The Western Province Academy team smashed KwaZulu-Natal on the final day of the Coca-Cola Academy Week for Under-18s in Worcester on Tuesday, winning the final match of the tournament 38-7.This emphatic win over a highly-rated KZN side confirmed the credentials of the WP side who earlier in the week brushed aside the Free State and Blue Bulls teams as well.
WP remained unbeaten, as did the Golden Lions, Blue Valke and Boland XV on a final day that again saw plenty of tries.
The week also confirmed the talent available in the school structures, with a number of players showing they are destined for higher honours.
Eastern Province Country Districts winger Glen Flitoor finished the week as top try scorer with seven, while KZN flyhalf Bader-Werner Pretorius finished as top point’s scorer with 36 points.
Griquas Country Districts 41 (17), LSEN 27 (17)
It was a try-fest as Griquas finished off the week on a high note, scoring six tries to four to outlast the LSEN team. Defences were tight nevertheless and it was due to good attacking platforms that the tries came about.
A strong second half saw the Northern Cape team race away with a late LSEN try giving them some consolation.
Scorers:
Griquas 41 (17). Tries: Adriaan Burger, Anvyre de Kock, Gustav Loots (2), Mickay Beukes, Renier Fortuin. Conversions: DJ Brand (4). Penalty: Brand
LSEN 27 (17). Tries: Adward Dirks, Cameron Julies, Jason Wessels, Matthew Alexander. Conversions: Johannes Visser (2). Penalty: Visser.
Border 41 (13), Limpopo Blue Bulls 10 (3)
Border surprisingly ran away with the match in the second half. In the first, the teams traded penalties early on as scoring opportunities were not easy to come by, with Border scoring just before the break to edge ahead.
In the second half though, they scored at will, with four well executed tries taking them clear of Limpopo Blue Bulls. The Far North side did score the last try of the match to give them some solace.
Scorers:
Border 41 (13). Tries: Bubule Gongqa, Daniel Froneman, Geraldo Joseph, Johann Laubser, Lutho Selem. Conversions: Liam McLoughlin (5). Penalties: McLoughlin (2).
Limpopo Blue Bulls 10 (3). Try: Pule Molokomme. Conversion: Hardus Geldenhuys. Penalty: Geldenhuys.
Pumas 26 (12), Griffons 23 (15)
The Pumas started like a house on fire, scoring two tries in the opening ten minutes, but then allowed the Griffons back into the match. The Northern Free State team first scored a try through Benji Muller, before centre Louis Spershott scored 10 points with a converted try and a penalty to put his side up at the break.
A yellow card added to the Pumas woes, as the Griffons used the extra space to good effect in the second half, with Spershott scoring a second try. Once restored to their full set, the Pumas came back strongly and scored twice in the last five minutes to get their noses in front.
Scorers:
Pumas 26 (12). Tries: Eric Basson, Ian Truter, Lukhanyiso Makaula, Petrus Ramolotsi. Conversions: Brandon Parr-Bailey, Wessel Muller (2).
Griffons 23 (15). Tries: Benji Muller, Louis Spershott (2). Conversion: Spershott. Penalties: Spershott (2).
SWD 44 (20), EP Country Districts 26 (14)
It was a high scoring affair between the two geographical neighbours, with 11 tries adding to the excitement of the match. SWD delivered little in the first two days, but exploded with a great performance on the last day to hand the EP side their first defeat of the week.
Both teams played entertaining rugby, but where EP had to look towards hat-trick winger Glen Flitoor to cross the whitewash, the SWD team’s general interplay resulted in seven different try scorers in the match.
Scorers:
SWD 44 (20). Tries: Chrisjan du Toit, Cian Wagenaar, Craig Booysen, Logan Stoffels, Lohan Potgieter, Riaan Kleyn, Taswin Da Silva. Conversions: Maurice White (3). Penalty: White.
EP CD 26 (14). Tries: Brendan Engelbrecht, Glen Flitoor (3). Conversions: Christiaan Nel (2), Gevanhier Blom.
Cheetahs 57 (19), Namibia 34 (20)
Namibia looked set for a famous win and Free State for a third defeat at the Academy Week, but in the second 35 minutes there was only one winner on the field. The Bloemfonteiners scored 38 points and finally came good, whilst Namibia paid a heavy price for their ill-discipline with two yellow cards.
Stefanus Wessels, who impressed with his straight running lines all week, was rewarded with a hat-trick in the last ten minutes of the match, but it was a more direct approach that brought the elusive win to the Free State.
