Dale College holds off Selborne fightback to capture Reunion win
Dale College made it a reunion weekend to remember as they built a solid lead and then held off a gutsy fightback from their East London rivals, Selborne College, to win 31-27 in another thriller in Qonce on Saturday.
The result, on the occasion of Dale’s 165th anniversary, was a mirror image of an earlier victory this season in another of their big derby days when they edged out Queen’s College 31-29 in Komani last month.
It gives a promising season the glimmer of an outstanding year for Dale – they have also beaten Hudson Park High – although they know that their Border rivals will be lurking with serious intent in their return matches.
On Saturday, Dale nearly let it slip as Selborne refused to give up the fight.
Ahead 17-10 at the break, the home side put real daylight between themselves and their opponents when tries by loose forwards Ulikhaya Stuurman and Liybona Mayikana, his second of the match, propelled them into a commanding 31-10 lead, with Sonwabise Dyani adding the conversions.
But Selborne, who scored their first try of the match through hooker Joshua McKay, is not a side that is easily put away.
With 20 minutes left, they mounted their comeback with a try by Mozesh van der Byl, and then flank Daniel Rushmere pounded his way through the defence for a converted try to send jitters through the ranks of the Dale supporters at 31-22.
Selborne struck again with another powerful forward maul, resulting in Mbono Gqoboko dotting down, and suddenly the game was very much alive at 31-27.
However, with just three minutes left, Dale stood firm to keep their line intact for another significant victory.
In Makhanda, St Andrew’s College‘s players and supporters breathed a massive sigh of relief when they broke their duck this season with a solid 33-27 result over Cradock’s Marlow Agricultural.
No. 8 James Badenhorst was the standout player for the home team, crossing for two tries. He was a constant threat to the Marlow defence with his surging runs.
Big lock Josh van Zyl was also a factor when St Andrew’s built up momentum, and after one of his drives upfield, flyhalf Luke Chorley went over for a crucial score.
At that stage, the match was balanced on a knife’s edge, with St Andrew’s hanging onto a narrow 21-20 lead with 15 minutes left.
Chorley’s try gave them some breathing space, and then Van Zyl, himself, charged over for another score that increased their lead to a more comfortable 33-20 margin with just more than 10 minutes left.
Although the persistent Marlow team continued to press and scored one more try by JG de Lange, St Andrew’s had done enough to plant the seeds of a possible revival to their season.
Across town, on the Marais Field at Graeme College, the home side underlined the outstanding quality of their attacking play as they brushed aside the Cambridge High challenge, leading 66-0 at halftime before finishing with a 90-21 victory.
Typically, fullback Lucritia Magau was in the thick of things with a hat-trick of tries, and towering wing Asakhe Ranuga and hooker Athi Manyati both went over twice.
Accolades, though, must go to Cambridge, who showed enormous resolve in the second half to score three tries to nearly match their opponents in that period.
In East London, Port Rex registered a solid 31-19 win over Ooskus Gymnasium.
The following matches were cancelled due to the heavy rain: Hudson Park v Kingswood, Grey High v Queen’s, Nico Malan v Pearson, Muir v Union High.
Scorers
Dale College 31 (17) – Tries: Kungawo Jaca, Caleb Smith, Liyabona Mayikana (2), Ulikhaya Stuurman. Conversions: Sonwabise Dyani (3). Selborne College 27 (10) – Tries: Josh McKay, Zweletu Njoholo, Daniel Rushmere, Mozesh van der Byl, Mbono Gqoboko. Conversion: Connor Fowles
Graeme College 90 (66) – Tries: Andrew Muir, Erin Nelson, Lucritia Magau (3), Athi Manyati (2), Asakhe Ranuga (2), Iviwe Mshubeki, Torres Fourie, Ibenathi Kondile, Akho Tonjeni, Ethan de Wet. Conversions: Nelson (8), Kondile (2). Cambridge High 21 (0) – not available
St Andrew’s College 33 (14) – Tries: Ross Faber, James Badenhorst (2), Luke Chorley, Josh van Zyl. Conversions: Will Stevens (4). Marlow Agricultural 27 (10) – Tries: Matthew Lieberum, Herman le Roux, JG de Lange. Penalty: Hurter, Jan-Louw du Plessis. Conversions: Cole Hurter, Du Plessis (2).
