Mdantsane ticking all the boxes
High-fives for great challenge
SOUTH Africa’s world 400m record-holder and Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk loves to describe himself as Usain Bolt’s hype man these days, thanks to the fact that his performances have whipped the crowds into a frenzy before the legendary Jamaican steps onto the track.
The Swallows Rugby Club in Mdantsane may have similar claims when it comes to SuperSport Rugby Challenge clubs playing at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium. Twice the Mdantsane club has played in the curtainraisers to the two festivals here, and each time their wins got the crowd in festive mood to enjoy the fare dished up by the Rugby Challenge heavyweights.
On Sunday, playing against counterparts Old Selbornians, the locals’ comeback from a 15-0 deficit at one stage to win 34-25, a result that sparked off the kind of pandemonium which saw their president take off his shirt and run almost the length of the field to celebrate with his players.
Add a bit of the live entertainment with Babes Wodumo and a couple of locals dancing off at halftime during the last game and the crowd of 9 000 was a constant buzz of anticipation, with a few kids re-enacting what they’d seen with an impromptu game of koppe stampe with a two-litre Stoney bottle.
The Rugby Challenge sides responded in kind in weather that went from a little too balmy to chilly, with supposedly unfashionable Griquas upsetting the Golden Lions 33-21 to be the first team to reach the inaugural competition’s final.
Peter Engledow’s men would later be joined by Western Province, who only just maintained their 100% win record against a spirited Bulls, having to dig deep to win a proper north v south derby by 28-24.
The reward for the two sides is a final in Cape Town at a yet to be confirmed venue thanks to Province having been the top qualifying side in the competition.
The experienced Griquas side, essentially their Currie Cup side, started better and simply had too much street smarts to allow an improving Lions side in the second half in. Even the introduction of Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg in his first match back from a knee injury did little to help the free-scoring Lions.
Janse van Rensburg may have lost on his return to the game, but he was taken by the atmosphere in Mdantsane: “It was nice to see all the people coming out. Beforehand we were told a lot of people would be here and I didn’t expect it.
“But when I got here and I saw the vibe and everyone enjoying the rugby during the warm-up it was just awesome to see.”
Maybe because they went into their semifinal as the underdogs, Griquas proved popular winners, as their lap of honour – which included throwing items like boots into the adoring crowd – showed. The two teams then gave the locals a taste of the brotherhood that underpins rugby when they all got into a huddle and had a prayer together, according to Janse van Rensburg. — SuperSport