St Andrew’s Happy in Cradock

SCHOOLS REPORT: In what is always one of the more festive and enjoyable fixtures of the season, it was the St Andrew’s College 1st XV that came away with the victory against a gutsy and determined Marlow side in a hot and dry Cradock on Saturday.

Guy Rushmere opened the scoring for St Andrew's College early with a converted penalty. Marlow responded immediately from the kick-off, putting a number of phases together, before breaking through the St Andrew’s College defensive line to take the lead 5-3. A further penalty to Rushmere saw St Andrew’s College regain the lead, but this was again short-lived. After a good break by the Marlow outside centre, Juanré Snyman, it was their hard-working lock SJ Pretorius, who scored for Marlow to regain the lead 12-6.

With St Andrew’s College again finding themselves under pressure deep in their own half, they took a quick line-out, spread the ball wide and Benjamin Aliker broke on the left flank. The ball was quickly recycled and sent wide down the right for Reece Galloway to score. The try was converted by Rushmere and St Andrew’s College held a narrow 13-12 lead going into the break. It was a half riddled with mistakes and rustiness after a number of weeks of having not played together.

The second half started far better with Guy Rushmere taking full control of proceedings, kicking into the corners and attacking the gain-line. After another good break, he put Matthew Hillary away to score under the poles. A further converted try to Ryan Ford, and another to Brayden Barratt suddenly saw St Andrew’s College with a far more comfortable 34-12 lead.

Marlow never gave up and were rewarded with a try to hard-working tighthead Wiehann Pretorius to narrow the gap. However, St Andrew’s College were not going to relinquish their grip on the game and substitute Jason Thomas scored after coming off his own wing to score in the opposite corner. In the final move of the game, Marlow scored a further converted try, but it was the St Andrew's College 1st XV who came away with the spoils, 41-26.

Marlow were fantastic hosts and the relationship between the two schools continues to grow stronger every year.

Report by Scott Jackson, St Andrew’s College 1st XV team manager