Heathens finish as 2016 RU Rugby champions
The Rhodes internal rugby league finals on Friday night brought with them a heightened atmosphere as both fans and players were greeted with smoke machines in the tunnel, bright lights, music and top-notch live commentary. So with the stage adequately set, it was time for the top four teams to battle it out for a year’s bragging rights and silverware.
The evening started with Hill taking on Founders in the third place match, with Founders winning 10-7. In the second match, Dream took on Heathens in the 2016 Internal League finals, with Heathens snatching a 16-11 victory in the final moments of the game.
Last year’s champions Dream took on a highly talented Heathens squad in the final.
The opening minutes of the game saw Dream dominating possession the pace and showing their pedigree. This level-headed and calculated strategy by Dream would soon be rewarded, with a perfectly timed tackle on a Heathens ball carrier and subsequent fumble was gathered up and run over the line for a try by Ryan Horne.
Dream were unable to convert, however, leaving the score at 5-0. Heathens soon settled into the consistent rhythm that has worked for them all season and after driving the ball all the way into Dreams' 22 and across the tryline, with Moalusi Matlakala scoring their first try of the game and tying it up at 5-5. Not wanting to let the momentum get away from them, Dream tightened up their defence and were able to win a penalty, which was taken perfectly by Robbie Leclezio, giving Dream the lead once more by 8-5.
Heathens won a penalty of their own, which was converted by Ryan Dewy to tie the game 8-8 at the break.
The second half would prove to be as competitive, as neither of these well matched teams were willing to let up for even a moment. After a well sustained piece of defending, Heathens were once again able to win a penalty just inside of Dreams’ half, which was impressively converted by Ryan Dewey, giving Heathens the lead by 11- 8. Dream would once again show their class and quickly answered back by a penalty of their own inside the heathens 22, which was capably converted by Robbie Leclezio tying the game once again at 11-11.
Then out of nothing, Heathens produced a stunning piece of running back line play which would have the grand stand vibrating with excitement as they moved closer to Dreams try line and explode into cheers when Lyndon Lambert scored the match-winning try in the final minutes of the game.
With that all was set in stone, an unconverted try just before half time would earn heathens a 16-11 win over Dream, and the title of Rhodes internal league champions for 2016.
In the third place deciding match-up, a talented Hill rugby side met an equally gifted Founders team. Right from kick off it became clear that both teams were willing to push themselves to the limit in order to snatch a podium spot, with Hill and Founders running the ball hard and tackling even harder.
Founders would capitalise on a rattled Hill defensive line and use some good passing to score the first try of the game courtesy of Francois van Rooyen which went unconverted making the score 5-0. This unexpected score seemed to spark a new fire in the Hill who came back came back hard just before half time.
The second half would see a determined Hill side at- tempt to control the game play. However, a badly taken 22 drop out from the Hill's full back would gift Founders with the opportunity to score their second try of the evening at the hands of Mark Webber, bringing the score to 10-0.
Sensing the need to respond quickly the Hill used their strong forward pack to drive the ball forward, allowing Kuda Nihira to burst the Founders defensive line and score the Hill's first try of the night, which was successfully converted, bringing the score to 10-7. The Hill would continue to fight back for the rest of the remaining minutes, but prove unable to break a resilient Founders side that would be the victors and third place finishers at full time, winning by 10-7.