The Blue Bulls beat Boland 31-24 on the first day of the U18 Academy Week at HTS Drostdy in Worcester.
The hosts had the better start to the match, but a penalty from flyhalf Hendrik van der Merwe put the Bulls 3-0 in front. A converted try from flank Jacobus Abel handed Boland a deserved 7-3 lead at the interval.
In the second stanza, Boland doubled their advantage with a try from centre Jaydrin Kotze, and a conversion and drop goal by flyhalf Cleo Adams. The Bulls hit back with two touchdowns in as many minutes to level matters at 17-17, but conceded a third try as Boland edged ahead again. With four minutes remaining, Bulls wing Lylle Maart scored a crucial try to draw level before scoring a second at the death to win the match for his team.
In other results, the Griffons Country Districts edged Griquas 18-17, Border beat the Griffons 34-10, the Golden Lions came from behind to beat the Red Valke 26-12, the Limpopo Blue Bulls saw off the Pumas Country Districts 31-3, Griquas Country Districts breezed past Border Country Districts 33-0, the Blue Valke dispatched the LSEN Schools 31-8, Easter Province Country Districts floored the Leopards 37-0, Eastern Province defeated the Pumas 49-3, Western Province thrashed Free State 43-5, KwaZulu-Natal Country Districts and Namibia drew 22-all, KwaZulu-Natal beat South Western Districts 32-18 and Boland XV edged the Golden Lions 20-19.
Blue Bulls (31) – Tries: Chevan Swart, Lylle Maart (2), Shakeel Fredericks. Conversions: Hendrik Mulder (4). Penalty: Mulder.
Boland (24) – Tries: Jacobus Abel, Jaydrin Kotze (2). Conversions: Gevin Scheepers, Cleo Adams (2). Drop Goal: Adams.
Griffons CD (18) – Tries: Bongani Mkhuma, Danre Smit, Tinus Schoeman. Penalty: Angelo Pienaar.
Griquas (17) – Tries: Christiaan van Zyl, Gerhard Badenhorst, Lorenzo Malgas. Conversion: Ewan Marcus
Border (34) – Tries: Penalty Try, Cole van Tonder, Daniel Voigt, Heinrich Nieuwenhuizen. Conversion: Liam McLoughlin (4). Penalties: McLoughlin (2).
Griffons (10) – Tries: Adriaan Odendaal, Tiisetso Madonsela. Conversion: Louis Spershott. Penalty: Corne Cooper.
Golden Lions (26) – Tries: Adriaan van Blerk, Craig Hume, Lucky Mkhize (2). Conversions: Johan Saayman (3).
Red Valke (12) – Tries: Edwin Jansen, Thinus Grundlingh. Conversion: Marnus Gruber.
Limpopo Blue Bulls (31) – Tries: Pule Molokomme, Frans Botha (2), Hendrik Nel. Conversions: Hardus Geldenhuys (4). Penalty: Geldenhuys.
Pumas CD (3) – Penalty: Carl Jacobs.
Griquas CD (33) – Tries: Adriaan Burger, Breslen Ryk, Dirk Hanekom, Juniel Cloete, Sarel van der Merwe. Conversion: DJ Brand. Penalties: Brand (2).
Border CD (0)
Blue Valke (31) – Tries: Anthony Robertson, Delmond Venske, Gert Mulder (2), Visser van der Bank. Conversions: Rudolf Heenop (3).
LSEN Schools (8) – Try: Bradley Meintjies. Penalty: Johannes Visser.
Eastern Province CD (37) – Tries: Glen Flitoor (3), Siyamthanda Siaw (2). Conversions: Christiaan Nel (3). Penalties: Nel (2).
Leopards (0)
Eastern Province (49) – Tries: Dean van der Westhuizen (2), Denver Kleu, Duan du Plessis, Duwayne Baartman, Luciano Grootboom. Conversions: Garrick Mattheus (5). Penalties: Mattheus (3).
Pumas (31) – Tries: Fana Ngwenya (2), Lukhanyiso Makaula, Philani Nkosi. Conversions: Wessel Muller (4). Penalty: Muller.
Western Province (43) – Tries: Carlu Sadie, Danrich Visagie, Michael Meyer, Mitchell Carstens, Mujaahid van der Hoven, Taigh Schoor. Conversions: Cornel Smit (5). Penalty: Rayhaan Lombaard.
Free State (5) – Try: Johan Steyn.
KwaZulu-Natal CD (22) – Tries: Clifferd Jacobs, Kyle Rhode, Phakama Zondi. Conversions: Ryan Elliott (2). Penalty: Elliott.
Namibia (22) – Tries: Jerome Stephan Beukes, Schalk Grobbelaar, Tobie Van Zyl. Conversions: Hendrique Olivier (2), Penalty: Olivier.
KwaZulu-Natal (32) – Tries: Bader-Werner Pretorius, Donovan du Randt (2), Renier Pieterse, Sam Matiwane. Conversions: Bader-Werner Pretorius (2). Penalty: Pretorius.
SWD (18) – Tries: Craig Booysen, Litho Ferreira. Conversion: Maurice White. Penalties: White (2).
Boland XV (20) – Tries: Brandon Swanepoel, Christo Smit. Conversions: Ruben Brandt (2). Penalties: Brandt (2).
Golden Lions XV (19) – Tries: Hendre Saayman, Lwazi Monakali, Tatenda Zhoya. Conversions: Rashard Fuller (2).
Photo: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images
