Border win another nailbiter

After winning in the last play on the first day, Border once again found themselves on the right side of a tightly contested match, beating Griquas 17-15 in a nailbiting encounter on Day 3 of the 2009 Craven Week in East London.

The match began in the same fashion as it would continue for the remainder; the opening minutes a good indication of a tight and physical Craven Week encounter. Border launched an early attack, but a loose pass was intercepted by Griquas wing Darren-Lee Koopman.

The Noord-Kaap speedster still had a lot of work to do as he was hunted down by three Border defenders. But he showed sheer pace and determination, running almost eighty metres and putting in a big hand off to score.

Border drew level almost immediately, with Queen’s wing Leon Makiwane finishing off a blinside break by flank Chris Cloete. But as was the trend for most of the game, the momentum swung quickly once more; Griquas regaining the lead with a penalty from the boot of flyhalf Johandre van der Walt.

The teams were evenly matched and both surrendered several scoring opportunities, with the final touches often letting them down.

But it was Border who scored next, taking the lead for the first time with a try to Cloete; just reward for an industrious display for the Selborne loose forward. The chance arose from a turnover –  a great scrum from the Border pack giving No.9 Matthew King the ball. The nippy scrumhalf sprinted down the blind and put the blonde-haired No.7 away with a superb offload off the deck.

Cloete’s try made it 10-8 at the break in favour of the Eastern Cape side playing in front of their home fans at the Border Rugby Union Stadium.

But the lead changed hands again in the second half with a try to Griquas fullback Wilhelm Bester. The try was a result of loose play by Border inside their own half, which put them under tremendous pressure on their own goal line. A penalty was blown for holding, and Bester’s quick-tap and drive sent him crashing over.
 
The conversion was successful: 15-0 to Griquas with half an hour to play.

But Border showed all the grit and fighting spirit which won them the thrilling game against the Valke on Monday, scoring the decisive try in the 49th minute.

Fittingly, Border produced the best movement of the game; a well-worked passing movement culminating in Makiwane dotting down fro his second. Flyhalf Dale Sabbagh succeeded with the high pressure kick to earn his team a slender two point lead.

That lead would remain, with speculative penalty attempts from both sides missing the target. It was a refreshingly tight game among a host of one-sided games the week has produced. Border will be delighted with themselves, having won two-from-two in the Craven week, both of them nailbiting victories.

Scorers:

For Border:
Tries: Cloete, Makiwane 2
Con: vd Walt

For Griquas:
Tries: Koopman, Bester
Con: vd Walt
Pen: vd Walt

Border: 15 Olunje Gwampi (Dale), 14 Kantu Mfenyana (Queen’s), 13 Aziyena Mandaba (Queen’s), 12 Andile Jho (Dale), 11 Leon Makiwane (Queen’s), 10 Dale Sabbagh (Selborne), 9 Matthew King (Selborne), 8 Matthew Williams (Selborne), 7 Chris Cloete (Selborne), 6 Roelof Roodt (Hangklip), 5 Chay Oberholzer (Queen’s), 4 Louis Nell (Grens), 3 Allan Dell (Queen’s), 2 Grant Hartley (Queen’s) (captain), 1 Soso September (Selborne), 16 Lifa Ghana (Dale), 17 Luvuyo Kama (Dale), 18 Mahdi Elabor (Stirling), 19 Roche Vorster (Selborne), 20 Bangi Kobese (Dale), 21 Shane Swart (Stirling), 22 Ofenze Boloko (Selborne)

Griquas: 15 W Bester (Diamantveld), 14 D Koopman (Noord-Kaap), 13 H Momberg (Landboudal) ,12 TBoltman (Diamantveld),11 TBoltman (Noord-Kaap), 10 J van der Walt (Noord-Kaap), 9 N Nieklaassen(Diamantveld), 8 D Carney(Noord-Kaap), 7 J Africa (Noord-Kaap), 6 H van Niekerk (Noord-Kaap), 5 H Groenweald, 4 L du Raan (Landboudal), 3 W van Zyl (Diamantveld), 2 G Bruwer (Landboudal),1 F Vermeulen (Diamantveld), 16 N van der Westhuizen (Diamantveld), 17 D Fraser (Victoria West), 18 V Vermaas (Landboudal), 19 J Rooifontein (Prieska), 20 T Thupe (Noord-Kaap), 21 D Gorrah (Noord-Kaap), 22 R Colosa (Noord-Kaap)

Referee: Mlungiseleli Mdashe

By Tim Human