Noord-Kaap win Classic Clash

In the first FNB Classic Clash of 2013 Noord-Kaap beat Diamantveld 27-19 at GWK Park in Kimberley. It is a huge match between the strongest schools in Griqualand West.

The match was a culmination of a week's events between the two schools including a fun dinner when the staffs of the two schools sat down to dinner together. The match ended in exuberant glee for Noord-Kaap while the boys and girls in blue and gold were sombre.

Noord-Kaap were behind 13-10 at half–time and even though they scored five tries to one did not go into the lead till the last 10 minutes of the game. In contrast to Diamantveld, their goal-kicking was poor – high-soaring but off course. The only points they got from the boot were the conversion of the fifth try. There were chances in a match in which there were more penalties than scrums or line-outs.

It was an enterprising game played in perfect conditions, and bless the wholesome innocence of schools even when they were just one point ahead Noord-Kaap kept on running from their own territory to score points. 'Closing the game down' is not a part of how they play the game.

Noord-Kaap deserved to win the match, as the try-scoring suggests. They were just so much better at getting the ball than the Diamantvelders at both set pieces and at the breakdown but it was their handling that tended to let them down. They were also keener to score tries and were rewarded.

Noord-Kaap scored first when from a line-out on their right they went wide left. Ryan de Wee came into the line and ran a deceptive 30 metres to score reasonably well in. 5-0 after 8 minutes.

When Noord-Kaap went offside at a line-out, flyhalf Deon van Zyl goaled. 5-3 after 12 minutes.

There was a significant line-out after a maul on Noord-Kaap's left – frightening for Diamantveld, exhilarating for  Noord-Kaap as the boys in green and white ran the maul for 20 metres till it fell down over the line and in fact Luaan Dowie lost the ball over the line. The referee went back to the penalty for collapsing the maul. Noord-Kaap tapped but they knocked on, giving Diamantveld a scrum five metres from their line. The scrums were on the new crouch-bind-scrum system. They did that and Noord-Kaap won a tighthead. Gerhard Holtzhausen picked up and went blind, driving over for the try. 10-3 after 19 minutes.

Then it was Diamantveld's turn. Jacques van Zyl was close form a driving maul, Noord-Kaap were penalised and Hanco Swart tapped. The scrumhalf gave to hooker Daniel van Zyl who dummied and cut past three defenders to score a try any back would have been proud of. Deon van Zyl converted. 10-10 after 27 minutes.

Deon van Zyl kicked his second penalty and Diamantveld led 13-10 at the break.

Diamantveld attacked from the start of the second half and Jacques van Zyl was held up over the line, giving them a five-metre scrum. They attacked but Noord-Kaap won a turnover. Deon van Zyl kicked a penalty goal, 16-10 after 42 minutes.

Ryan de Wee was over for a try as Noord-Kaap attacked at speed down the right but the pass to him had been forward. They kept attacking across the width of the field and then had a line-out on the left about 10 metres from the Diamantveld line. They mauled and marched the 10 metres for the line where Hilford Clarke, who had joined in from the left wing, fell down for the try. 16-15 to Diamantveld after 50 minutes.

Diamantveld attacked when a sharp scissors set JD Swanepoel racing ahead.

At this stage Gerhardus Holtzhausen was taken off on a stretcher. He later appeared with the replacements to watch out the game.

Noord-Kaap were on the attack when for the second time in the match they took a tighthead off Diamantveld and went left where Hilford Clarke swerved inside on and then handed off another defender before scoring with a swanky dive. 20-16 after 61 minutes.

Deon van Zyl kicked another penalty. 20-19 with six minutes to play.

Diamantveld attacked but knocked on and Noord-Kaap swept down the field on a counterattack. Diamantveld carried over a chip kick to give Noord-Kaap a five-metre scrum. They bashed and eventually tall Thulani Njenje fell over for the try, to his great delight. Dimitrio Tieties converted and the final whistle went, a signal for much Noord-Kaap rejoicing.

Scorers:

For Noord-Kaap

Tries: Ryan de Wee, Gerhard Holtzhausen, Hilford Clarke 2, Thulani Njenje

Con: Dimitrio Tieties

For Diamantveld

Try: Daniel van Zyl

Con: Deon van Zyl

Pens: Deon van Zyl 4

Teams

Diamantveld: 15 Ronaldo Abrahams, 14 Jon-Pierre Abrahams, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Ruan Maritz, 11 JD Swanepoel, 10 Deon van Zyl, 9 Hanco Swart, 8 Jacques van Zyl, 7 Nardus Bosman, 6 Jaco Cloete, 5 JD Fourie, 4 Johan Obbes,  3 Werner Goosen, 2 Daniel van Zyl, 1 Ruan Langeveld.

Replacements: 16 Francois Botha, 17 Arrie Conradie, 18 Theunis Swart, 19 Darryn Bron, 20 Avumile Mantyi, 21 Elvine Fredericks, 22 Marno Willemse.

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 Luaan Dowie, 6 Nico Graaff, 5 Lehan Muller (captain), 4 Thulani Njenje, 3 Doctor Booysen, 2 Willie van Aswegen, 1 Lux Khoza

Replacements: 16 Geo Davel, 17 Joubert Steyn, 18 Bradley Leijdeckers, 19 Luan Pretorius, 20 Dillon Walsh, 21 Henry van Zyl, 22 Aldro Haines, 23 Rickus Zwart

Referee: Jaco Kotze (Free State Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Francois de Bruin, Nico Schmahl