Swallows snatch Super 12 victory from Harlequins

MDANTSANE’S Swallows beat PE Harlequins 22-10 to win this year’s Eastern Cape Super 12 rugby tournament at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London at the weekend.

Swallows coach Yongama Mkaza was over the moon as he had had a difficult time recruiting players after the festive season.

He also reflected on other challenges they had to overcome while preparing for the tournament.

“We don’t have a field to practise on and other things but we have players who have potential to play this sport and they really gave their all.”

He said they had a difficult time playing Harlequins as the Port Elizabeth side had experienced players.

“We were meeting them for the second time in this tournament, both games weren’t easy at all.

“Especially the final game, and the weather conditions were not exactly favourable because the pitch was wet and slippery. “And remember, we were going up against ex-provincial players, but I said last weekend that we are going to lift this trophy after this tournament.”

Mkaza said the only way they could outplay their dangerous Port Elizabeth opponents was to starve them of the ball, a strategy that worked in the end.

“I notice they can be so vulnerable when they are starved of the ball, they are only dangerous when they have the ball.

“But without it they can’t play and we did that throughout the first half and it worked, and we could have got more tries but we also made mistakes.”

PE Harlequins’ Marius Schoeman said they had a great game as much as it was difficult for them.

“I think we had a lot more mistakes than opportunities but we just have to work harder now going forward. Because we could have got a different result.

“But the guys need to come to the party because we lost two conversions and I think we lost about 10 points in the entire game,” he said.