One must be extremely careful not to judge most of the teams on their performance on Saturday as it was speculated that several teams "saved" themselves for "bigger" games today.
Monday 01 May 2023
Affies 25-31 Paul Roos
Affies opened the scoring with a converted penalty after three minutes of play in the first half, to which Paul Roos with their own converted penalty to level the scores after eight minutes of play.
Paul Roos converted two penalties and led 09-03 after twenty minutes of play whereafter Affies started to patiently build on their attack until the gap opened for Affies to score the first try of the match next to the poles.
Affies led 10-09 with five minutes to go. Paul Roos pounced on several mistakes made by Affies on the defence to score their first try with the time already up in the first half. Paul Roos led 14-10 going into the second half as both teams still struggle to establish some sort of dominance.
Paul Roos started the second half setting up camp in the Affies half. Affies absorbed all the pressure that Paul Roos applied and slowly started to build their attack which led to a try with eighteen minutes left to play in the second half.
Affies slowed the pace of the match down a lot and patiently build their second try to lead 22-14 and twelve minutes left to play, to which Paul Roos replied with a converted penalty.
With five minutes left to play Paul Roos was awarded a penalty try which gave them a 24-22 lead. Affies answer almost immediately with a converted penalty to regain the lead 25-24.
A mistake by Affies on the defence allowed Paul Roos to score a long-distance try after time was up and seal the match 31-25.
Outeniqua 08-19 Garsfontein
Garsfontein started the match on fire with fast-paced attacking phase play, which nearly netted them a try within the first 2 minutes. However, a handling error turned the ball over to Outeniqua, who played themselves out of trouble. They forced Garsfontein into their half with good tactical kicks from where they, in turn, applied the pressure. The match became a mid-field arm-wrestle, with the possession and territory constantly changing hands.
Garsfontein was the first to score after 15 minutes when they broke down the sideline and scored a try to take a 05-00 lead. Outeniqua forced a scrum penalty in the Garsfontein half and kicked for the line. They used strong forward driving play from the lineout to create space out wide and scored a try to draw the score 05-05 with 7 minutes left in the half.
Outeniqua then relentlessly attacked Garsfontein in their half, but the Garsfontein defence was solid. Garsfontein escaped from their half and played up to the Outeniqua try line, where they scored a converted try to take a 12-05 lead. Outeniqua responded by attacking the Garsfontein try line, but a ripped tackle ball turned over the possession to Garsfontein, who kicked it out to end the half at 12-05 in favour of Garsfontein.
The second half started with another mid-field arm wrestle. Both teams used tactical line kicks to try and gain territory. Outeniqua managed to play into the Garsfontein quarter and tried to attack the try line with their driving maul, but the Outeniqua defence prevented them from scoring. With 15 minutes left to play, Outeniqua tried to attack the Garsfontein try line again with their driving maul but with no success. They managed to force a penalty which they kicked to close the scoreline gap to 12-08 with 7 minutes left to play. Garsfontein then attacked into the Outeniqua quarter and beat the defence out wide to score a converted try and extend their lead to 19-08, which was the final score.
Grey College 33-08 Stellenberg
Grey College started like a house on fire playing at a tempo unheard of at 1stXV schoolboy level. A yellow card shown to Grey College did make it easier for Stellenberg who defended like demons to keep the boys from Bloemfontein scoring on several occasions.
Although Grey College dominated they could only score their first try after seventeen minutes of play to lead 07-00.
Stellenberg converted a penalty with 5 minutes still to go and closed the gap to just 4 points, whereafter Grey stepped up their attack to lead 12-03 at the halftime break.
Despite the spirited defence from Stellenberg Grey College scored two tries in the second half to lead 26-03 with 10 minutes to play. Not to be outdone Stellenberg replied immediately with a well-deserved try and nine minutes to play in the second half.
Grey scored their fifth try with two minutes to go to lead 33-08 which was also the final score of the match. The score definitely did not reflect the effort and guts of Stellenberg but was a fair reflection of the on-field action.
