SWD
1	Blue Bulls	45	12	Free State
2	Golden Lions	18	12	Border
1	Golden Lions	23	14	KZN Sharks
3	South Western Districts	24	22	Limpopo
1	South Western Districts	14	14	Valke
4	Boland	17	17	South Western Districts
3	Boland	32	22	Border
2	Boland	26	10	Free State
4	Border	31	29	Limpopo
1	Border	18	15	Pumas
4	Valke	24	24	KwaZulu-Natal
3	Valke	20	14	Leopards
2	Valke	36	7	Griquas
3	KZN Sharks	34	5	Griffons
4	Griquas	37	21	Zimbabwe
4	Leopards	20	19	Free State
4	Namibia	27	20	Griffons
4	Pumas	106	0	Border CD
3	Free State	41	31	Pumas
3	Griquas	94	0	Border CD
3	Namibia	15	10	Zimbabwe
2	Griffons	22	10	Pumas
2	Leopards	66	7	Zimbabwe
2	Namibia	92	12	Border CD
1	Griquas	21	19	Namibia
1	Limpopo	15	14	Boland
1	Zimbabwe	45	0	Border CD

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At Grey College in Bloemfontein starting Monday 10 July 2017.

There is no shortage of good rugby to watch and a number of promising players on display.

Most unfortunately the national under-16 week has become a bit of shopping outing for schools desperately looking boost their 1st XV’s for the next 2 sometimes 3 years. Sadly one of the features that’s now common at the event is that of overzealous school officials and school aligned scouts directly approaching other schools’ players whenever and wherever they can over the course of the week. Sometimes the desperation includes running onto the field immediately after the final whistle to make direct contact with sort after minors.

 

DAY	TEAM			TEAM
3	Western Province	38	10	South Western Districts
2	Western Province	37	19	Free State
1	Western Province	36	7	Blue Bulls
2	South Western Districts	32	27	Border
1	South Western Districts	39	23	Pumas
3	KZN Sharks	32	29	Golden Lions
2	KZN Sharks	46	13	Namibia
1	KZN Sharks	15	14	Western Province XV
3	Free State	38	20	Border
1	Free State	71	19	Zimbabwe
3	Blue Bulls	43	32	Boland
2	Blue Bulls	29	29	Golden Lions
1	Border	24	13	Golden Lions
2	Boland	25	22	Limpopo
1	Boland	17	14	Griquas
2	Eastern Province	26	24	Griquas
1	Eastern Province	21	13	Free State XV
2	Western Province XV	20	24	Griffons
3	Western Province XV	37	19	Free State XV
2	Valke	28	10	Leopards
3	Valke	36	20	Eastern Province
2	Free State XV	48	24	Pumas
1	Griffons	69	13	Border CD
3	Griffons	29	19	Limpopo
3	Griquas	24	12	Pumas
3	Leopards	46	3	Border CD
1	Limpopo	48	19	Valke
1	Namibia	31	23	Leopards
3	Namibia	59	19	Zimbabwe

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