Red Army on fire during first day of Standard Bank Easter Festival
King Edward VII managed to put 55 points past their challengers, Hudson Park, on the first day of the annual Standard Bank KES Easter Festival.
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The hosts flexed their muscles in front of an appreciative home crowd.
KES dominated from kickoff, with the big prop, Joshua Aube powering over the line within the first two minutes.
The home team’s fullback, Tirhani Masondo, who was in the flyhalf position for them last year, had an exceptional day, off the tee and when carrying the ball.
KES centre, Olunje Mehlomakulu scored twice to the delight of the packed crowd at the home game and looked like he will be providing more moments for the highlight reels over the coming weekend.
Paarl Boys’ High continued building on the momentum of their successes at the North/South tournament earlier in the week when they emphatically beat Selborne 48-5.
This Boishaai team looks like the team to beat at the festival this year and tomorrow’s encounter between them and the hosts promises to be electric.
The first half seemed to fly by, with neither team really getting past their opponents’ defensive lines and Selborne doing well to disrupt the Paarl lineouts. The boys from Paarl led most of the half 3-0 after a successful penalty conversion by Daniel van der Merwe (centre).
Selborne’s game-breaker fullback, Amani, Somana, managed to get the team from the Border region in front with an excellent try against the run of play in the final moments before the break.
Boishaai flipped a switch at half time though, and replacements Divan Fuller, Alfie Holm and HB Odendal had a marked impact when they came on.
The second half belonged to Paarl, with them scoring seven unanswered tries.
The Paarl Boys’ captain, JC Mars (fullback), scored an exceptional individual try, returning a kick from his own half and beating six defenders to dive over the whitewash and regain the lead for his team and setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Scott Nell (winger) and Fuller (replacement flanker) each dotted down twice, while Micheal Versveld (lock) and Holm (replacement prop) also managed to score.
Queen’s College showed their flair, outplaying the big boys from Diamantveld.
The Queen’s’ backline out-skilled their opponents and were deadly on the counterattack, often coming away with points after lengthy periods of patient Diamonds attack.
Diamantveld’s forward pack played well, but players like Siya Konke, the Queen’s College winger, seemed to be likely to score a try every time possession was turned over.
Turshaan Hare, the Queenstown scrumhalf, was heavily involved in their attack until he had to leave the field injured. The little scrummy controlled the game brilliantly and initiated most of the successful attacking moves, as well as kicking brilliantly from the tee.
Another player who stood out for Queen’s is their lanky no. 8, Axola Khatswa, who scored a brilliant try moments after creating another try for his scrumhalf, Hare.
The tall backrower lost a boot during the sprint, but that did not slow him down for a second, as he darted through the defence before releasing the ball to his everpresent scrumhalf.
Two minutes after that try was scored, Khatswa sprinted down the wing again to get his own name on the scorecard.
Nico Malan comfortably put St David’s away 46-11, with outside centre, Themba Hlela and fullback, Jadon Witbooi, both scoring a brace of tries for the team from Humansdorp.
St. David’s Marist Inanda from Sandton managed to launch a couple of exciting attacks, but a solid defence by Nico Malan and handling errors at crucial moments saw many of these attempts come to nothing
Eldoraigne also proved much too powerful for Parktown, scoring 38 unanswered points in their encounter. Their lively loose forwards, Johan Coetzee (no. 8) and Divan de Jager (flanker) both managed to score two tries, while the other flanker, Anroux du Plessis and Marcand Nel (centre) also scored a try each.
The success of their back three is a testament to how well they controlled the game with their forward pack, simply being too powerful over the ball to allow the Parktown boys an opportunity to launch an attack.
Northwood managed to weather a strong attack by the big Limpopo boys from Ben Vorster to come away with a 31-15 victory.
Their lightning-quick winger, Ramatuku Sikhahane scored twice to swing the momentum towards the team from Durban.
The scorers are:
King Edward VII 55 (24) – Tries: Olunje Mehlomakulu (2), Bennet, Kebotile Maake, Andrew Beiling, Joshua Aube, Siya Radebe, Jack Bruwer. Conversions: Tirhani Masondo (5), Moyo. Penalty: Masondo. Hudson Park 12 (0) – Tries: Hiltone, Siyaphi. Conversion: Wright
Paarl Boys’ High 48 (3) – Tries: Scott Nel (2), Divan Fuller (2), JC Mars, Alfie Holm, Michael Versveld. Conversions: Daniel van der Merwe (4), Lyle Arendse. Penalty: Van der Merwe. Selborne College 5 (5) – Try: Amani Somana
Queen’s College 40 (26) – Tries: Siya Konke (2), Sisipho Mpaka, Mbasa Mda, Jade Zindlu, Axola Khatswa. Conversions: Turshaan Hare (4), Itha Mbulana. Diamantveld 21 (7) – Tries: JJ Fourie, Achiles de Jager, Lehan van der Westhuizen. Conversions: Marco Matthewson (2), Marno Greef
Nico Malan 46 (10) – Tries: Themba Hlela (2), Jaden Witbooi (2), Simpiwe Dlamini, Regan Burger, Cobus Vlok, Tiaan de Klerk. Conversions: Dominic Malgas (3) St David’s Marist 11 (3) – Try: Luke Bailey. Penalties: Jayden Jagga (2)
Eldoraigne 38 (19) – Tries: Johan Coetzee (2), Divan de Jager (2), Marchand Nel, Anroux du Plessis. Conversions: Reynier Kidson (4). Parktown Boys’ High 0
Northwood 31 (12) – Tries: Ramatuku Sikhahane (2), Luthando Makula, Siyanda Mabuza, Luke Janish. Conversions: Cade Latham (3). Ben Vorster 15 (8) – Tries: Laython Nel, Tihandre Reyneke. Conversion: Divan Spangenberg. Drop Goal: Spangenberg.
