Kearsney Easter Festival, Day 2

Together with some exciting running rugby, the beautiful cloudless day is expected to draw large crowds to the second day of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival on Holy Saturday

Reports from Kearsney..

Game 1: Selborne vs Framesby, 21-13

Opening the second day of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, it was Selborne College from East London who scored the first points of the game when flyhalf Morgan Steyn converted a penalty, after very evenly matched play by both teams. It wasn’t long after that when Framesby managed to level the score with a penalty by their flyhalf Tiaan Stander.

Selborne impressed with some good running rugby, spreading the ball wide, and was rewarded with a well-deserved try, courtesy of Brandon Perks. It was then the team from Port Elizabeth’s turn to play some running rugby, testing the Selborne defence and they were unlucky not to score just before the half time whistle blew.

Framesby scored a try nine minutes into the second half after camping on their opposition’s try-line and Tiaan Stander converted to make it 11-10 to Selborne. Soon after that, Selborne increased their one-point lead making it 14-10 when Morgan Steyn slotted a penalty right in front of the poles. It was then Tiaan Stander’s turn to bring the score line within one point again, converting a penalty for Framesby with 10 minutes to go.

Tiaan Stander missed his first kick of the match, with an unsuccessful penalty conversion with almost no time on the clock.

In the dying minutes of the game, it was Selborne who sealed their victory though, with Sibahle Dunjana scoring an excellent try and Morgan Steyn converting to give Selborne a well-deserved win.

Former Springboks and Old Selbornians Mark Andrews and Brent Russell were there to support their team, which is the only visiting school to have participated in every Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival since its inception in 2008.

Scorers:

For Selborne College:

Tries Perks, Dunjana

Cons: Morgan Steyn

Pens: Morgan Steyn 3

For Framesby:

Try Van Zyl

Con: Stander

Pens: Stander 2

Game 2: HTS Middelburg vs Nico Malan, 43-22

Right from kick-off, HTS Middelburg were relentless in their attack and were in the lead by 17 points to 0 after just 20 minutes. They scored two tries, one by Neven Nel and the other by Liaan Prinsloo, with Barend Smit converting both.

Nico Malan consolidated and replied with two well-worked tries within two minutes of one another. The unsuccessful conversions of both tries made the score 17-10 at half time.

At the start of the second half, it was the blue team from Humansdorp who turned the tables, playing some very attractive, attacking rugby, putting the HTS defence to the test. They eventually scored an excellent try by Dean van der Westhuizen, with Dominik Uytenbogaardt converting to level the scores.

HTS then turned on the pressure and scored at regular intervals with four tries courtesy of Jan Rens, Lohan Bennett, Eric Basson and Driaan Bester. Barend Smit only missed one conversion. Despite Dean van der Westhuizen scoring a second try for Nico Malan, the ‘Blues’ran out of steam and the final score was 43-22 to HTS Middelburg.

Scorers:

For HTS Middelburg:

Tries Nel, Prinsloo, Rens, Bennett, Basson, Bester

Cons:  Smit 5

Pen: Smit

For:  Nico Malan:

Tries Moolman, Staats, Van der Westhuizen 2

Con: Uytenbogaardt

Game 3: Kearsney vs Dale, 24-19

With only 20 minutes into the first half, Kearsney found themselves well in front with some ill-disciplined play by their opposition. Tristan Tedder slotted three penalties and scrum half James Hall impressed with a long kick that put Kearsney in front with 12 points.

Tristan Tedder then scored an excellent try under the poles which he also converted, to put Kearsney even further ahead.  Just before half time, Dale scored a try courtesy of Siyanda Am, which Courtney Winnaar successfully converted.  Half-time score was 19-7 to Kearsney.

There was a slow start to the second half with evenly contested play, but another Kearsney try, this time from wing David Zondi, sealed Dale’s fate. Dale visited the try-line twice in the second half with Buntu Ponono and Luyolo Khuse each scoring an unconverted try.

The last five minutes of the match was a nail-biting affair as Kearsney kept Dale at bay with some excellent defence. The final score was 24-19 to host team Kearsney.

