08-07-2025
Craven Week: WP hit 80 as Border and Sharks win, and Leopards and Valke draw
Day two of this year's FNB U18 Craven Week kicked off with a bang at Middelburg Hoërskool this morning.
Border, the Sharks and the Western Province joined WP XV, SWD, the Lions and the Pumas as sides with victories in their opening encounters, while the Leopards and Valke played to an exciting draw.
Also read: Craven Week: SWD stun Free State, Lions trump Bulls and Pumas pummel Limpopo
Here's your recap of the action:
Leopards vs Valke
It took just over 10 minutes for the first try of the day to be scored. Valke winger Dihan Crause from Hoërskool Transvalia scored against the run of play. With a one-player advantage following a Valke yellow card, the Leopards pounced and scored their first try of the tournament through centre Winton Abrahams from Klerksdorp Hoërskool. His try was not converted, and with the score equal at 5-all, this set the tone for what was to come later: A draw. The Leopards took the lead in the 23rd minute when lock Jaime Davids (Hoërskool Vryburg) scored a five-pointer, which was converted by fullback Brendin Mathyse of Klerksdorp Hoërskool.
Their lead lasted less than three minutes when Valke fullback Deshean Pietersen (Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen) scored his side's second try. It was converted by flyhalf Juan van Aswegen – also from Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen. The Valke had a seven-point lead at half-time, thanks to winger Dihan's second, a try of the tournament contender. Juan added the extras.
The Leopards roared back when flanker KG Legodi of Hoërskool Lichtenburg scored a try, which was converted by Brendin to draw the scores level again. Leopards' replacement hooker Fanie Linde of Hoërskool Wesvalia put his side in front (24-19) when he scored a five-pointer. The lead was short-lived, however, as Valke winger Otlotleng Zulu (also from Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen) crossed the tryline.
With 20 minutes to go, it was all square – but nine minutes later, Valke replacement Tumi Moloi (Hoërskool Transvalia) put his side ahead with a try. Replacement Joshua van Rensburg (Hoërskool Alberton) failed to add the extras, and the scoreboard read 29-24 in favour of the Valke. The Leopards were on the prowl in the last three minutes, but were still behind with a minute to go. Leopards No 8 and captain Tiaan Koen (Klerksdorp Hoërskool) gave his side the opportunity to steal the win, but Brendin was unable to convert and the spoils were shared.
Border vs Griquas
Griquas centre Pieter Smit (Hoërskool Duineveld Upington) opened his side's account and flyhalf Aidan Gadeija (Hoërskool Prieska) added the extras. Border bounced back through captain and flanker Jeffrey Niland (Queen's College Boys' High School), who scored their first five-pointer. The conversion was missed.
Border lock Ethan Schoeman (Port Rex Technical High School) was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle. Griquas extended their lead through Aidan, who scored a penalty, but they didn't make the player advantage count as Border scored a try through hooker Bulumko Manqina (Queen's College), converted by flyhalf Ndimphiwe Songqwaba (Port Rex), to give them the lead. Moments after Ethan returned to the field, Border had another player – Milani Madide (Dale College) – yellow-carded, also for a dangerous tackle. Griquas, however, didn't score points.
Ethan redeemed himself by scoring a try, which extended his side's lead to seven points. The half-time score was 17-10.
Griquas put themselves into the contest when centre and captain Jonathan Harding (Hoërskool Diamantveld) scored a try, which was converted by flyhalf Aidan to put the score at 17-all. Griquas hooker Jaydrian Jacobs (also from Diamantveld) was temporarily suspended, and Border became bullish. Prop Zeake Mata (Queen's College) scored a five-pointer, converted by fullback Bungqina Nuku of Selborne College. Border hooker Liam Hansen (also Selborne College) added five more points to put the score at 29-17. Another Border frontrower, Robert John-Onsunwo (also Selborne), scored the final try of the match, which Bungqina converted to let the scoreboard read 36-17 at the final whistle.
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Sharks vs Eastern Province
Sharks prop Alande Ngubane from Maritzburg College put his side in the lead early on, but Stefan Moolman (Michaelhouse) failed to convert. Their winger, Jadrian Afrikaner (Westville Boys' High School), added another try minutes later – one that is a try of the tournament contender thanks to brilliant work by SA Schools hopeful Zekhethelo Siyaya (also from Westville). Stefan missed the conversion again.
Eastern Province flyhalf William Stevens of St Andrew's College earned his side's first points of the tournament when he scored a penalty. With the score at 10-3, the Sharks' Jadrian was shown a yellow card. EP did not capitalise on their advantage, and instead Zekhethelo extended the Sharks' lead to 10 points. The half-time score was 13-3.
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Zekhethelo put his hand up for SA Schools selection when he opened the scoring in the second half. Stefan converted. However, at 20-3, the Sharks had another player, replacement scrumhalf Zander Vorster (Hilton College), shown a yellow card. EP again did not make their player advantage count.
Sharks centre William Ridl (Michaelhouse) added five more points and Zekhethelo converted the try to bring the score to 27-3. A coast-to-coast try by centre Nathan Aneke (Durban High School) extended their lead, with Stefan taking the score to 34-3. William scored another try, again converted by Stefan, to take their total to 41-3.
EP winger Cole Hilpert from Hoërskool Framesby scored his side's only try of the match, which was converted by their flyhalf. The final score was 41-10.
Western Province vs Boland
The final match of the day saw Western Province showcase why they have been the unofficial winners of the tournament for the past five instalments. Boland showed great intent from the first whistle and opened the scoring through the boot of flyhalf Zion Rabie (Hoërskool Weston High School), who scored a penalty. WP flanker and captain Josh Neill (Rondebosch Boys' High School) scored his side's first try of the tournament, converted by Ethan van Biljon (Stellenberg High School).
Boland hit back with a penalty by Zion and at 7-6 looked up for the battle. However, the floodgates opened as the boys in blue and white stripes started to show their try-scoring prowess. Centre and vice-captain Markus Muller (Paarl Gimnasium) and Ethan scored five-pointers, both converted by Ethan, to bring the score to 21-6. No 8 Quintin Potgieter (also from Paarl Gim) then scored the first of his two tries, but the conversion was missed. At 26-6, WP flanker Briint Davids of Milnerton High School was yellow carded. This did not stop the flooding.
WP hooker Altus Rabe (Paul Roos Gimnasium) scored his side's fifth try and Ethan added the extras. One more converted try, by lock Juvan Burden (Stellenberg), was scored to bring the half-time score to 40-6.
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WP started the second half with a try by Briint. Kicking duties were taken over by Achmat Behardien of Wynberg Boys' High School, who took the score to 47-6. Boland finally scored their first try of this year's showpiece – in the 42nd minute through replacement Caleb Cornett of HTS Drostdy. Zion added two more points.
Four more WP tries followed before Boland replied again. These were scored by winger Albert Lourens (Wynberg), hooker Ismaeel Conrad (Rondebosch), Quintin (his second), and prop Matthew van der Merwe (Rondebosch). Albert's try was converted by Achmat, while scrumhalf Jayden Brits (Hoër Landbouskool Boland) converted the last two tries. The score was 73-13.
Boland prop Amaan Adendorff of Worcester Gymnasium scored his side's second try with less than three minutes to go, but WP had the last say when Achmat scored his side's 12th five-pointer. Jayden added the extras, and when the final whistle was blown by Excellent Mnkomo, the scoreboard was just shy of the 100-point mark: 80-18.
Day 3
At the time of publishing, the fixtures for day three were yet to be confirmed, but the first match of the day is scheduled for 10:00. The article will be amended to reflect the fixtures once received.
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