SACS hammer Strand
Match Report
SACS produced their best performance of the season in outplaying the highly rated Strand outfit by 41 points to three in Newlands on Saturday. The field may have been wet from the week's rain but the weather and the SACS team were hot.
SACS took the lead early on when left-wing Dean Holland produced another trademark finish. SACS attacked wide to the right and then swung the ball left. Holland used the space to great effect. A fend and an outside break leaving the Strand defence stranded as he streaked in for the first of his four tries on the day. Tim Carr did the necessary. Carr converted a penalty soon after for a spear-tackle and SACS were up 10-nil.
Strand’s SA Schools scrumhalf Clayton Stewart converted a penalty to momentarily bring them back into the game but that was all he and Strand had to offer the whole game. Holland scored with an intercept before the half. SACS conceded a tighthead on their own line and Strand moved the ball wide. Holland read the move well and ran 90 metres to score under the poles. The Strand players' heads dropped visibly at this point and the game was all but over at half-time when SACS led 17-3.
SACS scored from a beautiful counter-attack early in the second half. Fullback Rodney Mthi gathering the ball deep inside his own 22m-area. He ran right and fed wing Ishmat Fakier, who chipped ahead. The ball went loose but was gather by centre Liam Slatem who dotted down. Next to score was hooker Robbie Trueman, who had a very good game in the loose. SACS disrupted a Strand line-out on their own line and Trueman dived on the loose ball to score.
The last two tries both went to Dean Holland, who has now scored 14 tries this season. The first one was a beauty as SACS put the ball through he phases. They could probably have scored using their hands by Tim Carr decided to chip ahead. Holland outsprinted the cover to score right in the left hand corner. Carr’s conversion was a beauty.
Holland completed the whitewash that he started with another intercept try. Strand produced some powerful surges with the forwards towards the end of the game. Eventually after the forwards were unable to break down the dogged SACS defence they took the ball wide. Holland again read play well and ran all of 80 metres to seal a truly memorable win.
Since returning from Argentina SACS have beaten Paarl Boys' High and Strand and will be hoping for another upset at Bishops next Saturday.
Scorers:
For SACS:
Tries: Dean Holland 4, Liam Slatem, Robbie Trueman
Cons: Tim Carr 4
Pen: Tim Carr
For Strand:
Pen: Clayton Stewart
By Graeme Wepener
