Classic Clash in wet Middelburg
Unlike most schoolboy matches there was spitefulness and this modern habit of angry pulling and pushing with threatening faces. In fact it went on after the final whistle. It may in fact have been a good idea to have a playground tussle bin the mud before the game and then, that out of the system, play the match "in a sporting spirit".
There were just two tries, two in the first half, but there was a lot more activity and daring. In fact that they suffered only two tries against them was a tribute to the tenacity and courage of the Middies. They had far less of possession and territory, but there was not a scared hair amongst them. And in fact they were the ones who attacked and came closer to scoring after the score became 10-5 and the rain was falling.
Not once did the Middies aim a penalty kick at goal. They tapped and ran just about every penalty, once from near there line when relief from a bashing was at hand.
Two of the three tries in the match came from tapped penalties in kickable positions.
The Rooibulle of HTS were the first to come close to scoring when Andries Koen broke and raced some 40 metres to the line where Cornel Els and Siyanda Maseko brought him down. MC Kuhn was close from the scrum,. Hoërskool were penalised and with a simply worked move big prop Brandon Pienaar was over for a try. 5-0 after 10 minutes.
Middies got into HTS's half – and scored the try of the match. After a few phases, Okke van der Kolff stabbed a diagonal kick out to the right wing. Maseko caught it and was almost immediately grabbed but he got the ball to fullback Jo-Dey Hendricks on his right. Hendricks was some 25 metres from the goal-line and close to the right touchline but he took off. Confronted by an opponent, he beat him cleanly with a brilliant sidestep and raced over for the try. 5-5 after 15 minutes.
The Rooibulle got the kick-off and big Frans Malan was over in a bundle but after consultation with his assistant the referee decided that a try had not been scored, but Middies were being hammered and the hammering went from far right to far left along their line till HTS were penalised. Van der Kolff saw this as an opportunity rather than relief. He tapped and hared away for 40 metres.
Then a Hendricks kick put pressure on the Rooibulle but Barend Janse van Rensburg got the ball near his 22 and simply raced upfield. He eventually gave to Uys du Preez who was tackled high. The penalty was given about 25 metres from the Middies' line and while some were expressing anger at the high tackle. Janse van Rensburg tapped and raced over in the right corner. 10-5 with 22 minutes to play and the rain bucketing down.
After the Rooibulle lost a lock to the sin bin the boys in green and gold attacked and the Rooibulle had to strain sinew and muscle to keep them from scoring.
It was a lively match, despite the tough conditions.
Teams
HTS Middelburg: 15 Morné Sonnekus, 14 Barend Janse van Rensburg, 13 MC Kuhn, 12 Andries Koen, 11 Michael van der Walt, 10 Riekert Barnard, 9 Uys du Preez, 8 Ruvaan Muller, 7 Tiaan de Beer, 6 Henco van Heerden, 5 Frans Malan, 4 Reece Bezant, 3 Brandon Pienaar, 2 Duart Willemse (captain), 1 Tikka Cilliers
Replacement: 16 Alten Nelson, 17 Carlo Nortje, 18 Andries Vorster, 19 Armand Bester, 20 Dolf Rossouw, 21 Martin Erasmus, 22 Joubert Willers, 23 Koos Roux
Hoërskool Middelburg: 15 Jo-Dey Hendricks, 14 Siyanda Maseko, 13 TT Mosia, 12 Coenraad Visser, 11 Marco Pretorius, 10 Okke van der Kolff, 9 Chris Steyn, 8 Cornel Els, 7 Divan Roberts, 6 Kyle Hambidge, 5 Nathan Mey, 4 Michael Benade, 3 Joseph Olivier, 2 Stephan Kempen, 1 Vickus Smit
Replacements: 16 Loyiso Masinyane, 17 Armand Terblanche, 18 Delmain Pieterse, 19 Jaco Venter, 20 Ruan Cronje, 21 Anrich van Wyk, 22 Janco Fritz, 23 Leehan Nieman, 24 Unathi Poyo
Referee: Marnus Meiring (Mpumalanga Rugby Union Referee Association)
Assistant referees: Jonathan Lottering (Mpumalanga Rugby Union Referee Association), Hanlo Saaiman (Mpumalanga Rugby Union Referee Association)
Photo Credits: afripix.co.za
