K-Day double for Kingswood

Kingswood College scored a convincing 34-22 victory over fierce rivals St Andrew's College at City Lords on Saturday with the help of a passionate home crowd.

The game got off to a flying start, with the visitors drawing first blood through a try from Ross Ferguson three minutes in. Centre Matt More made no mistake in converting.

Kingswood hit back straight away, as Lutho Nomoyi put through a clever grubber for fellow centre Siba Mzanywa to dart through for a try, which was converted by fly-half Weston Potgieter.

12 minutes before half-time, Lubambo Sibam crashed over after sustained pressure on the St. Andrew's tryline to put the hosts ahead. This time, Potgieter failed to convert.

Five minutes later, More nailed a penalty to put St Andrew's within touching distance. However, Kingswood once again wasted no time in responding, with Sibam scoring his second try of the game. Potgieter added the extra two points.

At the stroke of half-time, winger Matthew Takeloo burst through for Kingswood, breaking through two tacklers to score a sensational try. Potgieter converted once more.

Moore had a chance to close the gap moments before half-time, but his penalty kick from roughly 40 metres out went wide. Kingswood went into the break with a 26-10 advantage.

The second half got off to a cagey start, although the mobility in Kingswood's forward pack was demonstrated once more by eighth man Jimmy Sholto-Douglas and hooker Okuhle Mbewu, who made significant ground by charging at the St Andrew’s defence.

17 minutes from full-time, Potgieter made the hosts' pressure tell from a penalty kick, increasing Kingswood's lead to 19.

St Andrew's put the Kingswood defence under sustained pressure for the next 10 minutes, but failed to break through.

Eventually, Kingswood lock Shane Weweje broke through the St. Andrew's defence and full-back Athi Halom finished off the move with a try. Potgieter failed to convert.

Halom's opposite number, Ferguson, hit back with his second try of the game. He then tried his hand at converting the try, but was unsuccessful.

As the clock ticked down, St Andrew's prop and captain Sazi Sandi scored a consolation try. More returned to kicking duties and converted.

However, it was too little, too late - as Kingswood College kept their K-Day crown, winning the fixture for the first time on home soil since 1962.

Kingswood coach, Gareth Shaw said: “As a community, this was absolutely massive, hey. We don’t win many, so for us to win two in a row… was really big for us.”

“Before the game, (I said) it was just about keeping it nice and calm and collected. We knew that if we executed it 100 percent on the day, we would be good, but it was just about not being overawed by the occasion before the game.”

St Andrew’s Coach, Gerry Posthumus said: “Obviously we’re disappointed, but I think we’re frustrated because we let ourselves down a little bit in the first half – conceded too many soft tries early on. It’s hard to come back from that.”

“Take nothing away from Kingswood. I think Kingswood are an outstanding side. They played very well today and they exposed our weaknesses, so hats off to them and well played to them.”