Late onslaught by brave Grey fails to fend off loss
GREY High mounted a courageous fightback late in the game, but it was not enough in the end as they went down 27-21 to Selborne in their final schools rugby fixture of the season in East London on Saturday.
After trailing 13-0 at half time, Grey were staring down the barrel when they conceded two more tries in the second half to flyhalf David Coetzer and hooker Mila Bomela, both of which Coetzer converted.
This gave the home side what seemed like an unassailable lead.
For much of the game to that stage, Grey often resorted to kicking the ball downfield which was not effective, allowing players such as fullback James Bruce and Coetzer to run back at them.
With about 20 minutes left, there looked to be no way back for the visitors, but that was not something, it seemed, that entered the Grey boys’ minds.
In a determined display, they forced their way back into the match, making their way upfield for prop Sive Masosiwe to give them a glimpse of hope when he barged over.
Scrumhalf Praveen Bosch kicked a fine conversion and suddenly there was a new sense of energy in the Grey ranks and Selborne found themselves defending for most of the last 20 minutes.
Now it was the home team conceding penalties, allowing Grey to opt for 5m lineouts from one of which flank Azola Mahonga scored their second try.
From another period of pressure on the Selborne line, powerful centre Josia Twum-Boafo took a quick tap from a penalty to charge over for their third try.
Bosch converted both tries and with about four minutes remaining, Grey were within a seven-pointer of victory, having closed the gap to 27-21.
Finally, though, Selborne capitalised on an error to end up 5m from the Grey tryline, only to lose that advantage with time having almost run out.
Grey ran the ball from their tryline and went through multiple phases to advance to the halfway line before a final error allowed Selborne to clear the ball, followed, with home relief, by the final whistle.
Selborne’s first-half points came through tries by Bruce and wing Joshua Armstrong, plus a penalty by Coetzer.
WESTERING v CILLIE
CILLIE ran in six tries to two to beat hosts Westering 38-10 in their schools match on Saturday.
Cillie carried a definite weight advantage in the forwards and used this to good effect to lay the platform for their victory.
Westering put up a decent fight but they were outgunned by a stronger side.
Cillie took an early lead when hooker Martin Zeelie crashed over the tryline from a lineout drive in the fifth minute.
But they met with some opposition from Westering after that and only managed another try on the half-hour when prop Adrian Koen charged over for centre Dylan Grootboom to convert.
At 12-0 and with half time looming, Westering were still in with a shout.
But, on the stroke of the break, Cillie flyhalf Manuel Sauls put the visitors comfortably ahead.
When the sides returned, Cillie leftwing Lawrence Basson added another try, with Grootboom adding the extra two points with the boot.
Westering then bounced back with tries by No 8 Siviwe Manyati and fullback Simanye Jekwa to make it 24-10.
But a double strike through Grootboom and Jose Tsingane, both converted by Grootboom, ensured the win for the Cillie side.