Kearsney rule over Michaelhouse
Kearsney hosted Michaelhouse on a cold and drizzly afternoon and cruised to a comfortable 38-5 victory.
The hosts started with big intent and territorially dominated for the first 10 minutes.
Their initial reward came with a try from wing Ryan van der Waal which he scored in the right hand corner from a backline rehearsed move.
Flyhalf Tristan Tedder featured prominently in this play and aptly converted for a 7-0 lead. The next try came from lock Dan du Preez who has returned to the Kearsney 1st XV following an injury and a long layoff.
The Michaelhouse forward pack mauled and were making their way out of their 22 when prop Mthunzi Moloi successfully ripped the ball away to feed Du Preez, who showed a good turn of pace and outstanding evasive skills to score next to the right hand upright. Tedder added the two points.
The visitors fought back well during the latter part of the half but Kearsney scored again through the ever-alert eighth man Ayron Schramm, who pounced on a Michaelhouse failed line-out ball and dived over. Tedder converted for a halftime score of 21-0.
Kearsney faced an ever increasing headwind in the second half and battled with their territorial kicks. Michaelhouse soon capitalised with a deserving but unconverted try after some very good forward play.
Soon afterwards Kearsney scored through lock Mitch du Toit from a line-out maul which Tedder masterly converted in very difficult conditions. With a 28-5 lead the hosts now played with confidence and scored again within five minutes.
Jean-Luc du Preez collected a ball from a line-out and after a 30 metres run offloaded to Schramm. From the ensuing breakdown the backs took the ball wide and when tackled, scrumhalf Matt Reece-Edwards sniped around the fringes to score. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
Kearsney applied relentless pressure on the visitors and in the 32nd minute was awarded a centre scrum close to the Michaelhouse tryline. Schramm fed Reece-Edwards who passed to Chris Lines and from the tackle the ball was swiftly moved to Schramm to score in the right hand corner for the final score of 38-5.
The visitors never gave up on their efforts but the hosts proved too strong for them in certain areas.
Stand out players for Kearsney were Tristan Tedder, Ayron Schramm, Tyler Smith and Tijde Visser.
