Raiders continue winning ways

Wild cards Raiders recorded their second big victory while there were also impressive victories for Western Province clubs SK Walmers and Durbanville-Bellville in the second round of the Community Cup.

College Rovers and Brakpan both notched up second wins, Welkom Rovers and Roodepoort broke their ducks while Evergreens began their campaign in fine style with an impressive away victory against White River.

Raiders followed up their away win over Noordelikes last weekend with a 33-6 victory over fellow wild cards Bloemfontein Crusaders at the Bill Jardine Stadium in Johannesburg – a result which propels them to the top of Pool C.

In Pool A, two tries and a personal haul of 29 points by flyhalf Adnaan Osman gave SK Walmers a dream start to their campaign when they ran out 49-26 winners over Villagers Worcester in a WP-Boland derby played in front of a large crowd at the newly-refurbished Green Point Track in Cape Town.

Sishen experienced what most teams in the Community Cup probably already know – if you can’t beat College Rovers, you probably aren’t going to win the coveted Gold Cup.

The Durbanites achieved a rather comfortable 54-24 win in a very hot Kathu, scoring nine tries for a maximum tally of five log points for the second week in a row. In the process they also notched up their 81st win in 85 matches.

Sishen, who suffered a narrow last-minute defeat to Villagers Worcester in Round One, were still in the game at the resumption of the second half, trailing 13-3. This quickly changed however as they were reduced to 14 men for the most part of the second half when centre Johan Peens received his second yellow card.

For a very short period in the second half, the Sishen supporters thought their team might just pull off a major upset when the home side scored a try to reduce the gap to 20-10. But with a player short Sishen were always going to be up against it, and so it proved as Rovers showed their class in the final 30 minutes.

At the Bosman Stadium, Brakpan demolished Roses United 87-29 to take a firm hold at the top of Group D.

The match was expected to be a tight affair but the Valke champions were simply too efficient in the set phases and ruthless with the line in sight, while fullback Charl Nieuwenhuis scored 32 points in a man of the match performance.

The home side got off to the perfect start with the opening try scored in the first minute from former Valke and Tuks outside centre Franco Booysen.

Scrumhalf Shaun Botes dived over in the ninth minute as 'Panna' took control, and thereafter the first-half floodgates opened with tries from captain Francois Robbertse, Gido Horn (2) and Nieuwenhuis as the home side led 40-0 inside half an hour.

The visitors pulled back two tries before the half-time hooter but normal service was resumed after the break as the East Rand outfit sent out a strong warning to the rest of the field.

Results, Round Two:

Pool A:

Sishen 24-54 College Rovers

SK Walmers 49-26 Villagers Worcester

Pool B:

Welkom Rovers 43-20 Bloemfontein Police

Durbanville-Bellville 45-26 African Bombers

Pool C:

Roodepoort 84-28 Noordelikes

Raiders 33-6 Bloemfontein Crusaders

Pool D:

White River 20-48 Evergreens

Brakpan 87-29 Roses United