Lions stun hosts at FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week

The Golden Lions, Blue Bulls and Western Province were among the biggest winners on the opening day of the annual FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week staged at Kearsney College near Durban on Monday.

The opening day of the U16 tournament served up a number of entertaining and high-scoring contests, with the Lions, Sharks XV, Pumas, Border, the Blue Bulls, Western Province, the Leopards, Free State, Iqhawe, the Limpopo Blue Bulls and the Blue Bulls XV securing victories.

WP inside centre JP Immelman scored five tries in his team's 73-14 win against the Griffons, while Free State showed their mettle when they rebounded from a 15-point half-time deficit to beat South Western Districts 50-32.

The Blue Bulls thrashed Eastern Province 56-15, with No 8 Dylan Badenhorst-Schnetler scoring a hat-trick, while the Blue Bulls XV recorded the biggest win of the day when they put 100 points past Kenya, with lock Janru Botha scoring three of his team's 16 tries.

The battle between the Leopards and the Valke was decided at the death, after fullback Ryan Pheiffer kicked a conversion to give the team from Potchefstroom a 27-26 win.

In the final match of the day, the Golden Lions punished an ill-disciplined Sharks side to win 20-17. The game was in the balance at half-time, before the hosts conceded two yellow cards in quick succession. The Lions finished the game strongly, and flyhalf Cian Jonck scored 15 points.

FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week results – day one

Blue Bulls XV 100 (45), Kenya 0 (0)

Griquas 14 (0), Limpopo Blue Bulls 15 (8)

Iqhawe 68 (33), Border Country Districts 8 (3)

South Western Districts 32 (32), Free State 50 (17)

Leopards 27 (13), Valke 26 (21)

Western Province 73 (29), Griffons 14 (7)

Border 57 (26), Namibia 10 (10)

Blue Bulls 56 (20), Eastern Province 15 (3)

Boland 29 (10), Pumas 32 (16)

Sharks 17 (3), Golden Lions 20 (5)

Sharks XV 50 (26), Zimbabwe 10 (10)