Wynberg in big FNB Classic win
Match Report
Wynberg beat SACS 42-3 in the final FNB Classic Clash of the year – and they had a lot to thank SACS for.
Wynberg scored five tries – three of them presented to them by the generous SACS team when SACS were in possession of the ball.
It was a lovely day down in the valley at Wynberg on Hawthornden Field. The big bank in the east was crowded as both schools arrived with bands, chant and song. SACS had blue flags to wave. Up the steep bank you looked to the people and then the trees silhouetted against the blue sky of a perfect Cape winter's day.
The match was going along enthusiastically but without hint of the eventual outcome. After all it was going to be close. SACS had had a better season than Wynberg with victories over Paarl Boys' High and Strand. But then they had suffered an enormous shock to morale when Bishops ran rings round them. Wynberg could take hope from their second-term victory over SACS at SACS. It was going to be close, was the general feeling That it was not close was largely SACS's doing.
Stefan Swanich, Wynberg's inside centre kicked a penalty goal and Tim Carr did the same for SACS. When SACS tackled high, Swanich made it 6-3. SACS were being constructive and adventurous and so were Wynberg, tapping an easy penalty in search of a try. SACS were close from an attacking line-out as Carr went for the line. Wynberg defence was good and their competing for the ball excellent.
Then came four gift tries.
With three minutes to go to half-time SACS won a scrum well in Wynberg territory. Carr tried a left-footed grubber but some way from his immediate opponent, Jason Pretorius. Pretorius shout out a soccer foot and the ball ricocheted forward off the foot and behind Carr. Pretorius sdarted up, grabbed the ball and raced 70 metres to score under the posts, 13-3.
SACS kicked off and won the ball. They went left but their passing, which was not good throughout the game, was disastrous as the ball fell between two players. Wynberg's right wing Lisandro Gomes picked it aup and raced over 50 metres down the field with long strides to score at the posts. In two minutes the score had gone from 6-3 to 20-3. And still SACS's suicide was not at an end.
SACS, bless them, were running everything. They ran inside their 22 but Carr passed a short pass straight to Swanich who accepted the gift and scored under the posts. He converted. 27-3.
SACS had a long period on the attack as Wynberg conceded penalties. Wynberg broke out and after missing a penalty were just inside the SACS 22. SACS threw into the line-out and won the ball. Back it went to Warwick Denman who was playing flyhalf with Carr off injured. He kicked to clear. Flank Chad Scott of Wynberg jumped up and charged the kick down. It bounced benignly in in-goal where Scott fell on the ball for a try. 32-3.
Again SACS attacked but Wynberg drove them back and then when SACS tried to run from their own line and conceded a penalty, Wynberg tapped and Ryan Smit swivelled round and plunged over for the try, which Swanich converted. 39-3.
With the match nearing its end and with Wynberg leading by 36 points, they opted to kick a penalty to make it 42-3. That was probably the most meaningless act of the match.
Scorers:
for Wynberg:
Tries: Jason Pretorius, Lisandro Gomes, Stefan Swanich, Chad Scott, Ryan Smit
Cons: Stefan Swanich 4
Pens: Stefan Swanich 3
For SACS:
Pen: Tim Carr
Teams:
Wynberg Boys' High School: 15 Shadley van Schalkwyk 14 Lisandro Gomez 13 Zahier Isaacs 12 Stefan Swanich 11 Shane Morris, 10 Jason Pretorius 9 Tim Vann 8 Anthony Selley 7 Vaughn Terrey 6 Chad Scott 5 Michael van Schalkwyk 4 Gareth Pearson 3 Grant Kemp (captain) 2 Ryan Magee 1 Ryan Smit
South African College High School: 15 Warwick Denman 14 Jake Levin 13 Ishmat Fakier 12 Liam Slatem 11 Dean Holland 10 Tim Carr 9 Mark Spence 8 Sean Binedell 7 Zack Beukman (captain) 6 Sizwe Stemela 5 Kieran Snellink 4 Adam Normann 3 Alex Skeate 2 Robbie Trueman 1 Keagan Clay
Referee: Alwyn Brink (Western Province Referees' Society)
