THE girls’ rugby teams rounded off a tremendous performance by Eastern Province at this year’s national Youth Weeks.
In very cold and challenging conditions last week at Jeppe High School in Johannesburg, the EP u/18 Girls beat Griquas, but lost to their Eastern Cape neighbour Border in the second match.
Against Griquas the EP Girls were at their best and scored 11 tries in the 67–12 victory.
Number eight, Sinoxolo Soga, was in devastating form and scored a hat-trick, while Sinazo Venqe (scrumhalf) and replacement back, Elimayo Kwinana, bagged a brace apiece.
Border beat EP 24–10 in a tough encounter. In the first half there was nothing to choose between the two sides and Border led 14–10 at the break. The second half was another tight one, but Border grabbed their opportunities to score a further 10 points without reply, to seal the victory.
There was huge disappointment for the EP u/16 Girls as they only played one match instead of the planned two matches.
Due to the adverse weather conditions in Johannesburg, no play was possible last Monday. The organisers didn’t want to risk the safety of the players following snowfall in the area.
This meant that all 16 teams only got one chance to perform two days later, and EP took this opportunity to record the biggest win on the day.
After an evenly matched first half against the Limpopo Blue Bulls, the EP Girls got into their stride after the break.
They started to dominate and this gave the centres, Lukhanye Lolo and Julene Haas, the chance to score two tries apiece.
The final score of 31–5 showed what EP is capable of. It would have been interesting to see them in action against stronger opposition.
Still it was a solid performance by both Girls’ teams, to follow up on the unbeaten EP Boys at the u/16 Grant Khomo Week and the u/18 Craven Week.
Five u/18 EP players were involved in last Thursday’s match between the SA Schools and the SA Schools A team in Wellington.
The SA Schools, with EP flanker, Batho Hlekani (Graeme College), one of their stars, won 36–26. His EP teammate, De Wet Fourie (Daniel Pienaar), played for the opposition and scored his team’s first try.
The A side was captained by EP’s Imaani Pemba (Grey High). Two other EP players, Zibabalwa Booi (Ndzondelelo High) and Dominic Malgas (Nico Malan), got a chance to get involved as replacements. Malgas slotted a conversion for the A side.
With the Youth Weeks a thing of the past, the focus shifts back to the interschool matches on Saturday with some very interesting clashes.
Fixtures
Saturday
Newton Tech v Andrew Rabie, Marlow v St Andrew’s College, Winterberg Landbou v Kirkwood, Brandwag v Itembelihle, Pearson v Graeme College, Grey v Framesby, Alexander Road v Cillié, Nico Malan v Kingswood, John Walton v Solomon Mahlangu.
