U19: Bulls & Lions undefeated

The Blue Bulls and Golden Lions continued to shine in the Under-19 Championship this weekend.

They registered encouraging victories to remain the only unbeaten teams in the 'A Division'.

The Blue Bulls registered an invaluable 34-10 away win against defending champions Western Province at City Park Stadium in Cape Town.

The Lions delivered a fantastic first-half showing at Ellis Park to set up their 26-14 victory against the Free State.

In the other match the Leopards thumped Border 36-15 in Potchefstroom, which marked their second win in three outings.

Scorers and scorers

Western Province 10-34 Blue Bulls

The Blue Bulls continued their fine form as they played their way to their second bonus-point win in the competition against the WP in Cape Town to take the early lead on the log standings.

The teams each scored one try in a tight first half, but two penalties by Blue Bulls flyhalf Kobus Marais handed the Pretoria team a 13-7 lead at the break.

The team, however, controlled proceedings in the second half and did well to round off their try-scoring chances, which earned them their bonus-point try.

Captain Jesse Kriel was in particularly good form and led by example as he scored two tries, while Marais also proved his class with four conversions, two penalties and a try for a personal tally of 19 points.

Scorers:

Western Province:

Try: Meiring

Con: Smith

Pen: Smith

Blue Bulls:

Tries: D Kriel, J Kriel 2, Marais

Cons: Marais 4

Pens: Marais 2

Teams:

Western Province: 15 Jason Worrall, 14 Christiaan Jacobus Mouton, 13 Michal Lukasz Haznar, 12 Francois Botha, 11 Lindokuhle Michael Mvelase-Julyan, 10 Christopher Smith, 9 Solomon Petrus Ferreira, 8 Steven Meiring, 7 Luke van der Smit, 6 Gareth Theunis de Bruin, 5 Sebastian Negri, 4 Sebastian Roche Ferreira (captain), 3 Michael van Tonder, 2 Chad Solomon, 1 Liam Chad Hendricks.

Replacements: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 Nico Steenkamp, 18 Nathan Gogela, 19 Joshua Patrick Moon, 20 Attie Francois van Rensburg, 21 Pieter Eduard Schoonraad, 22 Kyle Alec Leibrandt, 23 James Nicholas Verity-Amm.

Blue Bulls: 15 Jesse Kriel (captain), 14 Keagon Gordon, 13 Daniel David Kriel, 12 Leighton-Ras Marcelino van Wyk, 11 Duncan Victor Matthews, 10 Kobus Marais, 9 Juan-Phillip Smith, 8 Cornelius Haman Cooper, 7 Christiaan Hendrik Massyn, 6 Hendrik Willem Viljoen, 5 Nicolaas Jacobus Janse van Rensburg, 4 Arthur Bobby De Wee, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Arno van Wyk, 1 Pierre Schoeman.

Replacements: 16 Wilmar Arnoldi, 17 Dayan Leslie van der Westhuizen, 18 Justin Basson, 19 Abraham Carel Swart, 20 Jacobus Pieter Wolmarans, 21 Ganfried May, 22 Marcus Avril Kleinbooi, 23 Petrus Strauss.

Golden Lions 26-14 Free State

The Lions also registered their second victory in the series thanks to an inspiring first half, which earned them a convincing 26-14 victory against the Free State.

The Johannesburg team ran circles around the visitors in the first half which saw them cross the tryline three times in the first 16 minutes for a 21-0 lead.

Free State, however, showed their fighting spirit in the second half as they scored two converted tries to close the gap. But the Lions' fourth try minutes later pushed the match out of reach for the visitors.

Scorers:

Golden Lions:

Tries: Herbst, Nel, Brink, Sekekete

Cons: Hewit 3

Free State:

Tries: Van Zyl, Maqina

Cons: Potgieter 2

Teams:

Golden Lions: 15 Barend Daniel Herbst, 14 Chad McKay, 13 Koch Peter Marx, 12 Daniel Joseph Arries, 11 Carlisle Nel, 10 Brandan Hewit, 9 Akhona Sihunu, 8 Jano Venter, 7 Cyle Justin Brink, 6 Sikhumbuzo Thabo Mabuza, 5 Stephan Andre Vermeulen, 4 Victor Kutlwano Sekekete, 3 Pieter Ernst Scholtz, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Dylan Smith (captain).

