Maritzburg College’s KZN Inland u16 captain and SA u16 representative Siwa Sithembu gets a shot away under pressure from two Affies’ defenders.
Maritzburg College and Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) shared the spoils in a closely contested 1-1 draw on Pape’s Astro on Saturday morning in Pietermaritzburg.
There was little to separate the sides for most of the tie.
Throughout the season, College has asserted themselves on the game by controlling possession and, thus, controlling territory, which has led to them creating opportunities. Against Affies, KyleEmerson’s charges did their best to play their natural game and take control of the contest, but they simply failed to make as many circle entries as they would have liked.
“We didn’t create enough and weren’t effective in our forward movement,” Mark Sanders,College’s Director of Hockey, explained.
One of the reasons for that was Blake Goosen. The Affies’ coach and Head of Hockey is familiar with College’s approach to the game, having spent his teenage years competing against them. Goosen is a Westville alumnus and has first-hand experience.
He arrived prepared. Affies flooded the midfield and didn’t give the College ball carriers the room and space to express themselves. Goosen’s charges did not just develop this method of play with College in mind, it has been part of their new approach all season long.
“It’s been something we’ve been prepping over the season, but specifically coming back into term three, we are focussing on the tactical elements of the game, letting the players play when we go on the attack, but defensively, protecting the house, protecting the areas we want to and need to, especially against a good side with a very good midfield like College,” Goosen explained.
College matched the Affies’ defensive effort. Emerson’s team was equally solid at the back and did not allow the visitors to freely play in the circle or have clear shots on goal. The fewer goals they concede, the healthier the platform College has to create opportunities, Sanders said. This has been a part of their blueprint for the hockey programme across the age groups.
After the teams had gone into half-time at 0-0, Maritzburg College took the lead early in the third chukka.
Affies were on the offence, attacking deep into the College half down the right channel. Then, their midfielders ran into Ryan McKean, close to the College baseline. He won the ball for the home side and displayed silky skills as he carried it towards the halfway line before releasing a counterattack.
Julian Konigkramer took on the Affies defence with a brilliant run and was about to fix his radar on goal when he was tackled by the visitors’ goalkeeper, football style. That tackle earned College a penalty stroke, which Uyanda Dlamini converted.
Over the years, the Red, Black and White has earned a well-deserved reputation of pushing teams until the last second of play. This time around, the tables were turned on them. Affies was relentless as they hunted for an equaliser.
“That’s part of our culture. We will take teams to the end; we will outrun, outsprint, and outfight teams. It’s Affies’ guts,” Goosen reckoned.
With just over two minutes left in the game, the Pretoria side won the ball on the halfway line and launched another attack. Goosen’ charges strung together passes until they reached the edge of the D. A shot was fired off on goal and went it rebounded to Wian van Schalkwyk, the Affies’ captain wasted no time and fired the ball past goalkeeper Nick Holmes.
“Most of the games this season, with this group of players – they’re quite a young team – they’ve shown a lot of character and they’ve done it in many games. Coming back to get draws or victories like this,” Goosen shared.
College’s hunt for a winner in the last minute of play yielded no circle entries and Affies were happy to hold them at bay and claim a hard-earned draw.
RESULTS
u19 – Maritzburg College 1st 1-1 Affies 1st; Maritzburg College 2nd 1-0 Affies 2nd; Maritzburg College 3rd 0-3 Affies 3rd; Maritzburg College 4th 2-2 Affies 4th; Maritzburg College 5th 3-2 Affies 5th
u16 – Maritzburg College A 1-1 Affies A; Maritzburg College B 0-1 Affies B; Maritzburg College C 2-6 Affies C; Maritzburg College D 1-6 Affies D; Maritzburg College E 2-2 Affies E; Maritzburg College F 2-0 Affies F; Maritzburg College G 3-1 Affies G
u14 – Maritzburg College A 2-2 Affies A; Maritzburg College B 1-1 Affies B; Maritzburg College C 2-1 Affies C; Maritzburg College D 0-3 Affies D; Maritzburg College E 1-0 Affies E
Maritzburg College centre Nkululeko Sithole is pursued by Affies’ defenders as he kicks ahead on Goldstone’s.
Maritzburg College and Affies delivered a thriller on Goldstone’s on Saturday, with Ruben Pienaar landing a penalty 30 seconds from the final whistle to snatch a hard-fought 39-37 victory for the visitors.
Many would have picked the Wit Bulle to record a comfortable win – their record this season is excellent – but taking on Maritzburg College on Goldstone’s is a serious challenge, and not many teams manage wins on the Red, Black and White‘s famous home ground. Affies, beaten 50-31 by College in Pretoria last season, turned the tables, just.
