Queenstown teams suffer defeats
IT WAS a weekend to forget for both Queenstown rugby teams plying their trade in the Border Super League. Breakers were hammered at home while, to the dismay of the rugby fraternity, Old Collegians failed to honour their fixture against Berlin Tigers in Berlin.
Breakers put up a brave first half performance, but succumbed to an onslaught by a determined Fort Hare Blues side. Fort Hare was full value for their 33-6 bonus point victory after a first half where there was only a point separating the two sides. The students showed their class with skilful play in the second half. Breakers were in the game the first 40 minutes, but ran out of steam in the second half. UFH showed their intent by fielding all their Border Bulldogs stars. They got the first points of the match through a try by Saneliso Ngoma. Oliver Zono converted and the visitors took a 7-0 lead. The half was tense but Breakers replied with two penalties by Nkunku Mbusi and Milo Nqoro to cut the deficit to a point.
In the second half it was all Fort Hare. The students scored 26 unanswered points, running in four tries. Breakers had no answer for the attack of the students. First Athi Manetsa crossed the whitewash for a converted try. Then it was the turn of Lithabile Mgwadlela to score an unconverted try. Lundi Ralarala got into the act with a try. Bangihlombe Kobese took the kicking duties over from Zono as he converted to make the score 26-6. Wing Habana Nofemele put the final nail in Breakers’ coffin when he bulldozed his way over for a converted try. With the win Fort Hare moved to fourth on the log with 14 points. Breakers dropped to seventh with nine.
In other matches, defending champs Old Boys made it four in a row with a 53-22 hammering of Winter Rose to consolidate their number one spot on the log with 19 points. Winter Rose remain ninth with six points. Walter Sisulu All Blacks leapfrogged Police to second place with a 48-0 defeat of Africans. They also have 19 points. Africans remain at the bottom with no win and three points. Police defeated Swallows 34-22 and are third with 19 points. Swallows are 10th with five. Buffs beat Cambridge 19-15. Buffs moved to sixth on the log with 13 points. Cambridge are eighth with eight and Collegians 11th with five. Berlin Tigers are fifth with 14 points.