Close encounter at Selborne
It was a pink day as Selborne, especially, advertised cancer awareness with pink shorts and caps and a lot else beside. The referee and his two assistant were in predominantly pink – socks, shorts and shirts. At half-time a cheque of R28 231 was presented to the South African Childhood Cancer Foundation.
It was a match that ended the first half at 7-7 and the match at 14-12 with nine minutes to play, Selborne coming from behind twice.
It was an interesting match as Selborne seemed bent on forward power, relying on one-man charges while Queen's ran, even from deep in their own 22, and passed, even in the face of fast, determined defence.
Selborne kicked off but Queen's, with the wind, broke their way upfield with a succession of pick-'n-go phases till, well inside the Selborne 22, scrumhalf Edumisa Njumba picked up at the back of a tackle/ruck, beat two defenders close by and then stepped past a third and scored a splendid try. Fullback Keith Kroutz converted. 7-0 after four minutes.
Selborne won a Queen's line-out and charged. Then from quick ball from a tackle/ruck they went blind on the left with Miles Norton up in the line. Left wing Sibahle Kuhlane had an overlap and sped over for a try which scrumhalf Mitchell Connellan converted. 7-7 after 26 minutes.
The Selborne forwards mauled till one of their forwards was penalised and yellowcarded for kneeing an opponent.
Queen's broke out of their 22 with flank Siya Jwacu running strongly and they swept downfield. Jwacu gave to Sakhele Ngeno who gave to inside centre Bathandwa Mqhayi who gave back to Ngeno who scored a try. Queen's had the lead back at 12-7, just a minute into the second half. They held the lead for 25 minutes.
Queen's attacked after this. They peeled round the front of a line-out and Asi Malotana. They had a five-metre scrum but Selborne won a tighthead.
A penalty gave Selborne an attacking line-out. They drove a powerful maul to and over the line for a try credited to hooker Mark Venter. Connellan converted. 14-12 with 9 minutes to play.
Selborne were dominant in those nine minutes and were bashing at the Queen's line when the final whistle signalled the end of the match and an outbreak of Selborne glee.
Scorers:
For Selborne:
Tries: Sibahle Kuhlane, Mark Venter
Cons: Mitchell Connellan 2
For Queen's:
Tries: Edumisa Njumba, Sakhele Ngeno
Con: Keith Kroutz
Teams
Selborne College: 15 Miles Norton, 14 Jordan Janse van Rensberg, 13 Siba Xamlashe, 12 Afika Ndinisa, 11 Sibahle Kuhlane, 10 Thomas Bursey, 9 Mitchell Connellan, 8 Adam Mountfort, 7 André Rust (captain), 6 Sisonke Mbadlanyana, 5 Stephan Niewenhuizen, 4 Grant Meyer, 3 Cameron Moodie, 2 Mark Venter, 1 Luke Dalbock
Queen's College: 15 Keith Kroutz, 14 Asi Malotana, 16 Siya Tyulu, 12 Bathandwa Mqhayi, 11 Sakhele Ngeno, 10 Kenan Richards, 9 Edumisa Njumba, 8 Siya Matanda, 7 Siya Jwacu, 6 Bryan Bless, 5 Junaid Bijal, 4 Aaron Brody (captain), 3 Siba Mnkani, 2 Gareth Heidtmann, 1 Avile Gatyeni
Referee: Wayne Weyer (Border Referees' Society)
Wayne Weyer is the provincial player with the second most provincial caps after Helgaard Muller. He played flyhalf and fullback for Border 183 times between 1988 to 2000 when he was asked back from retirement. He has subsequently become one of the top referees in the province.
