{"id":39822,"date":"2024-03-30T23:31:45","date_gmt":"2024-03-30T21:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=39822"},"modified":"2024-03-30T23:31:45","modified_gmt":"2024-03-30T21:31:45","slug":"nico-malan-and-westville-victorious-worcester-one-point-winners-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=39822","title":{"rendered":"Nico Malan and Westville victorious, Worcester one-point winners again"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

\"Daren
Daren Murphy dives over for one of Worcester Gimasium’s six tries against Ho\u00ebr Landbouskool Marlow. Photo: Hannah Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ho\u00ebrskool Noord-Kaap vs Nico Malan High School<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nico Malan High School<\/strong> beat Ho\u00ebrskool Noord-Kaap<\/strong> 31-22 in Saturday’s opening game of day two at the 2024 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

With both sides having copped losses on Thursday, there was plenty riding on the outcome of Saturday’s showdown. In another exciting opener, a tidy Nico Malan display boosted them to victory in a highly entertaining match-up.<\/p>\n

The team from Humansdorp’s physicality in the tackle repelled Noord-Kaap throughout the contest, while their efficiency at maul time laid a platform for their strike play.<\/p>\n

Although the boys in green and white held their own well at scrum time and in general contact, their inability to deal with Nico Malan’s rolling maul was a major hindrance.<\/p>\n

Still, they started strongly and dominated the possession and territory stakes early on, and they were eventually rewarded for a prolonged period of pressure inside the Bloutrui red zone when Elrin Morkel<\/strong> crossed the whitewash on the left wing.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t long before a Ruan du Preez<\/strong> penalty reduced the deficit for Nico Malan and lock Edrich Klue<\/strong> then scored under the sticks to make it 10-5 to the Eastern Cape side at half-time.<\/p>\n

A lovely break and grubber from Keano Mettler<\/strong> set up his midfield partner Jayden Potgieter<\/strong> for Noord-Kaap’s second, before Nico Malan loosehead Francois Smit<\/strong> trotted in from close quarters.<\/p>\n

Jonaden Links<\/strong> finished off another electrifying score for Noord-Kaap, and a successful conversion brought the teams’ level. But a series of penalties conceded by Noord-Kaap inside their own 22 resulted in a yellow card for flyhalf Abdul Fisher<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Tequine Koopman<\/strong> dotted down soon thereafter, which seemed to have settled the contest. However, Ambijorn Vraagom<\/strong> snatched the ensuing kick-off out of the sky and raced through to make it a two-point ball game with less than five minutes remaining.<\/p>\n

Nico Malan<\/strong> responded well and had the last say, with Gelden van Niekerk<\/strong> going over for the eighth and final try of an entertaining clash.<\/p>\n

Westville Boys’ High vs Pearson High School<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Westville
Westville centre Michael Satade heads for the try line after making a clean break through Pearson’s defensive line.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pearson<\/strong>, playing their first match at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, went down 11-18 to Westville Boys’ High<\/strong> in the second match on day two.<\/p>\n

Westville, who were beaten 31-10 by Rondebosch Boys’ High<\/strong> in rainy and misty conditions on Thursday, were desperate to deliver a bounce-back performance against the side from Summerstrand, Gqeberha.<\/p>\n

In the end, Unathi Mlotshwa<\/strong>‘s goal kicking was vital for coach Njabulo “Jabz” Zulu<\/strong>‘s troops, whose solid showing on defence set the tone for their win.<\/p>\n

For Pearson, who face a mighty day three challenge in the form of Durban High School (DHS)<\/strong>, creating more chances with the ball in hand will be a priority going forward after a rather subdued showing against the Griffin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Westville’s Mlotshwa broke the deadlock with a penalty 10 minutes into the encounter, before a
\nfine break and finish from barnstorming midfielder Michael Satade<\/strong> extended their lead. In a match where genuine attacking opportunities were few and far between, Satade’s score was a major moment.<\/p>\n

Caleb Friskin<\/strong> nailed a penalty for Pearson’s first points as both outfits struggled to gain a clear foothold in the game.<\/p>\n

