Second-half blitz sinks SACS
Another week, and another spirited performance from the South African College High School (SACS) 1st XV, but again no reward for their efforts. This was their third opponent from the Boland in the past five weeks, the mighty Paarl Boys’ High (Boishaai), whom they kept in check for fifty-five minutes until the visitors cut loose in the final quarter to seal a comfortable 30-9 win (half-time 12-9).
After another week of heavy rain, the skies opened up and the game was played in bright sunshine but on a slippery surface. SACS started well and took a six point lead within the first ten minutes thanks to two penalties by wing Brad Smith.
Boishaai had their moments and it took some great scrambling by SACS to keep them off the scoreboard until the twenty-eighth minute. After a period of sustained pressure near the SACS line Boishaai tapped a penalty which was passed to tighthead Wikus Groenewald who crashed over from close range. Wing Ryan Lafite converted.
Two errors by SACS saw Boishaai work their way back into the SACS quarter from where loosehead prop Quintin Vorster scored from a line-out peel. Lafite missed before Smith converted a long-range penalty to see SACS back within three points at the interval.
The third quarter of the game was again relatively even until penalties in the eighteenth and twentieth minutes stretched Boishaai’s lead to nine points.
The try that finally tipped the game in the visitors' favour was a fortuitous one as Boishaai captain Paul de Wet knocked down his opposite number's pass at the base of a scrum. The ball was pounced on by flank JC van Schalkwyk who cantered in from ten metres out.
With the game safe and a few fresh subs on Boishaai cut loose in the final ten minutes. They ran at space and offloaded in the tackle. One of these passages of play resulted in a lovely long-range try for centre Curtley Grain, which was converted by Lafite.
To their credit SACS kept playing but, as had been the case throughout, errors of their own making cost them.
Scorers:
For SACS
Pens: Brad Smith 3
For Paarl Boys’ High
Tries: Quintin Vorster, Wikus Groenewald, JC van Schalkwyk, Curtley Grain
Cons: Ryan Lafite 2
Pens: Lafite 2
