Westville Boys’ High overpowers KES on Bowden’s
Two years ago, Westville Boys’ High and King Edward VII (KES) produced a riveting clash, one of the best matches of the season, on Bowden’s Field, drawing 36-36.
That match included Vusi Moyo (KES), who made his Sharks‘ debut on Saturday, and Zekhethelo Siyaya (Westville), who also debuted for the Sharks this season. Esethu Mnebelele, who scored a hat-trick of tries for KES that day, is now also with the Sharks.
Unfortunately, Saturday’s showdown was not nearly as close. The home team ruled the contest, blanking the Red Army as they rolled to a 35-0 victory after powering to a 28-0 halftime lead.
They turned a lineout on the KES 22 into a rolling maul and a try in the seventh minute, scored by Lwandile Bulose, usually a prop, who wore the no. 2 jersey on this occasion. Unsurprisingly, despite the tough angle, Jade-Will Koopman converted from near the right-hand touchline.
If the opening score was about a compact, controlled drive, the second try was evidence of Westville’s quick-strike ability. It began just outside the home side’s 22, on the right touchline, where Lisa Sijadu received the ball. He turned on the afterburners to torch the KES defence out wide before cutting inside and leaving the defenders grasping at air before diving over in the left corner.
“Koopies” added the extras to make it 12-0 in the 13th minute.
Westville made the ball do the work again for their third try, stretching KES thin with swift hands before fullback Lux Sonkononkono spotted an opportunity and ran himself into a gap, taking a pop pass off Curtis Fenton‘s left shoulder to score. Once again, Koopman made the kick.
With Westville keeping KES pinned inside their 22, Avumile Lisa was over for their fourth from close range in the 30th minute, and Koopman made it 28-0 with a successful conversion, again from the right touchline.
KES tightened up their defence in the second half, playing the game in better areas. However, Westville, playing in the electrifying atmosphere of Bowden’s, is a tough opponent, and they withstood that pressure before going the direct route to score their fifth try. Loosehead prop Ngcali-Ka-Reve Nonxuba tapped from five metres out, putting his head down, and ploughed his way over to the right of the uprights.
Koopman made it 35-0.
Credit to KES, most of the rest of the game was played inside Westville’s half. But the visitors were almost struck with a sucker punch just before the final whistle, when Westville, so dangerous on the counterattack, went racing 90 metres up the field, only for Koopman to be tackled into touch right on the corner flag.
Scorers
Westville Boys’ High 35 (28) – Tries: Lwandile Bulose, Lisa Sijadu, Lux Sonkononkono, Avumile Lisa, Ngcali-Ka-Reve Nonxuba. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (5).
King Edward VII 0 (0).
Other results
u19
II: Westville 18 KES 8
III: Westville 19 KES 29
IV: Westville 14 KES 17
V: Westville 5 KES 31
VI: Westville 0 KES 41
VII: Westville 17 KES 5
u16
A: Westville 17 KES 15
B: Westville 10 KES 5
C: Westville 14 KES 21
D: Westville 21 KES 39
u15
A: Westville 15 KES 12
B: Westville 6 KES 6
C: Westville 0 KES 10
D: Westville 33 KES 29
E: Westville 12 KES 21
F: Westville 22 KES 33
u14
A: Westville 6 KES 13
B: Westville 7 KES 31
C: Westville 15 KES 10
D: Westville 15 KES 5
E: Westville 21 KES 40
F: Westville 36 KES 5
