Westville on the road
Match Report
Westville took to the road over the Drakensberg to play KES and won 20-8, scoring all their points kin the first half.
Westville Boys’ High School’s annual Sports Tour to Gauteng was almost canceled due to a wide range of logistical problems. The short notice cancellation of the trains by Shosholoza Mail, almost resulted in the entire trip being cancelled. Fortunately, Edusport Travel came to the rescue and provided luxury buses and a suitable accommodation package.
After a sound night’s rest in the Road Lodge, Westville’s rugby, hockey and tennis teams arrived at KES ready to enjoy what has become a day of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
On the rugby front, Westville dominated proceedings, winning all but one game. The 1st XV encounter was played out in front of a reasonable crowd.
From the kickoff, Westville’s forwards outplayed their counterparts, winning the contest at set piece, and setting up a number of devastating rolling mauls. Playing against a strong wind in the first half, Westville’s coach Hugh Reece-Edwards instructed his troops to keep the ball in hand and set up phases. The game plan paid off, as KES, starved for possession, committed numerous offences in an attempt to get their hands on the ball. Westville used these penalties to kick the ball deep into the opposition's half and set up attacking line-outs in the 22m.
The first half must have seemed a blur for KES, as Westville ran in three tries in quick succession. Scrumhalf Tian Meyer was again a standout, as he sniped around the fringes and made telling breaks. KES managed to regain possession late in the first half, caught Westville on the back foot, and scored to take the half time score to 20-5 in Westville’s favour.
A stirring bagpipe rendition at the half-time break seemed to spur the home side to greater things, as they came out with renewed purpose in the second half.
Westville, content with a comfortable lead, seemed to underestimate the doggedness of their opponents. KES levelled the possession stakes, and with ball in hand looked far more dangerous than in the first half.
The second half didn't follow the same pattern as the first, as KES had a lot more of the play. Westville tried to liven things up by running the ball at every opportunity, including some daring breaks from inside their own goal area. However, the only score was to be a penalty from KES, taking the final score to 20-8 in Westville’s favour. The win takes Westville’s winning streak to seven in a row, a great achievement considering the amount of rugby that has already been played this season.
On Wednesday Westville travel to George Campbell to take on the fiery Durban lads, a game certain to produce its fair share of fireworks. A bye this Saturday will give the bodies a much needed rest, just the tonic needed in the buildup to the big clash against Maritzburg College on Saturday 27 May at Westville. College have found their feet, and are playing some fantastic rugby, recently downing Pretoria Boys’ at Goldstone's, thumping Voortrekker 42-0 and overpowering Midlands rivals Hilton 32-14.
By Jonathan Farrell
