Union High in big FNB win
Match Report
Union High beat near neighbours Volkskool 30-3 in an FNB Classic Clash in Graaff-Reinet on Saturday.
It's not the highest winning margin in matches between the two keen rivals for Volkskool have won by more than that on five occasions, most recently in 1996 when they won 36-0. But it is Union Highs biggest winning margin, surpassing the 22-0 of 1971 and it is Union High's highest score, surpassing the 27 when they lost last year.
There was lots of excitement at Botanics under the mountain with the sounds of trumpets, singing and cheering.
There was enough in the first half to suggest that Union High were the better side but not by so big a margin.
They played with the wind in the first half and led 6-3 at the break. But they had had much the better of the scoring opportunities in the half. Twice captain Gareth Light was close, once only an ankle-high pass to fullback Ricardo Maqabangqia prevented a try when the adventurous fullback was clear with only about six metres to go and still had electric wing Baphiwe Mfundisi outside of him. On other occasions Mfundisi, lively flank Jaen-Reese Meyburgh and scrumhalf Mathew Miller went close.
Volkskool were having the better of the scrums – and it was a match of many, many scrums with little post-tackle continuity – but Union High ruled the line outs through three tall men – eighthman Zibee Stegmann and locks André Bezuidenhout and Warren Minnaar who is an incredible 2,1 metres in height and gets around the field like a classy loose forward.
Volkskool scored first. After a penalty attempt came back off an upright, Riaan du Toit goaled the one soon afterwards from a sharp angle to give his side the lead after seven minutes. But sadly Volkskool lost their hooker Jarred Briscoe at this stage. Two penalties by flyhalf Dylan Schafer took Union High to 6-3 at the break.
Early in the second half Volkskool had a chance to score when Du Toit chased his own kick and charged down Maqabangqia's languid clearance. That produced a line-out to Volkskool and a maul which they drove at the line. But when it fell and the ball went left from the maul Union High won a turn-over and cleared.
Volkskool failed to find touch from a penalty and Union High countered from their own 22 on their left with Meyburgh prominent. From there the ball travelled through speedy hands to the far right and then came back left where locks Bezuidenhout and Minnaar were prominent, Minnaar giving a perfect pass to Mfundisi on the left wing. Carrying the ball in his right arm he sped down the wing, feinted inside and then beat the fullback on the outside for a brilliant try – wrong arm or not. In fact he always carried the ball under his right arm as if he were really a right wing. Schafer converted the try. 13-3.
Volkskool missed a penalty kick at goal. This led to a try by Union High. They caught Volkskool napping with a quick drop-out and tore down the right, came wide left again to Mfundisi who looked sure to score but was stopped just short. The ball went right again and outside centre Oviweyo Masamanzi squeezed over in the fact of massed defence. 20-3.
Not even a yellow card for Mathew Miller helped Volkskool's cause for Union High still had another two tries to come.
For the first Union high were passing badly on the half-way line till lanky Minnaar got the ball. He dummied and accelerated and his striding run took him to the Volkskool 22 where he threw a long and perfect pass to his right to fullback Maqabangqia who scored. 25-3.
Mfundisi had another long run down the left. He was caught and Volkskool cleared but not a long way from their line. From the line-out on the Union High left there went to the far right where great passes by Schafer and Maqabangqia gave Mfundisi a second try, and he still had a man free on his outside.
Gareth Light, the delighted Union High captain, said afterwards: "Everything went our way today. For us it is the highlight of our school careers."
For a preview of the match with links to information about the schools, profiles of the captains and previous results, click here.
Teams:
Volkskool: 15 Martinique Koopman, 14 JP De Villiers, 13 Bartho Theron, 12 Shaun Kleynhans, 11 Daniel Verster, 10 Riaan du Toit, 9 Iaan Fourie (captain), 8 Etienne Degenaar, 7 Marnus van der Walt, 6 Wicus Wessels, 5 Jacques Smith, 4 Cristiaan Reynolds, 3 Eben van Staden, 2 Jarred Briscoe, 1 Tulani Jack
Union High: 15 Ricardo Maqabangqia, 14 Sirethemba Madikane, 13 Oviweyo Masamanzi, 12 Zwelakhe Sodladla, 11 Baphiwe Mfundisi, 10 Dylan Schafer, 9 Mathew Miller, 8 Zibee Stegmann, 7 Jaen-Reese Meyburgh, 6 Robert Kingwill, 5 Warren Minnaar, 4 André Bezuidenhout, 3 Sakhile Mnci, 2 Gareth Light (captain), Simphiwe Grootboom.
Referee: Mlungiseli Mdashe (Eastern Province)
