The 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A was contested from 10 July to 24 October 2015. The tournament (also known as the ABSA Under-19 Provincial Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the top tier of 2015 edition of the Under-19 Provincial Championship, an annual Under-19 inter-provincial rugby union competition featuring fifteen South African provincial unions.

The competition was won by ; they beat 25–23 in the final played on 24 October 2015.

Competition rules and information

There were seven participating teams in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A. These teams played each other twice over the course of the season, once at home and once away.

Teams received four points for a win and two points for a draw. Bonus points were awarded to teams that scored four or more tries in a game, as well as to teams that lost a match by seven points or less. Teams were ranked by log points, then points difference (points scored less points conceded).

The top four teams qualified for the title play-off semi-finals. The team that finished first had home advantage against the team that finished fourth, while the team that finished second had home advantage against the team that finished third. The final was played as a curtain raiser for the 2015 Currie Cup Premier Division final.

Teams

The following teams took part in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A competition:

2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A teams Team name Stadium

Standings

The final league standings for the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A were:

2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 12 11 0 1 339 215 +124 41 28 6 0 50 2 12 9 0 3 425 319 +106 59 41 8 0 44 3 12 8 1 3 333 265 +68 40 37 7 1 42 4 12 4 2 6 336 398 −62 53 54 7 1 28 5 12 5 0 7 324 300 +24 44 40 5 2 27 6 12 2 0 10 303 459 −156 47 65 7 2 17 7 12 1 1 10 233 337 −104 29 48 3 3 12

Legend and competition rules Legend: The top four teams qualify to the semi-finals. P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TF = Tries for, TA = Tries against, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points Competition rules: Play-offs: The top four teams qualify to the semi-finals, with the higher-placed team having home advantage.

Points breakdown:* 4 points for a win* 2 points for a draw* 1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less* 1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

Round-by-round

The table below shows each team's progression throughout the season. For each round, their cumulative points total is shown with the overall log position in brackets:

Team Progression – 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 R13 R14 Semi Final 4 (2nd) 9 (2nd) 13 (1st) 17 (1st) 21 (1st) 26 (1st) 26 (1st) 31 (1st) 36 (1st) 41 (1st) 41 (1st) 46 (1st) 46 (1st) 50 (1st) Won Won 5 (1st) 10 (1st) 10 (3rd) 10 (3rd) 15 (2nd) 15 (3rd) 20 (2nd) 25 (2nd) 30 (2nd) 34 (2nd) 34 (3rd) 39 (2nd) 44 (2nd) 44 (2nd) Won Lost 4 (3rd) 4 (4th) 5 (4th) 10 (4th) 15 (3rd) 18 (2nd) 19 (3rd) 23 (3rd) 28 (3rd) 32 (3rd) 37 (2nd) 37 (3rd) 42 (3rd) 42 (3rd) Lost 0 (6th) 0 (7th) 2 (6th) 2 (7th) 3 (7th) 6 (7th) 11 (6th) 13 (5th) 13 (6th) 13 (6th) 18 (5th) 23 (4th) 23 (4th) 28 (4th) Lost 0 (7th) 5 (3rd) 10 (2nd) 12 (2nd) 12 (4th) 12 (4th) 17 (4th) 17 (4th) 17 (4th) 18 (4th) 22 (4th) 22 (5th) 22 (5th) 27 (5th) 0 (5th) 1 (5th) 1 (7th) 6 (5th) 6 (5th) 11 (5th) 12 (5th) 13 (6th) 15 (5th) 15 (5th) 16 (6th) 16 (6th) 16 (6th) 17 (6th) 1 (4th) 1 (6th) 3 (5th) 5 (6th) 5 (6th) 6 (6th) 6 (7th) 6 (7th) 6 (7th) 6 (7th) 7 (7th) 7 (7th) 11 (7th) 12 (7th) Key: win draw loss bye

Fixtures and results

The following matches were played in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A:

All times are South African (GMT+2).

Round one

Round two

Round three

Round four

Round five

Round six

Round seven

Round eight

Round nine

Round ten

Round eleven

Round twelve

Round thirteen

Round fourteen

Semi-finals

Final

Honours

The honour roll for the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A was:

2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A Honours Champions: Top Try Scorer: Zweli Silaule, Leopards U19 (13) Top Points Scorer: Tiaan Swanepoel, Western Province U19 (126)

Players

Player statistics

The following table contain points which were scored in the 2015 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A:

