First Division chase could go to the wire
ALL EYES were on the Fidelity ADT First Division this last weekend, with the Premier Division Clubs having the weekend off, and with July Fever in full swing, club rugby took a back seat.
Certainly with the Premier Division and Premier Division Reserve leagues now wrapped up it is left to the First Division clubs to hold centre stage as two clubs have emerged as possible contenders to take the South Section title. Hillcrest hold a one point advantage on the log table over South Coast Warriors with a few rounds to play. So it could well go down to the wire.
The Land Rover Durban Hillcrest Villagers RFC deserve huge accolades in hosting another captivating Rugby4Keta fundraising rugby day whilst also hosting Maritzburg Collegians at Kearsney College last Saturday. Keta, now a delightful young 16-year-old was diagnosed with Liniar Scleroderma, an extremely rare auto immune disease. when she was two years old.
It was however the Golden Oldies game between the home side Villagers Old Boys and the South Coast Terriers eThekwini Refractories Amanzimtoti Old Crocks that undoubtedly proved the catalyst and driving force behind this great initiative. With the Toti Old Crocks fielding two 60 year legends from their club,Barry Scott and Felix van Oudtshoorn, for them it was payback time as the Villagers had supported them with their fundraiser for the severely injured Crusaders player Lifa Hlongwa.
Certainly a story that deserves huge accolades for the club game in the province.
The game itself was won by the hosts beating Maritzburg Collegians 66-7, but it wasn’t so much about who won or lost the game it was more about the funds raised as Keta has been on continuous costly medication since she was two. Now with the help of other private funds raised by the Hillcrest RFC Committee members and The DRSU Keta will travel to Italy in December to visit the top authority on this rare disease and with that she hopes to matriculate in 2019.
The DRSU and all the club rugby world with The Sharks wish the young lady well and pray for her full recovery.
In the other games South Coast Warriors beat UKZN Durban 54-22 at Howard College after leading 21-12 at the break, while Mancosa Zululand Rhinos accounted for Durban Mets winning 55-5 and Westville won 38-10 against Ballito Dolphins.
On Friday evening Jaguars host Zululand Rhinos, Westville host Maritzburg Collegians and Durban Mets entertain Ballito Dolphins.
The Premier Division sides play their last round this Friday and looking at the log standings eThekwini Refractories Amanzimtoti, who end their campaign with a bye, look destined to drop two places with Varsity College and Bidvest Insurance Crusaders both likely to pick up vital log points in their last round against Richards Bay and FNB UKZN Maritzburg respectively.
The big game is College Rovers hosting SA Home Loans Durban Collegians with Collegians clearly hoping to finish on a high, while Rovers will be looking at keeping their unbeaten record intact.
On Thursday 19 July The Locker Room celebrate their 21st Anniversary show with a fundraiser at Crawford College in La Lucia for a very good cause The Ryan Walker Foundation an organisation founded by former College Rovers scrumhalf who was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease a few years back. The foundation raises funds for research into the dreaded disease in the hope of at least finding out the root causes of how and why it attacks certain people, in the nhope of identifying ways of curing the disease.
The Three Amigos
The Three Amigos – John Allan with Pat Symcox and Dick Muir – will be in discussion about the way our game in this country is going and the hugely talented Danny Fisher will be on hand to entertain the guests with his music.
For further information contact Nadine at Nadine@cashbackcard.co.za
The Rugga Bus will be available to transport Sharks Supporters to Jonsson Kings Park for the Sharks last Super Rugby game, before the play-offs are announced, on Saturday.
For R150, which includes a ticket to the game and a free drink, the bus leaves at 3.15pm from the George in Umhlanga and 3.30pm from Crusaders in Durban North while a later bus leave the George at 4.15pm and Crusaders at 4.30pm.
With the Sharks ready to play with the last throw of the dice to stay in the play-offs it is time to support our team against the Jaguares, a side that has improved in leaps and bounds.