Paul Roos slip past SACS

On a cold and wet morning in Stellenbosch, the South African College School (SACS) succumbed to a familiar fate.

SACS mixed it with hosts Paul Roos in almost every facet of play and gave as good as they got for the full seventy minutes but as was the case against both Paarl schools earlier in the season, two slipped tackles led to two tries which proved the difference between the teams. Paul Roos led 12-nil at half-time and the final score was 12-3 to the men in maroon.

With the wind gusting down the field Paul Roos dominated the first half. SACS defended manfully but two moments of individual brilliance led to two tries which were finally the difference between the teams. After ten minutes Paul Roos built some phases which saw scrumhalf SP Ferreira snipe around the fringe of a ruck and set up a try for wing Dalen Goliath. Marcus Geldenhuys was unsuccessful with the conversion from out wide.

SACS struggled to get into Paul Roos’s half and the territorial dominance told as Paul Roos, agonisingly for SACS, scored a minute before the interval. Had SACS held Paul Roos out for another sixty seconds the game would probably have been theirs as a five-point lead would not have been enough, given that SACS tapped kickable penalties when chasing the game late in the second half. The second try came after a great pick-up in the wet by Geldenhuys. He broke clear and found fullback Jason Worrall screaming up on is outside to score the game-breaking try.

SACS dominated territory and possession in the second half but were unable to break through a resolute Paul Roos defence. Paul Roos were playing their final game of the season at home and were determined not to lose. They tackled valiantly as SACS threw everything they had at them. SACS came close to scoring on a number of occasions but had to be content with a solitary Chris Smith penalty.

The scorers:

For Paul Roos

Tries: Dalen Goliath, Jason Worrall

Con: Marcus Geldenhuys

For SACS

Pen: Chris Smith