Preview: Kearsney Day 2
Day 2 of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival kicks off on Holy Saturday) with some exciting play expected after interesting results on the first day of the festival.
Affies will play Monument in the last game today, both teams going into the clash on the back of wins on Day 1. Powerhouse Monument beat Framesby 21-16 on Thursday in a game blown by international referee Marius Jonker; and Affies beat Selborne 34-12 in which Rugby World Cup Final referee Craig Joubert officiated.
Opening play today will be Selborne College from East London up against Framesby from Port Elizabeth. Selborne is the only visiting school to have participated in every Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival since its inception in 2008. In its first match against Affies, both teams provided some good running rugby, but Selborne was unfortunately up against formidable Affies fullback Eduan Keyter, who scored a hat-trick of tries.
With moments of brilliance on both sides during the latter part of the Framesby-Monument game on Thursday, and Framesby applying fantastic pressure in the last few minutes, it was Monument who came out on top in the end, winning 21-16.
The second fixture today is between HTS Middelburg and Nico Malan from Humansdorp. HTS, last year’s NuPower-Tuks champs who return to the festival after four years’ absence, provided an excellent game against the young Kearsney side on Thursday, to beat the hosts 31-25. Nico Malan will go into the game feeling less confident after their 41-10 loss to Westville.
In the last game of the morning session both participating teams will be coming off a loss in their first day of festival play. Kearsney will face the tenacious boys from Dale College in King William’s Town who were outplayed by Glenwood.
In a moment of sheer brilliance on day one, Kearsney flyhalf Tristan Tedder scored a dazzling intercept try, converting it and taking the score within six points of the opposition. In a nail biting attack on the HTS defence in the final minutes, Kearsney were unfortunate not to score and the final result was 31-25 to HTS Middelburg.
Local team Glenwood will take on EG Jansen to open today’s afternoon session at the festival in Botha’s Hill. Glenwood will be confident after their 31-17 win over Dale College on Thursday.
The Grey College-Westville encounter is expected to produce some fine play. Westville were well-deserved victors against Nico Malan on day one with some excellent running rugby. Grey College can be expected to provide tough opposition to the local side after a comprehensive 26-8 win over Boksburg’s EG Jansen on Thursday.
Holy Saturday's Fixtures
08.30: KZN Under-13 Development Team vs Westville Primary
09.30: Selborne College vs Framesby
10.45: HTS Middelburg vs Nico Malan
12.00: Kearsney College vs Dale College
13.15: Glenwood vs EG Jansen
14.30: Grey College vs Westville
15.45: Affies vs Monument
Maundy Thursday Results
HTS Middelburg vs Kearsney, 31-25
Monument vs Framesby, 21-16
Westville vs Nico Malan, 41-10
Affies vs Selborne, 34-12
Glenwood vs Dale, 31-17
Grey College vs Dr EG Jansen, 26-8
