MAYORAL CUP SEMIFINAL RESULTS (Nelson Mandela Bay)

Oct 18 • General News, Varsity & Club • 1794 Views • Comments Off on MAYORAL CUP SEMIFINAL RESULTS (Nelson Mandela Bay)

SPRING Rose and Star of Hope rose to the occasion in terrific style in Despatch on Saturday (October 17) to qualify for the final of the Mayoral Cup rugby first division in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Both teams scored what could be viewed as upsets, with Spring Rose running in six tries to defeat Gardens 36-21 and Star of Hope shading Progress 24-16.

Gardens have been one of the top club sides in the Eastern Cape this year and recorded three wins over Spring Rose in different competitions.

However, Spring Rose produced a top-class team effort, using their big pack to secure possession and then spreading the ball wide among the backs to eventually outplay one of the competition favourites.

Progress may have been guilty of some complacency against Star of Hope, especially after scoring an early try to take the lead.

But Star of Hope, who scored three tries to their opponents’ two, never stopped trying and stayed in the game to eventually build up a lead which they did not relinquish.

Having lost their way slightly, nothing Progress did allowed them to get back in to the game and the result will be massive boost for Star of Hope ahead of Saturday’s (October 24) final against Spring Rose.

Other Mayoral Cup semifinals results were:

Division one, first reserve: Progress 15 Gardens 16, Star of Hope 13 Suburbans 12

Division three, first reserve: Thistles 13 Mighty Blues 24, Swallows 28 Extension United 0; first teams: Thistles 6 Siyakhula 3, Mighty Blues 24 Swallows 20

Division four, first teams: Fabs 0 Walmer Wallabies 26, Helenvale 25 Uitenhage 5

Division five, first teams: Gladiators 12 St Cyprians 12 (St Cyprians qualify for scoring more tries in second half), Walmer Wales 17 Union 31