Bloemfontein Results, Day 3

It was mercifully warmer in Bloemfontein on Day 3 and the wind less obtrusive for the Under-18 Craven Week matches and the Under-18 Academy Week matches.

Craven Week, Day 3

The matches have been individually reported on our website.

Results

Day 3

Boland vs Valke, 36-31

Pumas vs Leopards, 54-19

SWD Eagles vs Sharks, 39-31

Western Province vs Cheetahs, 51-14

Day 1 - 1 July 2019

Free State Cheetahs vs Sharks, 46-24

South Western Districts Eagles vs Pumas, 43-22

Valke vs Leopards, 43-24

Western Province vs Boland, 50-24

Day 2 - 2 July 2019

Blue Bulls XV vs Golden Lions XV, 32-21

Blue Bulls vs Border, 35-24

Griffons vs Eastern Province Elephants, 28-24

Griquas vs Limpopo, 35-24

Western Province XV vs Golden Lions, 18-14

Fixtures

Day 4 - Wednesday, 4 July 2019

A Field

09.30: Limpopo vs Golden Lions XV

11.00: EP Elephants vs Griquas

12.30: Griffons vs Blue Bulls XV

14.00: Golden Lions vs Border

15.30: Blue Bulls vs Western Province XV

Under-18 Academy Week

The Limpopo banked their second win of the tournament as they defeated the Western Province XV 50-31, with their seven tries to five and their accurate goal-kicking proving valuable. A red card for the Cape side, however, didn’t assist their cause.

The Limpopo outfit raced to a 36-7 halftime lead, and they built on this as the match progressed, although the Western Province XV deserve credit for their spirited second-half fightback. Nathan van den Heever (centre) touched down twice for the Capetonians, while Zander Deridder (flyhalf) scored a try, six conversions and penalty goal for 20 points.

Western Province produced a smooth performance against the Sharks to earn a rewarding 41-19 victory. The team’s finishing was good and they scored seven tries – two each by Dalvon Bradley Blood (centre) and Duran Rayn Koevort (wing) – while they leaked three.

Such was the high quality of the Cape side’s first-half performance, they boasted a 29-7 halftime lead. The Sharks tried hard to force their way back into the match, but Western Province proved too classy in the end.

Eastern Province dominated from the outset against Old Mutual Zimbabwe and built up an impressive 31-12 halftime lead en route to their 43-19 victory. The young men from the Eastern Cape did well to capitalise on their try-scoring chances and their efforts earned them seven tries – with two by Darrion Edwards (scrumhalf) – while the Zimbabweans to three.

The Pumas Country Districts also maintained their good form with the side overcoming a tough first half against Eastern Province Country Districts for a 41-21 victory. The Mpumalanga outfit held a slender 15-13 halftime lead, but they found their rhythm on attack after the break to increase their try tally to six, while they limited Eastern Province Country Districts to three tries.

Donovan Theart, who played scrumhalf for the Pumas Country Districts team, proved to be a key figure, scoring a try, four conversions and a penalty goal for a rewarding 16 points.

Hosts, the Free State Cheetahs, overturned a 19-17 halftime deficit against Boland thanks to a gutsy second-half showing to register a 45-26 victory.

The Free Staters scored six tries – with centres Franco Knoetze and Zane Bester each crossing the chalk twice – while Francois van Rooyen (flyhalf) had a good day with the boot, scoring six conversions and a penalty goal. Boland tried hard to make their presence felt and earned four tries for their efforts, but the home side had too much firepower.

The Sharks Country Districts secured their first victory of the tournament as they delivered a strong performance for a convincing 30-5 victory against Border Country Districts, scoring three tries to one. The first half was tight as they held a narrow 10-5 lead, but Ruan Muller (flyhalf) played a vital role in keeping the scoreboard ticking as he converted all the tries and kicked two penalty goals and a drop goal for 15 points.

The clash between the Blue Bulls and Leopards was a tight tussle with neither team giving an inch, but the Pretoria side prevailed in the end winning 19-15.

In a closely fought first half the Blue Bulls scored a converted try and limited the Leopards to a penalty goal, and this proved vital as both teams scored twice in the second half. Blue Bulls centre Niel Beukes scored a brace and kicked two conversions, while Leopards flyhalf Stephan van Niekerk scored all of his team’s points compliments of two tries, a conversion and penalty goal.

Academy Week

Results

Day 3 - Wednesday, 3 July 2019

Blue Bulls vs Leopards, 19-15

Eastern Province vs Zimbabwe, 43-19

Free State Cheetahs vs Boland, 45-26

Limpopo vs Western Province XV, 50-33

Pumas Country Districts vs Eastern Province Country Districts, 41-21

Sharks Country Districts vs Border Country Districts, 30-5

Western Province vs Sharks, 41-19

Day 1 - 1 July 2019

Boland vs Zimbabwe, 45-29

Leopards vs Sharks Country Districts, 27-24

Limpopo vs Eastern Province Elephants, 47-24

Pumas Country Districts vs Border Country Districts, 20-17

Sharks vs Free State, 41-38

Western Province vs Blue Bulls, 73-10

Western Province XV vs Eastern Province Elephants Country Districts, 41-17

Day 2 - 2 July 2019

Blue Bulls XV vs Griffons Country Districts, 26-24

Border vs South Western Districts Eagles26-8

Golden Lions Academy XV vs Namibia, 22-19

Griffons vs Griquas, 64-5

Griquas Country Districts vs SA LSEN XV, 45-33

Pumas vs SA LSEN, 52-15

Valke vs Golden Lions Academy, 36-31

Fixtures Day 4 - Thursday, 4 July 2019

A Field

08.00: Namibia vs Griquas

B Field

08.00: Griffons Country Districts vs SA LSEN XV

09.20: Griquas Country Districts vs SA LSEN

10.40: Golden Lions XV vs Blue Bulls XV

12.00: Golden Lions vs SWD

13.20: Border vs Griffons

14.40: Valke vs Pumas

Issued by SA Rugby Communications