As the hosts kicked off with a resounding win against the Falcons on the opening day of Craven Week in PE on Monday, the obvious talking point was the performance of KwaZulu-Natal against perennial school boy dominators, Free State.
The boys from Durban scored seven tries to run out convincing 48-24 winners over a disappointing Free State side – a side who have played in the main match of the tournament for the past three years!
Traditionally a side made up of the entire Grey 1st XV, with most of the reserves coming from the Grey 2nd XV, this result will have sent chills up the spines of the powers that be at the Cheetahs. Grey boast 6 or 7 players in the current Bok squad and have been an unbelievable provider of talent over the years, meaning that the Cheetahs have always only had to worry about losing talent, not acquiring it …
As a small union that struggles with depth, and fails to attract big crowds and sponsors for their Super Rugby team, having to spend money on acquiring talent would be the death knell …
The other observation from day one of the schoolboy week is that unlike when played in big cities in previous years, all games are being played at the new stadium. In all the Craven Weeks that I have been involved in, the midweek games have been played at a school or club, with only the final day’s main games being played at the stadium, often as a curtain raiser to a big senior game.
So instead of playing in front of full small stands and giving a local school some publicity, these guys are playing on a great surface in a world class stadium, but to an empty cavern full of echoes. And there is no added incentive of playing the main game at the stadium, as they have already done that …
An opportunity missed to showcase one of the many schools in the area – so often touted as a primary reason for the Kings to be given Super Rugby status?
Monday’s Craven Week Results:
Free State (3) 24 – Tries: Othello Sebotsa, EW Viljoen, Edward Schmidt. Conversions: Pieter Jordaan (3). Penalty: Jordaan.
KZN (36) 48 – Tries: Bruce Arnott (2), Cornelis Vermaak, Daniel du Preez, Jesse Kriel (2), Justin Moberly. Conversions: Robert Anderson (5). Penalty: Anderson.
EP (24) 41 – Tries: Sergeal Petersen (2), Aidon Davis, Selvyn Davids, Matthew Moore. Conversions: Ernst Stapelberg (5). Penalties: Stapelberg (2).
Falcons (10) 17 – Tries: Johan Oosthuizen, Leon Potgieter. Conversions: Ruan Potgieter (2). Penalty: Potgieter.
Lions (16) 29 – Tries: Jaco van der Walt, Frans van Wyk, Christiaan Massyn. Conversion: Van der Walt. Penalties: Van der Walt (3), Sibongumusa Radebe.
Border (14) 14 – Try: Lilitha Jonas. Penalties: Akhona Sihunu (3).
Boland (6) 16 – Try: Chad Kleinsmidt. Conversion: Kleinsmidt. Penalties: Schalk Hugo (3).
Griquas (9) 12 – Penalties: Granville Adams (4).
Leopards (12) 36 – Tries: Willem Herbst, Iniel Schoenfeld, Francwa Ueckermann. Conversions: Matthys Venter (3). Penalties: Venter (5).
Namibia (17) 29 – Tries: Daniel Arries, Ethan Beukes, Jean-Claude Winkler, Leon Feris. Conversions: Arries (3). Penalty: Arries.
Tuesday’s Fixtures:
09:30 – Zimbabwe vs Border CD
11:00 – Griquas CD vs EP CD
12:30 – SWD vs Limpopo
14:00 – Pumas vs Griffons
15:30 – WP vs Blue Bulls
Why they did not hold it at Grey High for example as is done at so many other centers is mind boggling.
That had to be one of the worst displays of tackling by any Cheetahs/Free State Craven week side. However, not surprising if one has seen the way Grey College have played this year.
Schalk Burger – career over????
Hi Tank, it must be one of the worst years ever for Free State / Grey College: the Free State Academy side was hammered by Western Province last week at Wellington by 51 – 8. They were also lucky to beat SWD by 3 points in their next match – worrying times indeed for the Free State production line !!
Regarding the “doom and gloom” theory about Free State rugby it’s much ado about nothing really. Everyone knows that when Grey College rugby is bad Free State schoolboy rugby is bad. Here’s the crux of it though … It’s not the first year, and it won’t be the last, that Grey Bloem has a below-par season. It is only natural that this will occur, especially when one considers that it is effectively age-group rugby.
Also, I could be mistaken but I think this is one of those years where the Grey Bloem 1st XV is primarily made up of Grade 11 boys … that’s about as close as schoolboy rugby gets to being in a ‘building phase’ 🙂
The fact it happens so seldom though is what should rather be a massive talking point and the obvious thing that should instead instigate a glass-half-full approach to this bad season. It will pass and the status quo will resume!