Jade Petersen from SWD © Gallo Images
South Western Districts and the Obaro Golden Lions claimed one-point victories, while the DHL Western Province and the Hollywood Foundation Pumas were also among the winners on the first day of the FNB U18 Craven Week in Hoërskool Middelburg.
The U18 Craven Week arrived at an explosive start in Middelburg on Monday, with 37 attempts scored about the four games.
The WP XV set up an attacking show in the opening match and scored eight attempts and more than 50 points against the Griffons.
The Capetonians were in charge for a large part of the game, which limited the Northern Free Staters to two criminal goals in the course of the game.
The following two luminaires were a lot tighter, with the Lions and SWD returning from important rest shortages to achieve important victories.
Free State dominated the first half of their fixture against SWD and went to the break with a 17-6 lead.
Fly Half Darius Erwee led for his side and contributed a total of 12 points.
SWD lifted the pace in the second half and scored three attempts in the last 10 minutes.
While Free State added a converted attempt to death, it was not enough to deny the Eagles a famous 35-34 victory.
In the Jukskei Derby, the lions came back after a slow start to follow six points at the break.
None of the parties managed to get the top in hand in the early stages of the second half, with the lead changing ownership several times.
With time, Bulls Wing Thabiso Simelane launched a daring counterattacks from his own half and then managed to register his own chip-stage for an important touchdown.
But the Lions worked their way up before they earned a penalty within the reach of Jeandre Uithaler.
The Fly Half encountered his side to a victory of 36-35 and ended the collision with a personal count to 11 points.
In the fourth game of the day, the Pumas quickly scored five attempts in succession to take the game away from the Limpopo Blue Bulls and start their home tournament with an emphatic 44-22 victory.
The U18 Craven Week will continue on Tuesday in Hoërskool Middelburg, with the leopards who take on the Valke in the first game at 110 hours.
Western Province, who ended unbeaten in last year’s competition, will tackle West -Cape Rivalen Sanlam Boland at 2:30 pm in the last game of the day.
FNB U18 Craven Weekday One Results (Monday 7 July):
DHL Western Province XV 52 (19) Griffons 6 (6)
Free State 34 (17) South Western Districts 35 (6)
Blue Bulls 35 (20) Obaro Golden Lions 36 (14)
Hollywood Foundation Pumas 44 (12) Limpopo Blue Bulls 22 (14)
FNB U18 Craven weekday Two schedules (Tuesday 8 July):
10.00: Leopards V Valke
11h30: Border V Suzuki Griquas
13h00: Sharks High Schools against Eastern Province
14h30: DHL Western Province V Sanlam Boland
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