SA Schools send Academy back to class
The South African Schools side taught the Academy a lesson at Newlands on Saturday when they beat them 50-15.
The Academy team started off promisingly enough and at one stage led 15-8, but eventually class told.
The players of real class in the Schools side were eighthman Nick Koster, full-back Patrick Lambie and fly-half Marnitz Boshoff. There was also class and creativity in centres Earl Snyman and Robert Ebersohn and great speed on the wings but many promising movements were stifled at scrum-half where the captain was stationed. He was the one player in the side who looked out of his depth and his role was crucial.
SA Schools scored first when they went wide left and came back wide right with full-back Patrick Lambie, who had a splendid match, surging strongly over for the try. But from the kick-off hooker Frank Herne grabbed the ball and sped some 50 metres down towards the SA Schools line for a try scored by right wing Alec Mhlanga which fly-half Sias Ebersohn converted. 7-5 to the SA Academy.
The SA Schools got back into the lead when their excellent fly-half Marnitz Boshoff kicked a penalty but then in seesaw fashion Sias Ebersohn made it 10-8 and then 15-8 when he intercepted yet another poor pass from Rudy Paige to race 650 metres or more to score. The SA Academy led 15-8 and shades of the past rose from the ground for the second-stringers have more than once defeated the first-stringers.
But then Lambie got his second try, which Boshoff of the sweet boot converted to make the scores level. After this the SA Schools were in charge.
Robert Ebersohn, the inside of a pair of excellent, swift centres, broke and played inside to Ompile Marotothe who scored a try. Between them the two players had run half the length of the field.
When the SA Schools bashed at the line, Koster forced his way over to make the half-time score 29-15.
Koster looked all dead and buried on the left off untidy ball when suddenly he came racing round on the right, put his arms through the tackle and sent Snyman over for a simple try. Marotothe got his second which Boshoff converted from touch and then Yondela Stampu finished the scoring when he burst over from a tapped penalty;
Scorers:
For SA Schools
Tries: Lambie 2, Marotothe 2, Koster, Snyman, Stampu
Cons: Boshoff 6
Pen: Bosthoff
For SA Academy:
Tries: Alec Mhlanga, Sias Ebersohn
Con: Sias Ebersohn
Pen Sias Ebersohn
Teams:
SA Schools: 15 Patrick Lambie (KwaZulu Natal), 14 Riaan Arendse (Eastern Province), 13 Earl Snyman (South Western Districts), 12 Robert Ebersohn (Free State), 11 Ompile Marotothe (Blue Bulls), 10 Marnitz Boshoff (Pumas), 9 Rudy Paige (Golden Lions), 8 Nicolas Koster (Western Province), 7 Roelof Pienaar (Free State), 6 Marnus Schoeman (Blue Bulls), 5 Cornell Hess (Blue Bulls), 4 Marchand van Rooyen (Golden Lions), 3 Julian Redelinghuys (Golden Lions), 2 Johan Oberholzer (Golden Lions), 1 Dale Chadwick (KwaZulu Natal).
Replacements: 16 Sibi Masina (Pumas), 17 Coenraad Oosthuizen (Free State), 18 Kene Ockafor (KwaZulu Natal), 19 Moeka Bolofo (Free State), 20 Kelvano King (Eastern Province), 21 Yondela Stampu (Blue Bulls), 22 Hadley Smith (Free State).
SA Academy: 15 Damien Janse van Rensburg (Golden Lions), 14 Alec Mhlanga (Limpopo Blue Bulls), 13 Bongi Luvuno (Pumas), 12 Simphiwe Mtimkulu (Blue Bulls), 11 Blake Mecuur (Golden Lions), 10 Josias Ebersohn (Free State), 9 Justin Claassen (Griffons), 8 Christiaan Stander (South Western Districts), 7 Wimpie van der Walt (Pumas), 6 Byron Booysen (Griquas), 5 Meiring de Clerq (Pumas), 4 Mlungisi Bali (Blue Bulls), 3 Peet Vorster (Blue Bulls), 2 Frank Herne (Free State), 1 Caylib Oosthuizen (South Western Districts).
Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuindenhout (Leopards), 17 Trevor Nyakane (Limpopo Blue Bulls), 18 Pieter Labuschagne (Free State), 19 Tendayi Chikukwa (Blue Bulls), 20 Sakkie Muller (Eastern Province), 21 Itaello Cupido (Eastern Province), 22 Deon Helberg (Pumas).
Referee: Petri Bosch
