Williams kicks 15 points as WP start Craven Week well by beating Bulls
CRAVEN WEEK hosts Western Province kicked off their campaign on a winning note, beating the Blue Bulls 20-13 at Paul Roos’s Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch yesterday.
The north-south derby was played out in front of a big crowd and was easily the pick of the games on the opening day.
Province scrumhalf Jondré Williams cashed in with 15 points as the home side, who went into half-time 17-8 ahead, shot down claims that they would be no match for the much-vaunted Bulls side.
WP had the majority of possession and in terms of continuity were a class above their Pretoria opponents.
Williams was simply outstanding. His service to his backs was top-drawer as was his reading of the game. He was at the heart of it all and his was the type of performance that could well see him in the mix when the SA Schools team gets announced at the end of the premier schoolboy rugby tournament on Friday.
Province will now target playing in the showcase game, but for that to happen they would have to win the middle match, which wasn’t the case last year when they got dumped out of contention for the show game by South Western Districts. That encounter saw Province scupper their cause by playing as individuals instead of as a team.
But yesterday that was not the case with the backs and forwards combining well to set up a deserved victory.
The Bulls fielded seven Affies players in their pack and word had it that their forwards were going to give it to their opposite numbers.
But that failed to materialise as Province dished up a polished performance, with the tight five simply too good on the day.
In earlier games, Boland handed out a 52-7 hiding to the Limpopo Blue Bulls while the Griffons saw off Free State 41-27 in a local provincial derby. There were wins also for Namibia and the Pumas over Border Country Districts and Border respectively.
YAGAN SASMANcannot contain his excitement as he counts down the days to the start of the inaugural Cape Town Cup.The aim of the event hosted by Ajax, together with the City of Cape Town, is to bring international football clubs to Cape Town.
The two partners hope to grow the preseason competition in the coming years and bring even more big clubs here.
Four clubs line up in the tournament at the Cape Town Stadium next week, with SuperSport United facing Crystal Palace on Friday, July 24, at 6.45pm, followed by Ajax taking on Sporting Lisbon at 8.15pm.
The two losers and the two winners then face each other on Sunday, July 26. The third/fourth place play-off is at 1pm, and the final at 3.30pm.
“It’s a great opportunity for a young player like me,” said 19-year-old Sasman. “I’m really excited and looking forward to it. It’s a good way to kick off the season against two top clubs, and a chance for someone as young as me to show what I have. I will have to prove to the coaches that I have what it takes to play at this level.”
Sasman was promoted from the under19s to the Ajax Premier Soccer League (PSL) squad during the second half of last season. Capable of playing in central defence or at left-back, he never saw any top-flight game time, but the exposure to training with the senior squad was a great learning experience.
He also recently returned from Germany, where the Ajax under-19 squad played in an international tournament. They did well, only to lose in the semifinals to Mexican side, Chivas.
Now hard at work as Ajax coach Roger de Sa puts his squad through an intensive pre-season training programme, while, at the same time, preparing for the Cape Town Cup, Sasman is hoping to break into the PSL squad this season.
“It has gone well during pre-season,” he said. “The training’s been good and the opportunity to learn from the experienced players in the squad has been invaluable.”
Sasman is from Retreat and attended Norman Henshilwood High School in Constantia. He started his football career at Peninsula United in Grassy Park before joining the Ajax youth academy at the age of 10. He has since progressed through the ranks all the way to the PSL squad.
Currently being used at left-back, Sas- man says he has an idea of what he’s going to be up against when facing Sporting.
“Obviously, we see quite a bit of overseas football on television,” he said. “I’ve seen both teams play, and I’m aware of what to expect. It’s just up to me to play to potential and deliver on the day.”