Erwee shines as Grey College dominates, Jeppe and Paarl Boys’ High impress
Grey College flyhalf Darius Erwee produced a flawless performance on a thrilling day of schoolboy rugby to bring down the curtain in style after 11 1st XV matches at the Absa Wildeklawer tournament, in Kimberley, on Thursday.
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The giants from Bloemfontein ran rampant in the closing fixture, crossing the try-line eight times in a 56–14 dismantling of Helpmekaar.
Erwee converted all eight Grey tries – including one of his own – as he contributed 21 points to his team’s big total.
Not only was he accurate with the boot, but he also delivered a commanding all-round display behind a dominant Grey pack.
The famed Grey College driving maul proved too much for Helpies and consistently forced the Johannesburg side onto the back foot. Adding to that pressure, Grey’s thunderous forwards excelled in broken play, creating opportunities across the park.
This allowed their dynamic fullback Lamla Mgedezi and lethal left-wing Eddie Mabena ample space to showcase their attacking flair, with both capitalising on the momentum provided by the big boys up front.
Despite entering the contest as the underdogs, Helpmekaar took on the challenge with spirit and intensity.
A major highlight for Helpies was the performance of their captain, Ty Ax, who adapted well to the fullback role. He stood tall in defence and frequently joined the attacking line, forcing Grey to scramble on more than one occasion.
Ax also linked up well with the speedsters out wide, especially right-wing, Xander van Niekerk, who thrived when given space and looked dangerous with the ball in hand.
In the match that preceded the Grey College versus Helpmekaar clash, Jeppe High School for Boys hit form with a 37–24 victory over Maritzburg College. The Johannesburg outfit looked like their old, confident selves as they racked up points with clinical precision.
Outside centre Lindelani Nkambule, as he has done throughout the season, ignited Jeppe’s backline with his electric play, which earned him the man of the match honour. Loosehead prop Joshua Hamman was one of Jeppe’s four try scorers in what was arguably his best outing of the season.
College’s centre pairing of Olwethu Kosani and Amahle Hadebe created some exciting moments. Hadebe’s flashy footwork lit up the field, while Kosani troubled Jeppe’s defence with his hard, intelligent running lines.
Flyhalf Nehemia Hollenbach provided consistency from the tee, slotting four conversions and three penalties, worth 17 points, to complement Jeppe’s attacking dominance.
In the third-to-last game of the day, Paarl Boys’ High asserted their class with a 42–14 win over Hoërskool Noordheuwel.
Loosehead prop Jordan Jooste delivered a standout performance in open play, despite not getting on the scoreboard himself. His expansive passing game, with multiple accurate 15-metre offloads, helped unlock Noordheuwel’s defence and directly contributed to the final try, scored by replacement winger Cole Moutrie, who notched a brace.
Noordheuwel’s top performer was their fullback Tidi Moeketsane, who delivered a gutsy defensive display, dishing out several thumping tackles while showing commendable resolve at the back.
Scorers:
Grey College 56 (28) – Tries: Prestan Bennett, Eddie Mabena, AJ Hendriks, Darius Erwee, AJ Booysen, Alexi Tyropolis, Steven Miller, AJ Meyer. Conversions: Erwee (8). Helpmekaar College 14 (7) – Tries: Wian Strom, Eugene de Lange. Conversions: Storm, Ethan Lourens.
Jeppe High School for Boys 37 (20) – Tries: Ayanda Funeka, Joshua Hamman, Lindelani Nkambule, Joel Akilo. Conversions: Nehemia Hollenbach (4). Penalties: Hollenbach (3). Maritzburg College 24 (7) – Tries: Olwethu Kosani, Amahle Hadebe, Ntsika Mkize. Conversions: Adam Cahill (3). Penalty: Cahill.
Paarl Boys’ High 42 (13): Tries: Cole Moultrie (2), Francois van der Merwe, Jayden Joubert, Tommy Muller. Conversions: Iwan Jordaan (4). Penalties: Jordaan (3). Noordheuwel 14 (7): Tries: JB Blaunt, Roehan Hoogendyk, Conversions: Jeandré Uithaler (2).
