Affies too much for College
In a lively match on a cloudless Goldstones day, Affies beat Maritzburg College 33-7 in a Premier Interschools match.
It's a big score but there was no lack of courage and effort on the Maritzburg College part and at one stage, just before half-time, they had pulled back to 12-7. If it had not been for their courage and the exceptional skill of fullback Jesse Kriel they would have lost by lots more. Kriel was their best weapon on attack and their strongest bastion on defence.
Affies were without two of their Craven Week stars - right wing Marcus Kleinbooi and flyhalf Ryno Eksteen, both of whom are due to play trials next Saturday.
The match started in the liveliest way as Affies bashed and College ran.
Flyhalf Hanco Posthumus started the counter-attack on the right that led to the opening try on the left. Fullback Costant Pretorius made most of the running before passing inside to top hurdler Andries van der Merwe who swept over for the try. 5-0 after 5 minutes.
College then attacked from a scrum and Kriel was close. Mvelo Khumalo took it on but Affies won a turnover and cleared.
François Steyn, a hooker who runs like the best of backs, broke sharply and Thys van Wyk was over but the final pass was forward. It was a prop, WP Eloff, who made the break that set up the next try, scored by Heinrich Viljoen. 12-0 after 14 minutes.
Affies attacked again, Maritzburg College defended bravely and Eloff seemed to have scored but on the far side from the referee and College instead grabbed the ball and broke out. Instead it was Maritzburg College who scored when a long way out, going left, Marcel Coetzee broke running straight down the field with Banele Ngwenya outside of him. Coetzee threw a most convincing dummy and scored under the posts. 12-7 after 32 minutes.
Stung Affies came racing back. Steyn broke and flicked an underarm pass to Louis Venter on his left and the sturdy scrumhalf scored. 19-7, which was the half-time score.
Maritzburg College were playing with what wind there was but in the half Affies were the ones to score tries. They worked a short overlap to Thys van Wyk on the right wing. He cracked on the speed and passed a perfect pass inside to Jurie Linde who scored. 26-7 after 47 minutes.
They came close to scoring again when they put pressure on Maritzburg College from a kick and huge Nicolas Janse v Rensburg stooped from his great height and with great dexterity scooped up the ball. He was at the line, stretching out when he lost the ball.
Maritzburg College attacked and from a penalty-created line-out mauled to the Affies' line but conceded a turnover. Affies were penalised again and Maritzburg College put 13 players into the line-out but lost it. They had another five-metre line-out but Affies won a turnover and broke out.
Burly Steven Meiring broke but an inside pass from Van Wyk went astray. Maritzburg College had a scrum five metres from their line but Affies won a tighthead and Meiring picked up and headed for the line. He bounced off one and forced his way through two to score. 33-7 after 69 minutes.
Neither side kicked a penalty at goal. It was that sort of match - a day to run in the sunshine to the delight of the big crowd.
The scorers:
For Affies:
Tries: Van der Merwe, Viljoen, Venter, Linde, Meiring
Cons: Posthumus 4
For Maritzburg College:
Try: Coetzee
Con: Coetzee
The teams:
Maritzburg College: 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Cyle Muil, 13 Marcel Coetzee, 12 Richard Bamber, 11 Banele Ngwenya, 10 Lukas Booysen, 9 Josh Rencken, 8 Reegan Smith (captain), 7 Cameron Christie, 6 Jacque Conradie, 5 Robert Kamhoot, 4 Everett Pieterse, 3 Mvelo Khumalo, 2 Vuyo Khathide, 1 Njabula Gumede.
Replacements: 16 Alex Cahill, 17 Seko Buthelezi, 18 James Smith, 19 Jacque Conradie, 20 Kelvin Elder, 21 Murray Janse van Rensburg, 22 Thato Molelekoa.
Coach: Ryan Strudwick
Affies: 15 Costant Pretorius, 14 Thys van Wyk, 13 Jurie Linde, 12 Nico Lee, 11 Andries van der Merwe, 10 Hanco Posthumus, 9 Louis Venter, 8 Steven Meiring, 7 Heinrich Viljoen, 6 Albert van Heerden, 5 Nicolas Janse v Rensburg, 4 Jean Droste, 3 WP Eloff, 2 Francois Steyn, 1 Pierre Schoeman (captain).
Replacements: 16 Cornell de Waal, 17 Xander Swart, 18 Gerhard de Beer, 19 Calvon Allison, 20 Heine Lombaard, 21 Marchant van der Heever, 22 Andrew Langrdige.
Coach: Sakkie van der Walt
Referee: Blake Beattie (KZN Referees' Society)