Western Province sounded a stern warning to the other sides that they are going to be the team to beat at the Coca-Cola Craven Week by downing the Blue Bulls 20-13 in the last game of the opening day in Stellenbosch yesterday.
In the process the Cape side have set themselves on course for a place in the final game of the week come Saturday – the unofficial “main game” of the tournament – and the only prize up for grabs in this festival of rugby.
They simply had too much flair for a Blue Bulls team that were bigger than them up front, but made too many mistakes with ball in hand.
The Blue Bulls outscored their opponents by two tries to one, with their touchdowns came from centres Stedman Gans and Lourens Van der Schyff, and Province’s from winger Nico Leonard. But the accurate goal-kicking of Western Province scrumhalf Jondre Williams, who slotted five penalties, made the difference.
The shock of the opening day was undoubtedly the 41-27 defeat of Free State by their less-fancied neighbours, the Northern Free State Griffons.
It has been 37 years since Northern Free State have beaten Free State at the Craven Week and the ease with which they achieved it this time has made people sit up and wonder if this is going to be the year when they break though and establish themselves as one of the top schools rugby provinces in the land.
In the other big upset of the day Border beat the Pumas 32-28. The Pumas came into the week as one of the more fancied teams, having accounted for both the Lions and the Blue Bulls in warm-up matches. But they were outplayed up front yesterday by the big Border forwards, which meant their potent backs weren’t able to dominate.
Play continues today with teams in the other half of the draw getting in on the action. The big games are likely to be those between the Golden Lions and KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Province- SWD clash. The winners of those two encounters will, in all likelihood, face each other on Thursday. - The Star