Klofies just get home

On an unpleasantly windy day in Pretoria on Saturday it took a late penalty for Waterkloof to beat Monnas 21-19 in their Premier Interschools match.

It was a closer result than the pattern of the 2012 season had suggested and it may be that Klofies were sorely missing their SA Schools players – centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg and scrumhalf Justin Phillips who were playing for SA Schools against France. They will be back next Tuesday afternoon when these two schools meet in the semifinal of the Beeldtrofee.

In this match Monnas actually scored three tries to two but penalties hammered them. It was not a match of many penalties – 9-6 to Klofies – but the man with the best schoolboy boot in South Africa this year, goaled three to none.

The crossfield wind certainly made playing hard. Handling and throwing into line-outs were difficult and kicking an easy option. Kicks set up all three of Monnas' tries.

The first came early in the match when burly fullback Barend Herbst hoisted a high one deep into Klofies territory. The fullback was in position but knocked the difficult ball on high and straight into the arms of strong right wing Cisko du Toit who was unchallenged on his 24-metre run to the posts. 7-0 after 4 minutes.

Lively flank Stephan Smith burst away from a tackle ruck and gave to speedster François de Kock on the left wing who had a clear run to the line. 7-5 after 11 minutes.

Herbst kicked a long kick from his own 22 to Monnas' 22. Monnas threw into the line-out and knocked it back where Chris Massyn got the bouncing ball to set up a Monnas' attack. They bashed and then went wide right where centre Rigard Viljoen got in for the try. 12-5 after 19 minutes.

Klofies were quick to tap a penalty and bash. Marais was stopped on the line but Monnas were penalised again and Klofies bashed again and this time prop Van Wyk spun and stretched to score the try. 12-12 after 29 minutes. That was the half-time score.

Monnas scored an excellent try at the start of the second half. They won a line-out, bashed a bit and then went wide to their left where big flank Dylan Vlok charged straight through and under the posts. 19-12 after 36 minutes.

That was the last Monnas' score while Klofies kept up and up with penalty kicks.

Marais kicked pone from 46 metres in the tricky wind. 19-15 after 39 minutes.

Massyn had a great charge and then Marais a clever break.

From a scrum Smith caught scrumhalf Stefan Fitzgerald and Klofies won a turnover. Energetic hooker Jovan Erasmus was over the line but held up. The referee had been playing advantage and went back to the penalty, which Marais duly goaled. 19-18 after 50 minutes.

Erasmus had a great break and gave to John-Henry Collen who looked certain to score till Jaco van der Walt cut him down with a brilliant tackle. But a Marais penalty made it 21-19 after 53 minutes..

Lourens Boddington had a promising break and then De Kock cut through at speed on an angle as Klofies continued to enjoy the momentum but there was no addition to the score.

Jovan Erasmus was named man of the match. Asked about next week's semifinal, he said: "Ons gaan die manne weer vat."

Scorers:

For Waterkloof:

Tries: François de Kock, Johan van Wyk

Cons: Kobus Marais

Pens: Marais 3

For Monument:

Tries: Cisko du Toit, Rigard Viljoen, Dylan Vlok

Cons: Jaco van der Walt 2

Teams:

Monument: 15 Barend Herbst, 14 Cisko du Toit, 13 Abrie Reynolds, 12 Rigard Viljoen, 11 Sheldon Bester, 10 Jaco van der Walt (vice-captain), 9 Steven du Plessis, 8 Chris Massyn (captain), 7 Dylan Vlok, 6 Ruan Macdonald, 5 Frans van Wyk, 4 André Venter, 3 Ruan Snyman, 2 Wehmeyer Joubert, 1 Günther Janse van Vuuren.

Replacements: 16 Zybrandt Lombaard, 17 François van Heerden, 18 Dwayne Pienaar, 19 Nico Swartz, 20 Stefan Fitzgerald, 21 Ruan Conradie, 22 Gerdus van der Walt.

Coaches: Schalk Reynders, Richard Visagie

Waterkloof: 15 Brendon Swanepoel, 14 Werner Rossouw, 13 Raynardt Honiball, 12 Lourens Boddington, 11 François de Kock, 10 Kobus Marais, 9 John-Henry Collen, 8 Marnus Steyn (captain), 7 Stephan Smith, 6 Sean Joyce, 5 Henco Saayman, 4 Werner Fourie, 3 Johan van Wyk, 2 Jovan Erasmus, 1 Dimitri Ttappous.

Replacements: 16 Reinach Venter, 17 Xander van Wyk, 18 Nico Steenkamp, 19 Jeandré de Beer, 20 David Joyce, 21 Shaun Pike, 22 Ernst Naudé, 23 Stefan Coetzer, 24 Armin Du Venhage.

Coaches: Jan Mollentze, Burger Lindeque, Naas Botha

Referee: Jan Venter (Blue Bulls Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Bertus Kapp (Blue Bulls Referees' Society), Corné Rossouw (Blue Bulls Referees' Society)