SACS win well against Bishops

The South African College High School (SACS) secured their first premier league win of the season when they beat local rivals Diocesan College (Bishops) 21-8. The game was played in front of a large crowd on an overcast morning in Newlands.

The game was not a memorable one in terms of the quality of ruby produced. Both teams were desperate for a win and the nerves showed early on. SACS got into their stride first and produced some positive play which resulted in a couple of penalties which were converted by flyhalf Chris Smith.

Bishops flyhalf Herman Share produced some of the best hanging kick-offs seen since the days of Herschelle Gibbs and at almost every re-start SACS found themselves unable to secure possession. Bishops won the ball back and put SACS under huge pressure. Bishops built some pressure after winning back a kick-off and Share converted a penalty to bring Bishops back into the game at 6-3.

Soon after Smith converted another penalty to take SACS six points clear. Bishop again won back the ensuing kick-off and what followed was the defining period of the game. Bishops laid siege on the SACS line and even kicked two penalties to the corner instead of going for the posts. Bishops threw everything they had at SACS but the home team's defence, the outstanding feature of their game throughout, held firm.

Having weathered the storm SACS scored a try from a lovely counterattack started by flank Luke van der Smit. Van der Smit caught an errant kick and beat the Bishops chasers and cut through before passing to fellow flank Gino Lupini who scored. Smith missed the conversion and SACS went into half-time leading 14-3.

The second half was dominated by Bishops who had a surfeit of possession thanks to their dominance at the breakdown. They turned over SACS's possession almost at will but were unable to breach a resolute SACS defence. Numerous handling errors, poor option and lateral running meant Bishops were unable to use the possession to any good effect.

Bishops' main playmakers, Herman Share, captain Jason Morris and fullback Greg Alexander, were unable to combine effectively and Bishops coach Dave Mallett must have been yearning for the sight of a Tim Swiel or Dillon Leyds who surely would have punished SACS heavily given so much turnover ball.

SACS went further ahead thanks to a try by captain and scrumhalf Cameron Calder who sniped around the side of a ruck after SACS managed for once to put more than two phases together.

Bishops struck back thanks to an opportunist try from replacement flyhalf James van Heerden. Van Heerden gathered the ball and raced clear after Bishops scrumhalf Sean van Rensburg had caught SACS flyhalf Chris Smith in possession and knocked the ball from his grasp.

But SACS held on for a well-deserved win, secured thanks to a solid performance from their pack and the set-piece and a sound defensive effort. Bishops will be left ruing the lost opportunities.

The scorers:

For SACS:

Tries: Gino Lupini, Cameron Calder

Con: Chris Smith

Pens: Smith 3

For Bishops:

Try: James van Heerden

Pen: Herman Share