Michaelhouse win again
The 58th encounter between the two schools took place on Meadows at Balgowan under totally different playing conditions from what the home side at least have become accustomed to this season. With waves of mist rolling in from the hills and the temperature only just in the double figures, the banks of Meadows were more sparsely packed.
The St Charles pack arrived at Michaelhouse with a reputation for physicality and their ability to mix it with the opposition in all phases. Both teams were determined to show off their skills early on, but it was the home side who were first to put points on the board through a penalty by flyhalf, Bader Pretorius. The first half saw St Charles penalised a number of times at the breakdown and this allowed Michaelhouse to accumulate more points through tries by centres Tyran Faber and Brandon Tattam. Pretorius also added two more penalties.
Just minutes before the break St Charles capitalised on an error by Michaelhouse and managed to score a converted try taking the visitors into half time trailing by 12.
The second half was a less closely contested affair and it seemed as though conditions and the free running interplay between the Michaelhouse backs and forwards were conspiring against the visitors. It was one way traffic as Michaelhouse scored a further five tries, three of which were converted by Pretorius converted. St Charles managed a penalty, which did little to stem the exuberant flow of the home team’s game as they ran out deserved 50-10 victors.
Scorers:
For Michaelhouse:
Tries: Tyran Faber (centre), Brandon Tattam (centre), Jack Walters (flank), Jason Schwegmann (wing) (2), Bader Pretorius (fly half), Andy Vogel (lock).
Pens: Bader Pretorius 3
Cons: Bader Pretorius 3
By Murray Witherspoon