Craven Week: WP hold off SWD to be crowned champions
The Youth Weeks programme came to an eventful conclusion on Saturday, with all 16 teams featuring in the final round of the U18 Craven Week tournament staged at Hoërskool Middelburg.
WP finished the week with three victories, while the Bulls, Boland, Lions, Leopards, Free State, Griquas and Pumas were among the winners on the final day of the competition.
The battle between WP and SWD was fiercely contested, with the Eagles drawing first blood.
Western Province responded with tries from fullback Jaden Ocks, captain Josh Neill – who was named the Player of the Tournament – and No 8 Quintin Potgieter to take a 17-9 lead into the break.
SWD clawed their way back after WP were shown a yellow card early in the second half.
Eagles prop Kai Pratt scored during this period, while flyhalf Virgil Pockpas added the conversion to reduce the deficit to 13 points.
The Eagles scored again right before full time, but WP managed to secure a 27-21 victory and yet another unbeaten campaign.
Earlier in the day, the Bulls thrashed Eastern Province 76-24, with wing Thabiso Simelane, centre Dylan Stumke and flanker Elwin Jansen Van Vuuren scoring two tries apiece. Simelane went on to finish the tournament as the leading try-scorer (six).
The Lions dominated the first half of their match against the Western Province XV, before the Cape side hit back in the second stanza. After leading 17-7 at the break, the Gauteng outfit hung on for a 27-26 victory.
Free State controlled the contest against the Sharks, who struggled with their discipline. Flyhalf Darius Erwee kept the scoreboard ticking, while hooker Marinus Oosthuizen scored two tries to steer the boys from Bloemfontein to a convincing 34-12 win.
In other fixtures, the Leopards produced one of the most dominant performances of the day, scoring eight tries in a 54-7 rout of the Limpopo Blue Bulls, Griquas edged the Valke 26-19, and the Pumas were too good for Border, winning by 48-12.
EP 24-76 Bulls
Boland 38-36 Griffons
Golden Lions 27-26 WP XV
Limpopo Blue Bulls 7-54 Leopards
Sharks 12-34 Free State
Griquas 26-19 Valke
Pumas 48-12 Border
WP 27-21 SWD
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