The 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship was the 2016 edition of the Under-21 Provincial Championship, an annual national Under-21 rugby union competition held in South Africa, and was contested from 5 August to 22 October 2016. The competition was won by who beat 38–34 in the final played on 22 October 2016.

Competition rules and information

There was seven participating teams in the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship. These teams played each other once over the course of the season, either at home or 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 2016 Currie Cup Premier Division final.

Teams

The following teams took part in the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship:

2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship teams Team name Stadium

Standings

The final league standings for the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship was:

2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship standings Pos Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts 1 6 4 1 1 200 140 +60 28 17 6 1 25 2 6 5 0 1 198 144 +54 22 21 2 1 23 3 6 3 1 2 185 171 +14 26 22 4 2 20 4 6 3 0 3 177 184 −7 24 21 4 1 17 5 6 3 0 3 164 155 +9 19 19 2 2 16 6 6 2 0 4 152 189 −37 20 25 2 2 12 7 6 0 0 6 153 246 −93 22 36 4 2 6 Final standings.

Legend and competition rules Legend: The top four teams qualified 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:

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 – 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship Team R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 Semi Final 3 (2nd) 3 (5th) 8 (3rd) 10 (3rd) 15 (1st) 20 (1st) 25 (1st) 25 (1st) Won Lost 0 (5th) 5 (2nd) 6 (4th) 10 (2nd) 14 (3rd) 14 (4th) 19 (3rd) 23 (2nd) Won Won 3 (2nd) 4 (4th) 9 (2nd) 10 (5th) 15 (2nd) 20 (2nd) 20 (2nd) 20 (3rd) Lost 5 (1st) 10 (1st) 11 (1st) 11 (1st) 11 (4th) 15 (3rd) 17 (3rd) 17 (4th) Lost 0 (5th) 4 (3rd) 4 (6th) 9 (6th) 10 (5th) 10 (6th) 15 (5th) 16 (5th) 0 (5th) 1 (6th) 6 (5th) 10 (4th) 10 (6th) 11 (5th) 12 (5th) 12 (6th) 1 (4th) 1 (7th) 3 (7th) 3 (7th) 3 (7th) 4 (7th) 6 (7th) 6 (7th) Key: win draw loss bye

Matches

The following matches were played in the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship:

Round one

Round two

Round three

Round four

Round five

Round six

Round seven

Round eight

Semi-finals

Final

Honours

The honour roll for the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship was:

2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship Honours Champions: Top Try Scorers: Tristan Blewett, Sharks U21 and Elden Schoeman, Leopards U21 (6) Top Points Scorer: Shaun Reynolds, Golden Lions U21 (112)

Players

Squads

The following squads were named for the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship:

+ Blue Bulls U21 squad Matthys Basson Jan-Henning Campher Mervano da Silva Aston Fortuin Stefaan Grundlingh Njabulo Gumede Jaco Holtzhausen Brian Leitch Sam Mitchell Abongile Nonkontwana Eli Snyman Jsuan-re Swanepoel Gavin van den Berg Dean van der Westhuizen Ruben van Heerden Luigy van Jaarsveld Alandré van Rooyen Marco van Staden Did not play: Wynand de Necker JD Fourie Arnold Gerber Denzel Hill Madot Mabokela Jozua Naudé Menzi Nhlabathi PJ Toerien Franco van den Berg Jan van der Merwe Salmon van Huyssteen Tinus de Beer Stephan Enslin Dewald Human JT Jackson Manie Libbok Adrian Maebane Theo Maree Dewald Naudé Franco Naudé Divan Rossouw Keanan van Wyk Ivan van Zyl Kurt Webster Did not play: Heino Bezuidenhout Simon Bezuidenhout Daylan Daniels Jerry Danquah Corné de Klerk Keanu Langeveldt Tshepiso Mahasha Raegan Oranje Brendan Owen Sipho Phiri Pote Human