Paarl Gim 19-05 Monnas
Monnas started the match with a mission to dominate Paarl Gim physically and although they did in the initial stages, Paarl Gim absorbed the pressure and answered fire with fire, running at Monnas with purpose. Following a sustained period of pressure, Paarl Gim scored the first try of the match from the back of a driving maul to lead 07-00 with 15 minutes to play in the first half.
Paarl Gim continued attacking with their direct running and with nine minutes of play still to go in the first half Paarl Gim scored their second try in the corner to lead 12-00.
Monnas did get their hands on quality attacking ball during the last five minutes of play in the first half but could not open their account, leaving the halftime score at 12-00 in favour of Paarl Gim.
Paarl Gim continued to dominate in the second half but could only add their third try with two minutes to play in the second half. Monnas attacked from the kick-off and scored in the corner to reduce Paarl Gim's lead to 19-05 which was also the final score.
DHS 64-17 HTS Drostdy
Drostdy was the first team to apply the pressure. They attacked into the DHS quarter and scored a converted try to an early 07-00 lead. Drostdy was soon back in the DHS quarter on the attack and scored another try when they beat the DHS defence out wide to increase their lead to 12-00. DHS immediately responded when they forced Drostdy into their quarter and scored a converted try to take the score to 12-07. They soon followed it up with another converted try from pressure play on the Drostdy try line to take the lead at 14-12.
With 10 minutes left in the half, DHS again had Drostdy on the defence in their quarter from where they scored another try with their backline speedsters to increase their lead to 19-12. DHS took control of the game and started to find more gaps in the defence with hard and direct ball carries. They scored two converted tries in quick succession, to increase their lead to 33-12, which was the halftime score.
DHS continued their dominance in the second half with an early converted try, which increased their lead to 40-12. Drostdy refused to lie down and scored a try after finding a gap in the DHS defence to take the score to 40-17 with 21 munites left to play. DHS responded by scoring more tries and comfortably won the match 64-17.
Framesby 13-19 Maritzburg College
Framesby started the match like a house on fire intent on taking the game to Maritzburg with hard and direct carries. However, a penalty conceded by Frameby allowed Maritzburg to attack into their quarter where they scored a try after repeated attacking phase play, taking a 05-00 lead. Framesby responded by attacking the Maritzburg try line with a strong driving maul and scoring a try to draw the score 05-05.
Maritzburg worked their way back into the Framesby half using their strong backline runners to gain good ground. The Framesby defence, however, forced Maritzburg to commit errors and the play shifted to the mid-field. Framesby kicked a long-range penalty to take a 08-05 lead with 7 minutes left in the half.
The much lighter Framesby pack forced some scrum penalties, which allowed them to attack into the Maritzburg half. The scrambling Maritzburg defence, however, prevented any scoring opportunities. The halftime score was 08-05 in favour of Framesby.
The start of the second half saw Framesby again putting Maritzburg under pressure on their try line. However, a handling error on attack allowed Maritzburg to get possession and counterattack into the Framesby half. Maritzburg beat the Framesby defence out wide and scored a converted try to take the lead at 12-08. Framesby immediately responded by scoring a try from a driving maul on the Maritzburg try line to retake the lead with 13-12.
Maritzburg feeling the pinch, kept Framesby pinned in their half with attacking play. Several errors, however, spoilt some scoring opportunities. Maritzburg eventually scored a converted try when they beat the Framesby defence out wide with a chip kick and gather to retake the lead 19-13 with 9 minutes left to play. Framesby, not willing to lie down, played into the Maritzburg half where they forced several penalties. However, the Maritzburg defence held up and they won the match 19-13.
Paarl Boishaai 15-10 Helpmekaar
Helpmekaar started like a house on fire, however, as the first half continued Paarl Boishaai started to dominate and spent an extended time on the attack. Helpmekaar then dominated for ten minutes, but it was Paarl Boishaai that scored a try from a movement that started in their own half with seconds left of the first half to play. Paarl Boishaai led 07-00 at the halftime break.