Scorers:

For Kearsney:

Tries Tristan Tedder, Zondi

Con: Tristan Tedder

Pens: Tristan Tedder 3, Hall

For Dale:

Tries Am, Ponono, Khuse

Cons: Winnaar, Davids

Game 4: Glenwood vs EG Jansen, 31-20

EG Jansen was the first to score with only four minutes into the first half when centre Delano Kotze kicked a penalty straight through the poles. The Glenwood defence was tested to the maximum with the ‘Black and Gold’ attacking relentlessly. With good, calm play, pressure was eventually relieved with a great intercept try from Glenwood winger Philani Ngcobo.

The conversion by Morné Joubert put Glenwood in front 7-3. A short while later Ngcobo and Joubert put the ‘Green Team’ further in the lead with another great try from the wing and a conversion and a penalty from a skilled Joubert.

An unconverted try by EG Jansen through fullback Martin van Wyk was next on the cards. Glenwood were once again on the attack and a brilliant run away try, also by fullback Morné Joubert, saw him successfully converting his own try to take the score to 24 – 8.

Glenwood were once again put to the test, and their defence was eventually penetrated as the battle of the fullbacks continued when Van Wyk scored for EG Jansen again to put his team only 11 points behind.  

A great running try by Sphandla Ngcobo from Glenwood put another five points on the score board, which Joubert once again successfully converted. EG Jansen never gave up and Hendre Stassen was the last try scorer of the match, with a conversion by Delano Kotze.

Scorers:

For Glenwood:

Tries:  Philani Ngcobo 2, Joubert, Sphandla Ngcobo

Cons: Joubert 4

Pen: Joubert

For EG Jansen:

Tries: Van Wyk 2, Stassen

Con: Kotze

Pen: Kotze

Game 5: Grey vs Westville, 32-20

A determined Grey College took the lead only 11 minutes into the first half, scoring two tries using the pace of Lourens Steenkamp and Henry Slabbert. Westville soon recovered and dominated possession for a while, which was rewarded with an excellent try by Bradley Smith, when fl half Lindo Buthelezi put a kick up for the no 15, who then scored under the poles. The conversion by Kyan Braithwaite put Westville now only three points behind their counterparts.

Sustained pressure and good tackling by Westville put the Grey College backline under pressure. Grey’s pace, however, proved to be too much for Westville and Henry Immelman went over shortly before half-time to take the score to 16-9, with no conversions from the Free Staters.

The first points of the second half came in the fifth minute with a penalty from Westville’s Braithwaite.  The scrumhalf scored an excellent try five minutes later, after which Daniel Rust from Grey reciprocated with a try for his team.

Wth eight minutes to go, Adrian Heystek took the score to 20-20 when he flew over for a well-rewarded Westville try.

But in the end it was Grey who proved to be too strong for the Natalians, clocking up two more tries to ensure that Grey were the victors 32-20.

Scorers:

For Grey College:

Tries: Steenkamp, Slabbert 2, Immelman, Rust, Wessels

Con: Steenkamp

For Westville:

Tries: Smith, Braithwaite, Heystek

Con: Braithwaite

Pen: Braithwaite

Game 6: Monument vs Affies, 36-14

Monument’s Wikus van Biljon opened the score board early in the game putting three points on the board in the form of a penalty.  An unfortunate mistake in the Affies defence resulted in a five- pointer under the poles by Waldo Kriel and a successful conversion, again by Van Biljon, to take Monnas into a 10-point lead.

Great attacking play from Affies resulted in a try by Juan Basson and a successful conversion by Pieter Coetser. Monument pulled it back and a hat trick of tries by Waldo Kriel, plus another try from Juan Lemmer, gave them a solid lead of 27-7 at half-time.

It was déjà vu when the first points of the second half again came courtesy of Monument’s Wikus van Biljon in the form of an excellent drop goal to add another three points to their tally. In the 42nd minute, Van Biljon once again slotted the ball through the poles with a penalty, making it 33-7 to Monument.

With good defensive play, Monument was able to keep Affies away from their try-line, as they weren’t yet prepared to succumb. Sustained pressure by Monument resulted in a penalty, once again flawlessly executed by Wikus van Biljon.

An excellent game of rugby, which kept spectators enthralled, was convincingly won by Monument.

Scorers:

For Affies:

Tries: Basson, Bodenstein

Cons: Coetser 2

For Monument:

Tries: Kriel 3, Lemmer

Cons: Von Biljon 2

Pens: Van Biljon 3

Drop:l Van Biljon