Brumbies outclass Harlies in clinical bonus point win
Grahamstown Brumbies 1st XV recorded its first win in the top flight Eastern Province Rugby Union (Epru) SCORE Grand Challenge
Top 12 competition against PE Harlequins.
The Makhanda side produced an impressive performance to clinch a clinical 33-20 bonus point win at the Rhodes University Great Field on Saturday afternoon. The Stallions also took a commanding 23-10 lead at halftime and dominated matters after the break.
The all-awaited derby between these two top clubs eventually surfaced on Saturday in front of thousands of supporters both from Makhanda, Gqeberha and Alexandria. There was much pre-match hype and banter on social media during the week. The atmosphere was electrifying and the environment just perfect for a clash of this calibre. The weather was hot and humid but failed to keep enthusiastic rugby lovers away. The fans certainly got full value for their money.
Both teams needed to be complimented for entertaining the large crowd with brilliant running rugby from the kick off, as both
The much needed confidence bonus point win saw Brumbies and Harlequins both with a win and a defeat behind them in the early stages of the “Strength vs Strength” competition.
As expected, the game started at a very high tempo and intensity, very physical, competitive and was played in a very good spirit. Harlies started like a house on fire as their inspirational captain and speedster Dayle Nel (wing) got his side off to a blistering start from the kick off with a brilliant converted try within two minutes. The visitors took an early 7-0 lead and put the home side under pressure early in the first half. But the Brumbies had other plans as their loud and cheering supporters motivated them, with their dominant and powerful pack of forwards winning their first scrum penalty. This was the start of numerous scrum penalties awarded to the home side. The home players kept their composure as Harlies gave the ball lots of air by attacking and coming hard at them, setting up phase after phase with their big ball carriers.
Eventually, the reliable breakdown specialists of Brumbies ensured turnovers that resulted in wing Declan Muller succeeding with
narrow matters to 6-7 in favour of the visitors. A brilliant chased kick won in the air by young Nolan Soyes in the 12th minute saw him magnificently offloading to youngster and winger Nicklon Williams on his outside shoulder, who ran 45m to score. The conversion was missed as, for the first time in the match, the Brumbies led 11-7. The young and explosive Brumbies’ backline were on fire and were entertaining the crowd with their salubrious pace, skill and explosive stepping and running with ball in hand on attack. These paid dividends as their star player and EP Mighty Elephants hopeful Eldrico Kivitts (centre) brought the large crowd on their feet in the 17th minute with a splendid 80m break through the midfield to run almost the entire length of the field and score the try of the match. Muller converted as the home side extended its lead to 18-7.
Harlies didn’t lay down either despite the missed tackles and sloppy defence. They answered two minutes later with a penalty by full back Ricardo Bruiners while the Brumbies also hit back minutes later with a fine try by their big lock, Bones Cekiso, to bring the score to 23-10 in favour of Brumbies at the halftime break.
The second half started with the visitors flexing their muscles. But a solid start by Brumbies saw them earning an early penalty for a scrum infringement by Harlies’ front row in the third minute. Muller stepped forward and converted as the home side extended its lead to 26-10. Like a top rugby side, Harlies showed their class and a never-say-die comeback.
Brumbies’ centre pairing of Eldrico Kivitts and Chadwill Jegels was in devastating form and dangerous both on attack and defence, winning the battle and outshining the highly rated centre pairing of Fabio Mapaling and Cheswin Van Wyk.
The visitors brought on their replacements who immediately made an impact in the context of the game. Cheswin Van Wyk ran great lines at centre in the midfield and gained metres for his side. Harlies prop October scored a wellorchestrated try from a fantastic lineout driving maul in the ninth minute.
Brumbies led 26-15. But it was the Brumbies’ hardworking forwards who constantly dominated matters upfront and provided quality ball possession for their speedy and skillful backs. Harlies continued to make unforced errors on attack and put themselves under enormous pressure whilst the Brumbies were seeking their fourth bonus point try.
The home side put the opposition further on to the backfoot as their replacement backline player received a yellow card for a dangerous high tackle in the 17th minute. In the 22nd minute of the second half, with Harlies on attack inside the 5m scoring line of the Brumbies, a fantastic hit on defence by the Brumbies saw a loose ball kicked through by veteran lock Monray Evans.
Nolan Soyes followed up and chased while his kick through saw the ball landing in the in-goal area where he beat the cover defence and dived on the ball to score a scintillating try. Muller converted the try with Brumbies smelling victory with a lead of 33-15.
The remaining 18+ minutes of the second half were brutally contested. Whilst the Brumbies already secured their fourth bonus point try and were searching for the win, it was the visitors who refused to give up despite the big deficit.
Harlies are known for never backing down, and scored in the 39th minute of the second half, what turned out to be a consolation try by replacement Quetyn Oerson. It was unfortunately too little too late for the visitors as the Stallions secured an emphatic 33-20 bonus point win, whilst the crowd sang “Bye Bye Harlies, Bye Bye Harlies, Bye Bye Harlies, we hope to see you again”.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Eldrico Kivitts rightfully earned the Grocott’s Mail/Daniels MEDIA Man of the Match award, having produced yet another sterling and solid all round performance for the Brumbies.
