SA Schools outplayed their SA Schools ‘A’ counterparts 49-14 at Hoërskool Middelburg in Mpumalanga on Thursday afternoon, scoring seven tries in a victory that proved the selectors got their combinations right following the FNB U18 Craven Week at the same venue last week.
The SA Schools side looked very comfortable, especially in the first half, where they dominated play and had a deserved 28-0 lead at the break, scoring four good tries.
In the second half, the ‘A’-side rallied to get back in the game, scoring two tries of their own, while the winning team dotted down three more times.
The SA Schools side may have beaten the 'A' team in Middelburg, but the week was about learning, becoming better rugby players and making friends for life - more here: https://t.co/TcTDfcXQFl 💚💛#WhereHeroesAreMade pic.twitter.com/DHDwxRRNHE
— SA Junior Rugby (@SAJuniorRugby) July 17, 2025
The SA Schools started like a house on fire with wing Jadrian Afrikaner scoring the opener two minutes in, following a good attack down the left.
Flyhalf Liyema Nela kicked the conversion.
The team in green dominated the opening quarter and had all the play in that time.
They crossed the ‘A’-side's line twice, only to be denied due to earlier infringements.
CROWD ON THEIR FEET
The wall was clearly cracking early, with the SA Schools having the upper hand at scrum time and their backs running at pace.
Three consecutive scrum penalties near their opponents’ line yielded no result though, with over-eagerness and lack of cohesion costing them dearly.
Credit to the SA ‘A’ side, who had to defend for all of 14 minutes before they could work their way into the SA Schools’ half for the first time in the match.
A spectacular try by SA Schools fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya extended the score and had the good crowd on their feet.
The ‘A’-side attacked strongly but lost the ball in their opponents’ red zone. It was worked back with quick hands and Siyaya set off on a run 60m out.
It ended under the sticks for the SA Schools side, finished by the fullback with a swallow dive, leaving in his wake numerous defenders beaten by either a step or a dummy.
Nela converted for a 14-0 lead halfway through the half.
Altus Rabe was the next on the scoresheet for the SA Schools side after a lineout drive that finally worked, a clear indication that their combinations were starting to find each under as the game progressed.
The hooker dotted down at the back of a strong maul. Nela kicked a beaut from the sideline and the score was 21-0 after 28 minutes.
On the buzzer SA Schools scored again, this time from a smooth backline move from a 5m-scrum.
Siyaya ran onto a beautiful drift pass that got him outside of his defender and he dotted down under the posts to give Nela an easy fourth conversion.
RALLIED STRONGLY
The second half saw changes of Bomb Squad dimensions from both teams as coaches gave everyone a run.
One man that was not replaced was Siyaya and he was spot on again four minutes in, although his third try had some element of luck.
The backs moved the ball well down the line, the fullback jumped into the line and when his grubber was blocked, it bounced back into his hands with no one in front of him.
Replacement flyhalf Ruben Groenewald converted and the lead jumped to 35-0.
SA ‘A’ then rallied strongly and was held up over the line 52 minutes in after a good lineout drive, and referee Excellent Mnkomo, who delivered a polished performance, got the call spot-on as the reply showed.
Two minutes later the ‘A’-side again was held up, but their pressure told as hooker Thomas Muller scored at the back of his pack's good drive.
Replacement scrumhalf Ethan van Biljon converted, and they were finally on the board after 58 minutes.
The SA Schools replied in kind with a maul try of their one, with replacement hooker Clinton Agu scoring.
Groenewald converted for a 42-7 lead.
They scored next again, this time following a number of strong pick-and-go's with Gert Kemp (flanker) crashing over, Groenewald extended the lead to 49-7 before SA ‘A’ replacement flanker Pieter Cilliers barged over from close range, following several good drives by his pack.
SCORERS:
SA Schools 49 (28) – Tries: Zekhethelo Siyaya (3), Altus Rabe, Jadrian Afrikaner, Clinton Agu, Gert Kemp. Conversions: Liyema Nela (4), Ruben Groenewald (2).
SA Schools ‘A’ 14 (0) – Tries: Thomas Muller, Pieter Cilliers. Conversions: Ethan van Biljon (2).
