Helpmekaar edges out Michaelhouse as defences dominate
There weren’t many points scored at Michaelhouse, where Helpmekaar scored a narrow 10-7 win on Saturday, in a season-opening match for both schools, which was dominated by the defences.
It took until the 20th minute for the deadlock to be broken and even that came from long range, with flyhalf Wian Storm giving the visitors a 3-0 lead with a very well-taken drop goal.
Michaelhouse had to wait until the fourth minute of the second half to get themselves onto the scoreboard. When they scored, though, it came from a lovely try.
Inside the visitors’ 22, flyhalf Luke Davidson fed wing Aya Mkhokeli, to his left. After receiving the ball, with a stutter step, Mkhokeli froze the nearest defender. Then, with a dummy, he opened up a gap in front of him. Pinning his ears back, he raced through and dived over in the left-hand corner for five points.
The kick was very tough, but Davidson bisected the uprights to put the home side 7-3 in front.
Only six minutes later, Helpmekaar found a reply. From a lineout just inside the ‘House 22, Helpies formed a maul. Captain JP Lombard made a slicing break off the side of it and carried it to within 10 metres of the try line before he was brought down.
Gustav Grotius, on his captain’s right shoulder, took a short pop pass and drove up to the five-metre line. Two more phases took Helpmekaar right up to the try line and then 8th-man Molatsi Moloi dotted down, reaching over a low tackle to score just to the left of the posts.
Storm converted to give Helpmekaar a three-point advantage. Twenty more minutes remained, but both defences stood firm and no more points were added to the totals.
“It was a very tight game. The defences were amazing. Those guys tackled each other into the ground today. There were few spaces to run in,” commented Helpmekaar Director of Rugby, Eugene Marais, afterwards.
“Obviously, for both, it was a first game, and the backlines were a bit rusty, but the forwards really got stuck into each other.”
Marais said both teams had chances to convert into points but, in typical early season fashion, they failed to capitalise on those. “To be honest, that game could have gone either way. It was that close,” he reckoned.
Michaelhouse Head of Rugby James Fleming said it was disappointing to lose – everyone wants to win their opening game – but the match was a big physical challenge and both teams fronted up well.
“Honestly, overall, losing 10-7 and barring not getting over the line and ‘sinking the putt’, I was actually pretty happy,” he said.
“Helpmekaar are big strong boys, and they get stuck in, which was a good hit-out for us. Although it was disappointing that we lost, I think we actually did some really nice stuff. We worked some good field positions. We had a couple of opportunities to maul, but we didn’t get over the line.
“We had some nice opportunities on attack, but maybe went a bit too narrow a few times, instead of moving it off to another phase.
“We, unfortunately, missed a couple of opportunities at goal.
“They didn’t have too many chances to get into our try zone, but when they did, they scored.
Helpmekaar showed that Michaelhouse still needs to do some work on their scrums and lineouts, Fleming said, but with only one week of training together – and ‘House still has a 100-ball cricket match to play on Wednesday – it was a solid effort.
“We made some uncharacteristic handling errors when we were on attack. You can call it early-season rust, but you can also say well done to them for putting the heat on us. They got straight up in our faces, and that creates errors. They were good like that,” Fleming added.
“We’re not chuffed with defeat but, all things considered, it wasn’t terrible, and not the end of the world, but a good hit-out. We enjoy playing them. They’re a good physical challenge for us and our guys did really well.”
Eugene Marais said the second team match, won 33-7 by Michaelhouse, had caused him some concerns ahead of the main game.
“They’ve got a very good second team. I’ll give those guys credit. That’s a very good team, well-coached. I was next to the field for the whole game. I think they’ve maybe missed one or two guys in the second team, who need to move up to the first team.”
He also highlighted the contributions of a couple of Helpmekaar’s players, saying: “Our captain, JP Lombard, was very good at lock. He carried the ball well. He tackled guys backwards, and he was good in the lineouts. He had a very good match.
“In the backline, I think Ty Ax‘s defence was brilliant. He tackled his heart out. It was very impressive.” Certainly, a fitting name for a strong midfield defender!
In Welkom, the home team, Welkom Gimnasium confidently handled a Glenwood side that was missing a number of players who had gone down with injuries in some earlier pre-season action.
Gim dominated up front to lay a foundation for a 26-21 victory, which was more comfortable than the final scoreline might suggest.
They led 26-7 with about 10 minutes to go, but two ill-considered grubbers were turned into two converted tries for the Green Machine, to make the final score look a lot better. But it was Welkom Gimnasium’s day.
“This is the best I have seen us scrum against Glenwood in the three years that we have played them. We, at times, demolished them,” Gim coach Roaun Bezuidenhout said.
He also reserved special praise for 8th-man Ethan Jones and flank Rovaun van Niekerk for ensuring the home team gained the upper hand at forward. Good ball control and quality possession allowed the backs to cross for a number of tries.
Reflecting on his side’s backline, Bezuidenhout said: “We don’t have as much flair as last year, but there is enough there that the guys can kick on and become a unit and we can play the same type of rugby that we want to play.”
At the Riverside Sports Club, Clifton College began their centenary rugby season with a convincing 48-0 victory over a Durban Development team.
It took a while for Clifton to get going against the opposition, who were made up of the best players from hubs in and around Durban.
With some size up front, Clifton established dominance in the set scrums and then, once they had put some of the first game-handling errors to bed, they moved the ball nicely out wide, where they created space and ran in a number of good-looking tries.
Scores
Helpmekaar 10 (3) –Try: Malotsi Moloi. Drop goal: Wian Storm. Conversion: Wian Storm. Michaelhouse 7 (0) – Try: Aya Mkhokeli. Conversion: Luke Davidson.
Welkom Gimnasium 26 – Tries: Bokang Lesenyeho, Dyllan Kemp, Zander Olivier, Hloni Mokotjo. Conversions: Renaldo Kiewiet (3). Glenwood 21.
Other Results:
u19: Clifton College 48, Durban Development 0.
u16: Helpmekaar 36, Michaelhouse 14; Welkom Gimnasium 25, Glenwood 14; Clifton College 44, Durban Development 0.
u15: Michaelhouse 17, Helpmekaar 5; Glenwood 48, Welkom Gimnasium 7; Clifton College 55, Durban Development 0.
u14: Helpmekaar 40, Michaelhouse 0; Glenwood 42, Welkom Gimnasium 10; Clifton College 60, Durban Development 0.