Giuliano Flotman of Brumbies felt very confident after the team’s first win. “To pick up five league points against a former Super 12 and Grand Challenge Champs is massive. We realise though that we haven’t achieved anything yet.”
The team will face Progress away this coming Saturday in a big battle. “Our goal for Progress is to be competitive as it is not easy to face Super 14 and GC teams back to back, but we want to compete and show why we are Makhanda’s top team representative in the Top 12 GC Club.” Said Flotman.
OTHER SCORES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES:
Brumbies 1st Reserve beat Harlequins 19-13
Brumbies 2nd beat Harlequins 28-0
The Wolves are a very dangerous and difficult side to beat at home and visitors usually fall short at their fortress home ground. The young Stallion side went down full of confidence after a good preseason preparation in the friendly matches. The exciting and speedy backline of Rhodes were in devastating mode as they attacked with purpose and ran good lines with ball in hand. Wolves looked very decent with ball in hand especially in broken play as they also played a good running game.
Rhodes’ experience counted in their favour in the end and claimed a solid hard-fought 25-22 bonus point win.
TRIES: Athenkosi Nkewana (x2), Samkelo Maisela, Tatenda Kamdengwa
CONVERSION: Ethan Goliath
PENALTY: Ethan Goliath
In the Regional League, Kowie United played host to Ndlambe Tigers in their local derby in front of a large local crowd at the Station Hill Sports Ground. United went in the fixture as firm favourites after dominating Tigers in recent years and also dominating their neighbours this season.
Tigers are struggling this season with their form and various disruptions internally. The home side played a very fast-paced game especially with their light footed backline and putting the bigger counterparts under immense pressure. They kept the ball away from the bigger forwards of Tigers who are very dangerous and effective with ball in hand.
Flyhalf Duncan Van Rensburg was voted Man of the Match with his contribution of 19 points in the game for Kowie.
Van Rensburg scored two tries, three conversions and a penalty in a match-winning performance. Meligan Frans scored the other try for United.
Klipfontein United hosted newcomers from Sundays
River Valley, Valencia Barbarians, or Babaas, at their fortress ground in front of a large crowd who never disappoints. Babaas came out guns blazing and took the game to the wire. The home side were the favourites playing in front of their home supporters but would have been very disappointed with the outcome – a narrow win in the end. The visitors took full control of the game, especially in the second half, as they were leading 14-10 and on the verge of upsetting the home side United.
In the dying moments of the game and with Valencia leading 14-10, a brilliant match-winning try by flanker Braden Jacobs secured a 15-14 win for his side and broke the hearts of Babaas who felt they had the game in the bag. Jacobs was also voted Man of the Match.
The game was played in a very good spirit as both teams’ forwards were constantly in each other’s faces throughout the game. It was as expected, a very hard and physical battle, especially up front where the Bulls’ forwards showed their physicality in the scrums and lineout driving mauls. Lily White gave the ball a lot of air and made the game fast by playing with their backs and keeping the ball away from the big forward pack of St Marks.
The first half was an evenly contested affair as both sides played brilliant rugby with numerous scoring opportunities afforded to them. Young Razeek Saterdag went over for the only try of the first half for St Marks, to give his side a narrow 7-3 lead.
The second half saw the big powerful pack of forwards from the Bulls using their trademark stand-off and-drive maul game that suits them in gaining momentum and territorial advantage.
They received scrum penalties with their dominance up front and that resulted in good quality balls for their young, speedy and skillful backs. The home side’s discipline let them down a bit in the second half and that resulted in the team conceding a penalty try for repeated infringements close to their try line. The competitive battle continued as the home side gained momentum through their dominant pack that lead to a try by Charles Oosthuizen and later by young winger Dino Bruintjies, as St Marks got themselves in a firm position that required the Blues to score twice to win.
The closing stages of the game saw the visitors piling the pressure on the home side with wave after wave of attacks in search of scoring opportunities, but solid defending from the Bulls prevented them. The home side held their composure and their lead until the final whistle, to advance as 19-10 winners.
POINTS FOR ST MARKS
TRIES: Razeek Saterdag, Dino Bruintjies CONVERSIONS: Razeek Saterdag, Dino Bruintjies LILY WHITE POINTS:
PENALTY TRY
PENALTY: Andile Thethani
St Marks’ captain, Cameron Jewell said he was happy with the hard-fought win. “We had to dig deep to clinch it in the end. Blues are a very good side and it was not easy for us to beat them.”
Jewell alluded to the physicality of the encounter. “It was a very physical battle between the two forwards as we were constantly in each other’s faces. It was very hard and physical upfront with our backs brilliant with ball in hand and could stand their man against the bigger backline of the Blues.”
He praised the strength of his team’s forward pack. “Our line outs were a bit scratchy at times with numerous handling errors due to the windy conditions.”
Jewell said there was room for improvement in his team’s performance.
The team faces Orlando Eagles in Thornhill this coming weekend and Jewell hopes they can be good travellers and win away from home.