The final day of the Grant Khomo Week 2024 showcased thrilling performances, fierce competition, and a display of exceptional rugby talent from U16 teams across the region. Held at Grey High, this annual rugby tournament concluded with memorable matches that highlighted the promising future of rugby.
Match Summaries:
Golden Lions U16 vs Border U16
- Score: 66 – 24
- Halftime: 33 – 10
- Tries: Golden Lions 10 – Border 4
The Golden Lions dominated with a stellar offensive performance. Juandre Ehlers scored two tries, leading the Lions’ attack. Jaydon Viljoen contributed significantly with eight conversions. Border U16 put up a spirited fight with tries from Yamkela Molose, Zearon Booysen, Khazimla Qavile, and Ahlumile Gqwetya but were ultimately outpaced by the Lions’ relentless scoring.
Namibia U16 vs Zimbabwe U16
- Score: 31 – 8
- Halftime: 19 – 3
- Tries: Namibia 5 – Zimbabwe 1
Namibia showcased their strength with a commanding win over Zimbabwe. Lian Kittler scored twice, while Sergio Pamplin added a try and three conversions. Jacob Viki’s try was the sole highlight for Zimbabwe, who struggled to break through Namibia’s solid defense.
The Sharks High Schools U16 vs SWD U16
- Score: 20 – 19
- Halftime: 5 – 12
- Tries: Sharks 3 – SWD 3
In a nail-biting encounter, The Sharks edged out SWD by a single point. Tries from Ben Coetzee, Nathan Aneke, and Lwandle Mkhize helped The Sharks secure a narrow victory. SWD’s Jacobus De Villiers was notable with two tries, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win.
Free State U16 XV vs Griffons U16
- Score: 31 – 20
- Halftime: 12 – 10
- Tries: Free State 5 – Griffons 3
Free State’s Jannes Krause and Johan Swart each scored two tries, leading their team to victory. Despite strong performances from Katleho Xaba and Caleb Butler of the Griffons, Free State maintained their lead throughout the match.
Griquas U16 vs Limpopo Blue Bulls U16
- Score: 50 – 12
- Halftime: 7 – 12
- Tries: Griquas 8 – Limpopo 2
Griquas staged a remarkable comeback after trailing at halftime, scoring seven second-half tries. Cheslin Ruiter was particularly impressive, scoring two tries. Limpopo’s Ziahn Lombaard managed two tries but couldn’t stem the tide of Griquas’ resurgence.
Free State U16 vs Sanlam Boland U16
- Score: 33 – 15
- Halftime: 21 – 3
- Tries: Free State 5 – Boland 2
Free State U16 secured a comfortable win against Sanlam Boland. Unathi Ntuli scored twice, while Henru Erasmus and Lamla Mgedezi added to the tally. Sanlam Boland’s Darren Makeza and Harold De Silva scored one try each, but Free State’s early dominance proved decisive.
Border CD U16 vs Valke U16
- Score: 15 – 60
- Halftime: 3 – 33
- Tries: Border CD 2 – Valke 10
Valke U16 delivered a commanding performance, with Matthew Van Deventer and Luca Du Plooy each scoring two tries. Border CD struggled against Valke’s relentless attack, with Kamva Nkwentsha and Bokang Somhlahlo scoring the only tries for their side.
DHL Western Province U16 XV vs Eastern Province U16
- Score: 33 – 36
- Halftime: 18 – 21
- Tries: Western Province 4 – Eastern Province 5
In a tightly contested match, Eastern Province edged out Western Province by three points. Ciaran Killian was the standout for Eastern Province with three tries. Western Province’s effort was led by tries from Jacques Hutton and Pierre Dreyer, but they fell just short of a comeback.