“We knew coming here, it was going to be tough, but what a win!” a smiling Affies’ Head of Rugby, Ruan Jacobs, told SuperSport Schools Plus after the game. ” We stuck it out until the end. I think the guys deserved it for the way we played. It’s nice for them to win a tight one in the white jersey.”
Maritzburg College had edged ahead with only three minutes left to play, scoring a try in the left-hand corner to pull within a point of the visitors. Then, from in front of Basher RidgPotgietere, College flyhalf James Slevin, cool as a cucumber, had converted from the touchline to put his side 37-36 ahead.
Affies’ flyhalf Pienaar had a chance to win it shortly after that, from about the College 10m line, around 15 metres to the left of the posts, but his kick was directly into the wind, and it came up short. Still, the Wit Bulle kept battling and when they won another penalty, this time deep inside the Maritzburg 22, Pienaar made no mistake.
It was a gut punch to the College solar plexus, but the Pietermaritzburg school had done themselves and their supporters proud.
“The biggest thing for me was that the effort was unreal,” Maritzburg College Director of Rugby, Hendré Marnitz, said afterwards. “I know the result didn’t go our way, but that’s 9.9 out of 10 for effort and execution. The 0.1, unfortunately, is the penalty in the last minute. But you can’t fault the effort. It was unbelievable.
“The skill set was good today. The attacking mindset was good. The physicality was good. That’s sport, isn’t it?”
In an evenly contested battle, a fascinating duel took place in the set scrums and lineouts.
At the very first scrum, College, with their South African Schools props, Phiwayinkhosi Kubheka and Aiden Botha, took it hard to Affies, forcing the Pretoria boys backwards, but there was very little give from them thereafter. They were missing three of their first-choice tight five, but they were up for the challenge.
“We were very comfortable with the guys coming in. They’re young guys, but brilliant players in their own right,” Ruan Jacobs said. “It was fun to give them a chance in the white jersey, as well, so I am glad they took their chance and won. It is better to learn when you’re winning, rather than losing.”
Given their results against the same opposition this season – Affies pushed Grey College and Paul Roos all the way, while Maritzburg College was well beaten by both – the visitors from Pretoria should have cruised to victory, but games are not played on paper, and the contest received exactly what it needed when the home team opened the scoring with a try in the third minute from Aiden Botha, which was converted by the no. 10, Slevin.
That set the tone for a back-and-forth battle and Affies soon responded when outside centre Hendré Schoeman made a dive for five to the left of the uprights after slicing between two players, following a driving maul which had sucked in the Maritzburg College defenders. Flyhalf Pienaar added the extras.
A Slevin penalty put College 10-7 in front, but Affies, after forcing their way right up to the College try line on the right, quickly shifted the ball wide to the left with swift long passes to open up acres of space and put fullback Ruben Groenewald over.
A successful conversion attempt from Pienaar gave Affies a four-point advantage.
Throughout the contest, Affies impressed with their ability to move the ball wide to both flanks speedily, with accurate long passes.
“That’s something we looked at. I think that is a strength of our team,” Jacobs said. “Obviously, we are blessed with a guy like Janco Purchase. He has the ability to go hard at the line, but he also has the ability to distribute. He creates a lot of opportunities for the guys on the outside.”
On Saturday, the South African Schools’ centre caught the eye with his terrific vision and passing, and he was also effective running hard and straight at the Maritzburg defence.
Affies looked like they might have a shot at another try, when they created space wide on the left once more, but a spilled pass sat up nicely for College’s fullback Luyanda Kunene, who grabbed the ball close to his side’s 10-metre line. Pienaar desperately tried to execute an ankle tap, but Kunene was flying, and he outstripped the defence to dive over to the right of the posts.
Another accurate Slevin conversion gave the home team a three-point advantage at 17-14.
No matter what the Wit Bulle threw at Maritzburg College flyhalf, James Slevin, he was up for the challenge. His personal contribution to the Maritzburg College total was 17 points.
In the 26th minute, though, Affies hit back and regained the lead. A quickly taken penalty wide on the left was driven up into the 22. Then, when it was released from a ruck, Purchase threw a stupendous pass of about 25 metres wide to his right to pick out right-wing Nicolaas Grobler, who had a clear run to the try line in front of him. This time, Pienaar missed the conversion.
Another breakout from College, after Purchase had ripped through the defence and into the hosts’ 22, saw Nkuleleko Sithole kick ahead before gathering the ball just inside the Affies’ half. He was brought down on the visitors’ 22. The tacker didn’t roll away quickly enough, though, and Slevin was afforded a penalty kick at goal. Another successful strike led to a change of the lead again.
More good passing from Affies launched a scything counterattack down the left-hand flank, which took them into the 22. Then, they moved it inside before heading towards the left-hand touchline once more. But the path to the try line was straight, with 8th-man Ruan Lippold picking up and charging directly over a ruck for a try.
