Rusties leave it late in Brits
Rustenburg managed to maintain a six-year unbeaten run against Brits with a 18-17 victory in the FNB Classic Clash on Friday evening in Brits.
This closely contested match produced high quality schoolboy rugby with high tension for the supporters from both schools.
It was a match of two halves with Rustenburg dominating the first half in the territory and possession stakes. Rustenburg dominated line-out possession, kept to their planned game structures, managed to keep the ball through numerous phases and drowning Brits from possession. In the process they managed to score to two great tries, one each by the wings.
I felt that it was some of the best rugby we played this year and that we were unlucky not to score a further try or two in the first half, but still felt happy with a half-time lead of 15-3. As coaching staff we were of the opinion that a further score within 10 minutes from half-time would seal the match.
Brits however had a different plan and came out all guns blazing and managed to score within five minutes from the restart. They sorted out their line-out problems and with equal first phase possession between the sides it was game on. Both sides played high tempo and quality rugby with the game going from one try line to the other with only passionate defence denying try scoring opportunities.
Brits gained the ascendency with a couple of turnovers at ruck time and with 10 minutes to go took a 17-15 lead.
The spectators were kept on the edge of their seats when Rustenburg refused a two kickable penalties and for some reason opted to go for a try. Sanity prevailed and with five min to go, Bertho van Wyk kicked a penalty to regain the lead.
This was not the end of the drama with Brits missing two penalty attempts within the last three minutes -the last one on the sound of the hooter.
This one most definitely the best and most exciting Classic Clash between these rivals.
Credit to FNB for creating character building opportunities like this for sportsmen at school level.
Scorers
For Rustenburg:
Tries: Dewald Pretorius, JP van Staden
Con: Bertho van Wyk
Pens: Bertho van Wyk 2
For Brits: requested but not yet available
Teams
Hoërskool Brits: 15 Ideon van Niekerk, 14 WJ Smith, 13 Dean Stokes, 12 Ruben Faber, 11 Ernst Meintjies, 10 MC Venter (captain), 9 Franswa Ueckermann, 8 Roland Lombaard, 7 Heino van der Merwe, 6 Berto Kleynhans, 5 Melco Voster, 4 Marno Cronjé, 3 Ivan Labuschagne, 2 Herman van den Berg, 1 Norman Nesbitt
Hoërskool Rustenburg: 15 Zander le Roux, 14 JP Van Staden, 13 Hugo Richter, 12 Berto van Wyk (captain), 11 Dewald Pretorius, 10 Roelof Sauerman, 9 Jaco Snyman, 8 Tiaan Bezuidenhout (vice-captain), 7 Dylan Swanepoel, 6 Waldo van der Walt, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 JD Swart, 3 Xander Brummer, 2 Eric Vermaak, 1 Tiaan Janse van Vuuren
Replacements: 16 Dandré Botha, 17 Duard Engelbrecht, 18 Wiaan Lewis, 19 Ockert Fourie, 20 Corrie Olewagen, 21 Ryno Coetzee
By Bertie Grobbelaar
