Kwaggas rise to Kwaggadag

Despite being depleted, Hoërskool Outeniqua over came setbacks and resilient opponents to beat Noord-Kaap 36-23 in the televised game on Kwaggadag, a match sponsored by Mutual & Federal in the Premier Interschools series.

It may look like a comfortable victory but it was not as Noord-Kaap had the better of the first half and were leading with 11 minutes to play. But 14 points in those 11 minutes gave them a seemingly comfortable win.

Apart from injuries Outeniqua were without four of their stars, all in the SA Schools team who beat England on Friday and will be playing France and Wales in the coming week. All four were backs.

On a perfect winter's day – still, clear and not overly warm, the home side started nervously while the visitors had the energy.

Dimitrio Tieties, Noord-Kaap's outside centre and main points' provided, goaled the first penalty of the match. 3-0 after 3 minutes.

From a scrum on their right well in their own half, Noord-Kaap went left. Ryan de Wee times his intrusion from fullback timed his entrance into the line perfectly and spread ahead, giving a perfect pasts to speedster Hillford Clarke who skinned his man close to touch and skated over for the try. 8-0 after 5 minutes.

The battle between the two packs of for was physical and even but the Kwaggas scored two similar tries. For the first they turned a penalty into a five-metre line-out and a second one into another five-metre line-out. They mauled and  drove with Geor Malan in possession at the back. He fell down over the line for the try. 8-5 after 14 minutes.

Another penalty, another line-out, another maul and another try. The penalty this time was slap in front of the posts, but Outeniqua close to kick if out on their right. They drove the maul at the line but just short if came apart and burly tighthead, Wynand de Necker picked it up and went over, almost effortlessly. 10-8 to Outeniqua after 19 minutes.

From a line-out on their right the Kwaggas fed Le Roux Baard among the centres he charge straight ahead and fed powerful Dian Koen, an eighthman playing lock. He charged ahead and when defenders were clinging to him he gave to Christopher Roelofse who gave to scrumhalf Keenan Tarentaal who darted straight under the posts and scored with an extravagant dive. Leighton Eksteen converted. 17-8 after 23 minutes, and Outeniqua threatened to be running away with the match.

But just before half-time Noord-Kaap did the penalty-lineout-maul-try routine. They drove but suddenly captain Joubert Steyn broke off and forced his way over in the left corner. Tieties converted. 17-15, the half-time score and, sadly, the end of Steyn's match as he had injured his leg before the line-out.

Four minutes into the second half Outeniqua went left and Eksteen sent out a magnificent pass to Hennie Barnard who scored in the left corner. 22-15 after 44 minutes.

De Wee came into the Noord-Kaap line again and set up an attack. Tieties raced to the line where he was stopped but burly Dylan Walsh, a replacement at scrumhalf, picked up, dummied and plunged of for the try which Tieties converted. 22-20.

Noord-Kaap were close again when Guilermo Minnie chipped but Clarke knocked on as he bent to pick up the ball, a certain try lost. But Noord-Kaap were still on the attack and Minnie dropped a soaring goal. Now Noord-Kaap led 23-22 with 14 minutes to play.

But three minutes later Outeniqua got the lead back when Tarentaal tackled Minnie who lost the ball. JP Duvenage picked up and raced some 40 metres to score. Tarentaal converted. 29-23 with 11  minutes to play.

Outeniqua rounded off the match with penalty, line-out, maul, try. Koen was close and then Marné Botha scored. Again Tarentaal converted.

Scorers:

For Outeniqua:

Tries: Geor Malan, Wynand de Necker, Keenan Tarentaal, Hennie Barnard, JP Duvenage, Marné Botha

Cons: Leighton Eksteen, Keenan Tarentaal 2

For Noord-Kaap:

Tries: Hillford Clarke, Joubert Steyn, Dylan Walsh

Con: Dimitrio Tieties

Pen: Dimitrio Tieties

Drop: Guilermo Minnie

Teams

Noord-Kaap: 15 Ryan de Wee, 14 Leon Becker, 13 Dimitrio Tieties, 12 Luke Mason, 11 Hillford Clarke, 10 Guilermo Minnie, 9 GM Bruwer, 8 Gerhard Holtzhausen, 7 Lux Xhosa, 6 Lehan Muller, 5 Bradley Leijdekkers, 4  Thulani Njenje, 3 Doctor Booysen, 2 Willie van Aswegen, 1 Joubert Steyn

Replacements: 16 AD van Zyl, 17 Geo Davel, 18 Rickus Zwart, 19 Ruan Cilliers, 20 Brandon de Mellim, 21 Dylan Walsh, 22 Aldro Haines

Outeniqua: 15 Corne de Klerk, 14 Leighton Eksteen 13 Douw Schoeman, 12 Hennie Barnard, 11 Wynand du Preez, 10 Stephen Terblanche, 9 Keenan Tarentaal, 8 Le Roux Baard, 7 Christophe Roelofse, 6 Geor Malan (captain), 5 Eduard Zandberg, 4 Dian Koen, 3 Wynand de Necker, 2 Marne Botha, 1 Gregory Nel

Referee: Jaco de Wit

Assistant referees: Wian Venter, John Botha