Pienaar added the extras to give Affies a 26-20 lead at the break.
In the early going, the support for both sides had been surprisingly sporadic, but as the teams had grown into the game, so, too, had the excitement on the sidelines mounted. In the second half, the supporters gave it their all and the teams gave them something to shout about.
Rambo Kubheka and company started the second stanza strongly, working the ball through a number of phases as they probed at the visitors’ defensive lines. It was thrilling stuff, but eventually it was undone by a forward pass. Affies, though, had strayed offsides under pressure and the reliable boot of Slevin brought Maritzburg College to within three points at 23-26.
Throughout the match, it was punch and counterpunch, with the lead changing hands seven times.
Affies turned to their driving maul to respond, and they powered their way to another try in the 42nd minute, with hooker Christiaan Potgieter crashing over, to move their advantage to eight points, just beyond a converted try.
Maritzburg swiftly reversed the momentum, taking their attack deep into the Affies’ 22. When they won a penalty near the try line, they opted for a quick tap. Excellent quick hands from tighthead prop Botha and inside centre Sithole then put his midfield partner Swelithle Mbatha over for a try.
The unerring Slevin tacked on two to make the score Maritzburg College 30, Affies 31. Just over 10 minutes remained in the game.
A fantastic show and go, with a break to the inside from Ruben Pienaar, ripped apart the home team’s defences to extend the Affies’ lead by five more points, but the flyhalf was unable to slot the conversion.
Once more, the team that had conceded points immediately surged onto the offensive, and this time it was Maritzburg College who hit it up with short passes and direct running, deep inside the visitors’ 22. They kept working it within the channel from the 15-metre line to the left-hand touchline and this eventually paid dividends when Wasi Vyambwera dived over in the corner.
Slevin lined up the conversion attempt. Behind him, on Basher Ridge, the College boys stood with right hands over their hearts. The flyhalf’s strike was straight and true and the bashers were launched high into the air. An upset was on the cards, it seemed.
Both teams are renowned for their grit and fighting spirit, however, and Affies were not done. In the end, they found a way to win, with Pienaar, who didn’t have his best day with the boot, making the kick that counted.
Ecstatic and somewhat relieved, the Affies’ supporters heartily cheered Ruben Pienaar’s winning penalty kick.
“Sometimes that happens,” Jacobs said about Pienaar’s misses off the tee, but he was happy with the flyhalf’s all-round contribution. ‘I think his attacking play was good. His kicking was a little bit off, but that’s what you get sometimes, and then guys stepped up and we played good attacking rugby. It was a good team effort.”
On the opposite side, Maritzburg College’s Director of Rugby, Hendré Marnitz, was full of praise for his no. 10, James Slevin.
“James, today, was special,” he said. “His ability to control the game and his effort in training the last couple of months has been excellent. I give him a lot of credit for the effort that he puts in, and it rolls over into his game. He really works tirelessly at his kicking and the finer details. I’m really proud of James, and he is a really good kid, as well.”
In the end, Affies claimed a heart-stopping 37-36 victory and while it was a win for the visitors, it was also a victory for derbies between the big traditional boys’ schools. The respect for the opposition and the hard and fair manner in which the matches were contested reflected the best of South African schoolboys’ rugby.
u19 – Maritzburg College I 37 Affies I 39; Maritzburg College II 10 Affies II 33; Maritzburg College III 21 Affies III 26; Maritzburg College IV 19 Affies IV 19; Maritzburg College V 7 Affies V 24; Maritzburg College VI 8 Affies VI 38; Maritzburg College VII 7 Affies VII 42; Maritzburg College VIII 5 Affies VIII 27; Maritzburg College IX 12 Affies IX 42
u16 – Maritzburg College A 27 Affies A 43; Maritzburg College B 6 Affies B 22; Maritzburg College C 12 Affies C 62; Maritzburg College D 0 Affies D 50; Maritzburg College E 0 Affies E 50
u15 – Maritzburg College A 13 Affies A 49; Maritzburg College B 3 Affies B 50; Maritzburg College C 7 Affies C 57; Maritzburg College D 5 Affies D 55; Maritzburg College E 3 Affies E 50; Maritzburg College F 0 Affies F 50
u14 – Maritzburg College A 10 Affies A 12; Maritzburg College B 3 Affies B 52; Maritzburg College C 7 Affies C 36; Maritzburg College D 0 Affies D 36; Maritzburg College E 0 Affies E 40
Die heen-en-weer rit van bykans nege uur wat Potchefstroom Gimnasium na Tzaneen moes aanpak was die moeite werd.
Herleef al die aksie op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
Die Prinse van Potch het die tuisspan, Merensky Landbou Akademie, met ‘n telling van 29-24 in die Bulkraal verslaan.
