Results – Day 1 – LSEN Week 2019
The tournament kicked off in sizzling fashion, with 14 tries scored in the opening match between the Griffons and Sharks. The Welkom side had too much skill and power for their opponents, winning 69-17, after leading 45-12 at the break.
The Griffons scored 11 tries to three, with their No 8 Simon Binkatabana earning four tries and MC Jacobs (flyhalf) and Abbey Seseane (centre) two a piece respectively. The Sharks had no answers, although No 8 Splelele Charmane will be happy with his efforts, which bagged him a brace.
The Valke got their campaign off to a strong start, beating the more fancied Blue Bulls 38-13. This was due to a great second half, with their backline running riot, scoring four tries to none. The Blue Bulls held a slender 13-10 lead at the break, but two tries by Juan van den Heever (scrumhalf) and one each from Rivano do Amaral (fullback) and Kenan Grond (wing) resulted in a commanding score.
The Golden Lions EE team’s hopes of outplaying fellow provincial outfit, Gauteng XV, were unsuccessful as they were defeated 29-0 on Sentraal’s B-field.
The Gauteng XV scored three second-half tries to pull away for a solid win, after leading 5-0 at the break. Three were scored by speedy fullback, Eddie Barns, with Peter Mienanzambi (centre) getting the fourth.
A running game was always on the cards in the match between Boland and SWD, and it did not disappoint with 14 tries scored in the match. Of the nine scored by the Eagles in their 59-29 win, no less than five came from Keano Brown. The midfielder’s five conversions pushed his personal tally to 35 points in the match. Winger Leroy Kiewiet was also full of running, scoring a brace.
Boland were up against it from the start and trailed 5-35 at the break. Their second half effort was a bit better, aided by a hat-trick from No 8 Elgerno Smith, with fellow looseforward, Henrico Jansen, also earning two.
The clash between the Golden Lions and Leopards had the spectators in suspense until the very end.
The Gauteng team prevailed 26-24, but few will fault the comeback by the North West side.
Trailing 26-12 at the break, they came back to score the only two tries in the second half, but fell just short with their final effort. Three tries by scrumhalf Lesego Seikaneng and another by Miquel Engelbrecht (no 8) almost proved enough, but a penalty try to the Golden Lions proved the difference in the end.
The DHL Western Province team opened their tournament with a solid, but hard-fought 34-18 win over Eastern Province.
The WP side had to come from behind and did so in spectacular fashion. They trailed 15-10 at the break following a quick-fire brace by EP flanker, Nando Kemp, but they scored four tries without reply to storm to victory. It was a good all-round performance by the Western Cape side and they will be tough to beat in the remainder of the tournament.
The Free State Cheetahs started like a wild fire in their match against Pumas, scoring four unanswered tries and a 24-0 lead in the opening half.
That effort did not last however and the Mpumalanga side crawled their way back into contention.
They scored three tries of their own in the second half, but the Bloemfontein team held out to win their opening match 24-15, much to the delight of the home crowd.
LSEN Week day one results:
Valke 38-13 Blue Bulls
Gauteng XV 29-0 Golden Lions EE
Griffons 69-17 Sharks
SWD Eagles 59-29 Boland
Golden Lions 26-24 Leopards
DHL Western Province 34-18 Eastern Province
Free State 24-15 Pumas
LSEN day two fixtures – Tuesday, 18 June 2019
A-Field:
09h00: Free State Cheetahs v Leopards
10h20: Gauteng XV v Eastern Province
11h40: Boland v Blue Bulls
13h00: DHL Western Province v Griffons
14h30: Valke v SWD
B-Field:
09h00: Sharks v Golden Lions EE
10h20: Golden Lions v Pumas
