Britz shines at Craven Week
16 Jul 2009
Free State coach Schalk Malherbe praised fullback Riaan Britz after his side’s 32-13 win against the Blue Bulls.
The Cheetahs will now play Western Province in the unofficial final on Saturday. The teams met in the 2007 main match, with Free State winning 52-3.
Britz ignited the Cheetahs backline on Thursday, and breached the first line of defence almost every time he touched the ball. He had the final say in the match with a length-of-the-field intercept try with two minutes remaining.
‘The boys really stood up today and I am overjoyed with the win,’ Malherbe told keo.co.za. ‘Riaan was outstanding and counter-attacked superbly from the back. He made sure our players were always on the front foot.’
Malherbe also paid tribute to his pack.
‘We were significantly lighter than the Bulls but really took the game to them and physically dominated their tight five, which pleased me immensely,’ he said.
Malherbe acknowledged his side’s performance was far from complete, and that their lineouts will need special attention.
When asked about the prospect of facing a dangerous WP side, Malherbe said, ‘Province have been good all week, so we will have to nullify their expansive game and play to our strengths and structure.’
The unofficial final kicks off at 1pm on Saturday and will be televised live on SuperSport.
Saturday’s fixtures:
Border Rugby Union Stadium
07:45 – Zimbabwe vs Namibia
09:25 – SA Academy vs Lions
10:25 – KZN vs Blue Bulls
11:45 – Border vs Pumas
13:15 – Western Province vs Free State
Hudson Rugby Grounds
09:00 – Boland vs SA LSEN
10:20 – Valke vs Griffons
11:40 – Leopards vs Eastern Province
Port Rex Rugby Grounds
09:00 – Griquas CD vs Border CD
10:20 – Limpopo vs Griquas
11:40 – SWD vs Eastern Province CD
By Gareth Wright
24 Comments
16 Jul 2009, 19:55 pm
all be sharks soon…
16 Jul 2009, 20:04 pm
http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Rugby/TriNations/355/9b87f66c561f4c999adf3a48566d9e01/16-07-2009%2008-07/Div_wants_his_Boks_in_SA
16 Jul 2009, 20:12 pm
unofficial final
er why?
16 Jul 2009, 20:37 pm
Riaan Brits was brilliant at Fullback I had the privilege of playing against him at U16 level and he was untouchable. I notice that http://www.saschoolsports.co.za named him in their SA Schools side along with Garth April. Dont think April is nearly as good.
16 Jul 2009, 22:59 pm
Is this by the same Gareth Wright who “played” 10 for the Stormers?
17 Jul 2009, 01:16 am
Riaan Brits is the Springbok flanker’s younger broher, Gerrie
Brits. Riaan was just as good at the Pretoria Cravens last year.
#5 Twig:
Storners?
When?
I can’t recall a Wright flyhalf.
17 Jul 2009, 02:39 am
how do you reach a final at craven week?
17 Jul 2009, 03:18 am
#7 gerhard:
Strangely enough, I was asking myself that same question last night!
17 Jul 2009, 05:48 am
#8 Pietman: They pick the top two teams playing the best rugby according to a few judges and pitch them in the final match.
17 Jul 2009, 08:31 am
#5 Twig-yes this is the same person- i cover the schoolboy games and report on them.
17 Jul 2009, 11:59 am
#10 Highlander: you had one helluva funny kicking style, remember you from the days you played for Oom Wynand at Maties
17 Jul 2009, 12:09 pm
why not make craven week in stages.
1st school holiday group stages.
2nd play-offs
3rd finals.
Then we will really know who’the dogs.
17 Jul 2009, 12:44 pm
#11 might have been funny but it went over!!!
17 Jul 2009, 12:46 pm
Pietman – you get a rting by where your union finish the previous year – and the next year the top guys play each other.
Or that is how I remember it.
17 Jul 2009, 13:12 pm
hmmm … let’s see
Zim should trash Namibia
SA Academy if they play with 15 men should beat Lions but it should be a cracker if the Lions manage to play
KZN looked okay against 14 men so I’d say Blue Bulls should win this one
Border all the way
Western Province vs Free State, this is a toughie … could be a close game and with yellows or reds, it should be Province
17 Jul 2009, 13:27 pm
GRAPE WHITE-What do u say,province will only stand a chance if they play againts less then 15 cheetah cups.
Off the fence please!!!!
17 Jul 2009, 13:34 pm
#14 Schalk is Luke’s real daddy:
Thx for that.
#15 Grape White:
Last time they played in S’bosch, Nick Koster’s WP against the Ebersohn’s and Wilton Pieterson it was 52-3.
last year Free State did the same to the bulls in Pretoria, with Riaan Brits also calling the shots.
Tomorrow will be much of the same, ‘Grey College’ vs WP.
Unbelievable how they just keep on producing these amazing youngsters in Bloemfontein.
17 Jul 2009, 13:56 pm
#16 keaton: there must be a fence around your eyes cause I can’t see one. And btw that comment should read – with no* yellow or reds …
17 Jul 2009, 14:02 pm
#17 Pietman: I’m going purely on this week. FS looked good against the Bulls … but the Bulls were 1 man down and in school boy rugby thats a huge advantage and all the games this week where the team lost 1 man, those teams were thrashed. You cant predict a tipping tackle, shoulder charges or continuous infringements at the ruck but a card swings the game immediately and sets the trend for the rest of the game. I still say it would be close. But I’m backing Province, you can take me up on that tomorrow lol But yeah, Grey just keeps on turning them out non stop maybe it’s the water or something
17 Jul 2009, 14:28 pm
grape-sry man eyes only open to see blue and white not red and yellow.
nthing else matter,but”PPRRRROOOOOVVVVVIIIINCEEEE”!!!!!!!!!!!
17 Jul 2009, 14:40 pm
as a FS fan (dammit its a hard life being an FS fan), but mostly a fan of GCB (easy life:-)…………I can’t see free state winning this one. FS is a slightly weaker side than the GCB 1st team, given the quotas. Sounds harsh? I guess, but thats the reality. WP is a polished side, full of flair. Wonder what the stat is on WP vs FS in craven final? They must be the two teams that most meet ech other in the final – an my guess is, that WP is ahead on the win/lose on this specific encounter. remember in early 2000′ they played 3 years in a row, and wp won the first two. Then of course the 07 game where a phenom of an FS team cleaned them out. But as much as i hope for FS win, it will probably be WP to take it
17 Jul 2009, 15:51 pm
Honestly dont think FS will win the final. They have had 2 very tough matches and when you look at the KZN match they really struggled upfront. WP have excellent backs who are strong runners so I would tip them to win. How many will make the SA Schools team? http://www.saschoolsports.co.za say at least 8? Makes sense to me
17 Jul 2009, 16:02 pm
#17 Pietman:
The main reason Free State perform so well at Craven Week is because of their superior cohesion, with the vast majority of the squad having played together at Grey College.
Man for man Province are almost certainly better. But I do think Free State will win, since they’ve just had more time to blend.
17 Jul 2009, 16:22 pm
#21 dirt-tracker: Grey 1st team? really? I’d like to see that I doubt it very much but I’d love to see you proven wrong on that point lol
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