UFH add to Rhodes woes
Rhodes Rugby hosted the University of Fort Hare in their second home match of their inaugural Varsity Shield season on Monday. Rhodes were hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 88-8 defeat against the University of the Western Cape the previous week.
The match kicked off in near perfect conditions, with cool dry pitch conditions, and good light from the setting sun. UFH would use the wind at their back in the first half to their advantage, as they spent much of the opening quarter inside Rhodes’s half.
Fort Hare were full of energy throughout the opening quarter, putting a lot of pressure on the Rhodes defensive line; however, despite an early slip resulting in an unconverted try, Rhodes’s defence remained strong.
Roughly 10 minutes before the end of the first half, the frustrations from both sides boiled over, resulting in a brawl deep inside For Hare’s half. As a result of the dustup, yellow cards were issued to Zayne Farmers and Nkosinathi Njeje from UFH and Ryan Horne from Rhodes.
On the stroke of half time, Fort Hare’s temper got the better of them again and Zanoxolo Qwele was shown yellow for a high tackle close to his try line. Rhodes were unable to capitalise on their two-man advantage, however, and the half ended Rhodes 0-5 UFH.
Shortly after the second half kicked off, Fort Hare continued to show poor discipline, giving away two quick penalties. Lindokuhle Kenene from UFH was shown yellow for a dangerous tackle on Michael Steel. Rhodes then took full advantage of a lineout in the UFH half, and Devon Barnard crossed over the line for a try. Steel converted, taking the score to Rhodes 8-5 Fort Hare, as Rhodes took the lead for the first time in the match.
Soon after, both teams traded penalties, which were both converted, resulting in the hosts maintaining their three point lead. Fort Hare could not be kept down, however, and immediately struck back with a try for replacement prop, Bulelani Mdodona. Christian converted to take the score to Rhodes 10-15 Fort Hare, with 25 minutes left in the match.
Rhodes’s defence was put under severe pressure for much of the second half, and their young squad was unable to withstand the pressure from the experienced UFH attack. Fort Hare scored a penalty and two quick tries for Zayne Farmers and Boetie Bowers. Christian converted Farmer's try, and UFH went out to an imposing 10-30 lead, which would be the final score.
In an interview with Grocott’s Mail Sport after the match, Rhodes head coach, Qondakele Sompondo, expressed his disappointment with yet another loss after his team had played so well.
“I think the boys played well and it’s sad that at the end of the game you don’t get the results that you wanted.”
Sompondo added, “The second half of the first half was really good. The guys were putting pressure on Fort Hare, and those yellow cards were as a result of that.”
Sompondo criticised his side's lack of patience, stating that Rhodes should have capitalised on the benefit of numbers for portions of the game. “You forced them to concede those yellow cards, you’ve got to punish them and reward yourselves by scoring points,” Sompondo said he had told his team at half time.
“In the second half we were better composed, we played as a unit, we just ran out of will right at the end,” Sompondo said, adding that this was the only thing that he was worried about. Rhodes captain, Jono Braans, echoed his coach’s sentiments, saying, “It’s quite a tough one; familiar failings, being in the game right up until the 70th minute and then it falls apart again after that.”
Rhodes will now be given a bye in preparation for their final home match of the season against old rivals, Walter Sisulu University on Monday, 13 March.
Sompondo described how he intends to prepare for this derby: “The beauty about it is that we have 14 days to prepare for this one. We will maximize 12 of those 14 days and work really hard.”
Braans, who recently came back from an injury which has seen him watching from the sidelines for the past three weeks, looks forward to the break. He believes it will give the team some time to rest and work on the various aspects of their game that were lacking in their season this far, specifically their ability to close out a game.
Sompondo asked University supporters not to lose hope in Rhodes Rugby.
“I am gutted for them, and I am also gutted as a coach that continuously we lead them into believing that their team is going to get results and we don’t quite do it,” Sompondo said.
“We have two more games to go and we will get those required results. They will get better,” Sompondo said.
He hopes to keep the support for the last home match of the season.