Griffons 29-12 Valke: Craven Week 2026 Report

Griffons 29-12 Valke: the Free State heartland outfit produced a dominant display at Grey High School on Thursday, controlling this FNB U18 Craven Week contest from first whistle to near-last before Valke found some consolation pride in the closing stages.

Griffons came out of the blocks fast. Two tries in the opening half, the second converted, had them 12-0 up before the break and in complete command. The Welkom Gim contingent — ten of the 23-man squad — provided a visible spine to their game, with Trio and Witteberg boys adding the physical grunt around them. There was nothing scrappy about this. Griffons played with structure and urgency, the kind of rugby that suggests a week of genuine ambition ahead.

Half-time: 12-0. Valke needed a reaction. They did not get one.

The second half opened exactly as the first had ended — Griffons in control, Valke chasing shadows. Two more tries in quick succession, the second converted, stretched the lead to 24-0 and the game looked emphatically over. The Gauteng East outfit, built heavily around EG Jansen with Kempton Park and Jeugland boys alongside them, simply could not stem the tide.

To Valke's credit, they refused to fold. Back-to-back tries — both converted — suddenly made it 24-12 and gave the scoreboard something more respectable to show. There were glimpses of what these boys can do when the pressure eased. But Griffons were not done. A fifth try pushed the final margin out to 29-12, ensuring no one misread the story of the afternoon.

This was a statement performance from a Griffons side that will now carry real confidence into the remainder of the week. Five tries scored, a clean sheet held until the closing stages, and a brand of rugby that will worry stronger opponents to come. For Valke, the lesson is clear — they have the talent to compete, but must find a way to match Griffons' intensity from the very first minute if results are to improve before the week is out.