+ Eastern Province U21 squad Lusanda Badiyana Wihan Coetzer Wynand Grassmann Jedwyn Harty Justin Hollis Gerrit Huisamen JP Jamieson Arno Lotter Rob Lyons David Murray SF Nieuwoudt NJ Oosthuizen Jayson Reinecke Hayden Tharratt Roché van Zyl Xandré VosDid not play: Tango Balekile JP Barkhuizen Ronnie Beyl Matt Howes Sintu Manjezi Junior Pokomela Tyler Paul Elandré van der Merwe Simon Bolze Michael Brink Luvo Claassen Malcolm Jaer Somila Jho Garrick Mattheus Jixie Molapo Rouche Nel Sibusiso Ngcokovane Luan Nieuwoudt Mabhutana Peter Stephen Rautenbach Keanu Vers Jeremy Ward Lindelwe Zungu Did not play: Nathan Augustus Davron Cameron Avelo Jubase Jordan Koekemoer Athi Mayinje

+ Free State U21 squad Erich de Jager Joseph Dweba Nardus Erasmus Johann Grundlingh Günther Janse van Vuuren Johan Kotze Daniel Maartens Gopolang Molefe Fiffy Rampeta Ruben Schoeman Robin Stevens Reinach Venter Brendan Verster Ntokozo Vidima Quintin Vorster Jasper Wiese Did not play: Janu Botha Junior Burger Tienie Burger Benjamin Jansen van Vuuren Alex Jonker Willem Daniel Koegelenberg Willandré Kotzenberg Johannes Labuschagné Victor Maruping Damian May Ox Nché Rayno Nel Kaden Prince Burger van Niekerk Conraad van Vuuren Xander van Wyk Dian Badenhorst Darren Baron Heinrich Bitzi Carel-Jan Coetzee JP Coetzee TJ Goddard Lorenzo Gordon Julian Jordaan Gerrie Labuschagné Sechaba Matsoele Ali Mgijima Mosolwa Mafuma Armand Pretorius Niell Stannard Arno van Staden Did not play: Carlton Coeries Rewan Kruger Johan Nel Johannes Nel Jayden Alrich Onkers Vanian Pijoos Tiaan Schmulian Bjorn van Wyk Dawid Andries Rinke Venter Ruan Wasserman Dwayne Wessels Did not play: Stephen Patrick Botha Nakkie Naudé

+ Golden Lions U21 squad Le Roux Baard Driaan Bester Jo-Hanko de Villiers Estian Enslin Marnus Erasmus Rhyno Herbst Wiehan Jacobs Pieter Jansen Kyle Kruger Arnout Malherbe Juandré Michau Morné Moos Mac Muller FP Pelser Dwayne Pienaar Clinton Theron Koos Tredoux James Venter Did not play: Derik Bezuidenhout Stephen Bhasera CJ Conradie Justin Meintjies Henco Smit Sarel Smith Kenny van Niekerk Ronald Brown Kobus Engelbrecht Johan Esterhuizen Marco Jansen van Vuren Curtis Jonas Jaydrin Kotze Siya Masuku Godfrey Ramaboea Shaun Reynolds Cameron Rooi Jarryd Sage Barend Smit Boeta Vermaak Did not play: Wynand Botha Paul de Beer Jurie Linde Hendrik Mulder Kwanele Ngema Ralton Navan October Gerdus van der Walt

+ Leopards U21 squad Tiaan Bezuidenhout Daniel Jacobus Crafford Petrus du Buson Hendrik du Plessis Louis Grey Ruan Groenewald Robert Hunt Francois Jacobs Mogau Mabokela Muziwandile Mazibuko Tshego Moloto Bhekisa Shongwe Wessel Steyn Jaco Swanepoel Louis van der Westhuizen Dolf van Deventer Joshua van Niekerk Danie van Wyk Did not play: Bradley Leijdekkers Gerhardus le Roux Johnathan Levin Kabelo Motloung Henry Searle Julian Delicado Marco Donges Sydney du Plessis Eddie Engelbrecht Wilbri Gunter Garann Kriek Wessel Kuhn Tapiwa Mafura Nkosana Mathaba Nkululeko Mcuma Jimmy Mpailane Akhona Nela Timothy Prince Elden Schoeman Did not play: Lourens Basson Rashard Fuller Eugene Hare Tokkie Kasselman Allen Kemp Muller Diederik Oberholzer Roelof Liebenberg Scheepers De Wet Terblanche Did not play: Wian Koekemoer Johannes Gerhardus Jacobus van Deventer Daniel Jacobus von Wielligh