Replacements: 16 Rynard Daniel Snyman, 17 Francois Petrus van Heerden, 18 Quinton Terblanche, 19 Kyle van Dalen, 20 Christiaan Jan Petrus Meyer, 21 Steven du Plessis, 22 Gabriel du Toit, 23 Simon Linsel.

Free State: 15 Vuyani Gladman Maqina, 14 Michael Coenraad Marx, 13 Stephan Janse van Rensburg (captain), 12 Nicolaas Jacobus Lee, 11 Charlton Craig Koopman, 10 Barend Jacobus Marx Bornman, 9 Mthokozisi Cyprial Mkhabela, 8 Francois Jones, 7 Jan Albert Venter, 6 Jean-Luke Armand van Zyl, 5 Pieter Andries Venter, 4 Gilbert Chalmers, 3 Petrus Kyle Senekal, 2 Cameron van Heerden, 1 Marthinus Johannes Oosthuizen.

Replacements: 16 Markus Odendaal, 17 Gerhardus Albertus Bamberger, 18 Awie Thompson, 19 Anrich Alberts, 20 Louis Gideon Venter, 21 Warren Johan Potgieter, 22 Granville Adams, 23 Zybrand Louwrens Lombaard.

Leopards 36-15 Border

The Leopards, meanwhile, produced a quality performance all around to defeat Border 36-15. Such was their dominance they scored an impressive six tries and limited Border to only two.

With an encouraging 17-3 lead at the break which featured three tries, Border were up against it early on. But the East London-based team showed character to cross the tryline twice in the second half despite struggling to contain the Leopards' on defence.

Border's defeat marked their third in a row and left them at the foot of the log table without a point to show for their efforts.

Scorers:

Leopards:

Tries: Makhayhu, September, Stokes, Visagie, Rudolph, Koen

Cons: Swart 2, Hugo

Border:

Tries: Brockschmidt, Haley

Con: Barnard

Pen: Barnard

Teams:

Leopards: 15 Johannes Albertus Myburgh Breiers, 14 Andries Christoffel du Plooy, 13 Lourens Peter Boddington, 12 Gysbert Albertus van Wyk, 11 Dean Stokes, 10 Cornelius Johannes Swart, 9 Chriswill Bradley September, 8 Jeandre Rudolph (captain), 7 Sias Koen, 6 Estehan Visagie, 5 Gerhard Frederick Cloete, 4 Marcus Christiaan Brand, 3 Dirk Johannes Jacobus Botha, 2 Roche Henry Christopher Steenkamp, 1 Kwena Collins Moremi.

Replacements: 16 Thomas Andries Dreyer, 17 Jackson Conrad Hulley, 18 Werner Haman, 19 Derek Johannes Taylor, 20 Schalk Hugo, 21 Blessing Makhavhu, 22 Pakamani Maganga, 23 Jandre Venter.

Border: 15 Michael Haley, 14 Devon van Eeden, 13 Sibanye Bukani, 12 Riaan Esterhuyzen (captain), 11 Charl Carelse, 10 Werner Barnard, 9 Johan Gericke, 8 Oliver Cracknell, 7 Funani Brayan Mabala, 6 Siphamandla Dama, 5 Charl Werner Swanepoel, 4 Conor-Terrah Brockschmidt, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Bryce Mark Rennie, 1 Ntando Mpofana.

Replacements: 16 Marius Stander, 17 Patrick Vukile Sikhosana Sikhosana, 18 Keenan Swanepoel, 19 Soso Xakalashe, 20 Iwan Swart, 21 Sthembisa Ngwenya, 22 Luzuko Mafu, 23 Neil Francois Schoombee.

Standings (under headings games played, won, lost, drawn, points for, points against, tries for, tries against, log points):

Blue Bulls – 2 – 2 – 0 – 0 – 95 – 24 – 71 – 13 – 3 – 0 – 10

Leopards – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0 – 78 – 103 – -25 – 12 – 14 – 0 – 10

Golden Lions – 2 – 2 – 0 – 0 – 47 – 27 – 20 – 6 – 3 – 0 – 9

Free State – 3 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 61 – 57 – 4 – 9 – 7 – 0 – 7

Sharks – 2 – 1 – 1 – 0 – 45 – 45 – 0 – 5 – 5 – 0 – 5

Western Province – 3 – 0 – 2 – 1 – 55 – 80 – -25 – 6 – 10 – 1 – 3

Border – 3 – 0 – 3 – 0 – 52 – 97 – -45 – 6 – 15 – 0 – 0