Craven Week 2026 Day 2 Results

Craven Week 2026 Day Two Results: Border, Griquas, Western Province XV and Lions Secure Wins

Border overpower Valke after second-half surge

Day Two of Craven Week 2026 got underway with Border taking on Valke in an entertaining SA Schools rugby contest that swung dramatically after the break.

Valke controlled the opening 20 minutes, enjoying the lion’s share of possession and spending long periods camped inside Border’s 22. After sustained pressure, they were rewarded with the opening try from a driving maul.

Border refused to panic and gradually fought their way into the opposition half. A penalty and lineout just seven metres from the Valke try line created the perfect platform, with another powerful driving maul allowing the backs to attack. Caleb Smith eventually crossed to level the scores at 7-7 after 25 minutes.

Valke responded by once again dominating territory and possession, but they failed to capitalise. Fly-half Botha missed two kickable penalty attempts before half-time, leaving six valuable points behind as the teams headed into the break all square.

Border seized control after the restart, punishing Valke for their missed opportunities with the opening try of the second half to edge ahead. Although Valke responded in the 44th minute to reclaim a narrow two-point advantage despite fullback Van Rensburg serving time in the sin bin, it proved to be their final score of the match.

From there, Border completely took over. Their forwards laid the platform while the backs exploited the growing spaces, piling on 24 unanswered points during the final 20 minutes. Two further yellow cards compounded Valke’s problems as Border ran out convincing 36-14 winners in this Craven Week 2026 clash.

Griquas finish strongly to deny spirited Pumas

The second match of the day saw Griquas face a youthful Pumas side in another entertaining Craven Week 2026 encounter.

The game exploded into life almost immediately, with both teams crossing for tries inside the opening three minutes. Pumas struck first through Marule after just 30 seconds before Heinrich Swart responded for Griquas less than two minutes later.

The attacking tempo remained relentless throughout the opening half. Griquas crossed the line three more times, while the Pumas replied with four tries of their own in an impressive display of South African schoolboy rugby. However, three missed conversions prevented the Pumas from turning their dominance into a bigger advantage, and they held only a slender one-point lead at half-time.

Their task became even more difficult after finishing the opening period with two players in the sin bin, forcing them to begin the second half with just 13 men.

Griquas wasted little time making their numerical advantage count, moving into a four-point lead before steadily tightening their grip on the contest. While the Pumas continued to play with plenty of energy and ambition, Griquas managed the game superbly and had stretched their advantage to 11 points by the 60th minute.

The Pumas refused to surrender, with powerful prop Mathelela crashing over to reduce the deficit to 33-29 and set up a tense finish. Although Griquas were later reduced to 14 men after receiving a yellow card of their own, they maintained control of the contest.

Two late tries sealed an impressive 43-29 victory, capping off another entertaining Craven Week 2026 match and securing an important win for Griquas.

Western Province XV overpower Griffons after dominant second-half display

The third game of Craven Week 2026 had high expectations, with Western Province XV taking on the Griffons.

The Griffons were first to get on the scoreboard, building early pressure before slotting a smartly converted penalty after a short spell with ball in hand. Their game plan was clear from the outset, moving the ball into the wide channels to stretch the Western Province XV defence. After a dominant midfield scrum, the tactic paid off as the ball found Bastiaan, who crossed to extend the Griffons’ lead to 10-0. It took only two more minutes for the Griffons to score again, this time launching an attack from inside their own 22 to showcase their willingness to play expansive schoolboy rugby.

Against the run of play, Western Province XV manufactured an easy opportunity for Davids to score their opening try and finally get Province on the board. Two penalties from Solomons extended the Griffons’ advantage, but a late try from Valentyn ensured Western Province XV remained within touching distance as the teams headed into the break with the score at 23-14.

Western Province XV came out firing in the second half, marching deep into Griffons territory before Pheiffer crossed after a sustained period of pressure. From there, Western Province XV began to assert themselves, taking control of both possession and territory. The Griffons remained dangerous, however, with flanker Krige producing a determined run down the wing to keep his side firmly in the contest.

But Western Province XV continued to build momentum and refused to settle for a narrow lead. Two quick tries from their centre, running hard lines onto flat passes, followed by another attacking opportunity shortly after the restart, stretched the advantage almost beyond the reach of the Griffons.

The Griffons refused to disappear, with Booyse producing a moment of individual brilliance to score their fourth try. The closing five minutes remained entertaining, with both teams continuing to attack, but Western Province XV had the final say, crossing for one last try to complete a convincing 52-33 victory.

Lions outgun Blue Bulls in Craven Week 2026 thriller

The fourth game of Craven Week 2026 saw the Blue Bulls take on the Lions in what turned out to be one of the most entertaining schoolboy rugby matches of the tournament. With both sides committed to attacking rugby, the game produced 12 tries, many of them coming from long-range breaks, as the Lions claimed an impressive 43-32 victory.

The Blue Bulls made the brighter start, opening the scoring through hooker Charl Els, who crashed over from a well-executed driving maul. The Blue Bulls continued to apply pressure and soon doubled their lead when flanker Stephan vd Vyfer powered his way over the line. The Lions refused to let the game slip away, responding through replacement prop Siya Nkomo, while the accurate boot of flyhalf Jaydon Viljoen kept the scoreboard ticking over. The remainder of the first half developed into an entertaining end-to-end contest, with both teams looking to counter from deep and several long-range attacks stretching the defensive line.

The second half began with the Lions finding another gear as lock Robert Hurne crossed to close the gap before fullback Ndzalama Mbhalati produced one of the tries of the tournament, beating several defenders on a brilliant solo run from distance. The momentum continued to swing in the Lions’ favour when the Blue Bulls were reduced to 14 men after Stephan vd Vyfer received a yellow card, giving the Johannesburg outfit more space to attack.

The Blue Bulls responded through outside centre Dandre Brink, keeping themselves within striking distance, but the Lions continued to punish them with their counter-attacking rugby. Mbhalati grabbed his second try of the afternoon before Ethan Lourens and Glodi Tshipamba added further scores to put the result beyond doubt.

Although the Blue Bulls battled until the final whistle, the Lions were simply too clinical when opportunities presented themselves. Their willingness to attack from anywhere on the field, combined with the reliable goal-kicking of Jaydon Viljoen, sealed an entertaining 43-32 win and capped off another outstanding Craven Week 2026 encounter.

To watch the Craven Week 2026 Day Two highlights, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SCHOOLOFSPORTS

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