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Drostdy asserts dominance in Worcester

By Willem Louw , in Rugby | Featured Rugby | News , at 2024-04-25 Tags: ,

Photo: Ula Hogo

HTS Drostdy asserted themselves, scoring a 33-20 victory over a fired-up Worcester Gimnasium at a jam-packed Trappes Park Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

It was the first time in seven years that the local derby had taken place and, although the Donkeys walked away the deserved victors, the real winner was the Worcester community, which got to experience the rivalry again.

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Both squads should be proud of the part they played in revitalising the fixture and leaving everything on the field.

It was a high-paced and entertaining game from the first kick-off, and it was clear that both teams meant business.

Drostdy crossed the whitewash first, thanks to brilliant interplay between Adrian Vergotine, on the wing, and his centre, Aljay Skippers.

The Gimmies kept pressing, though, and it wasn’t long before their hooker, Armand Croeser, was rewarded for his tireless work with the visitors’ opening try.

In response, the big Drostdy forwards muscled Pietie Erasmus over for their second try to stake them to a 12-5 lead at the break.

A spectacular finish by their lightning-quick winger, George Bernedict, stretched their lead to 19-5 just after halftime, but the Gimmies are a never-say-die bunch, and they never let up and continued piling the pressure on the home team. It paid off.

Three unanswered tries by Worcester Gim saw them take the lead for the first time with only 15 minutes to go after Valentino Nomdluka, Alungile Mothibe and Luke Cupido struck one after another in dramatic fashion.

With tired bodies littering the field, the proud neighbours kept hammering away at the opposing defences.

Juandre Ungerer, who was phenomenal after coming on as a replacement for Drostdy, crossed for a five-pointer to put his side ahead once more, but with 10 minutes left in regulation time and only six points between the rivals, the drama was far from over.

After a frantic back-and-forth and some desperate defending by both sides, Adrian Vergotine dealt the knockout blow, diving over to give HTS Drostdy a buffer to defend in the final moments of the game.

Given the entertaining competition and the excitement the match brought to the Worcester community, the fixture will hopefully become a mainstay on the calendar for the teams once more. Both squads represented their schools with distinction and the fans were dished up a treat.

HTS Drostdy next heads to Kimberley to take part in the Absa Wildeklawer Tournament, while Worcester Gim continues a gruelling run of fixtures when they take on Hoërskool Brackenfell on Saturday.

Scorers

HTS Drostdy 33 (12) – Tries: Aljay Skippers, Pietie Erasmus, Bernedict George, Juandre Ungerer, Adrian Vergotine. Conversions: Josh Fourie (2), Ungerer (2). Worcester Gimnnasium 20 (5) – Tries: Luke Cupido, Alungile Mothibe, Valentino Nomdluka, Armand Croeser.

All the results:

u16 – HTS Drostdy 24, Worcester Gimnasium 3.
u15 – HTS Drostdy 64, Worcester Gimnasium 0.
u14 – Worcester Gimnasium 11, HTS Drostdy 10.

Photo: Ula Hogo
Willem Louw
error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.