The match confirmed the amount of talent available at school boy level and bodes well for the International U18 Series to be played in August.

The first half belonged to the SA Schools 'A' team, who showed good appreciation of the gusty conditions and defended well to thwart early attacks by their opponents, twice stopping them meters from the A-side's line.

The A-side, playing in the hyperjade alternative strip, initially had the upper hand at the breakdowns out wide, but had no reply when SA Schools flanker Josh Neil found space in the outside channel and Zekhethelo Siyaya (left wing) raced over in the corner. Flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed kicked a beautiful conversion.

SA Schools 'A' certainly had parity if not control in the scrums and used that as a profitable launch pad for their attacks. First flyhalf Luan Giliomee used the forward momentum from such a scrum to deliver a pinpoint cross kick to left wing Junaide Stuart, to dot down in the corner. Giliomee then added the extras with a tight angle to equal the scores.

The A-side scored next, again from a strong scrum and after a number of phases, outside centre, Markus Muller, slipped outside his man to dot down. Giliomee missed the conversion, but his side was 12-7 up.

A lapse at the restart cost the A-side dearly though as flanker Motlotjoa Maake gathered the ball to crash over. Ahmed missed the conversion and after 20 minutes it was all square again.

Muller proved a handful in the midfield and another lovely break by him handed fullback Dylan Miller an easy run in. Giliomee converted and the A-side were 19-12 up again.

Adeeb Boraine gets the ball away for the SA Schools team.

Siyaya got his second after good lineout play by his pack. They drove well from secured possession and when the ball was finally moved to the backs, the left wing sneaked over in the corner.

The conversion was wide and the A-side still had a two point lead. They had a good opportunity to extend that from an attacking lineout, but the SA Schools' defence held out till the break. 

The second half saw some replacements from both sides take the field and that impacted on the fluency of play. Both teams were also using the boot a bit more in order to win the territorial battle.

The SA Schools side took the lead 12 minutes into the second half when a lovely timed pass from replacement flyhalf, Vusi Moyo, found outside centre Pieter van der Merwe at full pace. He dotted down under the sticks and Moyo's conversion gave them a 24-19 lead with 18 minutes to play.

A good counterattack by the SA Schools outside backs killed the results for their A-side opponents. Fullback Akahluwa Boqwana started a lovely counter-attack in his own half and a well-timed inside pass found replacement scrumhalf, Elgernon Meyer, who scored. Moyo converted for a 31-19 lead.

Some soft hands around the blind side by the SA Schools side resulted in a third try for Siyaya, with Moyo kicking an easy conversion. Vian Mentoor kicked a late penalty goal for the A-side, but by then the result was a forgone conclusion.

Scorers:

SA Schools 38 (17) - Tries: Zekhethelo Siyaya (3), Motlotjoa Maake, Pieter van der Merwe, Elgernon Meyer.  Conversions: Yaqeen Ahmed, Vusi Moyo (3).

SA Schools 'A' 22 (19) - Tries: Junaide Stuart, Markus Muller, Dylan Miller. Conversions: Luan Giliomee (2). Penalty goal. Vian Mentoor.