Dit is die Plasies se tweede agtereenvolgende nederlaag teen ‘n span van Potchefstroom, nadat hulle kort voor die skoolvakansie met 22-24 teen Potchefstroom Volkskool vasgeval het.
Die tuisspan het nietemin ‘n effense oorhand geniet in die eerste helfte om met 14-10 voor te loop teen rustyd. In die tweede helfte het die besoekers egter hul ritme gevind.
Haker, Jaco Nel, was oudergewoonte woelig in die vastelos en gebroke spel, en het die bal met mening gedra om die ligbloues deurgaans besig te hou. Die Gimmies het agterlangs ook spasie begin vind en heelagter, PC Schutte, en linkervleuel, David Ndlala, het die geleenthede aangegryp om elk agter die Plasies se doellyn te gaan kuier.
Die tuisspan se buitesenter, Ulrich Mare, het sy terugkeer tot die speelveld gevier deur twee keer deur te bars vir drieë, terwyl Franco Badenhorst voorlangs uitstaande was vir die tuisspan. Die oopkanflank het dikwels die lewe moeilik gemaak vir die besoekers en in kritieke stadiums omgekeerde balbesit bewerkstellig.
Negentien punte deur die besoekers in die tweede helfte was egter net té veel vir die Plasies om in te haal, en die Tzaneeners keer terug na die tekenbord voor hul volgende drie belangrike wedstryde.
Hoërskool Eldoraigne se Drake het uiteindelik die spelpeil bereik waaroor almal gepraat het aan die begin van die seisoen. Die Pretorianers het ‘n reuse tweede helfte aanmekaargeslaan om Potchefstroom Volkskool met 44-27 af te stof.
Die Drake se skrumskakel, Darren Bruwer, is besig om van krag tot krag te gaan. Die graad 11-knaap het ‘n uiters behendige vertoning vir iemand van sy jong ouderdom gelewer, en sy taktiese skopwerk en breekslae om die afbreekpunte maak van hom ‘n reuse bate.
Sy skakelmaat, JP Meyer, was oudergewoonte in beheer van sake agterlangs en beskik eenvoudig oor hope tyd om sy snellers telkens op die voorvoet te plaas. Meyer se stelskopwerk was weer uit die boonste rakke en hy het met vier doelskoppe en twee strafdoele geslaag om by sy drie te voeg.
In Randburg was twee belangrike doelskoppe deur die tuisspan se buitesenter, Quintin Fillies, genoeg om aan Hoërskool Randburg ‘n naelskraapse sege van 21-18 oor Hoërskool Dr. Malan te verseker. Die Randburgers se oorwinning hou hulle beslis in die wedloop vir ‘n plek in die uitspeelrondes.
Hoërskool Alberton het waarskynlik sy beste vertoning van die kompetisie gelewer om Hoërskool Wagpos in Brits met 29-19 te troef. Heelagter, Jaydon Mostert, was die span van Alberton se uitblinker met ‘n drie en twee doelskoppe.
Puntemakers:
Potchefstroom Gimnasium 29 (10) – Drieë: Jaco Nel, David Ndlala, Morne van Aswegen, PC Schutte, Jaap van der Westhuizen. Doelskoppe: Justin Oosthuizen, David Ndlala. Merensky 24 (14) – Drieë: Ulrich Mare (2), Byron Hendricks. Doelskoppe: Byron Hendricks (3). Strafdoel: Hendricks.
The DSG Makhanda first team after claiming top honours in the Eastern Cape Spar Hockey Challenge in Gqeberha. Photo: ECSpar Hockey Challenge
A solitary goal by Diocesan School for Girls’ (DSG) stalwart, Abigail Holderness, sealed a 1-0 victory for the Makhanda side against Pearson High School in the final of the Eastern Cape Spar Hockey Challenge on Sunday in Gqeberha.
DSG finished the tournament as the only unbeaten side, after running rampant against their opponents on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Coach Geowynnne Gamiet’s side entered the weekend as the favourites, along with Pearson High.
They had been out of action for a while, though, with their last outing being last month when they defeated Kingswood College 2-1 during the annual K-Day celebrations in Makhanda.
Nonetheless, DSG began their pursuit of top honours on a positive note, beating Pearson, with whom they had drawn 3-3 earlier in the season, 1-0 in their opening match on Saturday afternoon.
The Makhanda side, boasting quality players like the Holderness sisters, Lucy and Abigail,Mike Holder, Kayleigh Clayton, and Hannah Lowe, soon made it two wins in a row, beating Komani’s Queenstown Girls’ High 3-1.
They completed their day with a clean record after a 2-1 win over York High, and on Sunday morning handed Clarendon a 2-0 defeat before again beating York 2-1, this time in the semi-finals.
Pearson, meanwhile, went down to DSG in their opener on Saturday, and were held to a 1-1 draw by York, but still managed to secure a semi-final spot.