All point scorers No Player Team T C P DG Pts 1 Tiaan Swanepoel Western Province U19 1 29 21 0 126 2 Michael Brink Eastern Province U19 1 22 22 0 115 3 Hendrik Mulder Golden Lions U19 0 25 17 0 101 4 Tinus de Beer Blue Bulls U19 1 30 9 0 92 5 Ruan Wasserman Free State U19 6 22 5 0 89 6 Tristan Tedder Sharks U19 1 17 15 0 84 7 JT Jackson Blue Bulls U19 6 13 8 0 80 8 Zweli Silaule Leopards U19 13 0 0 0 65 9 Franco Naudé Blue Bulls U19 11 0 0 0 55 10 Benhard Janse van Rensburg Leopards U19 3 14 3 0 52 11 Divan Rossouw Blue Bulls U19 9 0 0 0 45 12 James Hall Eastern Province U19 1 9 7 0 44 Siya Masuku Leopards U19 3 10 2 1 44 14 Junior Pokomela Eastern Province U19 8 0 0 0 40 James Venter Golden Lions U19 8 0 0 0 40 16 Aidynn Cupido Western Province U19 3 6 3 0 36 17 Jaydrin Kotze Golden Lions U19 7 0 0 0 35 Victor Maruping Free State U19 7 0 0 0 35 S'busiso Nkosi Sharks U19 7 0 0 0 35 20 Jeremy Ward Eastern Province U19 6 2 0 0 34 21 Tristan Blewett Sharks U19 6 1 0 0 32 22 Athi Mayinje Eastern Province U19 6 0 0 0 30 SF Nieuwoudt Eastern Province U19 6 0 0 0 30 Duncan Saal Western Province U19 6 0 0 0 30 25 De Wet Bezuidenhout Free State U19 5 0 0 0 25 Paul de Beer Golden Lions U19 5 0 0 0 25 Dieter Leicher Leopards U19 5 0 0 0 25 Charl Pretorius Free State U19 5 0 0 0 25 29 Jaco Coetzee Western Province U19 4 0 0 0 20 Ruan de Beer Blue Bulls U19 4 0 0 0 20 Paul de Wet Western Province U19 4 0 0 0 20 Edward Haas Leopards U19 4 0 0 0 20 Llewellyn Hein Free State U19 4 0 0 0 20 Eduan Keyter Western Province U19 4 0 0 0 20 Christiaan Nel Free State U19 4 0 0 0 20 Mabhutana Peter Eastern Province U19 4 0 0 0 20 Coneree Poole Blue Bulls U19 4 0 0 0 20 Rohan Roelofse Free State U19 4 0 0 0 20 Niell Stannard Free State U19 4 0 0 0 20 Gavin van den Berg Blue Bulls U19 4 0 0 0 20 Alandré van Rooyen Blue Bulls U19 4 0 0 0 20 Jaco Willemse Western Province U19 4 0 0 0 20 43 Curtis Jonas Golden Lions U19 3 0 1 0 18 44 Brendan Owen Blue Bulls U19 1 6 0 0 17 45 Lusanda Badiyana Eastern Province U19 3 0 0 0 15 Glen Eriksen Free State U19 3 0 0 0 15 Wilbri Gunter Leopards U19 3 0 0 0 15 Denzel Hill Blue Bulls U19 3 0 0 0 15 Alex Jonker Free State U19 3 0 0 0 15 Morné Joubert Sharks U19 3 0 0 0 15 Justin Meintjies Blue Bulls U19 3 0 0 0 15 Juandré Michau Golden Lions U19 3 0 0 0 15 Robin Stevens Free State U19 3 0 0 0 15 De Wet Terblanche Leopards U19 3 0 0 0 15 Dean van der Westhuizen Blue Bulls U19 3 0 0 0 15 Edrich Venter Western Province U19 3 0 0 0 15 Boeta Vermaak Golden Lions U19 3 0 0 0 15 58 Julian Jordaan Free State U19 1 4 0 0 13 59 Carlo de Nysschen Free State U19 2 1 0 0 12 Jordan Koekemoer Eastern Province U19 1 2 1 0 12 Alwayno Visagie Sharks U19 2 1 0 0 12 Kurt Webster Blue Bulls U19 2 1 0 0 12 63 Wynand Botha Golden Lions U19 2 0 0 0 10 Ruan Brits Western Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 Eon Buhrmann Leopards U19 2 0 0 0 10 Mitchell Carstens Western Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 Brent Christoffels Sharks U19 2 0 0 0 10 Jo-Hanko de Villiers Golden Lions U19 2 0 0 0 10 Stephan Enslin Blue Bulls U19 2 0 0 0 10 Justin Heunis Western Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 Jaywinn Juries Sharks U19 1 1 1 0 10 Dale Koopman Free State U19 2 0 0 0 10 Milani Lubelwana Leopards U19 2 0 0 0 10 Tapiwa Mafura Leopards U19 2 0 0 0 10 Arno Maree Golden Lions U19 2 0 0 0 10 Cameron McNab Sharks U19 2 0 0 0 10 Mac Muller Golden Lions U19 2 0 0 0 10 Yamkela Nyalambisa Eastern Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 NJ Oosthuizen Eastern Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 Bradley Roberts Sharks U19 2 0 0 0 10 Bhekisa Shongwe Leopards U19 2 0 0 0 10 Barend Smit Golden Lions U19 2 0 0 0 10 Hendré Stassen Blue Bulls U19 2 0 0 0 10 Hayden Tharratt Eastern Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 Edwill van der Merwe Western Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 Luigy van Jaarsveld Blue Bulls U19 2 0 0 0 10 Keanu Vers Eastern Province U19 2 0 0 0 10 88 Eddie Engelbrecht Leopards U19 1 1 0 0 7 89 Iver Aanhuizen Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Saud Abrahams Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Wikus Badenhorst Sharks U19 1 0 0 0 5 Tango Balekile Eastern Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Janu Botha Free State U19 1 0 0 0 5 Gavin Foster Leopards U19 1 0 0 0 5 Arnold Gerber Blue Bulls U19 1 0 0 0 5 Ruan Groenewald Leopards U19 1 0 0 0 5 Michael Kumbirai Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Len Massyn Golden Lions U19 1 0 0 0 5 Sam Mitchell Blue Bulls U19 1 0 0 0 5 Percy Mngadi Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Nazo Nkala Golden Lions U19 1 0 0 0 5 Stean Pienaar Golden Lions U19 1 0 0 0 5 Gerard Pieterse Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Gary Porter Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Tiaan Schmulian Free State U19 1 0 0 0 5 Henry Searle Leopards U19 1 0 0 0 5 Ulric Sellar Sharks U19 1 0 0 0 5 Henry Slabbert Free State U19 1 0 0 0 5 Henco Smit Golden Lions U19 1 0 0 0 5 Eli Snyman Blue Bulls U19 1 0 0 0 5 Francois Stemmet Leopards U19 1 0 0 0 5 Ruben Terblanche Western Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Dominik Uytenbogaardt Eastern Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 Christie van der Merwe Sharks U19 1 0 0 0 5 Kenny van Niekerk Golden Lions U19 1 0 0 0 5 115 Andri Cooper Blue Bulls U19 0 1 0 0 2 Thabiso Khanye Free State U19 0 1 0 0 2 – penalty try Blue Bulls U19 1 0 0 0 5 Eastern Province U19 1 0 0 0 5 * Legend: T = Tries, C = Conversions, P = Penalties, DG = Drop Goals, Pts = Points.

