KES thump Jeppe in derby
KING Edward VII School demolished rivals Jeppe High School for Boys, 49-31, outscoring their rivals seven tries to five, to reclaim top honours in the fierce local derby this past weekend.
The powerful KES forward pack was dominant on the day, scoring five tries between them, including braces from tighthead prop Wayne van Niekerk and flank Connor van Buuren.
The two sides clashed in front of a capacity crowd on Jeppe’s Collard Field, but KES dealt the home support an early blow after Van Buuren powered his way over the tryline within the first minute.
Three minutes later and the KES boys would be over for their second after flyhalf Conan Davies broke through the line and released flanker Josh Nkomo to run-in from 30m out.
Jeppe replied immediately through prop Sibu Shongwe, who crashed over from the driving maul, setting up a humdinger for the rest of the contest.
Jeppe scored another two tries through full-back Gerath Louw and scrum-half Tsaona Tiro, but a brace from the powerful Van Niekerk helped KES take an impressive 27-17 lead going into the break. Van Niekerk was superb in the contest, leading the line from the front, immovable in the scrums and constantly causing the Jeppe defence problems with ball-in-hand.
KES started the second half off where they left the first, as scrum-half Nick Harris threw a dummy and slipped straight past the Jeppe defenders, scoring his sides fifth of the afternoon.
There was no way back for Jeppe who conceded their sixth try after Van Buuren completed his brace for KES, taking them out to an unassailable 44-17 lead.
Loose forwards Van Buuren, Nkomo and captain Lindokuhle Ncusane have shown their worth all season, especially Ncusane, who is eyeing the Lions Craven week eighth-man.
KES fullback Eulon Redcliffe put the final nail in the coffin as he finished a well-planned move from the scrum, extending their lead to 49-14. Two late tries from Jeppe forwards Calvin Kuperus and Jarred Hawthorne made the score more respectable at 44-31.
Jeppe will look for revenge when the two sides meet at KES on July 20.