Bergsig Eagles kick-off their Rolyn Festival with hard-fought victory
Rustenburg is a hub of activity over the long weekend, with 26 rugby teams and 44 hockey teams all competing at the annual Rolyn Bergsig Sports Festival.
The Bergsig Eagles were able to start off their campaign well, beating their first challenger, Rob Ferreira by 12-10.
It was a closely fought battle between the locals and the team from White River, but a brace by Bergsig’s winger, MJ Pretorius, and a conversion by their centre, Simeon Botha, was enough secure the victory.
The Bergsig boys face Riebeeckrand and Kagiso Stings (Krugersdorp Rugby Club) in their remaining fixtures and will have to work hard to maintain a perfect record at their festival.
Ben Vorster and Jim Fouché also had a rare opportunity to face each other, and the Buffalo managed to come out on top in that encounter, winning 38-31.
JF have been playing extremely well this year, and they put up a fight to the bitter end, managing to have the last word with a try in the final moments of the match, but the boys from Tzaneen had the upper hand on the day.
In what was a highly entertaining match, Ben Vorster managed to score five tries, including two by their energetic centre, Tihandre Reyneke, while the Bloemfonteiners managed to cross the try-line four times.
Ben Vorster look like the team to beat at this year’s event, Parel Vallei and Randburg will have their work cut out for them over the rest of the weekend.
The Kagiso Stings team stepped in as a late replacement for Queen’s High, who had to withdraw from the tournament, and it will be interesting to see what they can muster us over the rest of the weekend after suffering a heavy 62-10 loss to the Bergsig second team, the Hawks, on the first day.
They face the Rustenburg Rugby Academy on Saturday before they play Bergsig’s first team, the Eagles, in the final match of the tournament on Monday.
Hopefully, with more time to prepare, the local club team can put up a show against the hosts.
Before that game, however, Bergsig will also need to get through Riebeeckrand in the main event on Saturday.
Scorers:
Bergsig 12 – Tries: MJ Pretorius (2). Conversion: Simeon Botha. Rob Ferreira 10 – Try: Tlotlo Ratshwene. Conversion: Vhugala Mbedzi. Penalty: Londani Nyathikazi.
Randburg 33 – Tries: Anton van Tonder (2), Charl le Roux, Gerhard Moller, AJ Vogel. Conversions: Pieter Naude (3), Dewald Booysen. Parel Vallei 15 – Tries: Liam Toring, Anithan Claassen. Conversion: Bongi Bawuti. Penalty: Bawuti.
Ben Vorster 38 – Tries: Tihandre Reyneke (2), Chadwin Storm, Divan Spangenberg, Nkateko Phakula, Ruan Sutherland. Conversions: P Naude (3), D Booysen. Jim Fouché 31 – Tries: Dillon Calitz, CJ Raath, SW van der Merwe, Waydon Marais, Ruan Heymans. Conversions: Wiandro Wiese (2), Triston van der Walt.
Frikkie Meyer 26 – Tries: Christopher Koekemoer, Prince Sekoboanie, Edward Terblanche, Lefoko Mothula. Conversions: Terblanche (3). Riebeeckrand 7 – Try: Jeandre Smit. Conversion: Andrich Harmse.
Linden 32 – Tries: Francois Steyn, Sandile Gumede, Adrian Snyman, Nicolas Meintjies. Conversions: Steyn (2), Meintjies. Penalty: Steyn (2). Krugersdorp High 14 – Tries: Ryan Khumbula, Lesego Mabaso. Conversions: Monaheng Pule (2).
Bergsig Hawks 62 – Tries: Zach de Meyer (2), Kwesi Tong, Luan Duvenhage, Waldo Pretorius, Johandre Steyl, Deon Groenewald, Ethan Rautenbach, K Adams, Unknown. Conversions: Pretorius (6). Kagiso Stings 10 – Tries: T Motsog, S Skhakane.
Other results:
u16 – Riebeeckrand 48, Die Wilgers 14; Randburg 20, Parel Vallei 17.
u15 – Bergsig 34, Riebeeckrand 5; Randburg 67, Die Wilgers 0.
u14 – Bergsig 7, Riebeeckrand 7; Randburg 22, Die Wilgers 5.
Fixtures for Day 2 and 3:
Saturday, 29 April 2023
A Field
10:00 – Bergsig Hawks vs Krugersdorp High
11:20 – Kagiso Stings vs Rustenburg Rugby Akademie
12:40 – Rob Ferreira vs Frikkie Meyer
14:00 – Randburg vs Jim Fouché
15:20 – Ben Vorster vs Parel Vallei
16:40 – Bergsig Eagles vs Riebeeckrand
B Field
09:00 – U14 – Bergsig Akademie vs Die Wilgers
10:00 – U14 – Randburg vs Riebeeckrand
11:00 – U15 – Bergsig Akademie vs Die Wilgers
12:00 – U15 – Randburg vs Riebeeckrand
13:00 – U16 – Parel Vallei vs Invitational XV
14:10 – U16 – Randburg vs Die Wilgers
15:20 – U16 – Bergsig Akademie vs Riebeeckrand
Monday, 1 May 2023
A Field
08:00 – Parel Vallei vs Frikkie Meyer
09:20 – Rob Ferreira vs Krugersdorp High
10:40 – Randburg vs Ben Vorster
12:00 – Jim Fouché vs Riebeeckrand
13:20 – Bergsig Hawks vs Rustenburg Rugby Academy
14:40 – Bergsig Eagles vs Kagiso Stings
B Field
08:00 – U16 – Parel Vallei vs Riebeeckrand
09:10 – U14 – Riebeeckrand vs Die Wilgers
10:00 – U14 – Bergsig vs Randburg
11:10 – U15 – Riebeeckrand vs Die Wilgers
12:10 – U15 – Bergsig Akademie vs Randburg
13:10 – U16 – Randburg vs Invitational XV
14:10 – U16 – Bergsig vs Die Wilgers