Scorers:
Cheetahs 57 (19). Tries: Christiaan Schutte, Johan Steyn, Molefe Monama, Paul de Lange, Stefanus Wessels (3), Thokazani Ngodwana (2). Conversions: Schutte (4), De Lange (2).
Namibia 34 (20). Tries: Cameron Langenhoven, Gino Wilson, Riaan de Klerk, Schalk Grobbelaar. Conversions: Cliven Loubser (4). Penalty: Loubser (2).
Leopards 76 (45), Border Country Districts 0 (0)
It was a rout as the Leopards finally delivered on their potential, but the Border side will not be too proud of their defensive effort. The Leopards scored 12 tries, seven of which came in the first half with the North West team totally rampant. The Country Districts team did not offer too much during the week and they conceded 149 points without scoring any.
Scorers:
Leopards 76 (45). Tries: Adrian Snyman (2), Danie van Wyk, Francois Pelser, Gavin van der Berg, Jan Welgemoed (2), Johannes Pelser, Johannes Barnard, Katleho Thabanchu, Khotso Mohapi, Ofentse Magape. Conversions: Johannes Ten Cate (5), Barnard (3).
Border Country Districts 0 (0).
Pumas Country Districts 17 (8), KZN Country Districts 5 (0)
With heaps of tries being scored at the HTS Drostdy fields in the early matches on Thursday, it was not the case on the C-field, where Pumas and KZN just could not get over the tryline after Ruan Viljoen scored in the seventh minute to put the Lowvelders up.
It was left to the kicking prowess of the Ligbron Academy flyhalf, Carl Jacobsy, to help his side over the line. He responded with three penalties and a dropped goal.
Scorers:
Pumas CD 17 (8). Try: Ruan Viljoen. Penalties: Carl Jacobsy (3). Drop Goal: Carl Jacobsy
KwaZulu-Natal CD 5 (0). Try: Khuthuzani Mchunu
Blue Bulls 7 (0), Eastern Province 7 (7)
Both teams were desperate to make up for their disappointing shows on Tuesday, but in a well-matched clash found scoring difficult.
The EP side showed more endeavour in the first half and was rewarded with the only points. The Blue Bulls pressed hard in the second half and scored the important converted try 13 minutes from time.
Both sides tried their utmost for the winning points, but could not put themselves in a scoring position to deliver the final blow.
Scorers:
Blue Bulls 7 (0). Try: Carlo de Nysschen. Conversion: Hendrik Mulder.
Eastern Province 7 (7). Try: Yomelela Keswa. Conversion: Frederick Mattheus
Boland XV 23 (10), Red Valke 8 (3)
The Boland XV delighted the crowd with a fine win, resulting in them being one of three unbeaten teams at the week.
The home side had a slender lead at the break and kept that gap till the end. They made things difficult for themselves with a yellow card early in the second half, allowing the Valke to score a try. A penalty and converted try by Ruben Brandt confirmed the win though.
Scorers:
Boland XV 23 (10). Tries: Charl Hugo, Ruben Brandt. Conversions: Brandt (2). Penalty: Brandt.
Red Valke 8 (3). Try: Samson Zimande. Penalty: Marnus Gruber
Blue Valke 44 (15), Griquas 23 (8)
It was a try fest for the Blue Valke, who found their attacking ability in this match.
Good interplay between forwards and backs and the finishing of try-scoring opportunities helped them along the road to victory and an unbeaten record at the event.
Griquas tried hard, but found the Valke to be just one step ahead all the time.
Scorers:
Blue Valke 44 (15). Tries: Anthony Robertson, Austin Isaacs, Gerhardt Smit, Elvis Molefe, Rudolf Heenop (2), Teboho Mofokeng. Conversions: Heenop (2), Wernich Human. Penalty: Heenop
Griquas 23 (8). Tries: Daniel Fourie, Ewan Marcus, Lorenzo Malgas. Conversion: Marcus. Penalties: Marcus, Gerhard Badenhorst.
Golden Lions XV 53 (34), Griffons Country Districts 15 (3)
The Golden Lions XV scored nine tries on route to their biggest win of the week. The Griffons found the pace and power of the Golden Lions too much to handle. The urban team started off very well and scored five tries in the first half.
That sealed the match and all that they needed to do in the second was to continue playing the way they were.
Scorers:
Golden Lions XV 53 (36). Tries: Andile Ngobe, Damian Diedericks, Hendre Saayman, Keketso Maphathe (2), Rashard Fuller, Siyabonga Mahlangu (2), Tatenda Zhoya. Conversions: Fuller (4).
