Thrilling victory for College

On Goldstone’s on Saturdfay, Marigtzburg College beat Pretoria Boys High 20-15.

In their first match of the domestic 2007 season, College met the always competitive Pretoria Boys High and, once again, it was a close-run thing.

College started well and soon established dominance in terms of both possession and territory. Some sleight of hand at the base of the scrum put flank Randles in for a try converted by Ashton (fullback), and a penalty by the latter increased the lead to a comfortable ten points.

Pretoria Boys High’s only reply, in a half in which they had little opportunity to do more than defend, was a fine, long-range penalty by their flyhalf, Twiname. When Ashton, almost immediately, restored the ten-point lead with a further penalty, it seemed that College had matters well in hand.

The second half brought about a rude awakening. Pretoria Boys High upped the tempo, started to exert some pressure and transformed the tenor of the match. Within a couple of minutes of each other they scored two excellent tries (a forward try and one by centre Ralepelle), one converted, to establish a 15-13 lead.

With about ten minutes left to play, the result was in the balance, though Pretoria Boys High had both the lead and the momentum.

College returned to the attack and laid siege to the Pretoria Boys High line. Scorning several very kickable penalty kicks on offer, they persisted in trying to score a decisive try, but only succeeded very late in the match, by which time both teams’ supporters nerves were jangling.

English (centre) was driven over the line in what proved to be the last movement of the game and Aston’s conversion made the final score 20-15.

It had been another in a succession of great recent matches between College and Pretoria Boys High.

By Tony Wiblin