Squads

The teams released the following squad lists:

+ 2015 Blue Bulls U19 squad Jaco Bezuidenhout Wynand de Necker Aston Fortuin JD Fourie Arnold Gerber Rohan Goosen Jangqo Hennings Denzel Hill Jaco Holtzhausen Madot Mabokela Justin Meintjies Sam Mitchell Nico Peyper Eli Snyman Hendré Stassen Franco van den Berg Gavin van den Berg Dean van der Westhuizen Salmon van Huyssteen Luigy van Jaarsveld Alandré van Rooyen Did not play: Jan-Henning Campher DP du Plessis Devon Henson Hamish Hughes Tiny Mukhari Adrian Parsons PJ Toerien Ruben van Heerden Sven van Niekerk Andri Cooper Jerry Danquah Ruan de Beer Tinus de Beer Corné de Klerk Stephan Enslin Dale Hendricks JT Jackson Tshepiso Mahasha Franco Naudé Brendan Owen Coneree Poole Curtley Prins Divan Rossouw Kurt Webster Maurice White Did not play: Ruben de Vos Arno Maree Nkosikona Ntebe Embrose Papier Keanen Tarentaal

+ 2015 Eastern Province U19 squad Lusanda Badiyana Tango Balekile Keegan Branford Wihan Coetzer Michael de Marco Matt Howes Craig Hume Greg Jackson Rob Lyons Masikane Mazwi Kuhle Mokhoabane Mihlali Mosi SF Nieuwoudt NJ Oosthuizen Junior Pokomela Hayden Tharratt Roché van Zyl Xandré Vos Did not play: Stefan Janse van Vuuren Jason Lizamore Pieter Swanepoel Mike van Brede Michael Botha Michael Brink Davron Cameron Austin Fredericks James Hall Avelo Jubase Jordan Koekemoer Xolisa Matshoba Garrick Mattheus Athi Mayinje Sibusiso Ngcokovane Yamkela Nyalambisa Jacquis Oosthuizen Mabhutana Peter Dominik Uytenbogaardt Keanu Vers Jeremy Ward Did not play: Rivan Lemmer tbcSage Hayman

+ 2015 Free State U19 squad De Wet Bezuidenhout Nardus Bosman Janu Botha Erich de Jager Tiaan Erasmus Thornton Ford Kanya Gela JC Jansen van Vuuren Alex Jonker Thabiso Khanye Musa Mahlasela Victor Maruping Wilhelm Nebe Daniel Nyamugama Kaden Prince Ig Prinsloo Rohan Roelofse Ruben Schoeman Henry Slabbert Robin Stevens Brendan Verster Did not play: Willem Cornelius Augustyn Austin de Bruyn FC Jansen van Rensburg Kian Skippers Clinton Moloi Lohan Potgieter Tiaan Schutte Frederik Spies Shirwin Cupido Carlo de Nysschen Glen Eriksen Llewellyn Hein Julian Jordaan