Bosch win in the Wet
For the Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools match, it was a day for brollies, raincoats and thick pullovers at the Piley Rees Field at Bishops on Saturday and still a great crowd ringed the famous old ground and the cheering of the boys was no quieter as Rondebosch beat Bishops 22-7.
It was a strange old day. Sometimes – rarely – the sun shone and Devil's Peak was clear. Sometimes the icy rain came slanting down and Devil's Peak was nowhere to be seen.
The Piley Rees field drains better than almost all school field in the Peninsula, but it was soaked and became more and more churned up, and the oafs became increasingly more muddied.
Both sides got on with the game. Rondebosch used their powerful pack and the scrumhalf's testing box kicks while Bishops ran and ran and did so with great skill, despite the weather. They rarely kicked and twice when they did Rondebosch scored tries. It was a day made for forwards, but still the Bishops backs went about denying the rain the chance to spoil their fun but not with enough penetrative strength or speed to make a serious difference. Bishops passed; Rondebosch bashed and mauled. The day was more suited to bashing and mauling.
The first try came from a Bishops kick,. Rondebosch counterattacked with Khanyo Ngcukana in the line to create an overlap for Nicholas le Roux and he sped over for a try in the left corner. 5-0 after just 1 minutes.
Rondebosch had several chances to score but with too little reward. They tapped a penalty five metres from the Bishops line and bashed while the Bishops defence stood firm. Rondebosch were held up over the line and had a five-metre scrum. They bashed again and then suddenly released the ball. Flyhalf Tyren Lee kicked a perfect diagonal to the left. It bounced in Bishops in-goal where there was no defender but Devan van Rensburg on hand to score. Lee converted from far out. 12-0 after 16 minutes.
Bishops were more penalised their opponents. A ;penalty at a tackle was followed by another penalty for not being 10 metres back Rondebosch kicked out for a line-out and drove the maul over for a try credited to Philip Jankielsohn. 17-0 after 33 minutes, and Rondebosch were back bashing at the Bishops line till half-time relieved them.
Stefano de Gouveia, the lively Rondebosch scrumhalf, kicked his only poor kick and Bishops counterattacked with a will. Flyhalf Ty Wills threw a long, floated pass out to his splendid fullback Gerard Pieterse who was up in the line and fast and strong enough to score in the left corner, whence Herman Share converted. 17-7 after 46 minutes.
The match remained lively till Bishops kicked again. Nicholas le Roux caught the ball and sped down the left touchline. In danger of being tackled he lobbed a pass inside to captain Ronald Melck who scored. 22-7 after 50 minutes.
As the first half had ended with Rondebosch bashing at the Bishops line. They incurred a succession of penalties but held out.
Rondebosch boys charged out onto the field to greet their heroes and they formed a kraal which wrapped itself around the victors.
They certainly deserved the victory.
Teams
Bishops: 15 Gerard Pieterse, 14 Ant van Ryneveld, 13 Mike Mynhardt, 12 Herman Share , 11 André Manuel, 10 Ty Wills, 9 Sean van Rensburg, 8 Saud Abrahams, 7 Wes White, 6 Mervano da Silva, 5 Shane Smith, 4 Sam Mitchell, 3 Tariq Allen, 2 Cuan Hablutzel (captain), 1 Dan Russell
Replacements: 16 Justin Cary, 17 Justin Heunis, 18 Dean Moir, 19 Jez MackIntyre, 20. Nic Bester, 20 Tristan Cornelsen, 21 Devan Bruiners.
Coaches: Dave Mallett, Gareth Hayden, Stephen Knoop
Rondebosch: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Devan van Rensburg, 13 Clyde Martch, 12 Ronald Melck (captain), 11 Nicholas le Roux, 10 Tyren Lee, 9 Stefano de Gouveia (vice-captain), 8 Jay Stevens, 7 Philip Jankielsohn, 6 Michael Palframan , 5 Christoph Blake, 4 Luke Stringer, 3 Brett Paulse , 2 Alan Eaby, 1 Kyle Whyte
Replacements: 16 Justin Baty, 17 Luca Botha, 18 Robert Jankielsohn, 19 Blake Reinecke, 20 Hylton Gibson, 21 Robert Blake, 22 Francois Swart
Coaches: Clinton van Rensburg, Rod Labuschagne
Referee: Matt Kemp (Western Province Referees' Society)
