DROSTDY 29 – 26 SELBORNE COLLEGE
The penultimate festival match, between Selborne College and HTS Drostdy, saw the East London side dominating position for the first 20 minutes. The Worcester team struggled to get their hands on the ball and, when they did, they were cut down.
Selborne went into an early 10-0 lead following a penalty by Thomas Bursey, followed by a try scored by centre Sibabalwe Xamlashe, converted by Bursey.
A second penalty by Bursey, followed by a strong run by prop Shakeel Naidoo, again converted by Bursey, left Selborne well in control and looking comfortable with a 20-point lead.
Drostdy gradually began winning more ball and with this became far more competitive. Their first try came five and a half minutes from the break, when flank Heinrich Naude scored following a lineout. Just two minutes later, Naude scored his second try after some good inter-passing. This was converted by Shaun Baxter for the deficit to be cut to eight points and a Selborne 20-12 lead at the break.
Bursey increased Selborne’s lead with his third penalty, but it was Drostdy who were looking the stronger. A yellow card for a high tackle saw Drostdy opting for a lineout rather than three points. The subsequent rolling maul found hooker Stefan Schwartz in possession to score as they crossed the try-line.
Another penalty conversion by Bursey took Selborne to 26-17 ahead. Just going into the fourth quarter Drostdy moved down the left and fullback Cohen Jasper scored a good try in the corner. This was well converted by Baxter to narrow the gap to 24-26.
The game really came alight in the last 10 minutes with both sides striving to score. Two chances by Drostdy went a-begging. Then, in the last seconds after setting up a line-out, driving and moving the ball, wing Keane Gelant was found unmarked on the left. Selborne managed to stop him but from the ruck centre Keane Gelant forced his way over in a mass of bodies, to give Drostdy a 29-26 win in an extremely exciting and excellent game of rugby.
Point scorers:
Drostdy: Tries Cohen Jasper, Heinrich Naude (2), Stefan Schwartz, Keane Gelant; Conversions Shaun Baxter (2)
Selborne: Tries Sibabalwe Xamlashe, Shakeel Naidoo; Conversions Thomas Bursey (2); Penalties Thomas Bursey (4)
GAME 4
DHS 39 – 0 DALE COLLEGE
In the fifth match of the final day, unbeaten DHS faced Dale College who had lost both their earlier festival games. It was the KZN side which dominated the first 10 minutes with a penalty by Shakur la Douce, and then a converted try after Dale had passed back and had to dot down for DHS to have a 5m scrum.
From an ensuing ruck, prop Mthokozisi Gumede found is way over with La Douce adding the extra points, to take a 10-0 lead.
Dale were struggling to keep ball in hand and, with a brisk breeze behind DHS, they kept Dale in their own half. The Border team did have the occasional visit to the DHS 22m area, but their handling let them down.
In the second quarter it was DHS who scored a further three times. Lock Setjhaba Mathuse, after inter-passing among the forwards scored first; then it was centre McNeil Jenner who finished a move started by Zethembe Mbonambi after a favourable bounce. In the final minutes of the half their SA schools loose forward Celimpilo Gumede ran through a tackle to score, this time converted by La Douce, for a 23-0 lead at the break.
Dale improved their play but again lost ground when passes did not go to hand. With the wind direction across field they did not get much advantage from that. It was DHS with a kick ahead, a favourable bounce and Gumede was first to dot down. La Douce converted and DHS had increased their lead to 34-0.
With just over two minutes remaining, DHS had a good passing movement down the field and fullback La Douce was on hand to dive over for their last try and a 39-0 win.
Although this was a game where DHS dominated, Dale did not take their chances and could not hold their passes.
Point scorers:
DHS: Celimpilo Gumede (2), McNeil Jenner, Shakur La Douce, Cetjhaba Mathuse, Mthokozisi Gumede; Conversions Shakur La Douce (3); Penalty Shakur La Doce
GAME 3
HTS MIDDELBURG 35 – 17 QUEEN’S COLLEGE
It was an entertaining first half in the third match between HTS Middelburg and Queen’s College. The latter had lost both their games, whilst Middelburg had a narrow one-point win against Kearsney in their first match.
Middelburg were the dominant side for the first quarter and went into a 7-0 lead after a good driving try by eighth man Juandre Odendaal, converted by Morne Sonnekus.
The second quarter saw Queen’s becoming more confident with the ball in hand and they managed two tries to lead 12-7 at the break. The first after Siya Tyulu passed out to flank Chumani Gatyeni. Tyulu was again the play maker for the second try, this time passing inside to wing Liyabona Maku who dived over. It was converted by Aviwe Kanuka for their 12 points.
Middelburg regrouped at the break and came out looking the better team. They made less mistakes, dominating loose play. Three tries were scored, two from Queen’s mistakes – the first after a good line movement when Odendaal scored his second break through two tackles.
The second came from a lineout with Queen’s not gathering, and hooker Edwin Till was first to the ball. The third was when Odendaal scored his hat-trick with a bullocking run from a Queen’s handling mistake. Two were converted by Sonnekus to give them a 31-12 lead. The final try by Middelburg was scored by flank Franco Fourie after a long overhead pass.
Queen’s had the last run of play when Odwa Mfeka ran down the middle of the field to score and bring them to a respectable 17-35 loss after an entertaining game.