In the last four, they dominated Queenstown Girls’ High, winning 4-1, to set up a third meeting with DSG this season.
When the teams previously met in Makhanda, it was DSG who were forced to come from behind to draw, but in Sunday’s final they started brightly. They demonstrated positive intent and were rewarded with a penalty corner in the opening three minutes of the match.
Up stepped the dangerous Abigail Holderness, and her powerful drag flick found the back of the net to put DSG into a 1-0 lead.
Pearson fought hard to find a response in the 25-minute-long encounter, and they received two short corners, but were unable to convert either of them.
Time ran down, with very few goal-scoring opportunities having been created, but, at the end, the game opened up.
Holderness had another opportunity to score with five minutes to play and, after dancing her way through Pearson’s defence, her shot was deflected off the goalkeeper’s boots and went wide of the mark.
In the end, though, it was SA u17 star Holderness’s early strike that separated the teams.
In the bronze medal match, a Megan Prinsloo goal secured a 1-0 win for York over Queenstown Girls’ High. Clarendon High School for Girls placed fifth.
RESULTS
Day One
DSG Makhanda 1-0 Pearson High
York High 0-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
DSG Makhanda 3-1 Queenstown Girls’ High
York High 1-1 Pearson High
Queenstown Girls High 1-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
DSG Makhanda 2-1 York High
Pearson High 0-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
Day Two
Pearson High 4-1 Queenstown Girls’ High
DSG Makhanda 2-0 Clarendon High School for Girls
Queenstown Girls’ High 1-0 York High
Pearson High 4-1 Queenstown Girls’ High- Semifinal 1
DSG Makhanda 2-1 York High – Semifinal 2
York High 1-0 Queenstown Girls’ High – Bronze medal
DSG Makhanda 1-0 Pearson High – Final
Ligbron Akademie se busrit terug na Ermelo sou effens korter gevoel het nadat hy die laaste lag kon inkry in Pretoria.
Herleef al die aksie regstreeks op SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
Die Liggies het in ‘n drieëfees daarin geslaag om met ‘n telling van 50-41 as oorwinnaars uit die stryd te tree in hul kragmeting met Hoërskool Oos-Moot in die SDC Noordvaal Cup se Plaat-afdeling.
Die besoekers se gevaarlike agterlyn was soos verwag die deurslaggewende faktor.
Die snellers agterlangs het die tuisspan deurgaans laat bontstaan met flink voetwerk en hope vaart. Regtervleuel, Neo Zwane, was voor in die koor en het deurgebars vir ‘n indrukwekkende tweekuns.
Cravenweek-heelagter, Anele Ngwenya, het sy reputasie gestand gedoen deur telkens ekstra spasie te skep vir Zwane en sy vleuelmaat, Bandile Thanjekwayo, met sy innoverende teenaanvalle.
Die Oosies het egter die oorhand voorlangs geniet. Hul kragtige dryfmale en fisieke teenwoordigheid by die afbreekpunte, asook twee drieë deur agtsteman, Deon Badenhorst, het hulle in die wedloop gehou. Dit het geleentheid geskep vir Dewron Aford, die ligbloues en Blou Bulle se Cravenweek-senter, om sy vaardighede skitterend ten toon te stel met ‘n briljante driekuns.
In Klerksdorp het Hoër Tegniese Skool Middelburg se onoorwonne segetog in die afdeling teen Hoërskool Klerksdorp tot ‘n einde gekom. Die tuisspan het die Rooi Bulle met 23-14 geskok.
Klerksdorp-skrumskakel, Jarred van Staden, was uitstaande met sy taktiese skopwerk. Van Staden se akurate steekskoppies het die Middelburgers deurentyd laat omdraai en selfs tot twee van die tuisspan se drieë gelei. Agtsteman en kaptein, GJ Steenberg, was genadeloos op die aanval en het die besoekers se verdediging knaend op hul tone gehou.
Die Rooi Bulle se slot, Janco Aucamp, verdien ‘n klop op die skouer vir sy vertoning. Aucamp het uitgetroon in die lynstane en vir die tuisspan talle hoofbrekens besorg op hul ingooi.
Hoërskool Middelburg het sy stempel as een van die groot aanspraakmakers op ‘n plek in die halfeindstryd afgedruk met nóg ‘n puik tuissege, dié slag oor Kempton Park met ‘n telling van 40-7.
Die tuisspan se regtervleuel, Kefilwe Phamotse, het met sy vaart en beweeglikheid die kanse aangegryp om twee keer agter die Kempies se doellyn te gaan kuier. Losskakel, Matthew Abbey, het weer die toutjies agterlangs behendig getrek om sy span op die voorvoet te plaas en ook vyf van sy span se ses drieë verdoel.