Paarl Boishaai opened the scoring in the second half with a converted penalty, after which they scored a try to lead 15-00 after eight minutes of play. Paarl Boishaai steadily increased their dominance since the start of the second half and is starting to take full control of the match.
With fifteen minutes left to play in the match, Helpmekaar started to attack and scored their first points of the match with a well-deserved try. Helpmekaar scored their second try after a long-distance effort with two minutes still to play. Paarl Boishaai won 15-10 in a match that will be remembered for the number of mistakes made by both teams who were willing to play rugby.
Diamantveld 05-27 Boland Landbou
Boland Landbou started like a house on fire and opened the scoring with a try after two minutes of play. This was followed by three more tries to open up a 22-00 lead within the first 20 minutes.
Diamantveld clawed their way back into the game and spent the last 10 minutes on the attack and were unlucky to not open their account on the scoreboard.
Boland started the second half in the same manner as they did in the first half and scored a try within five minutes of the start of the second half.
However, Diamantveld once again clawed their way back into the match and were once unlucky on several occasions not to score. Diamantveld eventually crossed Boland Lanbou's tryline following a lineout maul to open their account on the scoreboard.
With five minutes left to play in the match, Boland Landbou led 27-05 which was also the final score of the match.
Oakdale 18-05 EG Jansen
EG Jansen fired the first shots when they scored a well-worked try to take an early 05-00 lead. Oakdale, not to be outdone, responded with a good try of their own soon thereafter, to equal the score at 05-05. The match then became a tight arm wrestle with both teams threatening each other's try line. Oakdale scored a good try after they broke from a scrum on the EG Jansen try line to take a 12-05 lead, which was the halftime score.
The start of the second half saw EG Jansen attacking the Oakdale try line for a long period of play with strong driving mauls and forward play. They kept Oakdale pinned in their half for more than 10 minutes and the Oakdale defence under pressure, but the defence held up. Oakdale eventually managed to escape and play into the EG Jansen half, where they kicked a penalty to increase their lead to 15-05 with 12 minutes left to play.
Oakdale then took the play to the EG Jansen quarter where they, in turn, put the EG Jansen defence under pressure with attacking play. Their efforts paid off when they forced a penalty, which they kicked to extend their lead to 18-05. EG Jansen launched a final attack into the Oakdale quarter, however, the match ended with Oakdale taking a deserved 18-05 victory.
Glenwood 17-16 Welkom Gim
Welkom Gim applied pressure on Glenwood from the kick-off. They drew first blood when they kicked a long-range penalty in dry and slightly windy conditions to open the scoring tally 03-00. They forced Glenwood into the quarter from the restart of play and scored a good try from a scrum on the Glenwood try line to extend their lead 08-00. Glenwood took control of the ball and set up good attacking phases in the midfield, however, the solid Welkom Gim defence prevented them from making any good ground.
Welkom Gim kicked another long-range penalty to extend their lead to 11-00 with 8 minutes left in the half. Glenwood again launched good attacking runs into the Welkom Gim half but conceded several penalties, which allowed Welkom Gim to play themselves out of trouble. They managed to attack into the Glenwood quarter where they scored a try from broken play to extend their lead to 16-00. Glenwood eventually beat the Welkom Gim defence out wide to score a converted try in the last seconds of the half, which took the halftime score to 16-07.
The start of the second half saw Glenwood relentlessly again attacking Welkom Gim, however, the Welkom Gim defence prevented any scoring opportunities. The constant pressure paid off when they managed to break through the Welkom Gim defence to score a converted try. This closed the scoreline gap to 16-14 with 19 minutes left to play.
With the game on, both teams ran the ball at pace and the play kept moving between the two quarters. Welkom Gim threatened the Glenwood try line a few times, but could not score. Glenwood launched a final attack in extra time and managed to get a penalty in the Welkom Gim half, which they kicked to snatch a 17-16 victory from Welkom Gim
18:30 Affies vs Paul Roos
