IT is one thrilling rugby match after another as the u/19A season has hit top gear in Nelson Mandela Bay.
The time for experimenting is a thing of the past, and the teams have settled on their combinations and game plans.
The players are now in peak condition and this has led to some very tight and exciting encounters recently.
This past Saturday there were plenty of thrilling matches, but the best one was probably the clash in Kariega between Muir College and Pearson.
Both sides have produced some really good rugby this year, and their match was the tight encounter everyone predicted. In the end, victory by a single point went the way of the Gqeberha visitors, Pearson winning 32–31.
Another Gqeberha team that was involved in a titanic away battle was Framesby, who travelled to Cradock. Marlow was just too good for the visitors and won 21–19.
Grey High was the third Gqeberha side who gave their all, in another close contest away from home.
It wasn’t easy in Komani, but Grey kept calm under pressure to beat Queen’s College 19–13.
Results:
Grey High 19, Queen’s College 13; Westering 36, Alexander Road 14; Despatch 33, Andrew Rabie 14; Die Brandwag 20, Bergsig 18; Graeme College 23, Nico Malan 12; Knysna 17, Cillié 11; Marlow 21, Framesby 19; Pearson 32, Muir College 31; Otto du Plessis 31, Victoria Park 7.
. This coming Saturday the inter-school clashes make way for the Eastern Province trials in Graaff-Reinet. Volkskool is the host of the Meyer Sauerman Tournament which will be used by the selectors to pick the EP u/18 and u/16 squads.
The u/18 Craven Week will be in George this year, starting on July 3, and the Grant Khomo u/16 Week is first up from June 26 till 30 in Stellenbosch.
Graaff-Reinet Programme:
Friday
- A-Field:
u/16: 12:00: Msileni XV v Christie XV; 13:15: Smith XV v Carolus XV
u/18: 14:30: Tobie XV v Swarts XV; 15:45: Leonard XV v Sias XV
Saturday
- A-Field:
u/18: 09:00: Tobie XV v Swarts XV; 10:15: Leonard XV v Smith XV
- B-Field:
u/16: 09:00: Msileni XV v Christie XV; 10:15: Smith XV v Carolus XV
The u/16 trial squads:
Smith XV: L Nigrini (SAC), Zandré vd Mescht (Brandwag), Ikechuwe Ukekwe (Kingswood), Nicholas Thysse (Brandwag), Nathan Birkholtz (Framesby), Ethan Terblanche (Framesby), Damian le Roux (Brandwag), Pietman Kleinhans (NM), L Mkundlu (AHS), Joshua Smith (Westering), Reagan Stone, Gelden van Niekerk, B Myburg (Grey), A Ranuga, Damian Witbooi (Framesby).
Carolus XV: E Muca (Grey), Ethan Carr (Framesby), R Atkinson (Grey), Mlibo Toni (Pearson), M Harvey (SAC), C Wilmot (Grey), A Bill (Graeme), Z Murray, O Johns (both Grey), Ruan du Preez (NM), Kwakho Mzizi (Kingswood), M Prinsloo (Grey), Wendell Uithaler (Brandwag), Cole Hilpert (Framesby), Taylon Matoewa (NM).
Msileni XV: André van der Merwe (NM), Nicholas Gillespie (Pearson), Newman Japie (Muir), Ulrich van Zyl (NM), Chrisjan de Lange (NM), Cearon Felix (NM), Cyler McIntosh (Otto), M Bester (Marlow), Jayden Brewis (Framesby), Travis Pheiffer (Grey), Lugaston Baartman (Volk), Eden Calitz (Framesby), E Nelson (Graeme), Ryan Louw (Framesby), Okhuhle Dyiani (AHS).
Christie XV: Avuyile Helesi, R Miles (Kingswood), A Bonga (Graeme), Francois Pieterse (Mid), Junadré van Heerden (Cillié), W Beamish (SAC), L Paliso (AHS), K Osborne (BHS), M de Beer (UHS), Luke Maguire (Pearson), L Sileli (AHS), I Shoba (Kingswood), Jayden Bowler (Framesby), D Laisberg (Mid), S Mathinus (MW).
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Other Saturday fixtures
Woodridge v Andrew Rabie, St Andrew’s College v Cambridge, Kirkwood v DF Malherbe, Framesby v Punt, Kingswood College v Itembelihle, Bergsig v Cillié.
