Scintillating Craven Week rugby

The third day of the 52nd Coca-Cola Craven Week was played in unseasonably bright sunshine in Stellenbosch yesterday and the schoolboys rose to the occasion, producing some sparkling running rugby.

The final two games of the day – the hosts, Western Province’s 65-5 win over the Northern Free State Griffons, and Boland’s narrow victory over Border, were both traditional Craven Week encounters: full of enterprise and willingness to attack.

WP ran in 10 tries in their win over a Griffons side that appeared to have played their final when they beat Free State on the opening day. WP are clearly the form side at the week and their win yesterday was the result of forward dominance and skillful backline play.

The win will surely have secured a spot in Saturday’s “main game” for the hosts where they will almost certainly face the winner of today’s Eastern Province v KwaZulu-Natal clash.

Border and Boland produced a thriller in the main curtain-raiser, won 20-15 by Boland in the end. The lead changed hands several times, and the result was only made secure in the closing minutes when Boland flyhalf Adrian van der Bank nailed a drop goal from the halfway line to make the game safe.

The win was Boland’s second at the week, following their 52-7 victory over the Limpopo Blue Bulls on day one, and they have surely secured themselves one of the late fixtures on the final day.

The Golden Lions will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing, last gasp loss to KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday when they take on the SWD Young Eagles today.

SWD were very competitive against EP in their first outing on Tuesday, so a stern test awaits the Lions. The other game between winners from Tuesday taking place today sees the Valke take on the Griquas.

The bad news is that the weather experts are predicting rain for the rest of the week, so conditions are going to be more difficult today, and on Saturday.

That said, the prospect of a final game between the Western and Eastern Province sides at this week is a mouth-watering one.

Tomorrow is a rest day at the Craven Week. The fixtures for Saturday’s games will be announced later tonight.

Fixtures

9am: Griquas v Leopards

10.30am: Zimbabwe v Eastern Province

12pm: SWD v Golden Lions

1.30pm: Valke v Griquas

3pm: Estern Province v KwaZulu-Natal - The Star