White River’s nine-try riot sends Nelspruit home with their tail between their legs
White River Rugby Club demolished Nelspruit Rugby Club 59-12 in an Ehlanzeni Premier League match on home soil on Saturday.
The home team scored nine tries to Nelspruit’s two.
Stephan van der Bank claimed 21 points with one try and seven conversions.
White River played exceptionally well and Nelspruit were dismal in the execution of their game plan.
The foundation of White River’s win was their brutal scrumming. The raw power of Willem de Villiers, Jacques Taylor and Justin Williams scrummed Nelspruit into the White River turf.
The first five minutes of the game were scrappy with both teams making unforced errors. Nelspruit never improved and White River quickly moved up to overdrive.
The home team’s first try came in the ninth minute. Nico Liversage took a high up-and-under and the ball was moved left to Junaide Joseph who sprinted unopposed to go over.
In the 24th minute Kyle Leukes was gifted possession by Nelspruit and sprinted 25 metres to score. Van der Bank slotted the conversion.
White River continued attacking and Mervin Gilbert barged over for his team’s third try. Van der Bank converted for a 19-0 half-time lead.
White River opened the sluice gates in the second half.
Leukes scored his second try when he broke through the poor Nelspruit defence.
De Villiers scored next after a brilliant break from Barend Willers who handed off six tackles and made the perfect offload to the prop.
Nico Liversage made the most of the poor Nelspruit defence to finish off a fast backline strike and claim a try.
Van der Bank’s boot was on song for all three tries and with 20 minutes remaining White River held a 40-0 lead.
Junior Kotze was in next as he sold a dummy to the visitors. Van der Bank added two points.
Van der Bank scored from a tap-penalty and converted his own try.
Nelspruit upped their game for the final 12 minutes, but it was too little much too late.
Janrico Vermeulen put the visitors’ first points on the board with a try after a period of sustained attack on the White River try line. He converted his own try.
White River hit back with a try from Dillon Afrika. The strong number eight handed off three defenders to barge over.
Vermeulen scored the Nelspruit’s second try in the 39th minute when he chased Jerome Mgwena’s kick and won the race to the ball.
The final score: 59-12. It was a thorough hiding for the Nelspruit boys whose defence bordered on pathetic.
It was a well-worked, well-deserved victory for White River. They were in a class of their own.
Nelspruit were outclassed, outmuscled, outthought and outpaced.
It was undoubtedly one of the great wins in the long rivalry between these two clubs.
White River tops the log on 15 points. Nelspruit are third on seven.
Other results
• White River II 34 - Nelspruit II 13
• White River III 10 - Nelspruit III 5. Nelspruit will play away against Barberton and White River will host the Pumbas on Saturday June 26.