Dirkie Uys scoop TSRF honours
Fearless Dirkie Uys once again successfully punched well above their weight on Wednesday, 28 March, the third day of the Copytype Ricoh Tony Stoops Rugby Festival, to beat Port Elizabeth’s imposing Pearson 26-12.
This achievement, along with earlier victories against Otto du Plessis and Tygerberg, ensured that they retained the coveted trophy for the team playing the most attractive rugby.
After their Tygerberg triumph, one might have forgiven a slightly lower-key performance from Johan Jacobs and Stef Basson’s lads, but Pearson weren’t to be that lucky. At times it seemed that their juggernaut No.8, Didier Tison, the Player of the Festival, was fighting a lonely war. That said, it was slightly ironical that the Boland side’s loose trio was largely to thank for its 26-12 victory, with Craig Mentoor, Pierre du Preez and JP Kotze all crossing the Eastern Province team’s line.
Winelands big guns Hugenote also finished the festival with a third win, seeing off Despatch with a majestic six-try display in which four of their backline registered five-pointers. The return to action of influential lock Gideon Koegelenberg was an added plus for Wellington’s finest, who are likely to pose a serious threat to HTS Drostdy’s Boland supremacy, although Malmesbury’s Schoonspruit will feel that their unblemished record also puts them in with a shout. In similar vein, New Orleans’s 100% record leaves Klein Nederburg with much to do before their huge August Interschools clash. Piketberg’s only hiccup was a Day-Three draw with Oudtshoorn.
Perhaps the only disappointing feature of the final day for spectators was that both the Moorreesburg Tigers and the Blackies had early kick-offs, facing as they did Eastern Cape opposition, who, along with the South Western Districts sides, play first in order to get an early start on their journeys home.
In a festival originally designed for the lesser lights, it was gratifying to note the generally high standard of play this early in the season. Mention should be made of the performances of three minnows in particular. Vredenburg ended unbeaten, having last avoided defeat in August 2010, a young Langenhoven High side from Riversdale did their coaches proud and Sao Bras of Mossel Bay rightly earned liberal praise for their expansive style, masterminded by virtuoso fullback McDillon Saayman.
Best of the Festival XV:
15 McDillon Saayman (Sao Bras)
14 Philo Mzileni (Port Natal)
13 Marquit September (Langenhoven High)
12 Jayson Marcus (Dirkie Uys)
11 Shane Grundlingh (Tygerberg)
10 Hennie Janse van Rensburg (Port Natal)
9 Flippie Jacobs (Dirkie Uys)
8 Didier Tison (Pearson) (captain)
7 Pierre du Preez (Dirkie Uys)
6 Larnelle Maralack (Hugenote)
5 Henko Vlok (Porterville)
4 Gideon Koegelenberg (Hugenote)
3 Estevan Janse van Rensburg (Swartland)
2 Labozét Tredoux (Piketberg)
1 Erik Meyer (Porterville)
Festival results at a glance:
Alexander Road vs Swellendam, 18-5
Bellville South vs Robertson, 28-25
DF Malan vs Porterville, 25-21
Dirkie Uys vs Pearson, 26-12
Emil Weder vs Camps Bay, 24-15
HTS Newton vs Sao Bras, 26-11
Hugenote vs Despatch, 36-7
Langeberg vs Klein Nederburg, 15-12
Milnerton vs York, 24-5
Montana vs JG Meiring, 14-13
New Orleans vs Scottsdene, 59-0
Otto du Plessis vs Hopefield, 24-10
Oudtshoorn vs Piketberg, 19-19
President vs Hawston, 13-10
Schoonspruit vs Port Natal, 18-14
Table View vs Uniondale, 21-5
Vredenburg vs Edgemead, 31-3
Westering vs Langenhoven High, 19-10
By Tony Stoops
