Gauteng sides winless at Wynberg
There's an old cliché about a match being 'a game of two halves'.
Well, Monday, 30 April was a day of two halves at the Wynberg Rugby Festival: two matches in agreeable if heavily overcast weather, two in driving rain that by the end saw Hawthornden Field largely covered in water.
Needless to say, the conditions didn't put any kind of damper on the spirit of the participants and those spectators who braved the full programme would have gone home thoroughly satisfied.
Wynberg (14) 50 St Benedict's (0) 0
The hosts took rather a long time to establish any sort of ascendancy in this game, but eventually came good in the second half with a breathtaking display in which backs and forwards combined seamlessly to put a game but outclassed Bennies side to the sword.
The first try saw a crisp midfield break by captain and centre Justin Scott send No.10 Riaan O'Neill in untouched under the bar for the first of his two tries.
Four minutes later a scything run by outside centre Jarred Sage led to a ruck, from which the ball was quickly sent down the full backline to nuggety left-wing Josh de Stadler for his first five-pointer of the morning. Two conversions by fullback Jordan Lamoral put the ‘Berg up 14-0 at the change-over.
The locals turned on the charm in the second half, adding a further six tries. Just four minutes in a delightful move saw de Stadler collect an inside slip-pass from O'Neill to register his second of the match. Eight minutes later a mighty forward drive resulted in loosehead Miguell Sullivan dotting down. Both were converted by Lamoral and Wynberg were flying at 28-0.
The time had come for the talismanic Sikhumbuzo Notshe to get in on the act and the dynamic No.8 obliged by trotting through a bemused Bennies defence for try number five.
Two weeks ago mighty mouse Darryn Rix turned hesitancy in the Rondebosch defence into a great try. This time he was up to his tricks again, following up another speculative kick-ahead and having the presence of mind to tap the ball infield to lock Devon Trull just as it seemed to be going into touch in goal (38-0).
The Gauteng lads were well beaten and O'Neill stepped his way through for try number seven, which he converted himself, before Notshe brought the crowd to their feet when he received a pass on the blind side to run 60 metres for the last touchdown of the game. Final score 50-0.
This was a captivating performance by the home side with virtually everything going according to plan. True, one can only play as well as your opponents let you, but, that said, St Benedict's did make a fist of it right up to the dying stages. The coaches won't be getting too excited just yet - a trip to Grey High looms two weeks away - but they will allow themselves some smug smiles at just how well their extensive preparations for this campaign are currently paying off.
SACS (19) 31 St John's (0) 0
A spirited St John's side kept SACS honest for much of the second feature match of the day, restricting their ever more impressive opponents to just five tries.
Nevertheless the local side did take an early lead when captain and scrumhalf Cameron Calder broke to dot down under the crossbar. His feat was shortly emulated by stand-out flank Luke van der Smit, who exposed a glaring weakness in the defensive lines. Centre Leighton van Wyk goaled both tries (14-0).
The best try of the game followed. Keegan Wheeler, who started in Chris Smith's place at flyhalf, made a deft half-break after which the ball was spun wide for Van Wyk to cross the line in the corner. Half-time 19-0.
The Young Ikeys found it difficult to outsmart the Johnnies for a large part of the second half, having to be content with a push-over try, credited to lock Adam de Carvalho, in the right-hand corner.
Towards the end the visitors did show lapses in concentration, one of which - an inexplicable dropped pass - gifted replacement centre Philip Ackermann a simple five-pointer, which Chris Smith, who had joined the fray in the second half, converted to close the scoring at 31-0.
It would be cause for concern were the provincial selectors to overlook players of the ilk of van der Smit and Calder: they would undoubtedly contribute appreciably to any team. They and their teammates in the slick machine that is the 2012 SACS First XV must be relishing the opportunity to shift up a gear when they travel to Boland Landbou on Saturday.
At times on Monday they looked frustrated to the point that they made silly mistakes; they need something more challenging to prove their mettle.
HTS Drostdy (0) 26 Helpmekaar (8) 8
It would be fair to say that neither of these sides could possibly have been used to playing in the conditions which greeted them. The driving rain ensured that constructive play was kept to a minimum until the sides adapted their playing styles accordingly.
Manifestly the best of the four visiting teams at the festival, the Helpies were the quicker in coming to terms with the deluge and were good value for their albeit slender lead when they moved to the deep end of the pool. Centre Lourie Weyer slotted a penalty and hooker Marius Stander was boosted over the goalline by a surprisingly effective (given the circumstances) forward drive to make it 8-0 at the cross-over.
The fact that they had actually been taken on on their own terms in the first half soon galvanised the Donkies and in a masterstroke of substitution flank François 'Bees' Pienaar became arguably one of the largest-ever inside centres in schools rugby anywhere. This massive unit duly thundered through a (justifiably) hesitant defence to put the Worcester lads on the board.
Inspired by the apparent ease of Pienaar's contribution, loosehead juggernaut Wilco 'Winkel' Louw pulled a similar stunt a few minutes later, leaving pivot Kelly Olivier an easy conversion to put the Donkies up 12-8.
That only two more tries followed is more due to the downpour than anything else. Scrumhalf Chriswill September snaked his way round a scrum for number three and outside centre Sean Walters added the fourth virtually directly from the ensuing kick-off as the Donkies finally hit their straps. Olivier's trusty boot added the extra four points to see them home 26-8.
It seems mildly ironic that it took such appalling conditions to bring about a realisation within the Drostdy ranks that they too are capable of running the ball when they put their mind to it. An added bonus is the ease with which Kelly Olivier slotted in at flyhalf. Perhaps, if he stays there, more such enterprise can be expected from the men in scarlet.
Rest assured, this outfit is destined to end the campaign in most Top 20 rankings.
Rondebosch (3) 13 St Stithian's (0) 0
The rising tide effectively put paid to any thoughts of running rugby which the last two teams might have entertained. In fact, it was, as the score suggests, a pretty dire affair of very few highlights, the only scoring in the first half coming in the latter stages from a penalty by flyhalf Tyren Lee.
The second period didn't offer much better fare, even if the 'Bosch managed to splash over the Saints' line on two occasions. Firstly Lee showed commendable initiative in darting through a small gap and, shortly before referee Mark Taylor mercifully blew time a few minutes early, hooker Alan Eaby was propelled over the lime by a concerted forward drive.
Although one can't read too much into this result, one does get the impression that Rondebosch are feeling out their capabilities by degrees. In other words, their best still lies before them, hopefully under the continued leadership of Danie Krynauw who was forced to leave the field with an injury to his right knee. Anyone who writes them off merely on the basis of this scoreline would be doing so at their peril.
In closing, Pieter van Schalkwyk and indeed the whole Wynberg Boys' High family are to be complimented on a thoroughly enjoyable, hitch-free weekend into which newcomers Helpmekaar and Drostdy fitted like the proverbial hand into a glove.
Everyone involved in this event would like to extend their best wishes to Helpmekaar Under-15 fullback Thomas Sinclair, who suffered a horrific (and entirely accidental) injury which cost him a kidney and his appendix, but thank heavens, not his life, in their game against Noord-Kaap on the way to the festival, for a swift and complete recovery.
By Tony Stoops