Grey Overcomes in the Second Half

When Framesby went to Grey for their annual fixture, the first half was a competition, the second was not as Grey scored 29 points before Framesby got any.

The half-time score was 10-6, the final score 39-13, and Framesby’s only try came right at the end of the match. Framesby scored first and last but in between Grey did much more of the scoring, ending with five tries to one.

The Windy City blessed this rugby day with perfect weather for rugby, just a tiny breeze to keep things cool.

Juandré Liebenberg of Framesby opened the scoring with a penalty from some 42 metres out and then Matthew Easton levelled the scores with one for Grey.

A penalty gave Grey a five-metre line-out and they attacked the Framesby line. Centre Enrique Franks darted for the line but was pulled down right at the line. His centre partner Liyema Matyolweni was on hand to dab the ball down on the line, the first of his hat-trick of tries, one that required no running. 10-3 to Grey after 19 minutes.

Captain Christo Grobler had a strong run to put Framesby on the attack, when Grey got into trouble. They lost a player to the sin bin and had a series of three penalties against them in quick succession. Liebenberg goaled the third. 10-6 after 32 minutes, which was the half-time score.

One of the astonishing features of Grey’s second half performance was that they played most of it with 14 men after a second yellow card for a Grey lock became a red card. The score was then 17-6. Grey then scored 22 points before Framesby scored. The seven-man Grey pack lifted their game and the handling of their backs was so much better than that of their opponents.

Matyolweni scored the first try when several Grey phases ended with an overlap for the eager centre.

Easton added a penalty and then a try. For the try he got a hand to a pass by André Gerber, recovered the ball and raced 45 metres straight to the try-line as Framesby players hared after him in vain.

Wing Andrew Dalgleish got Grey back on the attack. They went right, where lock Zach Toerien galloped ahead and offloaded to eighthman Theo Repinz who scored under the posts.

Grey played the phases game again till flank Yolisa Dladla broke, Grey had a five-metre scrum and from it Matyolweni sailed through a big gap to score the last of Grey’s tries.

It was left to Framesby to finish the scoring. They counterattacked down the left. Gryson Ditlow had a strong run and then they went right. Barry Vlok charged at the line. Tackled he offloaded to flank Ruan du Preez who scored in the tackle of Marco Nortjé. Liebenberg converted and the final which went in a remarkable match in which setbacks were made irrelevant.

Scorers

For Grey:
Tries: Liyema Matyolweni 3, Matthew Easton, Theo Repinz
Cons: Matthew Easton 4
Pens: Matthew Easton 2

For Framesby:
Try: Ruan du Preez
Con: Juandré Liebenberg
Pens: Juandré Liebenberg

Teams

Grey: 15 Antonio May, 14 Joshua Oosthuizen, 13 Liyema Matyolweni, 12 Enrique Franks, 11 Andrew Dalgleish, 10 Matthew Easton, 9 Hlumelo Klaas, 8 Theo Repinz, 7 Laken Gray, 6 Yolisa Dladla, 5 Zach Toerien, 4 Dumisa Ngcivana, 3 Marco Nortjé, 2 Corné Slabbert, 1 Warwick Griffin

Framesby: 15 Peter Scholtz, 14 Sebastian Brandt, 13 Gryson Ditlow, 12 Monray Potgieter, 11 Jonah Draai, 10 Juandré Liebenberg, 9 André Gerber, 8 Roché van Zyl, 7 Ruan du Preez, 6 Christo Grobler (captain), 5 Barry Vlok, 4 Danie van der Merwe, 3 Ruan Smith, 2 Rikus Smith, 1 William Moffit

Referee: Philip Bosch (Eastern Province Referees’ Society)