Down the Years
1925: Selborne won 6-3 and 11-3
1926: Queen's won 6-5 at Selborne
1927: No matches
1928: Queen's won 10-4 at Queen's
1929: Queen's won 18-0 & Selborne won 17-3
1930: Selborne won 5-0 & 6-5
1931: Selborne won 8-4 & 12-3
1932: Selborne won 13-0; Draw 3-3
1933: Draw 3-3 & Queen's won 11-3
1934: Selborne won 4-3 & 8-3
1935: Queen's won 19-3 & 9-0
1936: Queen's won 21-7 & Selborne won 8-0
1937: Queen's won 19-13 & Selborne won 11-9
1938: Queen's won 25-11 & 6-3
1939: Draw 6-6 & Queen's won 24-3
1940: Queen's won 11-0 & 6-0
1941: Draw 6-6 & Selborne won 12-3
1942: Selborne won 11-9 & 10-3
1943: Queen's won 37-0 & 35-0
1944: Queen's won 20-3 & 6-3
1945: Queen's won 22-5 & 18-6
1946: Queen's won 6-5 & 8-6
1947: Queen's won 22-6 & 12-0
1948: Selborne won 6-3; Draw 5-5
1949: Queen's won 23-6 & Selborne won 5-3
1950: Draw 6-6 & 0-0
1951: Selborne won 9-3; Draw 0-0
1952: Queen's won 14-13 & Selborne won 3-0
1953: Queen's won 8-0 & 5-0
1954: Queen's won 28-3; Draw 6-6
1955: Queen's won 5-0 & Selborne won 6-0
1956: Selborne won 8-6
1957: Selborne won 14-0 & Queen's won 17-9
1958: Selborne won 11-9 & 17-3
1959: Selborne won 14-0 & 14-6
1960: Selborne won 11-0 & 8-0
1961: Queen's won 10-0 & Selborne won 5-0
1962: Draw 0-0 & Selborne won 5-3
1963: Selborne won 11-0 & 11-3
1964: Selborne won 8-0 & 14-8
1965: Queen's won 11-0 & Selborne won 15-0
1966: Selborne won 4-0 & 22-16
1967: Selborne won 8-3; Draw 3-3
1968: Draw 6-6 & Queen's won 6-5
1969: Queen's won 17-8 & 13-12
1970: Queen's won 17-3; Draw 3-3
1971: Selborne won 13-6 & 11-9
1972: Queen's won 18-7; Draw 7-7
1973: Queen's won 21-6 & 9-0
1974: Queen's won 10-6 & Selborne won 9-4
1975: Queen's won 14-6 & Selborne won 14-11
1976: Selborne won 10-3; Draw 13-13
1977: Queen's won 11-9 & 11-7
1978: Draw 12-12 & Queen's won 20-4
1979: Queen's won 33-6 & 10-0
1980: Queen's won 6-4 & 16-7
1981: Selborne won 9-3 & 9-4
1982: Queen's won 32-0; Draw 12-12
1983: Queen's won 18-12 & 16-3
1984: Queen's won 30-6 & 13-12
1985: Queen's won 10-3 at Selborne
1986: Queen's won 9-4 & 20-6
1987: Queen's won 36-13& 16-12
1988: Queen's won 15-13 & 10-9
1989: Selborne won 33-7 & 22-3
1990: Selborne won 16-3 & 12-3
1991: Queen's won 19-6 & Selborne won 12-4
1992: Selborne won 22-13 & 19-3
1993: Queen's won 25-23 & Selborne won 12-8
1994: Queen's won 16-15 & Selborne won 30-10
1995: Selborne won 22-16 & 34-6
1996: Selborne won 25-13 & Queen's won 18-12
1997: Selborne won 29-3 & 10-6
1998: Selborne won 12-0 & 26-23
1999: Selborne won 19-7 & 23-8
2000: Queen's won 24-8 & 13-0
2001: Selborne won 11-6 & Queen's won 24-23
2002: Selborne won 17-5 & 17-9
2003: Selborne won 38-20 & 30-3
2004: Queen's won 8-3 & Selborne won 17-15
2005: Draw 6-6 & Queen's won 14-3
2006: Queen's won 34-3 & 7-3
2007: Selborne won 30-3 & 22-3
2008: Selborne won 27-19; Draw 17-17
2009: Selborne won 16-10 & 27-5
2010: Selborne won 30-24 & 17-11
2011: Draw 22-22 & Selborne won 19-13
2012: Queen's won 29-7 & 26-17
2013: Selborne won 23 27
2014: Selborne won 58-11 & 19-10
2015: Selborne won 25-9 & 39-31
2016: Queen's won 33-29 & Selborne won 33-7
2017: Selborne won 14-12
