Wynberg prepares for final battle against SACS
Since 2002, Wynberg has won 29 of their 43 matches against SACS, with SACS picking up 13 wins, while one game ended in a draw. When last they met, in June, Wynberg scored a 21-10 victory.
The southern suburbs’ rivals end their seasons in the spotlight of a King Price Derby Series clash on Saturday.
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SACS head coach Nick Maurer told SuperSport Schools Plus, it’s about more than the last match of the season: “It’s the final game for the matric pupils. It’s an emotional one. They’ll be out there representing their school for the final time,” he explained.
After a few up and downs while dealing with injuries, SACS has looked strong in the latter part of the season. They’ll throw everything they have into Saturday’s clash on Hawthornden Field.
Hooker and captain, Sango Zangqa, is a lead-by-example player, whose physicality will challenge Wynberg.
Siphe Mbungendlu, at flank, has an all-out engine and he’ll be a threat at the breakdowns and when carrying the ball.
The hosts will fight fire with fire. Prop, Luqobo Makwedini, is a cannonball of power and will ask serious questions of the SACS scrum.
Meanwhile, the Wynberg lineout will be led by their workhorse lock and captain, Jaythen Orange, whose immense work rate makes him a threat all over the field.
The hosts’ halfbacks present a double-threat. Scrumhalf Morné Noble, distributes with pace and has a keen eye for any gaps that might appear around the fringes of rucks and mauls. Meanwhile, flyhalf Achmat Behardien, reads the game well and does an excellent job of identifying space. With good decision-making, he’s adept at exploiting those areas of potential weakness with his sharp kicking and passing.
With both teams aiming to end their season with a derby win and many players running out for their schools for a last time, it will be an emotional clash. Who will handle those emotions better, and might SACS claim an unlikely away win?
Teams
Wynberg vs SACS at 12:30 on Hawthornden Field this Saturday.
Wynberg: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Chad Campbell, 13 Kunene Gadu, 12 Daniel Oud, 11 Albert Lourens, 10 Achmat Behardien, 9 Morné Noble, 8 Esa van der Schyff, 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 6 Alvin Machinja, 5 James Orwin, 4 Jaythen Orange (captain), 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Noah Gila, 1 Luke Miller.
SACS: 15 Quewinn Lackay, 14 Josh Gorgens, 13 Imtiaz Abrahams, 12 Mikey Skeeles, 11 Josh Pfister, 10 Nathan Potgieter, 9 Matt Forbes, 8 Thando Sithole, 7 Harrison Bell, 6 Siphe Mbungendlu, 5 RJ Cunningham, 4 Reuben De Klerk, 3 Rory Bachmann, 2 Sango Zangqa (captain), 1 Qawe Sawuka.
Referee: Jaco Smith.