Griffons CD 15 (3). Tries: Phillip April, Thato Mojaki. Conversion: Angeloo Pienaar. Penalty: Pienaar.
Golden Lions 31 (10), Boland 23 (20)
It was a commanding second half performance by the Golden Lions that resulted in their third win of the week. The first 35 minutes belonged to the hosts though, as they dazzled the Gauteng side with their footwork and interplay.
The Golden Lions kept their cool (and the ball) in the second half and found the home side’s defense disorganised and disinterested.
Scorers:
Golden Lions 31 (10). Tries: Sibusiso Mngomezulu, Tapiwa Mangwana, Tiaan Schutte (2). Conversions: Justin Taylor (4). Penalty: Taylor.
Boland 23 (20). Tries: Gevin Scheepers, Jaydrin Kotze, Petrus Wiese, Zayne Farmer. Penalty: Cleo Adams.
Western Province 38 (24), KZN 7 (0)
Western Province totally outplayed KZN in the final match of the day and delivered a very strong first half performance to blitz the Natalians.
They scored four tries in the opening half and never gave KZN a look-in. The Natal side that played with so much precision on Tuesday struggled against the Province defence and never looked like the side from earlier in the week.
WP on the other hand, just improved with every match and finished the week as the top team, no doubt.
Scorers:
WP 38 (24). Tries: Andre Manuel, Calvin Nell, Edward Marais, Michael Meyer, Sybrand Du Toit, Taigh Schoor. Conversions: Danrich Visagie (3), Cornel Smit.
KZN 7 (0). Try: Hayden Tharratt. Conversion: Bader-Werner Pretorius.
@Tjoppa: I am in 100% agreement with you.
@Playa: Playa I am a white man. Do not believe in quotas at all BUT I do believe there is enough black talent out there to fullfill all the goverment’s guidelines BUT to unearth this black talent the goverment, SARU and all the unions must have a desire to unearth and develop them. BUT not one of the mentioned parties give a F^(*k. It is too costly measured in Rands and Labour to do the right thing. This quick fix solution they are currently following is only having two consequences (a) The white player who IS better than the black player either stop playing rugby or move abroad. (b) The black player with a lot of talent waiting to be exposed, knows he is not the best and certainly does not enjoy himself on the rugby field stop playing because it is not fun. Therefore South Africa is losing talent at both ends. But the goverment does not give a shit as long the quotas is enforced. I do think they will enjoy if they can kill rugby. The unions also does not give a shit because they know with the support of the public, to whom rugby is a religion, they will still make money and keep the goverment happy. Why should they work to earn their massive salaries if all is happy with the current situation.
Na afloop van die Akademi-week moet daar net gemeld word na n wonderlike week wat Boland aangebied het, voorwaar julle kan baie trots wees op julself. Tussen al die kwotas deur en gesukkel was daar ook ligpunte vir SA RUGBY, N paar spelers wat hierdie week na vore gekom het met uitstekende spel is no6,7.8 van die wp en die no4 slot van die bulle, seun julle het behoorlike rugby gespeel
@Amalekite: Ja hey, tough one indeed. As I said, politics will be the end of us. Seems like the law makes are not interested in finding a realistic approach to all of this…and yet it is obvious what needs to be done. May the force be with us all.
@Playa: It is not easy being the coach or a selector. The squad needs to include 11 PDI players of which 8 need to be on the field of play at all times.
It only takes a few injuries to any of these players, and you have a headache on your hands. In rugby, there are certain positions that are very specialist and this adds to the problem.
In the final game. our PDI hooker missed 12 lineout throws and eventually asked the prop to throw in (who was just as bad). Now, if this player was not a PDI, and was having a bad day at the office, he would have been replaced a lot sooner. Eventually, with a bit of juggling, the other hooker came on for the last 10 mins.
It is not easy to change the culture of PDI’s from our region from soccer to rugby. To play at this level, one needs to be passionate and committed, and to have the full support of one’s family and friends.
@Amalekite: I am not a fan of the quota system, but to play a lock at prop for two games smacks of bad selection/planning. I won’t put my head in the sand, as I have no doubt that the quota system had a hand in how that happened.
P.S. I’m a black man, not a PDI man
Politics will be the end of us I tell you.
Well done to WP again.
Unfortunately for KZN and quite a few other provinces, the quota system is our Achilles heel. I have just heard that Qoma, one of our locks, was injured 10 mins into the first game. Because of the system, we ended up playing a PDI prop at lock for 2 games. We are talking about a prop in the Frans Erasmus mould.
This is just one example. I am sure that there are many others.