Boland claimed a 34-7 win over KwaZulu-Natal on day two of the U13 Craven Week at Hoërskool Rob Ferreira in White River.
After Boland flyhalf Nazero Cleophas broke the deadlock with a penalty in the 13th minute, the floodgates opened, with four unanswered tries through Gurwin Gertse, Rowan Cloete, Michael Williams and Chadley Josias giving them a 27-0 lead at the break. Three minutes into the second half replacement Triveno Swartz extended their lead with another converted touchdown. KZN managed to stem the tide before loosehead prop Bernard Nortje powered over for a consolation effort.
Meanwhile, SWD continued their dominance as they secured a 37-17 victory over the Golden Lions. SWD cruised to a 20-3 lead at the interval and continued to stamp their authority in the second half, adding two tries to their tally, while Cameron Sharp was on form with the boot as he nailed four out four conversions, two penalties and a drop goal. The Lions fought back in the second half and managed to score two late tries, but their efforts weren't enough to get them back into the match.
In another surprise result, the Valke scored a last-gasp converted try to edge the Blue Bulls 21-19. The boys from Pretoria started out well, outscoring the Valke three tries to one in the first half to take a 19-7 lead at the break. But the Valke stepped up their game in the second half, with outside centre Keagan Balfour scoring two tries to snatch victory.
The Limpopo Blue Bulls crushed Free State 33-5. The winners dominated the clash from the outset and built up a 19-5 lead with two tries in the first half. They crossed the tryline another three times in the second stanza, with Free State only managing a late score.
Meanwhile, Western Province scored five tries to blank Border 33-0, with multi-talented 12-year-old scrumhalf Jack Cloete, who is also a WP golfer and cricketer, kicking four conversions. Cloete has been successful with eight out of 10 kicks this week and will be among the new generation of talent lured to Paarl Boys' High when he completes junior school at Gene Louw in Durbanville later this year.
In other results, the Leopards overturned a seven-point deficit to edge Eastern Province 18-17; Border Country Districts staged a second-half comeback to defeat the Pumas 19-14; the Griffons eased past Namibia with a 37-13 victory; and Griquas battled to a 15-7 win over Zimbabwe.
Boland (34) – Tries: Curwin Gertse, Triveno Swartz, Chadley Josias, Michael Williams, Rowan Cloete. Conversions: Nazero Cleophas (3). Penalty: Cleophas.
KwaZulu-Natal (7) – Try: Barnard Nortje. Conversion: Mathew Halstead.
SWD (37) – Tries: Jaydon Cupido, Jowin Jantjies, Caston Michaels (2). Conversions: Cameron Sharp (4). Penalties: Sharp (2). Drop goal: Sharp.
Golden Lions (17) – Tries: Regardt Fourie, Rynard Mouton. Conversions: Fourie (2). Penalty: Sebastine Watney.
Valke (21) – Tries: Jahno Bester, Keagan Balfour (2). Conversions: Kyle Benadie (3).
Blue Bulls (19) – Tries: Zandre du Toit, Wonder Mkhonto, Kyle Meadows. Conversions: Du Toit (2).
Limpopo Blue Bulls (33) – Tries: Peter Tjauke, Pieter Vorster, Mudodzwa Luvha, Justin Pieterse (2). Conversions: Juan Smith (4).
Free State (5) – Try: Janco Prinsloo.
Western Province (33) – Tries: Armand Maritz, Rynardt Botha, Luciano Custodio, Luke Burger (2). Conversions: Jack Cloete (4).
Border (0)
Leopards (18) – Tries: Theuns Steyn, Armand Cloete (2). Penalty: Steyn.
Eastern Province (17) – Tries: Sino Antonie, Siviwe Zondani. Conversions: Lathita Nqebe (2). Penalty: Lathita Nqebe.
Border CD (19) – Tries: Siphe Nonkwenke (2), Siyanda Joja. Conversions: Mihlali Jika, Nonkwenke.
Pumas (14) – Tries: Christiaan Van Der Merwe, JW Mare. Conversions: Alec Vermaak (2).
Griffons (37) – Tries: Karabo Moahlodi, Katleho Chabanyane, Tiiisetso Mofokeng, Connie Campher, Calla Pienaar, Tielman Niewoudt (2). Conversion: Moahlodi.
Namibia (13) – Tries: Bennie Boshoff, Peresil Hansen. Penalty: Kian Fransman.
Griquas (15) – Tries: Keanan Wentzel, Duan Ludik. Conversion: Wentzel. Penalty: Wentzel.
Zimbabwe (7) – Try: Nyasha Gumbo. Conversion: Connor Higgins.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
