A Surprise on the Farm

The Boland Landbou forward pack was immense and their backline showed their skill and pace with some very good handling and strong running by centres Henlo Marais and Janlu Steenkamp.

The field was heavy underfoot, but it did not stop both teams from playing some excellent rugby in front of about 3 500 spectators.

The farmers came out firing and applied huge pressure on Paul Roos from the start. The home team opened the scoring with a charge-down try in the fifth minute by their outside centre Janlu Steenkamp. It was converted by scrumhalf Deon Carstens. Boland Landbou had a couple of chances in their opponents half soon after which they couldn't convert into points.

Paul Roos then came back strongly and scored to very good tries of their own through their two outstanding forwards on the day prop Muammir Salie and Joa Swart, their captain and lock.

Soon after the second Paul Roos try it was again the Boland pack who rumbled up to the Paul Roos 22m line with their strong, physical running and then centre Steenkamp cut through a gap and after six phases with the forwards going hard at the Paul Roos line it was prop Tristan Hill who drove over the line. Carstens converted from under the poles to make the score 14-14 with about five minutes to go before half time.

Then a strong wind kept Paul Roos in the Boland half and they were rewarded with a penalty which centre Kristoff Baard converted to make it 17-14 to the visitors at half time. Those were also the last points Paul Roos scored for the rest of the match.

In the second half Boland Landbou kept on piling the pressure, but great defence by Paul Roos denied Boland Landbou scoring tries. With 15 minutes to go Boland were awarded a penalty about 15m from the touchline which Deon Carstens converted to make the score 17-17.

Then with about eight minutes left in the game the Boland backline spread the ball wide to their left wing Lourens van Dyk who scored a fantastic try. He had lots of work to do, but went around the last man in defence with a try that reminded everyone of the one Pieter Hendricks scored in the opening game of the 1995 World Cup. Deon Carstens kept his cool and slotted a difficult conversion from about five metres from the touchline to make the score 24-17 with six minutes left in the game.

Paul Roos tried to hurry the game but made a hash of the kick-off which again gave Boland the opportunity to play in their opponents' half. After pressure on the Paul Roos 22m line Danrich Visagie came within a metre of securing the win when his drop goal just missed the left-hand upright.

Paul Roos took a quick drop-out and it was from their own 22m line when they started putting endless pressure on the Boland side. For the last two minutes Boland Landbou defended like animals and when the referee Mr Jonathan Kaplan awarded a penalty against Paul Roos after obstruction, it was all over for the team from Stellenbosch.

Final score 24-17 for Boland Landbou who have now beaten Paul Roos for the sixth time in a row on the Farm.

Standout players for Boland Landbou in their pack of forwards were their props Bertus Smith and Tristan Hill as well as hard running eighthman Jandré Maree.

Probably the best scrumhalf in the country in his age group (only grade 11) Deon Carstens once again was outstanding for the home team with his flyhalf Danrich Visagie controlling the game with his excellent kicking. The centres Janlu Steenkamp and Henlo Marais defended brilliantly and also created excellent try scoring opportunities.

For Paul Roos their captain Joa Swart was immense and together with Mummer Salie he never stopped causing problems for the Landbou defence. In the backline their fullback Stefan Burger and wing Troy Payne also gave everything for their school.

It was a fantastic game of schoolboy rugby. Well done to the players and coaches and good luck to both schools with their remaining matches. Paul Roos play against Grey College this coming Saturday in Stellenbosch, but Boland Landbou have the weekend off before they travel to Riversdale to play Oakdale in their annual Interschools clash on Saturday 29 August. Good luck to both schools.

Scorers:

For Boland Landbou:

Tries: Tristan Hill, Lourens van Dyk, Janlu Steenkamp

Cons: Deon Carstens 3

Pen: Deon Carstens

For Paul Roos:

Tries: Muammir Salie, Joa Swart

Cons: Kristoff Baard 2

Pen: Kristoff Baard

Teams

Boland Landbou: 15 Luke Philander, 14 Sergull van Niekerk, 13 Janlu Steenkamp, 12 Henlo Marais, 11 Lourens van Dyk, 10 Danrich Visagie, 9 Deon Carstens, 8 Jandré Maree, 7 Johan Lubbe, 6 Heinrich Brendel, 5 Joppie du Pisan i(captain), 4 Christiaan Beukes, 3 Tristan Hill, 2 Heino Strümpher, 1 Bertus Smith

Coaches:    Oloff Bergh, Deon Carstens

Paul Roos: 15 Stefan Burger, 14 Troy Payne, 13 Sebastian Uys, 12 Kristoff Baard, 11 Jason Myburgh, 10 Hein Steenkamp, 9 Joss van Eeden, 8 Malan Basson, 7 Dean van Tonder, 6 Roelf Burger, 5 Lazlo Pschorn, 4 Joa Swart (captain), 3 Stephan Annandale, 2 Abrie Coetzee, 1 Muammir Salie

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (Western Province Referees' Society)

By Oloff Bergh