Hoërskool Montana het ‘n goeie vertoning opgedis om sy eweknie van Centurion, Hoërskool Zwartkop, naelskraaps met 15-14 te verslaan. Die Monties moes spook in die doodsnikke om die begeesterde Zwarries in toom te hou en slegs ‘n mislukte doelskop het die verskil beteken tussen die twee spanne.
Puntemakers:
Ligbron Akademie 50 (26) – Drieë: Neo Zwane (2), Janco Claasen, Divan van Jaarsveld, Bandile Thanjekwayo, Siyanda Dennison, Anele Ngwenya. Doelskoppe: Renier van Staden (5), Divan van Jaarsveld. Strafdoel: Van Staden. Oos-Moot 41 (26) – Drieë: Dewron Aford (3), Deon Bandenhorst (2), Drew Williams, Tapiwa Rwafa. Doelskoppe: Ruwan Allen (3).
The Junior Springboks are hurting after losing to Argentina on Sunday and will give it their all to bounce back in the final match of their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign when they contest seventh place on Friday.
The SA U20s lost 34-24 (half-time 10-24) to Argentina in their fifth-place semi-final on a sunny but cool afternoon in Cape Town on Sunday and gave a much better account of themselves than in the pool fixture 10 days ago, when the Pumitas won comfortably.
The Junior Boks showed great showed greater enterprise on attack, with the drier conditions obviously helping their cause, but this was nullified by Argentina’s stronger performance in the lineouts.
Argentina again started better and took a 14-point lead into the break, but the Junior Boks made a big step up in the second half, with especially Jurenzo Julius testing the defence with his strong running in midfield. Argentina, though, kept the upper hand in the game to another positive result for them.
Afterwards, Junior Bok coach Bafana Nhleko said his side’s tendency to drop the intensity at important moments of the match spoiled several good opportunities.
“There were lots of pressure released today,” said Nhleko.
“We would play in moments and get good momentum, then we release the pressure with an error or poor decision making and then we would find ourselves on the backfoot again.
“We started well in the lineouts, and when they started to get tired, we fell off with our detail to keep the pressure on them.
“Those are the opportunities that we lost, and those moments really hurt us. Today, the most disappointing thing was around the defence, which is usually our strong point.”
Nhleko summed up the mood in the camp: “Obviously we’re down in terms of how we feel because the result wasn’t what we had hoped for. The reality is that we must get up and go again because we have a game again on Friday.”
In terms of finishing the tournament, against either Wales or Australia, Nhleko said: “We know people are hurting, and the team hurt as much. The performance was good in parts but not good enough for the full 80 minutes, but we have one more to go, and we must bounce back and hopefully finish on a better note. Now we must play for some pride.”
Pool E: Garsfontein 21, Oranje 17; Hluvuka 20, Monwabisi 7; Oranje 19, La Rochelle 17; Garsfontein 28, Hluvuka 5; Oranje 44, Hluvuka 2; La Rochelle 57, Monwabisi 4; La Rochelle 49, Hluvuka 16; Garsfontein 60, Monwabisi 1; La Rochelle 27, Garsfontein 18; Oranje 90, Monwabisi 2.
Pool F: Jim Fouche 24, Waterkloof 19; Ntshuxelo High School 19, Saul Damon 10; Waterkloof 62, Saul Damon 5; Paarl Girls’ High 21, Jim Fouche 20; Paarl Girls’ High 48, Ntshuxelo High School 4; Jim Fouche 52, Saul Damon 3; Paarl Girls’ High 46, Saul Damon 1; Waterkloof 47, Ntshuxelo High School 7; Jim Fouche 64, Ntshuxelo High School; Paarl Girls’ High 20, Waterkloof 19.
Pool G: Hoërskool Rustenburg 29, Ikaheng 15; Secunda 21, Bardale 10; Hoërskool Rustenburg 31, Moshate Secondary 15; Secunda 37, Ikaheng 21; Hoërskool Rustenburg 24, Bardale 12; Moshate Secondary 23, Ikaheng 22; Secunda 26, Hoërskool Rustenburg 20; Moshate Secondary 19, Bardale 19; Secunda 35, Moshate Secondary 21; Bardale 26, Ikaheng 18.
Pool H: Hoërskool Nelspruit 17, St Anne’s Diocesan College 11; Potchefstroom Gimnasium 36, Vosloorus 7; Vosloorus 23, St Anne’s Diocesan College 18; Hoërskool Nelspruit 21, Manzomthombo High 12; Hoërskool Nelspruit 29, Vosloorus 19; Potch Gimnasium 22, Manzomthombo High 18; Potchefstroom Gimnasium 29, Hoërskool Nelspruit 9; St Anne’s Diocesan College 23, Manzomthombo High 23, Vosloorus 26, Manzomthombo High 18; Potchefstroom Gimnasium 39, St Anne’s Diocesan College 8.
