Kearsney dumps Dale, DHS handles Monument
Kearsney College vs Dale College
In ideal weather for rugby – sunny but slightly cool – Kearsney College saw off Dale College 34-13 to win the fifth game on day two of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, in front of the large and vociferous crowd surrounding Stott Field.
The hosts were beaten 29-24 by Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen on Thursday, while the Eastern Cape side came into Saturday’s showdown off the back of a 22-66 loss to Hoërskool Durbanville, but it was Kearsney who returned to winning ways, thanks to some clinical finishing.
Coach Grant Bashford‘s boys scored their opening two tries through the clever use of cross-kicks, with the first finished off by Lwandle Mkhize on the left-hand touchline, while midfielder Keanu Williamson scored the second out wide on the right.
Less than a minute before halftime, Doan Nel crashed over to take the score out to 24-3, with Inga Mafanga having pulled three points back for the visitors, courtesy of a successful penalty attempt.
Nhlanhla Ndlovu scored Kearsney’s first five-pointer of the second half, before Valentino Lenge added another to all but end the match as a contest.
Dale showed their fighting spirit by crossing for their first try through loosehead Phawu Ludwaba, who rumbled his way over, and they struck again moments later through second-rower Ebenezer Sarpong. By then, though, they were too far behind to be able to mount a serious comeback.
Durban High School vs Hoërskool Monument
In Saturday’s last game, Durban High School (DHS) outplayed Hoërskool Monument 32-17, with Monnas scoring on the final whistle to add seven points, which left the Horseflies the winners by 15.
The victory also kept alive School‘s hopes of going undefeated for a second year in succession at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
DHS had put Hoërskool Rustenburg away 41-7 on the first day, while Monument played out an exciting 26-26 draw with Glenwood, which meant the Wit Bulle were searching for their first win of the Easter weekend.
Monnas‘ flyhalf Anthony Viljoen pulled an early penalty attempt wide before a powerful DHS driving maul teed up bowling ball centre Zingce Simka, who powered over for his team’s first points of the encounter.
Sparked to life, Monument shifted gears and levelled matters through the hard-running midfielder Juandré Ehlers. Then, a successful Viljoen penalty cancelled out an earlier three-pointer landed by his opposite number Jordan van Wyk. However, a Duhan du Plessis try, on the stroke of halftime, put the KZN side 15-10 ahead.
After the break, Viljoen missed another kickable penalty attempt and DHS, who had made a mess of a couple of excellent scoring opportunities, found their finishing as hooker Okuhle Mbanjwa, substitute Marcwin Nero, and number 13 Nathan Aneke all crossed for five-pointers to open up a 22-point lead.
With time up on the clock, eighthman Vincent Roberts pulled a try back for coach Jannie du Plessis‘s boys, but by then the damage had already been done.
SCORERS
Kearsney 34 (24) – Tries: Lwandle Mkhize, Keanu Williamson, Doan Nel, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Valentino Lenge. Conversions: Lwazi Mbebe (3). Penalty: Mbebe; Dale 13 (3) -Tries: Phawu Ludwaba, Ebenezer Sarpong. Penalty: Inga Mafanga.
Durban High School 32 (15) – Tries: Zingce Simka, Duhan du Plessis, Okuhle Mbanjwa, Marcwin Nero, Nathan Aneke. Conversions: Jordan van Wyk (2). Penalty: Van Wyk; Monument 17 (10) – Tries: JuandréEhlers, Vincent Roberts. Conversions: Anthony Viljoen, Cameron Kourie. Penalty: Viljoen.
