Results – Kearsney College Easter Festival 2015 – Day 3
The third match began in rain and a strong wind between unbeaten Selborne and HTS Middelburg. The wind blew the clouds away and the sun re-appeared. HTS Middelburg did not panic as they ground out a solid 23-15 win, the boot of Brandon Par-Bailey being the difference.
Selborne, with the wind behind them, dominated territory, spending much of it in the Middelburg half. However the sides were evenly matched and the scoreboard remained score-less. The wind dropped and HTS started putting pressure on Selborne. The first points came with eight minutes remaining in the half, when fullback Parr-Bailey kicked a three pointer.
On the half-time whistle prop Cole van Tonder, with the help of fellow forwards, dived over for the first try of the match. Selborne’s Josh Allderman successfully converted, for Selborne to take the lead 7-3 at the break.
Immediately following the kick-off for the second half, wing Thakga Boloko stormed down the left touchline and dived over in the corner for the East London side to lead 12-3. There was some assistance from the wind, Middelburg kicked ahead, and from a ruck scrumhalf Jandre Venter sniped over. Parr-Bailey added the extra points for Middelburg to take back the lead 13-12.
This was short-lived as Allderman converted a penalty for Selborne for a 15-13 lead. Parr-Bailey then added another penalty from an acute angle so Middelburg were 16-15 back in front. Wing Waldo Conradie stretched the lead when he dived over again for a well-converted try for Middelburg to lead 23-15.
Another tightly fought contest saw HTS Middelburg defeat Selborne, leaving Grey College, who would be playing in the penultimate match, as the only unbeaten side remaining.
Point scorers:
Selborne: Tries: Van Tonder, Bolokga; Conversion: Allderman; Penalty: Allderman
HTS Middelburg: Tries: Venter, Conradie; Conversions: Parr-Bailey (2); Penalties: Parr-Bailey (3)
The second game started off in sunlight after some rain in the previous game. Despite the brisk wind behind Framesby in the second half, they could still not make much impression on their opposition. Affies, hurting after their defeat on Saturday, dominated exchanges against the Port Elizabeth side, who have been depleted by injuries during the festival.
Five tries in the first half, two by flank Regardt du Plessis, and others by wing Jacobus van Staden, centre Eddie Fouche and hooker Schalk Erasmus. Four of the tries were converted by Fouche for the Pretoria side to lead 33-0 at the break. Affies towered over the Framesby forwards in the lineout and their one try came when Framesby had been reduced to 14 players after a yellow card.
Despite the Affies domination, Framesby did not give up and their tackling prevented Affies from scoring even more.
The second half saw Framesby holding Affies to four tries as the wind did give them some assistance to get into the Affies half. Wing Christian Strydom scored the first, followed by flank Phillip Krause, the last converted by Fouche. Lock Ruben van Heerden and a final try by Van Staden, his second, converted by Fouche, left the final score 57-0.
The final day of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival opened with a much anticipated match between unbeaten SACS and local side Westville who had lost one match at the festival. It was a great game with the lead changing numerous times, but Westville eventually prevailing 34-26.
At the start of the game, the sun was shining but there was a stiff breeze blowing down the field. Westville dominated the opening quarter and when SACS did win clean ball, they made mistakes. After six minutes Westville had taken the lead with an unconverted try by Tonny Mahlangu. This was increased to 8-0 when Craig van Rooyen converted a penalty.
SACS, for the first time, moved the ball across the field. Left wing Matthew de Villiers went over to narrow the gap to 5-8. Westville extended the lead when flank Devon Muller scored following a maul from a lineout with SACS having 14 players on the field after a yellow card. A good touchline conversion by Van Rooyen pushed Westville to 15-5 lead. Another penalty by Van Rooyen and Westville were in command at 18-5 ahead due to numerous penalties conceded by SACS.
With light rain beginning to fall SACS wing Tumi Mogoje scored after a good run down the right, beating the defence to score under the poles. Captain Jordan Chait added the two points to leave the score 18-12 at half-time. Magoje scored his second try after Westvile, on attack, dropped the ball and he sprinted 60m to score. Chait converted to put SACS into a 19-18 lead.
SACS continued to be penalised for mistakes, with Van Rooyen adding six more points with two penalties, but SACS countered with a try by SACS captain Chait following a lineout. He converted and SACS led 26-24 before Van Rooyen added the second penalty for Westville, taking back the lead 27-26.
Muller then scored his second try, again successfully converted by Van Rooyen for Westville to lead 34-26.
If SACS had kept their discipline, the score could have been in their favour, but it was a wonderfully exciting opening game of the last day.
Points scorers:
Westville: Tries: Mahlangu, Muller (2); Conversions: Van Rooyen (2); Penalties: Van Rooyen (5)
SACS: Tries: De Villiers, Mogoje (2), Chait; Conversions: Chait (3)
Point scorers:
Affies: Tries: Fouche, Du Plessis (2), Van Staden (2), Erasumus, Srydom, Krause, Van Heerden; Conversions: Fouche (6)
