Jade Brigade shock Garsies at the Absa Wildeklawer Festival
Stellenberg produced the first major upset of the annual Absa Wildeklawer Festival when they defeated Garsfontein by 26-22 in the main curtain raiser on the second day in Kimberley.
It was the Jade Brigade’s first victory over Garsies in their history and it took a former Garsie Estian Steyn to star in this historic victory. Steyn attended Garsfontein’s u16-side back in 2022 before moving to the Western Cape.
Steyn was named Man of the Match for his performance as the Jade Brigade secured a victory that could turn their season around. This was only Stellenberg’s second victory of the season in eight outings.
Garsfontein will feel hard done by as a couple of vital decisions went against them during the clash. The one that would’ve hit the hardest was the call by referee, Christo Erasmus, that a pass within the final movement went forward.
Garsies’ captain and flanker, Luann Olivier, would’ve scored the match-winning try if the pass was not called forward. Olivier led his side from the front throughout and as usual, was more than a handful when he received the ball in space.
It was Garsfontein’s first outing in almost a month. The team was probably also a bit undercooked going into the tournament. Their star scrumhalf, Brooklyn Newman, also got injured during the match which will be a huge blow for the side from Pretoria.
Garsfontein faces Grey College in the main match of the festival on Saturday.
The ease with which Durban High School managed to defeat Oakdale Landbou would’ve also surprised a couple of schoolboy rugby supporters. DHS came out on top by 33-14.
Their winger Adriano Jackson scored a brace as the side from Durban produced some exciting rugby throughout. Durban High School’s second match is against Paarl Boys’ High. Their head coach, Peter Engledow, will face his former school for the first time since moving to the east coast.
Scorers:
Stellenberg 26 (12) – Tries: Estian Steyn, Ryk Groenewald, Almero Kaizer, Dean Janse van Rensburg. Conversion: Dian Neethling (3). Garsfontein 22 (10) – Tries: Brooklyn Newman, Luann Olivier, Ruan Enslin. Conversions: Handre Maree (2). Penalty: Maree.
Durban High School 33 (7) – Tries: Adriano Jackson (2), Sibusiso Mahlangu, Mahle Sithole. Conversions: Aka Boqwana (2). Penalties: Allston Cedras (2). Oakdale Landbou 14 (14) – Tries: Gustav van der Merwe, Kurt Coetzee. Conversions: Coetzee (2).
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