KZN blitz sinks Free State
KZN produced possibly the best-ever opening half in recent Craven Week history, as they over-powered Free State by 48-24 on Monday.
In other Day One action on Monday, at the lovely Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Leopards beat Namibia 36-29, Boland claimed a hard-fought 16-12 win over Griquas and the Lions outlasted Border 29-14.
But no match, up till then, could have prepared anyone for the demolition job that KwaZulu-Natal did on Free State - the best team at the 2011 Craven Week.
KwaZulu-Natal 48 (36) Free State 24 (3)
KwaZulu-Natal played Free State off the park in their Day One Craven Week tussle in Port Elizabeth, KZN racking up seven tries in their sensational 48-24 win.
KZN lock Daniel du Preez rumbled over in the third minute, and he was quickly joined on the try-scorers' list by second row partner, Justin Moberly. The impressive Jesse Kriel (fullback) made it try No.3 - for a 19-0 lead - before Pieter Jordaan finally put his team on the scoreboard in the 16th minute with a penalty goal.
But that penalty did anything but deter the Men from KZN, who promptly ran in two more tries before the end of the half - both going to right-wing Bruce Arnott, despite the best intentions of opposite number Sheldon Fortuin.
In between all of this, flyhalf Robert Anderson converted four of the five KZN penalties, also adding a 20th-minute penalty, as the Men in Black & White went into half-time with a staggering 36-3 advantage.
Any hope of a Free State comeback was put to rest early in the second half when KZN left-wing Corné Vermaak raced down the left-hand touchline when the ball bounced loose - try No.6 and officially no way back for the Free Staters.
To their credit, Free State managed a five-pointer of their own when second row Edward Schmidt wormed his way over from close-range in the 52nd minute, followed by late tries by front-ranker Kale Sebotsa and fullback EW Viljoen - all of which were converted by captain Jordaan.
But those converted tries mattered little in the final analysis - despite FS outscoring their opponents by 21-12 in the second half.
The damage had well and truly been done in the first half; the brute power of the Du Preez twins, KZN's slick passing game - especially in the tackle - and Kriel's pace and power from the back proving just too much for the Free Staters.
The scorers:
For KwaZulu-Natal:
Tries: D du Preez, Moberly, Kriel 2, Arnott 2, Vermaak
Cons: Anderson 5
Pen: Anderson
For Free State:
Try: Schmidt, Sebotsa, Viljoen
Cons: Jordaan 3
Pen: Jordaan
The teams:
KZN: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Bruce Arnott, 12 Sandile Kubeka, 21 Nkululeko Marwana, 11 Corné Vermaak, 10 Robert Anderson, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Joshua Moon, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Abraham Swart, 5 Daniel du Preez, 4 Justin Moberly (captain), 3 Mvelo Khumalo, 2 Ntando Khathide, 17 Msizi Zondi.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Hartman, 1 Patrick Sikhosana, 18 Sihle Ngxabi, 19 Michael van Aardt, 22 Mthokozisi Mkhabela, 20 Mondli Nkosi, 13 Lindokuhle Mvelase-Julyan.
Free State: 15 EW Viljoen, 21 Guillermo Minnie, 13 Pieter Jordaan, 12 Stephan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Sheldon Fortuin, 10 Barend Marx Bornman, 9 Juandre van den Bergh, 18 Stefan Kruger, 7 Gareth de Bruin, 6 Refuoe Rampeta, 8 Edward Schmidt, 4 Awie Thompson, 3 Cornelius Kramer, 2 Cornelius Els, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Kale Sebotsa, 17 Andrew du Plessis, 5 Dylan Harlen, 19 Byran Matthews, 20 Luke Cyster, 14 Olwethu Ndakisa, 22 Stanley Ramoetsana.
Lions 29 (16) Border 14 (14)
The third match on Day One, between the Lions and a determined Border outfit, saw the lead change hands on a few occasions in the first half.
But in the second half, the watertight Lions defence held out well, before a crucial score by flyhalf Jaco van der Walt - in the 52nd minute - followed by a 61st-minute try by captain Christian Massyn put some serious daylight between the two teams.
Border were first on the scoreboard through a Akhona Sihunu penalty, before the Lions equalised through Van der Walt and a Frans van Wyk (Lions) try was matched by Border's Lilitha Jonas in the 28th minute.
Another Van der Walt penalty kept the Lions ahead by 16-14 at half-time and there was not much in it in the second half - until those two tries, by Van der Walt and Massyn, put the result beyond doubt.
Border, to their credit, did not give up and gave the ball plenty of air in a bid to catch their opponents. In the end, however, the Lions defence prevailed, as the Men from Johannesburg started their Craven Week campaign on a high against their game opponents.
The scorers:
For the Lions:
Tries: Van Wyk, Van der Walt, Massyn
Con: Van der Walt
Pens: Van der Walt 3, Radebe
For Border:
Tries: Jonas
Pens: Sihunu 3
The teams:
Lions: 15 Erwin Harris, 14 Surprise Mayekiso, 13 Koch Marx, 21 Wanele Maholwana, 11 Alastair McQuire, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 20 Eric Botes, 8 Rivoningo Mabunda, 7 Christiaan Massyn (captain), 19 Thapelo Rapelwana, 5 Stephan Vermeulen, 18 Cyle Brink, 3 Clinton Theron, 16 Emmanuel Morowane, 17 Frans van Wyk.
Replacements: 1 Dylan Smith, 2 Malcolm Marx, 4 Victor Sekekete, 6 Ruan Macdonald, 9 Bradley Janse van Rensburg, 12 Innocent Radebe, 22 Barend Herbst.