+ Sharks U21 squad Hyron Andrews Ngoni Chidoma Andrew du Plessis Johan du Toit Graham Geldenhuys Kyle Hatherell Erich Kankowski Ruan Kramer Mzamo Majola Michael Meyer Mthunzi Moloi Bandisa Ndlovu Johan Retief Ayron Schramm Pierre van der Walt Kerron van Vuuren Wian Vosloo Rikus Zwart Did not play: Andrew Acton Ryan Carlson Reyno du Toit Bernardus Haring Michael Hutton Jacobus Schalk Willem Kok Retief Marais Keagan Mills Ruan Smook Yuric Thambiran Shane Ball Tristan Blewett Malcolm Cele Marcel Coetzee Ruben de Vos Kelvin Elder Jasper Genis Benhard Janse van Rensburg Morné Joubert Jaywinn Juries Marius Louw Justin Newman S'busiso Nkosi Damian Stevens Danrich Visagie Did not play: Matthew Alborough Curwin Bosch Tony Brandon Juan-Michel Botha Bradley Phillip Ellse Max Freydell Rowan Gouws Blake Mingay Zweli Silaule Alwayno Visagie

+ Western Province U21 squad Saud Abrahams Jean-Pierre Botha Rikus Bothma Mitchell Carstens Jaco Coetzee Brenton Greaves Michael Kumbirai Daniël Maree Percy Mngadi Gary Porter David Ribbans Hanno Snyman Luke Stringer Nyasha Tarusenga Ruben Terblanche Christo van der Merwe Frans van Wyk Jacques Vermeulen Kyle Whyte Cobus Wiese Jaco Willemse Eduard Zandberg Did not play: Iver Aanhuizen Ruan Brits CF du Toit JD Schickerling Chad Solomon Heinrich Buhr Dennis Cox Aidynn Cupido Paul de Wet Grant Hermanus Herschel Jantjies Eduan Keyter Rabz Maxwane Ryan Oosthuizen Justin Phillips Duncan Saal Tiaan Swanepoel Brandon Thomson Edwill van der Merwe EW Viljoen Leolin Zas Did not play: Siya Alam Michael Andrade Clayton Daniels Daniël du Plessis Justin Heunis Keenan Jacobs Yaseen Jacobs Kuziwa Kazembe Khanyo Ngcukana Wayne Smith Ernst Stapelberg Damian Stevens Etienne Swarts Fabian van der Vent Did not play: Curtly Ambrose Thomas Marlo Louis Weich Jerome Paarwater

Points scorers

The following table contain points scored in the 2016 Under-21 Provincial Championship:

Top Ten point scorers No Player Team T C P DG Pts 1 Shaun Reynolds Golden Lions U21 1 22 18 3 112 2 Grant Hermanus Western Province U21 1 15 14 0 77 3 Garrick Mattheus Eastern Province U21 1 15 11 0 68 4 Tinus de Beer Blue Bulls U21 0 19 6 0 56 5 Gerrie Labuschagné Free State U21 2 15 2 0 46 6 Heinrich Bitzi Free State U21 0 8 6 0 34 7 Tristan Blewett Sharks U21 6 0 0 0 30 Elden Schoeman Leopards U21 6 0 0 0 30 9 Marco Donges Leopards U21 0 8 3 1 28 10 Rabz Maxwane Western Province U21 5 0 0 0 25 Jasper Wiese Free State U21 5 0 0 0 25