Diamantveld 1stXV started their season with a hard-fought 36-35 win over Monnas in Kimberley on Saturday.
Diamantveld started like a house on fire and led 26-14 at the halftime break. Monnas fought back to lead 35-33 with minutes to play, whereafter a converted penalty secured the win for Diamantveld.
Diamantveld’s pack of forwards surprised all to “dominate” the heavier and more favoured pack of Monnas, and if they can sharpen up on their conditioning during the final twenty minutes of the match, not many schools will beat them up front. Both schools’ backlines showed a lot of promise and will deliver a lot of sparkle in the season.
Diamantveld had a confident start against Monnas, and following several failed try scoring opporunities the ball was spread wide following a five-meter quick tap for the outside centre to crash over, edging Diamantveld 07-00 into the lead.
Four minutes later, Diamantveld scored in the opposite corner following brilliant interplay by the forwards and backs. Diamantveld led 12-00.
A mistake from Diamantveld off the kickoff led to Monnas setting up camp in Diamantveld’s 22m. Diamantveld. Following a great drive off a lineout five meters from Diamantveld’s tryline, Monnas scored a great try to cut Diamantveld’s lead to 12-07 after fifteen minutes of play in the first half.
With the momentum clearly in favour of Monnas after twenty-five minutes of play in the second half, their outside centre crashed through several defenders to score Monnas’ second try to edge them 14-12 in the lead following a successful conversion kick.
However, Diamantveld struck back almost immediately when their eightman picked up a ball behind a ruck to crash over for their third try. The successful conversion extended Diamantveld’s lead to 19-14 and five minutes still to play.
With time running out, Diamandveld launched another fifteen-man attack and eventually one of their big forwards crashed over for their fourth try to go into the second half leading 26-14.
Diamantveld started the second half as they did the first and scored their fifth try after just one minute of play to extend their lead to 33-14. Their winger showed a lot of determination to score his try.
Monnas slowly clawed their way back into the match and, following a five-meter lineout, their number five lock showed his class to crash over to cut Diamantveld’s lead to fourteen points with twenty-five minutes still to play in the second half.
Four minutes later, it was the twinkle toes of Monnas’ fullback that cut Diamantveld’s lead to 33-28, and twenty minutes still to play.
With twelve minutes to play, Monnas was shown a yellow card; however, that did not stop the Monnas onslaught, who scored another try to retake the lead 35-33 against a visibly tiring Diamantveld.
Diamantveld converted a penalty to retake the lead 36-35 with three minutes still to play.
Monnas threw everything they had left into the attack during the final minutes; however, a stolen ball on the tryline of Diamantveld “saved” Diamantveld for a memorable 36-35 win over their visitors from Krugersdorp.