DAY 2
Uitspeelwedstryde: Affies 36, Duineveld 16; Menlopark 34, Diamantveld 17; La Rochelle 20, Paarl Gimnasium 19; Oranje 29, Jim Fouché 18; Paarl Girls’ High 31, Hoërskool Rustenburg 17; Secunda 20, Hoërskool Nelspruit 19; Potchefstroom Gimnasium 23, Ben Vorster 16; Shayamoya 37, Framesby 22.
King Edward VII School (KES) extended their winning streak over Pretoria Boys High School by winning 18-5 at home on Saturday in a gruelling contest to sweep the season’s home and away fixtures against the Candies.
The Red Army’s Vusi Moyo opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a successful penalty kick after Boys High were penalised for going off their feet at a ruck. Despite slipping at the top of his mark, the South African Schools flyhalf slotted with ease.
Then, deep inside the PBHS 22, KES outside centre Olunje Mehlomakulu set up right wing Ntsako Shivuri for a try with an excellent pass. Shivuri was over for five, but Moyo was unable to add two.
At half-time, it was just 8-0 to KES. Boys High would have felt that they deserved a little bit more reward for their effective rolling mauls and slight dominance in the set scrums.
Five minutes into the second half, however, KES extended their lead to 15-0, after flank Kebotile Maake, who usually plays at 8th-man, burst over for try from a scrum. He hit a gap with speed and power and was in for the five-pointer.
Pretoria Boys High more than stood their ground at scrum time, but they were unable to take advantage of any edge they gained at the set piece.
The Candies’ never-say-die efforts were, however, finally rewarded when hooker Thapelo Mphela crashed over after a strong rolling maul, which was begun from a well-crafted lineout. With 22 minutes to go, there was still plenty of time for either side to make a decisive run at victory.
KES extended their points’ haul to 18 when Boys High was pinged for hanging onto the ball while on the ground, with Moyo knocking the kick cleanly through the upright from 30 metres out.
Towards the end of the contest, the hosts were reduced to 14 men after having one of their players shown a yellow card for an illegal tackle, but the Candies were unable to make their one-man advantage count.
The Red Army’s scrumhalf, Regan McGurk, was a standout performer for home side, with his non-stop harrassment of PBHS getting under the visitors’ skin.
Boys High assistant coach Wian Geldenhuys summed up the game afterwards, saying: “It was a proper test match. Not the most exciting rugby game.”
Throughout the contest, both sets of players found themselves penalised in the rucks and for straying offsides. They’ll need to adjust to the manner in which a referee blows those aspects of the game.
King Edward VI 18(8) – Tries: Ntsako Shivuri, Michael Bownes. Conversions: Vusi Moyo. Penalities: Vusi Moyo (2). Pretoria Boys High School: 5(0) – Try: Thapelo Mphela.
As Durban buzzed with excitement ahead of the Springboks vs Ireland showdown at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, Hoërskool Rustenburg claimed a three-point win over Glenwood on Dixon’s Field, with Awie Alberts keeping his cool and converting a penalty in injury time to lift his team to the victory.
Rustenburg struggled throughout the match with their kicking, landing only one of their four conversion attempts. But cometh the hour, cometh the man, and Alberts rose to the occasion when it was most needed, sending the kick through the uprights from 35m out, and sending the small travelling party into a frenzy of celebrations.
The first 10 minutes of the match was a see-saw affair with both teams going over for tries.
Rustenburg drew first blood, but Glenwood responded through centre Lizwe Mtetwa, who cut through the defences of the visitors with a thrilling run from the half-way line. The big number 12 weaved his way through the visitors’ flailing defenders to go over under the poles untouched after a brilliant piece of individual play.
Rustenburg, though, seized the momentum, with Xavier Steenkamp, Henré Robinson, Jonre Jefthas all crossing for tries.
The Green Machine‘s outside centre Sispho Dwayi replied for the hosts to reduce the deficit to only three points.
Then, Rustenburg wing Wesley van Loggenberg was taken out without the ball after chipping over the Glenwood defence. The tackle was fairly late and high, and the referee hit Glenwood with a penalty try.
At halftime, Rustenburg was well positioned, leading 24-14, and they would have felt confident heading into the second stanza.
After the break, though, Glenwood upped their game. Their defence sharpened up and their attack was more incisive.
When hooker Martin van Wyngaardtjunior scored to level the scores, it appeared as if the contest was headed for a draw. Then, Alberts landed his crucial kick.
For Glenwood, flyhalf Juan Viljoen kicked and carried well, but another loss will have stung.
The Green Machine faces two more tough fixtures, against Northwood and Maritzburg College, and will need to regroup quickly.
