Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen was far too strong for Hoërskool Noord-Kaap, easing their way to a comfortable 59-7 victory in the second game on Thursday at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival in Botha’s Hill.
In all, the Boksburg boys ran in nine tries to comprehensively outplay their opponents.
Their powerful ball-carrying and solid set-pieces were too much for the Kimberley side to handle, but more challenging tests await Jansies, with Glenwood and Kearsney the other sides on their schedule.
Despite the one-sided scoreline, Noord-Kaap demonstrated some potential, particularly in their offensive one-on-one battles. Unfortunately, an inability to match the intensity of EG Jansen meant it was always going to be a tough day at the office for the side from Kimberley.
They were put on the back foot immediately after the kick-off when their 8th-man Shaw Lourens received a yellow card. From there, it didn’t take long for Egies to open their account through an Ettienne Smit double, which was followed by a try from tighthead Duwan Potgieter.
Further five-pointers, through Keanu van Loggerenberg, Gerhard van Aswegen, and Jayden du Preez, put EG Jansen well clear at 38-0 at half-time.
The scoring slowed down in the second half, although the boys in black and yellow did manage further tries through Steven Williams, Craig Lightfoot, and Zandré Naudé.
For Noord-Kaap, a Tyron China score under the sticks ensured they didn’t leave the game scoreless.
A last gasp converted try saw Worcester Gimnasium claim a dramatic 26-25 victory over Hoërskool Rustenburg in a tightly contested festival opener.
The sides were neck-and-neck for the majority of the contest, but it looked for all money as if Rustenburg had sealed the win after a superb breakaway try from Lorenzo Snyers with a little over two minutes remaining.
However, a valiant fightback by Worcester resulted in a Tyron Abrahams try in the corner, which was converted brilliantly by his namesake, Aiden Abrahams, for the victory.
Some wholehearted defending in the opening exchanges kept Rustenburg at bay, but their sustained pressure finally told when Jaden Meyer slotted an early penalty to put the KERF debutants ahead.
They extended their advantage through a Zulu Khumalo try after a failed Worcester attempt to play from deep, as the boys in green and orange raced into a 10-0 lead.
Those early setbacks seemed to spark the Western Cape lads into life, and two quickfire tries against the run of play, through Conzay Roelf and Wilfred Slingers, reduced the deficit, before Meyer added another three-pointer.
The schools then traded tries through Waylan Pienaar and Henco Raath as Rusties took a slender 20-19 lead into the break.
The game slowed down somewhat in the second half, with both sides guilty of committing unforced errors. In contrast to the first half, it was Worcester that enjoyed the lion’s share of territory and possession in their hunt for the lead.
Then came that electrifying try from Snyers, which looked as if it was the final nail in the Capetonians’ coffin; but Worcester showed enormous tenacity to snatch a dramatic victory at the death.
Scorers
EG Jansen 59 (38) – Tries: Ettienne Smit (2), Duwan Potgieter, Keanu van Loggerenberg, Gerhard van Aswegen, Jayden du Preez, Steven Williams, Craig Lightfoot, Zandré Naude. Conversions: Delport (3), Matthew Bergman (2). Noord-Kaap 7 (0) – Try: Tyron China. Conversions: Themba Koopman.
Worcester Gimnasium 26 (19) – Tries: Tyron Abrahams, Conzay Roelf, Wilfred Slingers, Waylan Pienaar. Conversions: Aiden Abrahams (3). Hoërskool Rustenburg 25 (20) – Tries: Zulu Khumalo, Henco Raath, Lorenzo Snyers. Conversion: Jaden Meyer (2). Penalties: Meyer (2).
The 40th Saints Sports Festival burst into life on Wednesday afternoon. This year, over 80 teams, representing 85 schools, and featuring 1 100 participants, competing in various sports, are part of the annual festival hosted by St Stithians College.
St John’s College: 15 Riley Elliot, 14 Bryson Walker, 13 Gerald van Wyk, 12 Malan du Plessis, 11 Jacob Smith, 10 Joe MacRobert, 9 Thomas Kruger, 8 Kyle Watson, 7 John-John Bierman, 6 Grant Barnes, 5 Zian Newman, 4 Dominique Kamangu, 3 Matthew Kaplan, 2 Kahule Tungata, 1 Joshua Shannon.
For some leading South African schools, the road this Easter leads to St John’s College, in Johannesburg, as teams from far and wide across the country and beyond its borders prepare to take each other on over the course of three days of exciting rugby, from 28 March to 1 April.
