Rovers crowned club champs

Kobus de Kock scored a try and kicked a 58-metre penalty late in the game as College Rovers claimed the 2012 SARU National Club Championship title with a 23-10 victory over Pretoria Police in the final played at the Rustenburg Impala Rugby Club on Friday.

The KwaZulu-Natal champions, who in the process recorded their 79th victory in 83 matches dating back four seasons, now earn the right to host the opening match of the inaugural SARU Community Cup, which replaces the Club Championships, in Durban on 16 February 2013.

It was Rovers’ fourth final in the past seven years and their second title, having beaten Maties in Stellenbosch to win the 2010 event.

“We are absolutely elated and I can’t say enough about my teammates,” said College Rovers captain Chris Micklewood.

“We’re a band of brothers and the Rovers spirit pulled us through in the end. Police are a great side and we have nothing but respect for them and what they’ve done here this week.”

The 24-year-old De Kock was named Backline Player of the Tournament for his efforts during the week-long tournament, which also included a match-winning cameo performance against Despatch in Monday’s quarter-finals when Rovers were at one stage just five minutes away from being bundled out of the tournament by the 1985 and 1988 national champions.

De Kock’s teammate and eighthman Lubabalo Mtembu won the Forward of the Tournament accolade, while there was consolation for Pretoria Police when their evergreen skipper Nico Luus was deservedly named Player of the Tournament, having led his side through to their first Club Championship final since 1996.

And in the Plate final, Bloemfontein Police shocked their more fancied Griffons rivals Welkom Rovers 17-15 to take the title. It was a case of sweet revenge for the Bloem Bobbies, who had lost three times to Rovers during the season but who rose to the occasion with three touchdowns, including the match-winning try of the tournament to replacement wing Johannes Nguvulo.

The game also provided a fitting and emotional sendoff for 42-year-old Bobbies tighthead prop Jaco Rademeyer, who was playing his final match after a Club Champs career which had started 22 years earlier, in 1990.

“I simply don’t have words to describe this,” said an emotional Rademeyer, whose son, Marco, represented Free State at last year’s Coca-Cola Under-13 Craven Week. “I’ll never ever forget it.”

Day Four results (Friday, September 21):

Plate final

The scorers:

For Bloemfontein Police:

Tries: Ludwick, Hertzog, Nguvulo

Cons: Du Plessis

For Welkom Rovers:

Tries: Fourie, Aucamp

Con: Santos

Pen: Santos

Cup final

The scorers:

College Rovers:

Tries: De Kock, Borgen

Cons: Dannhauser 2

Pens: Dannhauser 2, De Kock

For Pretoria Police:

Try: Rademeyer

Con: Laubscher

Pen: Laubscher

                                

Day Three results (Wednesday, September 19):

Cup semifinals

The scorers:

For College Rovers:

Tries: Wilkinson, Verster 2, Mtembu 2, Adam, Stoltz 2, Specman, Robbertse

Cons: Dannhauser 3, De Kock 5

Pens: Dannhauser 2

For Old Selbornians:

Try: Rogers

Con: Warner

Pen: Warner

For Rustenburg Impala:

Tries: Lubbe, Jooste, Williamson

Cons: Kok 2

Pens: Kok 2

For Pretoria Police:

Tries: Van Loo 2, Nienaber 2

Cons: Laubscher 3

Pens: Laubsher 2

DG: Laubscher.

Plate semifinals

For Noordelikes:

Try: Smith

Con: Byleveldt

For Bloemfontein Police:

Tries: Meyer, Shepperson, Hertzog

Cons: Du Plessis 3

Pens: Du Plessis 2

For Naka Bulls:

Tries: Nel 2

Cons: Boshoff

Pens: Boshoff 2, Mulder 2

For Welkom Rovers:

Tries: Cocken, De Klerk, Ball, Klopper

Cons: Santos 2, Van Wyk

Pens: Santos 3

Day Two results (Monday, September 17):

Cup quarterfinals

Old Selbornians 28-26 Brakpan

College Rovers 41-30 Despatch

Durbanville-Bellville 25-36 Pretoria Police

Rustenburg Impala 31-19 Roodepoort

Plate quarterfinals

Naka Bulls 25-23 Villagers Worcester

Blanco 22-37 Welkom Rovers

Noordelikes 38-30 Witrivier

Bloemfontein Police 22-17 Ore Sishen

Day One results (Saturday, September 15):

Roodepoort 26-12 Naka Bulls                     

College Rovers 61-0 Noordelikes                                            

Bloemfontein Police 33-43 Old Selbornians

Durbanville-Bellville 53-20 Blanco                                              

Pretoria Police 43-12 Welkom Rovers            

Ore Sishen 0-28 Brakpan                                                       

White River 10-72 Despatch                                         

Rustenburg Impala 53-21 Villagers Worcester