Monument just Too Strong

It was the eighth time the two schools had met with Monnas leading 6-1. Glenwood knew it was d a daunting task especially the wake of the surprise defeat at the hands of resurgent DHS. It was Monument's sixth match against a team ranked in the Schools Top 20, Glenwood's third.

A great disappointment for Glenwood was the withdrawal of their massive young lock, JJ van der Mescht. He would have been the player Glenwood most have relied on to contain the big Monnas' pack. His place was taken by Slade du Randt.

Glenwood started the game attacking and contingently Monnas defended well but when Glenwood went left, right, left they ran out of defence and left wing Janus Hendrikz skipped over for the try. 5-0 after three minutes.

Glenwood were back in Monnas land wand had the throw-in to a line-out but threw to fat and Morné Brandon, the sturdy Monnas hooker, grabbed the ball and with an astonish speed raced down and into the Glenwood and was stooped just some 12 metres from the Glenwood line. Glenwood were penalised for being offside. The kick was right in front of the posts and Jonathan Viljoen made it 5-3 after 7 minutes.

From a scrum in the middle of the half-way line, Viljoen kicked to his right where Brendan Buitendag got the ball and set Monnas on the attack.

A penalty gave Glenwood a five-metre line-out but again the throw was too long..The Siyanda Cele had a long run. He shipped and gathered but Brandon and PJ Jacobs tackled him out at the corner.

Monnas ran from their inside their own 22. Viljoen kicked a long kick down to the Glenwood line where Cele was aught. Glenwood were penalised at the five-metre scrum and Viljoen gave his side a 6-5 lead after 29 minutes. Franco Schutte had two strong runs and would probably have scored but for Morné van Rensburg's timely tackle.

That was the half-time score.

One interesting facet of Monnas' play was the old-fashioned swing pass that Dennis Fry and Clive van Ryneveld used to such good effect. Will the swing pass make a comeback. It is the very antithesis of one-pass phases.

Monnas put pressure on Glenwood from the kick-off and a kick downfield was not out. Jacobs caught and came racing down the field, setting up a counterattack that ended when lock Christen van Niekerk scored a try which Viljoen converted.

Monnas attacked. Then Conan le Fleur initiated a promising attack and when Glenwood were penalised at a tackle., Viljoen made it 16-5 after 41 minutes.

There were 29 minutes left but a high hill for Glenwood to climb.

Luke Rossouw had a strong run down the left. Cele tackled him but Glenwood were penalised and Brandon tapped and forced his way over for the try. 23-5 after 47 minutes. From a scrum Viljoen went right and chipped a kick that bounced perfectly for Buitendag who raced away for a try at the posts. 30-5 with 20 minutes to play, time enough for Glenwood to score two tries.

A penalty gave them a five-metre line-out. They mauled and a Monnas player was sent off to the sin bin. Glenwood tapped and bashed and Rory Attwell scored a try which Connor Allan, son of John, converted. 30-12.

Both sides were no running and when Allan Broke he gave to Le Fleur who scored. Allan Converted. 30-19 with less than a minute to play.

Three tries each but a boot of a difference.

Scorers:

For Monument:

Tries: Christen van Niekerk, Morné Brandon, Brendan Buitendag

Cons: Jonathan Viljoen 3

Pens: Jonathan Viljoen 3

For Glenwood:

Tries: Janus Hendrikz, Rory Attwell, Conan le Fleur

Cons: Connor Allan 2

Teams

Glenwood: 15 Siyanda Cele, 14 Morné Van Rensburg, 13 Conan le Fleur, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Janus Hendrikz, 10 Dylan Pretorius, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Edward Laubscher, 7 Runako Brynhardt, 6 Dylan Kruger, 18 Slade du Randt, 4 Lunga Ncube, 3 Brendon Schwulst, 2 Dewet Truter, 1 Jordan Clarke

Replacements: 16 Jhaques Thyssen, 17 Thabiso Mdletshe, 23 Junior Smit, 19 Werner Coetzee, 20 Joe Jonas, 21 Connor Allan, 22 Rory Attwill

Monument: 15 Dandré Prinsloo, 14 Brendan Buitendag, 13 Juandré Breytenbach, 12 Luke Rossouw, 11 Dian Oosthuizen, 10 Jonathan Viljoen, 9 Tinus Combrinck, 8 PJ Jacobs, 7 Franco Schutte, 6 Larko Lindes, 5 Stephan Le Roux, 4 Cristen van Niekerk, 3 Eben Brand, 2 Morné Brandon, 1 Brendan Pawson

Replacements: 16 Jano Lourens, 17 Tumi Manonyane, 18 Dandré Degenaar, 19 Christopher Havenga, 20 Humphries Du Randt, 21 Tristan Dullisear, 22 Zihan Coetzee, 23 KC van Rooyen

Referee: Blake Beattie

Previous Results

2010: Monument won 26-5

2011: Monument won 16-8

2012: Glenwood won 25-18

2013: Monument won 26-20

2014: Monument won 30-19

2015: Monument won 21-8

2016: Monument won 40-15

2017: Monument won 30-19