Glenwood win 2ndXVs

In the 2nd XV match at Kearsney on Saturday, Glenwood won 13-9. It was not easy.

The first outing of the season is never an easy or predictable hurdle to overcome and Saturday's 2nd XV fixture against Kearsney College was no exception. The quality of the opposition and their eagerness to play an exciting brand of rugby pitted two very good sets of players against each other.  

The game was characterised by expansive attacking movements and sound defensive patterns with both teams eager to retain possession and exploit wide areas of the field. The Glenwood 2nd XV were particularly good defensively and in so doing conceded points through penalty goals only. That defensive effort ensured that the Glenwood team could exploit turnover ball and through good passing skills moved the ball into attacking positions on numerous occasions. This resulted in three exceptional line breaks, all unconverted through early-season decision making deficiencies.

In the end, though, solid defence and patient, sustained attack paid off with tries, scored by outside centre Kayd du Toit and left wing Christopher Bredell, either side of the half-time whistle ensuring that the Glenwood 2nd XV built up enough pressure on the scoreboard to sustain what would be a final 10-minute onslaught by Kearsney. It is noteworthy that both tries score by Glenwood saw the team move the ball through more than six phases from the set-piece before dotting down.

Both teams should be commended on producing a high calibre encounter which produced some outstanding rugby and displayed a level of discipline and camaraderie enjoyed by players and spectators alike.

We congratulate the Glenwood 2nd XV on their hard-fought victory but caution that there remains a lot of hard work and many hours of toil on the training field yet to be completed before any deserving success and praise is heaped on them for a successful season.

A first win, away from home and under tough conditions, is a sound result. What follows determines the legacy of the 2013 2nd XV's season.

By Mr Rudi Urbach