SuperSport Schools Plus

Results – KwaZulu-Natal – 25 May 2013

By Hannes Nienaber , in Rugby | News , at 2013-05-28 Tags:

This epic game will go down in the memories of the large crowd of close to 10000 as one, if not the best schoolboy game, ever witnessed by many. It had everything, excitement, exhilarating running, massive exchanges, skilled turnovers and two sides that enjoyed running with the ball in hand. This would not have happened without arguably, the top referee in world rugby, Craig Joubert, who allowed plenty of advantage with a minimum of stoppages in the game.

Yes there was a red card for a ‘tip tackle’ and who will argue with the integrity of the world renown referee, as it was a tough decision on his alma mater on their 150th anniversary. Anyone that did not see the red card would have found it hard to believe that College then played for 40 minutes with just 14 players, because thereafter College outscored Glenwood 30-28.

While the result was disappointing for the thousands of Old Boys, everyone present will remember the game, not for the result, but for the exhilarating display of a game played at a frenetic pace. The players from both teams had wonderful vision on attack and the passing, handling and angled running was out of the top draw, but all helped by outstanding control of the rucks by Joubert, which then allowed the game to flow.

The lead changed seven times in the match, with eleven tries scored, six by Glenwood and five by the home side. It was a thrill a minute for the large crowd surrounding the ground with play moving from tryline to tryline and using the full width of the ground. A number of times, after one side scored the other retaliated almost immediately.

It is not often that plays goes on without interruption for two minutes but when it goes on for nearly five minutes, it is a passage of play one is unlikely to see again at this level. The fact that the players were not flat on their backs sucking for air, is testimony to the good work put in by both conditioning coaches in preparing the teams because it was energy sapping stuff.

Unfortunately two of the recently announced members of the KZN Craven Week team, left the field with injury. Both boys are Coetzee, Jaco the Glenwood eighth man with a shoulder injury and Marcel, the College centre with an ankle injury. One hopes that both will be able to recover before Craven Week.

After five minutes the score was 10- 5 to College, who opened the scoring with a penalty by Coetzee, followed by a try by fullback Corné Vermaak for Glenwood. College struck back when fullback Kelvin Elder weaved his way through Glenwood defenders to score under the poles. Coetzee added the two extra points. It was about eight minutes later that Vermaak added a penalty to narrow the gap. Five minutes before half time, wing Morné Joubert intercepted a long pass with College on attack. His pace beat the cover to score in the corner and Glenwood to take the lead 13-10. A minute later the lead was extended with a Vermaak penalty, following by the red card but College stood tall and immediately went back on attack, being awarded a penalty in the Glenwood 22 metre area. A quick tap and go saw lock and captain, Seko Buthelezi, crash over under the posts and with the Coetzee conversion, College took a 17-16 lead at halftime.

Four minutes after the restart Coetzee put College 20-16 in front but then came possibly Glenwood’s most productive period in the game as they added two converted tries in the next eight minutes. The first when centre Akhona Nela utilised the extra man to good advantage and then centre Nkululeko Mcuma finished off a wonderful move, following some superb passing and good offloads to supporting players. Many thought this could signal a dominance by Glenwood for the remaining 25 minutes.

This was not to be as the courageous College outfit would not lie down. The forwards were getting the better of their opponents and prop Tiaan Steyn scored after a number of well co-ordinated pick and drives. The conversion by Jordan Koekemoer was charged down but the gap had narrowed to 25-30. He the n converted a penalty but minutes later missed a long range attempt. From a turnover at a ruck , flank Waylon Hippolite feeds Joubert ,who ran 40 metres to score and extend Glenwood’s lead to 37-28. Collge again uses their forwards to drive forward before spreading the ball and from the ensuing ruck a pick and drive enables lock Wian Jacobs to rumble over. Koekemoer converts and College are two points behind.

With College support deafening, arguably the best try of the match is scored. Vermaak places a diagonal kick for wing Joubert to chase but College wing Banele Ngwenya beats him to it. He uses some open space to set up a counter and finds support from replacement flank Renard le Roux who passed to replacement flyhalf Jason Alexander who finds College no 8 on his inside and shear guts and determination gets Darren Goodsen twenty metres to the tryline, for what many thought would be the winning try.

Three minutes remaining and Glenwood get awarded a penalty in the College 22 metre area but close to touch. It could draw thye game for them but they opt to kick for the line out and win clean ball which is spread quickly and here Joubert goes over for his third try and with the added two points by Vermaak, enable Glenwood to snatch a win

Other results: Hilton 39 George Campbell 10; Westville 45 Northwood 0; St Charles 10 DHS 25; Clifton 17 Voortrekker 12; St Johns 19 Michaelhouse 55; Hillcrest 7 Eshowe 14; Kingsway 7 Pinetown 60; Thomas More 17 St Henrys 17; Linpark 0 Weston 45; Hilton II 11 Port Natal 24;

Hannes Nienaber
error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.