Rustenburg will, meanwhile, return home buoyed by a second successive win over Glenwood and eager to resume their pursuit of a Noordvaal title.
Point Scorers
Glenwood 24 (14) – Tries: Martin van Wyngaardt, Sispho Dwayi, Lizwe Mtetwa. Conversions: Juan Viljoen (3). Penalty: Juan Viljoen. Rustenburg 27 (24) – Tries: Xavier Steenkamp, Henre Robinson, Jonre Jefthas, penalty try. Conversion: Jaden Meyer. Penalty: Awie Alberts.
ANDRÉ SMIT (met bal), slot van die Hoërskool Nelspruit se Rhinos, storm hier op Garsfontein se Luan Ferreira (links) en Ruan Enslin (links) in die twee spanne se wedstryd in die SDC Noordvaal Cup in Mbombela af. Die Rhinos het die kragmeting met 30-29 gewen om vir die eerste keer sedert 2014 die Turkoois Bere te verslaan. FOTO: Dirk Kotze
LEPHALALE. – Die Hoërskool Nelspruit se Rhinos het vir die grootste opskudding van die naweek gesorg toe hy vir Garsfontein met 30-29 in Mbombela uitoorlê het.
Die Rhinos het teen rustyd ‘n voorsprong van 16-0 opgebou met sy losskakel, Theuns Meyer, wat met sy skopskoen die telbord aan die rol gehou het. Dit was die eerste keer sedert die Beeldtrofee van 2014 se eindstryd wat die Rhinos daarin kon slaag om die Turkoois Bere om te dop.
In ‘n senutergende wedstryd waarin Waterkloof en Helpmekaar nie minder as drie keer in die laaste ses minute die voortou verwissel het, was die Klofies uiteindelik danksy ‘n onderskepdrie deur die linkervleuel, Malcolm George, met 31-29 baas.
Albei spanne se heelagters, Tiaan le Roux (Helpmekaar) en Ronan Bastiaanse (Waterkloof), was vuurwarm.
Jeppe het vir die tweede jaar in ‘n ry vir Monument (47-31) kaf gedraf.
Die Hoërskool Ellisras het op sy tuisveld in Lephalale sy titel as kampioen van Groep 2 in die Limpopo-liga met ‘n oorwining van 27-19 oor Ben Viljoen van Groblersdal suksesvol verdedig.
Die kampioen se se haker, Hanno Kay, en agtsteman, Funi Simba, was die groot dorings in die besoekers se vlees. Die twee se werksverrigting op die aanval sowel as verdediging het aan hul span die deurslag gegee.
Die Rassies sal nou teen Rob Ferreira van Witrivier in die uitspeelrondes van die SDC Noordvaal Cup te staan kom.
Die verdedigende kampioen van die streekkompetisie, Midstream College, het vir die vierde keer die titel as kampioen van die Blou Bulle verower. Hy het vir HTS John Vorster met 39-19 in die eindstryd geklop.
Oosterlig is die nuwe Valke-kampioen nah y vir Hans Moore met 25-24 getroef het.
Framesby het in Gqeberha vir die derde agtereenvolgende keer daarin geslaag om vir Grey High School om te dop. Hy het met 19-17 as oorwinnaars van die veld gestap.
In die Wesgrow-reeks kan niemand meer vir Diamantveld ontroon as kampioen nie. Die agtsteman, Jayden de Klerk, was uitstaande in die span se oorwinning van 45-7 oor Goudveld-Hoërskool.
Die Hoërskool Trio het ook vir ‘n verrassing gesorg deur op sy tuisveld in Kroonstad vir Jim Fouché met 28-26 te klop.
King Edward VII 18, Pretoria Boys’ High 23; Jeppe 47, Monument 31; Hoërskool Rustenburg 27, Glenwood 24; Affies 39, Maritzburg College 37; Northcliff 20, Dinamika 10.
OOS-KAAP
Framesby 19, Grey High School 17; St Andrew’s College 42, Marlow Landbou 14; Selborne College 29, Hudson Park 23; Ithembelihle 33, Humansdorp Sekondêr 23; Queen’s College 48, Ooskus Gimnasium 17; Kingswood College 27, Nico Malan 15; Pearson 17, Graeme College 14; Die Brandwag 38, Muir College 13.
Die heen-en-weer rit van bykans nege uur wat Potchefstroom Gimnasium na Tzaneen moes aanpak was die moeite werd.
Ligbron Akademie se busrit terug na Ermelo sou effens korter gevoel het nadat hy die laaste lag kon inkry in Pretoria.
As Durban buzzed with excitement ahead of the Springboks vs Ireland showdown at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, Hoërskool Rustenburg claimed a three-point win over Glenwood on Dixon’s Field, with Awie Alberts keeping his cool and converting a penalty in injury time to lift his team to the victory.