The FNB U18 Craven Week delivered another day of spectacular rugby action on Thursday, with powerhouse teams Western Province and Eastern Province securing commanding derby victories at Hoërskool Middelburg that have set up a mouth-watering finale to South Africa’s premier schools rugby tournament.
Western Province maintain unbeaten streak with dominant display
Western Province continued their remarkable unbeaten run at this year’s tournament, dismantling the Sharks with 45-13 in a performance that showcased exactly why they remain the team to beat. The Cape Town-based side has now secured their place as tournament favourites heading into Saturday’s final round.
The coastal derby began with early fireworks as Sharks wing Jadrian Afrikaner crossed the whitewash to give his side hope of an upset. However, Western Province’s class soon shone through, with centre Markus Muller and prop Matthew van der Merwe responding with tries of their own before flyhalf Ethan van Biljon added a crucial penalty goal on the stroke of half-time.
The second half belonged entirely to Western Province, who ran in six tries in total, with the outstanding Muller claiming a well-deserved brace in a man-of-the-match performance that highlighted the depth of talent in the WP ranks.
Eastern Province bounce back in style
Eastern Province delivered the performance of the day in their Eastern Cape derby clash with Border, securing a comprehensive 30-12 victory that served as the perfect response to their earlier 41-10 defeat to the Sharks.
The Port Elizabeth outfit came out firing, racing to an early three-try lead that left Border scrambling. Flyhalf Tristan Kemp was in exceptional form with the boot, converting all three tries and adding three penalty goals in a near-flawless kicking display that guided his team to victory.
Breakthrough wins for Valke and Griquas
The day’s action also saw both the Valke and Griquas claim their first victories of the tournament in contrasting style.
The Valke needed a strong second-half performance to overcome Sanlam Boland 35-19, with the East Rand team showing their character by overturning a tight half-time scoreline through superior fitness and game management in the final 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, Griquas produced the highest-scoring encounter of the day, edging out the Leopards 46-34 in a thrilling encounter. Flyhalf Aidan Gadeija was the star of the show, contributing two tries and four conversions in a display that demonstrated why he’s considered one of the tournament’s rising stars.
Tournament heads towards exciting finale
With one day remaining at the FNB U18 Craven Week, attention now turns to Saturday’s final round of matches, where Western Province will face South Western Districts in what promises to be a fitting finale to this year’s tournament.
The Cape side will be looking to complete a perfect week and cement their status as the 2025 champions, while SWD will be desperate to cause an upset and end WP’s remarkable run.
Day four results summary
Thursday, 10 July Results:
- Valke 35 defeated Sanlam Boland 19
- Suzuki Griquas 46 defeated Leopards 34
- Eastern Province 30 defeated Border 12
- DHL Western Province 45 defeated Sharks High Schools 13
Saturday’s final day fixtures
A-Field Action (Saturday, 12 July):
- 09:00 – Eastern Province vs Bulls
- 10:15 – Lions vs WP XV
- 11:30 – Sharks vs Free State
- 12:45 – Western Province vs SWD (Tournament Finale)
B-Field Encounters:
- 09:00 – Boland vs Griffons
- 10:15 – Limpopo vs Leopards
- 11:30 – Griquas vs Valke
- 12:45 – Border vs Pumas
The FNB U18 Craven Week continues to showcase the incredible depth of rugby talent across South African schools, with Saturday’s action promising to deliver a fitting conclusion to what has been an outstanding tournament at Hoërskool Middelburg.
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