The Pumas started their Rugby Challenge title defence by beating the Vodacom Blue Bulls 29-21, while there were wins for Boland, the Free State XV, Border, Western Province, Griquas, Griffons and the Golden Lions this past weekend.
The home sides held sway in all matches this weekend, except in Namibia, where the Welwitschias found the visiting Golden Lions XV too strong, while both Griquas and Western Province scored more than 50 points in their victories.
The Border Bulldogs also showed remarkable composure following their late entry in the competition, and gave the debutants in the tournament, the Zimbabwe Academy, a real wake-up call on the standard of play in the competition.
Free State XV winger Jamba Ulengo marked a successful return to rugby as he scored a hat-trick in their win over the Sharks XV in Bloemfontein to lead the try-scoring stakes.
Western Province flyhalf Abner van Reenen, who scored 18 points for his team in their win over SWD Eagles, is the leading points-scorer after round one, followed by JT Jackson (Blue Bulls) and Aphiwe Stemele (Border), who both scored 16 points for their teams.
Results:
North section:
Griquas (52) – Tries: Wendal Wehr (2), Sias Koen, Conway Pretorius, Ederies Arendse (2), Enver Brandt, Grant Hermanus. Conversions: George Whitehead (5), Tinus de Beer.
Valke (10) – Tries: Friedle Olivier, Coert Cronje.
Griffons (34) – Tries: Ezrick Alexander (2), Domenic Smit, Duncan van Vuuren, Jean Pretorius. Conversions: Jaywinn Juries (3). Penalty: Neill Stannard.
Leopards (27) – Tries: Reuben du Plooy (2), Keagan Tait, Edmund Rheeder. Conversions: Siyabonga Masuku (2). Penalty: Masuku.
Welwitschias (23) – Tries: Jan Booysen, JC Winkler. Conversions: PJ Steenkamp (2). Penalties: Steenkamp (2). Drop Goal: Cliven Loubser.
Golden Lions XV (40) – Tries: PJ Botha, Chergin Fillies, Ruben Schoeman, Stean Pienaar, Yangu Hlalu (2). Conversions: Jeanluc Cilliers (5).
Pumas (29) – Tries: Devon Williams, Willie Engelbrecht, Francois Kleinhans, Alwayno Visagie. Conversions: Chris Smith (3). Penalty: Smith.
Blue Bulls (21) – Tries: JT Jackson, Cornal Hendricks. Conversion: Jackson. Penalties: Jackson (3).
South section:
Boland (34) – Tries: Patrick O’Brien, Ricardo Duarttee, Andries Viljoen, Wikus Groenewald. Conversions: Garrick Mattheus (2), Joshua Vermeulen (2). Penalties: Mattheus (2).
EP Elephants (6) – Penalties: Richman Gora (2).
Free State XV (40) – Tries: Jamba Ulengo (3), Janus Venter, Dian Badenhorst, Carel Coetzee. Conversions: Ernst Stapelberg (4), Tapiwa Mafura.
Sharks XV (31) – Tries: Leolin Zass (2), Rhyno Smith, Penalty Try. Conversions: Smith (3). Drop Goal: Smith.
Border (41) – Tries: Sipho Nofemele (2), Bangi Kobese, Lubabalo Lento, Onke Dubase, Aphiwe Stemele. Conversions: Aphiwe Stemele (4). Penalty goal: Stemele.
Zimbabwe Academy (16) – Try: Brian Nyaude. Conversion: Brendon Mandivenga. Penalties: Mandivenga (3).
Western Province (62) – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe (2), Nico Leonard, Dan Jooste, Abner van Reenen, Sihle Njezula, EW Viljoen, Johan du Toit, Craig Barry. Conversions: Van Reenen (5), Lyle Hendricks (2). Penalty: Van Reenen.
SWD Eagles (7) – Try: Marquit September. Conversions: Gerhard Nortier (1).
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
