Kopp kicks Glenwood to nailbiting one-point victory
Glenwood fullback Joshua Kopp kicked the Durban side to a tense one-point victory over Marlow Landbou in a low-scoring thriller on the final day of the 2025 Absa Wildeklawer in Kimberley.
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Kopp slotted three penalties – his only shots at goal – to snatch a dramatic win over the Wolramme. Despite the loss, Marlow impressed with a dynamic attacking performance.
The Cradock side’s midfield pairing of Ockert du Preez (inside centre) and Dawid-Malan de Ridder (outside centre) stood out as they had two days earlier in a gritty win over Welkom Gimnasium, They set their team on the front foot whenever opportunities arose.
That attacking momentum was fuelled by a commanding display from scrumhalf Gian Steyl, who was, arguably, the Eastern Cape outfit’s top performer on the day.
Besides his reliable kicking, Kopp also kept Glenwood in the hunt with his sharp counterattacking play. His fast feet challenged the Marlow defenders, while up front, blindside flank Sambesiwe Ndamase was a standout, wreaking havoc at the breakdown and proving a handful for the Wolramme in open play.
Northwood returned to winning ways with a gritty 19–12 victory over HTS Drostdy‘s Donkies. Hooker Ayavuya Makula led from the front with two tries off the back of a dominant rolling maul, which laid the platform for the five-point win.
Flyhalf Savio Stevens made full use of the momentum created by the Knights‘ pack and orchestrated play with poise for his backline. His composed distribution and attacking intent earned him a well-deserved Player of the Match award.
For the Donkies, unforced errors proved costly. They were the team’s Achilles’ heel. However, fullback Anwill Jacobs made his mark with a strong showing from deep.
In the final match of the day on the B-field, the Sentraal Suid Barbarians edged out Hoërskool Nico Malan, scoring a hard-fought 14–6 win.
In a tightly contested affair, it was the boot of openside flank Franco de Wet that proved decisive. He not only landed two difficult conversions from the touchline, but he also crossed for a crucial try.
At the back, playmaker Jaydin Windvogel dictated proceedings with pinpoint tactical kicking, which helped the Barbarians dominate territory. Their rock-solid defence ultimately suffocated the side from Humansdorp, whose inability to crack the line sealed their fate.
SCORERS
Glenwood 9 (3) – Penalties: Joshua Kopp (3). Marlow Landbou 8 (3) – Try: Cole Hurter. Penalty: Dawid-Malan de Ridder.
Northwood 19 (14) – Tries: Ayavuya Makula (2), Trevor van Vollenstee. Conversions: Savio Stevens (2). HTS Drostdy 12 (7) – Tries: Rianzo van der Westhuisen, Anwill Jacobs. Conversion: Abdul Fisher.
Sentraal Suid Barbarians 14 (7) – Tries: Franco de Wet, Darius Job. Conversions: De Wet (2). Nico Malan 6 (6) – Penalties: Leighton Lawrence (2).
