Thompson shines for Stellenberg in big win against Rondebosch
The first round of fixtures of the third term in Cape Town delivered on all expectations. There were upsets, big wins, draws, and games decided by the smallest of margins in the dying seconds.
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Stellenberg beat Rondebosch Boys’ High by 20-17 thanks to an unforgettable performance by their winger, Ruben Thompson, who scored all of their points with two tries, two conversions and two penalties. The last penalty he converted was also the last act in the game, as the Jade Brigade clinched a statement victory over one of the in-form teams in the city.
Though Thompson did the scoring, Stellenberg owes its success to the collective efforts of the forwards at scrum time and the energetic defending by the entire team.
With only 20 minutes left, Stellenberg were still trailing by 17-7 but their relentless pressure paid off and the home team managed to overtake Rondebosch in the remaining time.
Hoërskool Durbanville and SACS drew at 22-all in what was a thrilling battle with SACS stepping up their game from before the holiday break to deny Durbies the win they were looking forward to.
With Durbanville’s record this year looking very strong and the visitors having a tough start to their season, it looked like this may be the year for the hosts to avenge the 100-0 loss in 2017, but SACS played well to stop them from employing their backline to its full potential.
Durbanville’s star centre, James Nero, scored a brace for his team, standing out once again in this game.
Nero represented Western Province at the Academy Week and he has recently been selected as part of the SA u18 Sevens team to compete in Trinidad and Tobago at the Commonwealth Youth Games in August.
Wynberg Boys’ High also kicked their term off with a strong performance, beating Melkbosstrand 63-0, running 11 unanswered tries by the vistitors.
Diocesan College hosted the touring Haileybury College and Rugby School from the UK. Bishops’ first team beat Haileybury comprehensively 67-12 and their second team saw away with Rugby 32-7.
There was absolutely nothing to separate Strand and Milnerton who ended at 19 a piece after going into the halftime break at 7-all.
DF Malan‘s general in the midfield, Zander Enslin (flyhalf) scored 25 points with a try, seven conversions and two penalties in his team’s 60-7 romp against Jan van Riebeeck.
Scorers:
Stellenberg 20 (7) – Tries: Ruben Thompson (2). Conversions: Thompson (2). Penalties: Thompson (2). Rondebosch Boys’ High 17 (10) – Tries: Matthew Malherbe, Nichollas Molyneux. Conversions: David Simon (2). Penalty: Simon.
Hoërskool Durbanville 22 – Tries: James Nero (2), Devon Strydom. Conversions: Shaun Klein (2). Penalty: Klein. SACS 22 – Tries: Ben van Coller, Khwezi Ndlovu, Aya Machuli. Conversions: Raashied Conrad.
Wynberg Boys’ High 63 (36) – Tries: Levi Brown (2), Nic van Schalkwyk (2), Xolela Hoyi, Monty Loggenberg, Brandon Ashburner, Matthew Ould, Jarryd Jackson, Euwyn Liberty, Tyron Gombe. Conversions: Sange Mbuto (3), Keenan Pretorius. Melkbosstrand 0.
Milnerton 19 (7) – Tries: Liberty Nyashanu, Qhamani Mangele, Morgan Lodewyk. Conversions: Lodewyk (2). Strand 19 (7) – Tries: Jodeci Davids, Paul Schutte, PJ van der Schyff. Conversions: Tyron Nicholas (2).
DF Malan 60 – Thristan Fortune (2), Xavier Steyn (2), Lester Abrahams (2), Zander Enslin, Chris Kriel. Conversions: Enslin (7). Penalties: Enslin (2) Jan van Riebeeck 7.
Westerford 24 – Tries: Sihle Ngangalaza, Abduraheem Richards-Lakhoo, Kyle Taylor, Dahlaan Collier. Conversions: Taylor (2). Camps Bay 5 – Try: Sam Fatu.
Other scores:
u19 – Diocesan College 67, Haileybury College (UK) 12; Strand 17, Swartland 15; Hoërskool Bellville 23, Tygerberg 18.
u19 B – Diocesan College II 32, Rugby School (UK) 7; Rondebosch II 7, Stellenberg 5; SACS II 38, Hoërskool Durbanville 8; Strand II 21, Milnerton II 10; DF Malan II 23, Jan van Riebeeck II 19;
u17 – Westerford 12, Camps Bay 10.
u16 – Rondebosch 18, Stellenberg 13; SACS 19, Hoërskool Durbanville 17; Milnerton 23, Strand 21; Jan van Riebeeck 23, DF Malan 22;
u15 – Stellenberg 40, Ronbebosch 7; Hoërskool Durbanville 12, SACS 5; Strand 10, Milnerton 8; DF Malan 27, Jan van Riebeeck 12; Westerford 41, Camps Bay 5;
u14 – Rondebosch 14, Stellenberg 12; SACS 15, Hoërskool Durbanville 12; Strand 24, Milnerton 7; DF Malan 41, Jan van Riebeeck 0; Camps Bay 10, Westerford 0.
