Die Brandwag squeeze past DP
The rain fell, the wind blew and Die Brandwag got home 17-15 in their FNB Classic Clash with Uitenhage neighbours Daniël Pienaar.
Matches between the two close rivals have usually been close, hard-fought affairs. The nature of the game has made it so and the weather ensured that it would be so.
It was so close that Daniël Pienaar could have won with a penalty at full time but the long, angled kick was short and wide, Die Brandwag kicked out and the final whistle went to the exuberant delight of the home crowd.
Two penalties and a drop goal by diminutive fly half She van Hendricks gave the home side a 9-0 lead but two tries by fullback Liaan Barnard on either side of half-time and a conversion of the second by wing Devon Davidson put the visitors 12-9 up.
Then Hendricks took over with his intelligent boot. His penalty levelled the scores and his penalty for touch set up the line-out from which gave them a maul and a try credited to hooker Nico Olivier. That made it 17-12 to Die Brandwag.
In the rain Davidson kicked a penalty to make it 17-15, the final score.
Shevan Hendricks was named Man of the Match.
Scorers:
For Die Brandwag:
Try: Nico Olivier
Pens: She van Hendricks 3
DG:She van Hendricks
For Daniël Pienaar:
Tries: Liaan Barnard 2
Con: Devon Davidson
Pen: Devon Davidson
Teams
Die Brandwag: 15 Derick du Toit, 14 Lezo Fortuin, 13 Nicholas Lourens (vice-captain), 12 Morney Moos, 11 Juandré Swartz, 10 Shevaan Hendricks, 9 Brandon O' Neill, 8 Elandré van der Merwe (captain), 7 Stefan Janse van Vuuren, 6 Dandré Delport, 5 Ruan du Preez, 4 Rio Kriel, 3 Erich de Jager, 2 Nico Olivier, 1 Kaden Prince
Daniël Pienaar: 15 Liaan Barnard, 14 Devon Davidson, 13 Kirwin Delport, 12 Franco du Toit, 11 Zain Rule, 10 Tevin Williams, 9 Francois Nel, 8 Elandré Nel, 7 Frank Ferreira, 6 Juan Thysse, 5 Tiaan Bernardo, 4 Conrad Kapp, 3 Rinus MacGregor, 2 Arno Lötter, 1 Marius Minnie
Replacements: 16 Simon Lottering, 17 Rickus Kleinhans, 18 Zian van der Walt, 19 Marius Barnard, 20 Juandré Niemand
Coaches: R Brand, N Strydom
Referee: Fernando Uithaler (Eastern Province Referees' Society)
FNB Results since 2006
2006: Daniël Pienaar won 31-16
2007: Daniël Pienaar won 31-21
2008: Die Brandwag won 22-14
2009: Die Brandwag won 35-10
2010: Die Brandwag won 18-13
2011: Die Brandwag won 11-5
2012: Daniël Pienaar won 28-23
2013: Die Brandwag won 17-15