Sensational first day out at Coca-Cola Craven Week
The next generation of Springboks is expected to take their first steps towards the Green and Gold this week.
KEARSNEY College hosted the first round of matches for all the schoolboys who were selected to represent their provinces at the Coca-Cola Craven Week on Monday, 11 July.
The U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week is the spectacle that the country has been waiting for, with an incredible amount of Springboks being produced directly from this tournament, it is safe to say that the next generation of Springboks will take their first steps towards the Green and Gold this week.
The day began with a bang, with Zimbabwe facing off against a tough Griquas County Districts outfit. The match seemed to be heading to ending in a stalemate, with the scores tied at 9-9 and Zimbabwe in possession on their own try line. Quick hands by the backline saw the ball spread out to the wing that used quick feet to beat the opposition fullback and take the ball all the way for a try to win the game. The Zimbabwe team should be commended on their never-say-die attitude to go all out until the final whistle and fully deserve the victory that followed.
The second game of the day saw another bordering country with a strong showing. Namibia convincingly beat Griquas 52-36, in a match that saw the Namibian team put their opposition to the sword with running rugby that has quickly seen them become a crowd favourite. The result is a strong statement that the Namibian team is a real force to be reckoned with.
Another massive fixture that took place on day 1 was the Western Cape local derby with Boland facing off against Western Province. Boland game out of the gates firing, and it wasn’t long before they had built up a 14-0 lead. It was Western Province who dug deep this time, and their extremely talented team seemed to come together as they ran out winners with a fair amount of ease in the end, 41-20. It was the number 10, Damian Willemse, for the Cape side who really raised the eyebrows around the ground, as he led the attack and controlled the game throughout.
Results from Day 1:
· Griquas Country Districts 6 vs. Zimbabwe 16
· Griquas 36 vs. Namibia 54
· Griffons 29 vs. Pumas 31
· Western Province 41 vs. Boland 20
· KwaZulu Natal 36 vs. Eastern Province 24
Day 2 fixtures: (today)
09.35: Limpopo vs Border Country Districts
11.00: Eastern Province Country Districts vs Leopards
12.25: Free State vs Valke
13.50: South Western Districts vs Golden Lions
15.15: Blue Bulls vs Border