Point scorers:
Middelburg: Tries Juandre Odendaal (3), Edwin Till, Franco Fourie; Conversions Morne Sonnekus (5)
Queen’s: Tries Liyabona Maku, Chumani Gatyeni, Odwa Mfeka; Conversion Aviwe Kanuka
GAME 2
HOERSKOOL NOORD-KAAP 8 – 30 HOERSKOOL FRAMESBY
On a beautifully warm day, the second match was between Port Elizabeth’s Hoerskool Framesby, who had won both their prior matches, and Hoerskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley, who had yet to win a game.
Framesby had the heavier forwards and they were more dominant in the broken phases of play. Noord-Kaap was left to largely feed on scraps.
Two tries were scored by Framesby, the first by flyhalf Juandre Liebenberg and the second by centre Sebastian Brandt, after a favourable bounce. The first was converted by Liebenberg put them 12-0 ahead.
Both sides then traded penalties, Liebenberg for Framesby and DS van Niekerk for Noord-Kaap, to leave Framesby 15-3 ahead. After some forward dominance, centre Brandt went over for his second try.
On the half-time whistle, Noord-Kaap managed to put some passes together which gave centre Tiaan Swanepoel some space, and he outpaced the defence to score the try of the game. It left an 8-20 score-line going into the break.
The second half was evenly contested until a few minutes from the end. A possible try by Noord-Kaap centre Elzandro Fredericks after a 70m sprint was nullified after a call by the assistance referee for an illegal tackle.
This gave Framesby a second wind and they attacked, resulting in centre Brandt breaking. He was tackled on the try-line, but supporting flank Christo Grobler was on hand to dot down, resulting in a 30-8 lead and final score to win.
Framesby will return home having won all three of their matches the festival. Noord-Kaap will rue their handling and passing which ultimately cost them their three games.
Point scorers:
Framesby: Tries Juandre Liebenberg, Sebastian Brandt (2), Christo Grobler, Monray Potgieter; Conversion Juandre Liebenberg; Penalty Juandre Liebenberg
Noord-Kaap: Tries Tiaan Swanepoel; Penalty DS van Niekerk
GAME 1
GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL 24 – 10 WELKOM GIMNASIUM
The final day of the Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival opened with two sides in the top four of the games thus far. Glenwood, undoubtedly the top team of the festival, and Welkom Gimnasium, making their debut at this 11th annual festival. Despite having lost against HTS Drostdy on Saturday, Welkom was one of the better sides at the festival.
It took Glenwood just four minutes to open the scoring when centre Bani Holtshauzen broke through, rounded the defence, scoring behind the poles. Dylan Pretorius converted for a 7-0 lead.
This caused Welkom to up their game and they kept Glenwood in their own half for the middle of the half. One penalty attempt hit the upright and a second penalty a few minutes later from 42m was converted by flyhalf Ryan Davids. They did reach the red zone, but Glenwood defences held and in the last five minutes of the half, Glenwood’s Pretorius added three points to make the score 10-3.
Glenwood then almost scored and from the 5m scrum the ball was moved quickly and flyhalf Pretorius made a break. With two defenders on his back, he forced his way over between the uprights, to make his conversion an easy kick and a 17-3 half-time lead.
Ten minutes into the second half, after some to and fro play, a 5m scrum after Glenwood had been awarded a penalty resulted in scrumhalf Joe Jonas diving over. Well converted by Pretorius, this extended the Glenwood lead to 24-3.
Glenwood had dominated and appeared to take their foot off the pedal as the game stuttered for the remainder of the half.
With all the Glenwood reserves playing, ahead of the team travelling to the international tournament at the Paarl Boys High 150th celebration, they were content to see off play. But it was a steal by Welkom in their own 5m area, and a kick ahead by Marno April, that resulted in him scoring the final try. This was converted by Davids, to make the final score 24-10 to Glenwood, for the Green Machine to end the festival unbeaten.
Point scorers:
Glenwood: Tries Bani Holtshauzen, Dylan Pretorius, Joe Jonas; Conversions Dylan Pretorius (3); Penalty Dylan Pretorius
Welkom: Tries Marno April; Conversion Ryan Davids; Penalty Ryan Davids
FESTIVAL FIXTURES:
Day 3 – Monday 17 April
09h30 Glenwood – Welkom Gimnasium; 10h45 Hoërskool Noord-Kaap – Hoërskool Framesby; 12h00 HTS Middelburg – Queen’s College; 13h15 DHS – Dale College; 14h30 HTS Drostdy – Selborne; 15h45 Kearsney College – Pretoria Boys High
FESTIVAL RESULTS
Day 1 – Thursday 29 March
Kearsney College 25 – 26 HTS Middelburg; Queen’s College 10 – 14 Pretoria Boys High; Glenwood 29 – 26 HTS Drostdy; Dale College 5 – 15 Hoërskool Framesby; Selborne 13 – 16 DHS; Welkom Gimnasium 28 – 3 Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
Day 2 – Saturday 31 March
Hoërskool Framesby 13 – 10 Pretoria Boys High; DHS 24 – 7 Queen’s College; Kearsney College 20 – 11 Hoërskool Noord-Kaap; Glenwood 39 – 0 Dale College; HTS Drostdy 22 – 14 Welkom Gimnasium; Selborne 33 – 19 HTS Middelburg
