Stellenberg start smartly
It’s really beginning to look as if Stellenberg, located in the leafy lanes up Durban Road in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, suffer from that rare ailment, away-game mania.
In 2011 Duppie du Preez’s lads started the season prowling around South America.
This year’s campaign began in remote Lutzville, whence it moved to KwaZulu-Natal, the Bergies’ first trip to that province in 11 years. No home game, but, significantly, three wins in three starts.
In mid-March Stellenberg sounded the first warning to their Western Province Premier B opposition, particularly archrivals Durbanville, by beating tough-as-nails Augsburg Gym 13-6 at the Lutzville Sports Day.
A couple of days later (Tuesday, 20 March) and many kilometres away they overcame both the humidity and the Port Natal side, who drew so many admirers at the Tony Stoops Rugby Festival earlier this week, to win 15-10 in Shark City.
Come Thursday 22 March and the camp had relocated up in Pietermaritzburg, where they almost proved to be their own worst enemies, stumbling somewhat on the way to an 11-6 victory over Voortrekker.
Particularly heartening was the success enjoyed by the Second XV, who thumped their Port Natal counterparts 31-0 and demolished Voortrekker seconds 66-5.
So, where to now? Romania? Australia? New Zealand? No, amazingly enough, their next encounter is against Brackenfell on Saturday, 14 April on home turf!
By Tony Stoops
