LSEN Week continues to entertain
The Learners with Special Education Needs (LSEN) Week continued to dish up exciting matches at Glenwood High School in Durban on Tuesday as the tournament, which marks one of two SA Rugby Youth Week competitions this week, entered its second day.
At the end of the day’s play the Leopards, Golden Lions, Valke and Boland remained the only unbeaten teams.
The matches kicked off with Eastern Province registering a 12-12 draw with the Pumas after the Eastern Cape side built up a 12-0 lead in the first half, while, hosts KZN, delivered a fine second-half display on attack and defense to defeat the Blue Bulls EE 31-8. KZN center Juanre Erasmus scored two of the team’s five tries, while scrumhalf Anele Banda converted three of them.
The Leopards again showed that they can be a force to be reckoned with as they beat the Griffons 48-14, thanks to their seven tries – two of which were scored by flyhalf Zolile Ntutela – which they supported with a solid defensive effort to limit the Welkom side to only two tries by center Ntokozo Mbongo.
The Golden Lions started their clash against the Free State strongly as they took a 15-0 lead at the break. But the Free State fought back with intent in the second half and scored three tries, two of which were converted, while their Johannesburg counterparts were only able to add five points. This, however, was enough to secure the 20-19 victory.
SWD, meanwhile, bounced back from their defeat in the opening round in a tight tussle with the Blue Bulls, which they won 36-24, in which winger Jason Jacobs and center Stanley Fry each contributed two tries towards the team’s six. Despite the defeat for the Pretoria side, the match was memorable for flanker Lethabo Mtsheni, who scored a hat-trick.
The clash between the Valke and Western Province was neck-on-neck from start to end as the teams threw everything at one another, which saw the Valke secure a nail-biting 15-14 victory after leading 8-7 at the break. Both sides crossed the chalk twice, but a successful penalty goal to add to the Valke’s one conversion handed them the edge on the scoreboard.
In the final match of the day, Boland outplayed Golden Lions EE 43-7 compliments of a seven-try romp, in which flyhalf Shilton van Wyk scored two tries and slotted over four conversions for a personal total of 18 points.
The LSEN Week players will have Wednesday off to recuperate after the physically demanding opening two rounds, with the final round of matches being played on Thursday. The Valke will take on Boland in the final match at 14h20.
The National Girls U18 Week, meanwhile, will resume at the HT Pelatona Projects Stadium in Welkom on Wednesday after a rest day for the players on Tuesday.
KZN and the Pumas, and the Griffons and Limpopo Blue Bulls respectively will meet in the opening games of the day, while the Golden Lions take on the Leopards, Free State will meet Griquas, and Border will go up against SWD.
In the other matches, Zimbabwe will battle it out with the Blue Bulls, Eastern Province will line up against Boland and Western Province takes on Border CD.
LSEN Week day two results (Tuesday, 4 July) – Click on the link for the full match report:
Eastern Province 12-12 Pumas
Sharks 31-8 Blue Bulls EE
SWD 36-24 Blue Bulls
Leopards 48-14 Griffons
Free State 19-20 Lions
Valke 15-14 Western Province
Boland 43-7 Lions EE
LSEN Week day three fixtures (Thursday, 6 July):
09h00 – KZN vs Pumas
09h00 – Blue Bulls v Griffons
10h20 – SWD v Free State
10h20 – Blue Bulls EE v Eastern Province
11h40 – Golden Lions EE v Leopards
13h00 – Golden Lions v Western Province
14h20 – Valke v Boland
National Girls U18 Week day two fixtures (Wednesday, 5 July):
10h00 – KZN vs Pumas
10h00 – Griffons v Limpopo Blue Bulls
11h10 – Golden Lions v Leopards
11h10 – Border v SWD
12h20 – Free State v Griquas
12h20 – Western Province v Border CD
14h10 – Zimbabwe v Blue Bulls
15h20 – Eastern Province v Boland
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
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