George showdown in Community Cup

The field for the Community Cup Easter play-offs in George has been confirmed after a dramatic final round.

The final weekend of the group phase of the competition saw the identity of the final quarterfinalist only decided in the dying minutes of the final pool match.

There will be four new teams fighting it out at Outeniqua Park from 17-21 April for the iconic Gold Cup and the title of South African's champion non-university club, with the major shock on Saturday being the elimination of 2013 bronze medallists and many people's pre-tournament favourites, Brakpan.

There was high drama in Gauteng on Saturday when Centurion made it through to the last eight on their first attempt after holding out for a nailbiting 32-all draw against Brakpan – the Blue Bulls' representatives' second deadlock following their 26-all result against Roses United last month. With both sides finishing on 15 log points, it was Centurion who advanced on points difference.

Centurion, coached by former Springbok prop Christo Bezuidenhout, will now face fellow newcomers Hamiltons in a club version of the WP-Blue Bulls rivalry, after Hammies pulled off a remarkable, come-from-behind 43-28 win over Impala in Rustenburg thanks to 23 points from the faultless boot of flyhalf Shane Vallender. The home side's star was wing Earl Lewis, who scored a hat-trick inside 33 minutes.

Impala, under the guidance of former Springbok fullback and Sharks coach Hugh Reece-Edwards, will face Roses United in the quarterfinals, after the Boland champions produced yet another scintillating display of running rugby to beat Noordelikes 58-21 to take top honours in Pool C.

Defending champions Despatch avoided a quarterfinal repeat of last year's final against College Rovers when they beat Old Selbornians 38-16 in East London, with winger Billy Mentoor scoring four tries. The Border champions now face KZN champions Rovers, who were pushed all the way by their namesakes, Rovers of Welkom, before running out 24-16 winners in Durban.

The winner of the Rovers-Old Boys match will play the winner of the Impala-Roses game in the last four, while Golden Lions champions Roodepoort will face Despatch for the right to play the winners of the Hamiltons-Centurion clash.

And while it might be the end of the road for the 12 non-qualifiers, a number of clubs will take heart from their performances. Free State's top open club, Bloemfontein Crusaders, featuring brothers Griffin, Darren and Brandon Colby in their starting line-up, beat E-Car Welkom 62-22 to finish a creditable third in Pool B and 10th overall.

Griquas champs Aveng Moolmans Sishen can also hold their heads high. The men from Kathu, under the guidance of amongst others former Bok flyhalf Boeta Wessels, finished their campaign with a resounding 52-10 victory over Wesbank that saw them finish third in Pool D and 11th overall.

And at the New Brighton Oval, Spring Rose ended a disappointing campaign on a superb note when they overcame a 24-point deficit at half-time against Mossel Bay Barbarians to score 27 unanswered second-half points to run out 32-29 winners and so finish 12th overall.

After 40 matches played over five weeks at 20 venues countrywide, attention now turns to George, where Despatch will look to retain their crown over the Easter long weekend, with all 12 matches to be broadcast live on SuperSport.

All the scores and scorers:

Pool A:

Old Selbornians 16-38 Despatch

For Old Selbornians:

Try: Le Marquand

Con: Rielly

Pens: Rielly 3

For Despatch:

Tries: Mentoor 4, Dumond, Slabbert

Cons: Dumond 4

Spring Rose 32-29 Mossel Bay Barbarians

Pool B:

College Rovers 26– 14 Welkom Rovers

For College Rovers:

Tries: Micklewood, Dannhauser 2, Wilkinson

Cons: Micklewood, Wilkinson, Small

For Welkom Rovers:

Tries: Nieuwenhuyzen, Strydom

Cons: Strydom 2

Welkom 22–62 Bloemfontein Crusaders

For Welkom:

Tries: Davis, Till, Boshoff

Cons: Till 2

DG: Till

For Bloemfontein Crusaders:

Tries: Tsoeu 2, Boucher 2, Van Rooyen, Colby, Ball, Manus, Viljoen 2

Cons: Colby 5, Taljaard.

Pool C:

Noordelikes 21–58 Roses United

For Noordelikes:

Tries: Smith 2, Jongbloed

Cons: Byleveldt 3

For Roses United:

Tries: Ramat, Moses 2, April 2, Jacobs 2

Cons: April, Julies 6

Pens: Julies 3

Centurion 32–32 Brakpan

For Centurion:

Tries: Moir, Njomba, Coetzee, Van der Merwe

Cons: Moir 3

Pens: Moir, Twiname.

For Brakpan:

Tries: Booysen, Damba, Ueckermann, Strydom, Van der Berg

Cons: Horn 2

Pen: Horn

Pool D:

Sishen 52–10 Wesbank

For Sishen:

Tries: Penalty try, Le Roux 2, Poolman, Zwiegelaar, Du Plessis, Coetzee, De Villiers

Cons: Le Roux 6

For Wesbank:

Try: Slabber

Con: Nelson

Pen: Jonkers

Rustenburg Impala 28–43 Hamiltons

For Rustenberg Impala

Tries: Lewis 3, Nienaber

Con: De Wet

Pens: Kok 2

For Hamiltons:

Tries: Jacobs, Van Zyl, Burch, Du Plessis

Cons: Vallender 4

Pens: Vallender 4

DG: Vallender

Final Community Cup logs:

(Under played, won, points)

Pool A

1. Despatch (4, 4, 19)

2. Old Selbornians (4, 3, 14)

3. Spring Rose (4, 2, 10)

4. Barbarians (4, 1, 7)

5. Bridgeton (4, 0, 1)

Pool B

1. College Rovers (4, 4, 20)

2. Roodepoort (4, 3, 13)

3. Crusaders (4, 2, 11)

4. Rovers (4, 1, 7)

5. WElkom (4, 0, 0)

Pool C

1. Roses United (4, 3, 18)

2. Centurion (4, 2, 15)

3. Brakpan (4, 2, 15)

4. Boksburg (4, 1, 6)

5. Noordelikes (4, 0, 0)

Pool D

1. Hamiltons (4, 4, 20)

2. Impala (4, 3, 16)

3. Sishen (4, 2, 10)

4. Ferros (4, 1, 6)

5. Wesbank (4, 0, 1)