Friskin<\/strong> and Mlotshwa<\/strong> were on target with further penalties before a rare flurry of chances resulted in Denilo Jordaan<\/strong> (Pearson) and Jadrian Afrikaner<\/strong> (Westville) dotting down for their respective teams.<\/p>\n

It was tight, but Westville hung on for a seven-point win.<\/p>\n

Worcester Gimnasium vs Ho\u00ebr Landbouskool Marlow<\/strong><\/p>\n

Worcester Gimnasium<\/strong>, 26-25 winners over Ho\u00ebrskool Rustenburg<\/strong> on Thursday, held off Ho\u00ebr Landbouskool Marlow<\/strong> 38-37 on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The lead changed hands a number of times during the game, with a whopping 10 tries being scored.<\/p>\n

It was all Marlow in the opening exchanges, and they hit the front courtesy of Gideon Jordaan<\/strong>‘s
\nboot, before his namesake Zeiss Jordaan<\/strong> touched down to make it 8-0.<\/p>\n

After hardly firing a shot all game, the Bosvarke<\/strong> scored twice in the blink of an eye. Firstly, they
\nworked a superb first phase attack deep inside Marlow’s territory, which was finished off by Daren Murphy<\/strong>. Then, Vuyolwethu Bavuma<\/strong> zigzagged his way through the opposition’s defence to suddenly thrust the Western Cape boys into the lead.<\/p>\n

Those tries, against the run of play, sparked Worcester to life, and they began to grow in
\nconfidence as the half wore on.<\/p>\n

When some handy work by JJ van der Mescht<\/strong> put Theuns Botha<\/strong> away for Marlow’s second, it was the Cradock boys who led 17-12 at the break.<\/p>\n

Two more Gideon Jordaan<\/strong> penalties were sandwiched in between Bavuma’s second touchdown, but another Worcester try to Valentino Nomadluka<\/strong> nudged his side into the lead.<\/p>\n

The boys in blue kept the momentum flowing, and the pressure told again when Elrenzo Swartz<\/strong>
\ncrossed over after Teagen Wiessener<\/strong> saw yellow for cynical play on Marlow’s tryline.<\/p>\n

When Waylan Pienaar<\/strong> dotted down it looked as though Worcester would run away with it, but
\nMarlow closed with tries through Wilco Nel<\/strong> and Albrey Rudman<\/strong> at the death, to come within a whisker of the win.<\/p>\n

Scorers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nico Malan 31 (10) –<\/strong> Tries: Edrich Klue, Francois Smit, Tequine Koopman, Gelden van Niekerk. Conversions: Jean Joubert (3), Ruan de Preez. Penalty: Ruan de Preez.\u00a0Noord-Kaap 22 (5) –<\/strong> Tries: Elrin Morkel, Jayden Potgieter, Jonaden Links, Ambijorn Vraagom. Conversion: Themba Koopman.<\/p>\n

Westville Boys\u2019 High School 18 (10) –<\/strong> Tries: Michael Satade, Jadrian Afrikaner. Conversion: Unathi Mlotshwa. Penalties: Unathi Mlotshwa (2). Pearson High School 11 (3) –<\/strong> Try: Denilo Jordaan. Penalties: Caleb Friskin (2).<\/p>\n

Worcester Gimnasium 38 (12) –<\/strong> Tries: Vuyolwethu Bavuma (2), Valentino Nomadluka, Elrenzo Swartz, Waylan Pienaar, Daren Murphy. Conversions: Aiden Abrahams (4). Ho\u00ebr Landbouskool Marlow 37 (17) –\u00a0<\/strong>Zeiss Jordaan, Theuns Botha, Wilco Nel, Albrey Rudman. Conversions: Gideon Jordaan (4). Penalties: Gideon Jordaan (3)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Ho\u00ebrskool Noord-Kaap vs Nico Malan High School Nico Malan High School beat Ho\u00ebrskool Noord-Kaap 31-22 in Saturday’s opening game of day two at the 2024 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival. With both sides having copped losses on Thursday, there was plenty riding on the outcome of Saturday’s showdown. In another exciting opener, a tidy Nico […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":39824,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39822\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}