Wharton shines for Bishops

Sacs fall short as they struggle against their local rivals in an epic school clash

ISAIAH WHARTON touched down for two tries as Bishops handed Sacs a 39-21 beating in their Western Province Under-19 Premier League clash in Newlands on Saturday.

It was a deserved victory for the visitors who, off a three-week break, produced their best performance of the season with a side loaded with Grade 11 players. Wharton, their captain, was the standout player, with his powerful carries resulting in tries in either half.

Sacs were made to pay for myriad of basic errors on attack but never gave up and added respectability to the final score with a converted try off the last play of the game.

Watched by big crowd split down the middle in terms of support, Bishops needed only a couple of minutes to put the first points on the board via a goaled try dotted down by fullback Joe Kirsten and converted by flyhalf Matthew Lennet.

Sacs drew level 10 minutes later when rightwing Duran Koevort scored the first of his two tries using his pace and movement to breach the otherwise well-organised Bishops defence, with fullback Matthew Hayes adding the extras.

An even contest up until that point became a one-man show as the visitors, who did the double over one of their three main rivals from the southern suburbs last season, began to flex their muscles with the front eight getting stuck in at the contact points and running rampant on the charge and the backs always at the ready to pounce with their speed, slick passing and an eye for the gap.

Sacs did well to limit Bishops to 10 further points in the first half. The points came via a penalty from Lennet and Wharton’s power drive over the whitewash (15-7)

Shortly after the restart, Bishops went over for their third try when Wharton, pictured, once again used brute strength to get over the line. Lennet made no mistake with the conversion to make it 22-7.

Sacs had a number of promising sorties but they were cut short by needless handling errors from both backs and forwards.

It was total frustration for the coaching staff headed by Nick Maurer, who is in his third year at the helm.

But he would have been pleased with the way Koevort joined the line and then broke through the defences for his second five-pointer converted by Hayes.

The youngster proved elusive every time he touched the ball and ran with purpose, beating and weaving his way past one defender after the other. But it’s 15-man game and Bishops, who are renowned for their running rugby, displayed an array of skill sets that bodes well for bigger games to come, such as the one against arch-rivals Rondebosch, who are on the up as shown by their 28-17 victory over Wynberg.

An eight-point deficit for Sacs became 18 when Lennet (with a 14-point haul for the game) goaled another penalty and then hooker Keegan Blanckenburg went over.

Sacs were playing into the wind and the last thing they needed to do was go the aerial route, which they did once too often and it cost them points. Bishops centre Mike Ford crossed for his side’s fifth try , running between two defenders, before a late surge from the hosts got them a third try through Nic Boden.