Border: 15 Thabani Mgugudo, 21 Lilitha Jonas, 13 Sibanye Bukani, 12 Aubrey Ferreira, 14 Warren Swarts, 22 Somila Jho, 9 Akhona Sihunu, 8 Naythan Knoetze, 7 James Snelling, 18 Andrew Miles, 5 Mick Meintjes, 19 Mandilake Ponco, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Keegan Emms (captain), 1 Mihlali Mtongana.
Replacements: 16 Bryce Rennie, 17 Similile Qinela, 4 Brenton de Coning, 6 Michael Hansen, 20 Onke Nyaku, 10 Bukho Ntsaluba, 11 Justin Bell.
Boland 16 (6) Griquas 12 (9)
It wasn't quite as free-flowing as the day's opening match, but Boland claimed a 16-12 Craven Week win over Griquas in the second match of Day One.
The team from the Winelands scored the game's only try, through centre Chad Kleinsmidt - after some great skill from his fellow backs - as the Bolanders showed plenty of guts to overturn their 6-9 half-time deficit.
Flyhalf Schalk Hugo - preferred to Colin Willemse to start for Boland - converted Kleinsmidt's try from the touchline, having tied the scores shortly after half-time with his third penalty of the day.
In all, Hugo kicked three penalties - also missing a few shots at goal - whilst, for Griquas, fullback Granville Adams slotted four penalties.
The scorers:
For Boland:
Tries: Kleinsmidt
Con: Hugo
Pens: Hugo 3
For Griquas:
Pens: Adams 4
The teams:
Boland: 15 Willbur Boonzaaie, 14 Chesne van Wyk, 22 Chad Kleinsmidt, 13 Anzo Stubbs, 11 Luwandre Visagie, 21 Schalk Hugo, 20 Phillip Jacobs, 8 Dian Koen, 19 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Cobus Geldenhuys, 5 Jaco Louw, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 1 Farrel Kelly, 2 Francois Esterhuyzen, 3 Wilco Louw.
Replacements: 16 Riaan Mostert, 17 Erik Meyer, 18 Erenst Claasen 6 Hilroy Baadjies, 9 Corné Sharp, 10 Colin Willemse, 12 Courtney Cupido.
Griquas: 15 Granville Adams, 14 Dimitrio Tieties, 13 Dawid-Johan Minnie, 12 Len le Roux, 22 Hillford Clarke, 10 Vuyani Maqina, 9 Zane le Roux, 8 Shaun Clarke, 7 Lehan Muller, 19 Luaan Dowie, 5 Jan-Hendrik van der Linden, 4 Gilbert Chalmers, 3 Doctor Booysen, 16 Xander Jonck, 1 Boitumelo Maketlo.
Replacements: 2 Emile Jansen, 17 PJ Steyn, 18 Kosie Human, 6 Nico Graaff, 20 Willie Jansen van Rensburg, 21 Ryan de Wee, 11 Charlton Koopman.
Leopards 36 (12) Namibia 29 (17)
The Leopards kicked-off the 2012 Craven Week tournament on a high, recording a 36-29 win over Namibia at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The Leopards produced a vintage second-half display to eclipse their opponents from Namibia, who had taken a useful - and deserved - 17-12 lead into half-time.
But that lead could have been even greater, had Namibia's discipline not let them down before half-time - Namibia having led 17-6 shortly before the teams headed into the changerooms.
Two Matthys Venter penalties - to add to his two previous three-pointers - made it a five-point game at half-time, but the Leopards stepped up a gear in the second half as they racked up three tries and conceded just one.
Leopards flyhalf Venter had a near-faultless day with the boot, whilst his halfback partner, WJ Herbst (the cousin of Sharks prop Wiehahn), was industrious at the base of the scrum.
For Namibia, the Arries brothers - captain Daniel (until he went off injured in the second half) and flyhalf Christopher - stood out, but not even their sharp attacking play could save the day for their team.
To their credit, Namibia scored two superb tries in the closing stages of the match - through fullback Ethan Beukus and winger Leon Feris - to take their final try tally to four (versus the three of the Leopards), but a late Venter penalty (his fifth on the day) did the trick for the Leopards.
The scorers:
For the Leopards:
Tries: Ueckermann, Herbst, Schoenfeld
Cons: Venter 3
Pens: Venter 5
For Namibia:
Tries: Winkler, D Arries, Beukes, Feris
Cons: C Arries 3
Pen: C Arries
The teams:
Leopards: 15 Alrich Brown, 14 Pakamani Maganga, 13 Joacobus Groenewald, 12 Gysbert van Wyk, 21 Francwa Ueckermann, 10 Matthys Venter, 9 WJ Herbst, 8 Iniel Schoenfeld, 7 Hendrik van der Walt, 6 Emil Haas Meyer, 5 Gopolang Molefe, 4 Ryno Smith, 18 Vuyani Kok, 2 Thabo Sehlabo, 1 Jacobus Myburgh.
Replacements: 16 Thomas Dreyer, 17 Kgotso Letsoko, 19 Albert Lubbe, 20 Ofentse Molotsi, 3 Dirk Botha, 22 Dimitri Vers, 11 Keamogetswe Mpuru.
Namibia: 15 Ethan Beukes, 14 Leon Feris, 13 Divan Visser, 12 Daniel Arries (captain), 11 Shareave Titus, 10 Christopher Arries, 20 Jean-Claude Winkler, 8 Wian Conradie, 7 Immo Dresselhaus, 6 Dian Wiese, 18 Dyllan Husselmann, 4 Janco Venter, 3 Gert-David Orlam, 2 Johannes Robbertse, 17 Johannes Retief.
Replacements: 16 Desmond Stramis, 1 Quintin Esterhuizen, 5 Jean-Pierre Grobler, 19 Charles Fourie, 9 Hendrik Barkhuizen, 21 Justin Newman, 22 Handré Bezuidenhout.