The fourth day of the U18 Craven Week at Hoërskool Middelburg brought some thrilling derby action, with Western Province and Eastern Province both securing important wins to keep their campaigns alive.
Western Province Cruises Past Sharks in Coastal Derby
Western Province kept their unbeaten streak alive after delivering a commanding performance against the Sharks High Schools.
The coastal derby started off tight, with the Sharks putting real pressure on WP’s defense and scoring a try through wing Jadrian Afrikaner.
But WP quickly turned up the heat.
Centre Markus Muller and prop Matthew van der Merwe crossed the try line, while flyhalf Ethan van Biljon added a penalty just before halftime, pushing WP ahead by 11 points.
After the break, WP dominated the game, piling on six tries and running out convincing 45-13 winners.
Markus Muller was a standout, scoring twice to cap off a powerful display.
Eastern Province Makes a Statement Against Border
In the Eastern Cape derby, Eastern Province bounced back strongly after an earlier defeat.
They raced to three quick tries against Border, with flyhalf Tristan Kemp kicking three conversions and three penalties to help his team secure a solid 30-12 victory.
Valke and Griquas Celebrate Their First Wins
Earlier in the day, both the Valke and Griquas grabbed their first wins of the tournament.
Valke edged out Boland 35-19, pulling away in the second half after a tightly contested first stanza.
Griquas, meanwhile, overturned their previous loss to Border by defeating the Leopards 46-34.
Flyhalf Aidan Gadeija starred, scoring two tries and successfully converting four kicks.
What to Expect on the Final Day
The Craven Week action continues this Saturday at Hoërskool Middelburg, with several exciting fixtures lined up.
Western Province will face off against South Western Districts in the tournament’s final match, promising a thrilling conclusion to the week.
Day Four Scores at a Glance
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Boland 19-35 Valke
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Griquas 46-34 Leopards
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Border 12-30 Eastern Province
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Western Province 45-13 Sharks
Day Five Schedule for Saturday, 12 July
A-field
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Eastern Province vs Blue Bulls – 09:00
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Golden Lions vs Western Province XV – 10:15
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Sharks vs Free State – 11:30
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Western Province vs South Western Districts – 12:45
B-field
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Boland vs Griffons – 09:00
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Limpopo vs Leopards – 10:15
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Griquas vs Valke – 11:30
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Border vs Pumas – 12:45