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Boland Landbou Win Thriller in Riversdale

Now this was rugby. On a lovely, sunny afternoon in Riversdale, there was a match between two agricultural schools, Oakdale and Bold Landbou, that would uplift the heart most pessimistic about the future. It was a wonderful match.

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It started off full of life and at the end of 70 minutes’ play, it was lively with excitement close to bursting.

Neither side deserved to lose. Both sides deserved to win even if the scoreboard says that Boland Landbou had scored more points than the home side Oakdale.

Just the last 10 minutes are worth recording for their agonising excitement. It started off after an hour’s play with Boland Landbou leading 19-15.

With 10 minutes to play, Boland Landbou kicked deep into Oakdale territory. Keaton Bush got the ball and started running. Just before the half-way line Bush gave to Matthew Stephens who simply raced downfield at a diagonal to the left till he scored a try. 20-19 to Oakdale with nine minutes to play.

It was the first time Oakdale had had the lead but they increased it when flyhalf Hendrik Victor, under pressure, kicked a left-footed drop[. 23-19 with four minutes to play.

Boland Landbou threw everything into the attack and Oakdale tackled and tackled. The visitors battered and bashed at the line but the defence held. Substitute Eugene Snyders got over the line but Gerbrand Conradie and Stephens held him up, Stephens under the ball. That gave Boland Landbou a five-metre scrum near the posts.

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When the scrum went down, the time was moving over the 70-minute mark. This was the last but of play of the match.

Oakdale shoved the Boland Landbou pack back but Boland Landbou got the ball back and attacked going right as Oakdale tackled. They came back left, they went right, they went left and still Oakdale held them out. And then, as he was being tackles, flank Corné Smith burst over under the posts. 24-23 to Boland Landbou. Delight on one side, misery on the other.

They gave the conversion to prop Hen-Ko Smuts who kicked it over, the final whistle went and a horde of Boland Landbouers flooded the field.

A great one to win, a harsh one to lose.

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Boland scored first – a try at close quarters by scrumhalf Jacques Theron, converted by flyhalf Keanan Wentzel. They followed with another close-quarters try, this timne by Smuts, and Boland Landbou led 12-0 and after 14 minutes.

A penalty by Alwich van der Linde and a try under the posts by eager Keaton Bush who cat between the centres made it 12-8 after the straightforward conversion hit an upright.

That was the half-timne score.

Early in the second half, Boland extended their lead to 19-8 when Reinardt Spies scored from a five-metre scrum.

Then along came Vernon Paulo. Usually a flank he was playing lock for Oakdale and he scored a great individual try. He took a pass from Ajay Oelofsen and simply sped straight down the field for 40 metres, beating two defenders to score a try which Van der Linde converted. That made the score 19-15 to Boland Landbou with 18 minutes to play, the energetic prelude to the end game.

Scorers

For Boland Landbou:
Tries: Jacques Theron, Hen-Ko Smuts, Reinardt Spies, Corné Smith
Cons: Keanan Wentzel, Hen-Ko Smuts

For Oakdale:
Tries: Keaton Bush, Matthew Stephens, Vernon Paulo
Cons: Alwich van der Linde
Pen: Alwich van der Linde
Drop: Hendrik Victor

Teams

Boland Landbou: 15 Boeta Moolman, 14 Hentie Fourie, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 CJ Snyman, 11 Tarique Pietersen, 10 Keanan Wentzel, 9 Jacques Theron, 8 Stefan Nortjé, 7 Corné Smith, 6 Reinardt Spies (captain), 5 Marco de Witt, 4 Jaunu Olivier, 3 Henri van der Westhuizen, 2 Tehan du Plessis, 1 Hen-Ko Smuts
Replacements: 16 JJ Wiggins, 17 Christoff van Zyl, 18 Hubert de Villiers, 19 Isak Nel, 20 Eugene Snyders, 21 Trevino Swartz, 22 Wian Smit, 23 Corné Grobbelaar
Coaches: Oloff Bergh, Deon Carstens
Manager: Prieur du Plessis

Oakdale: 15 Matthew Stephens, 14 Keaton Bush, 13 Creflo Witbooi, 12 Alwich van der Linde, 11 Elkan Willemse, 10 Hendrik Victor, 9 Nico Pietersen, 8 Gerbrand Conradie, 7 Sybrand van Dyk, 6 Janus Ferreira, 5 Ajay Oelofsen, 4 Vernon Paulo, 3 Neil Francis, 2 Herman Otto, 1 Petri Steyn
Replacements: 16 Kaylim Cordier, 17 Malcolm Joseph, 18 Niel Engelbrecht, 19 Gustav Smit, 20 Zack Stander, 21 Janco Goosen, 22 Ashwin Botha, 23 Monré de Ridder
Coach: Malan du Plessis

Referee: Sean Muller (South Western Districts Referees’ Society)
Assistant referees: Charl Jacobs (South Western Districts Referees’ Society), Suretta Francis (South Western Districts Referees’ Society)

Boland Landbou vs Oakdale Down the Years

1992: Boland Landbou won 15-6
1993: Oakdale won 26-6
1994: Boland Landbou won 18-11
1995: Oakdale won 19-18
1996: Boland Landbou won 26-0
1997: Oakdale won 26-22
1998: Boland Landbou won 16-12
1999: Draw 23-23
2000: Boland Landbou won 31-7
2001: Boland Landbou won 15-0
2002: Boland Landbou won 14-5
2003: Boland Landbou won 20-12
2004: Boland Landbou won 11-7
2005: Oakdale won 8-6
2006: Boland Landbou won 17-0
2007: Boland Landbou won 27-19
2008: Boland Landbou won 16-8
2010: Oakdale won 3-0
2011: Oakdale won 34-3
2012: Boland Landbou won 38-9
2013: Oakdale won 29-10
2014: Boland Landbou won 13-7
2015: Oakdale won 21-12
2016: Boland Landbou won 27-22
2017: Oakdale won 14-12
2018: Boland Landbou won 56-19
2019: Boland Landbou won 26-23

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