Bye pleases Villagers 'breier'

After a close win over Steinhoff Bastion on Monday night in the 2010 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships, Villagers will have to wait an extra week to carry that winning momentum into their next fixture - on March 8 against Tuks' Steinhoff Maroela.

The Steinhoff Villagers outfit (from Potchefstroom) won their opening fixture, against UJ's Bastion, 26-24 in the dying minutes - with a long-range penalty goal by flyhalf WD Botha sealing the victory.

Most teams would be eagerly anticipating their next fixture, but coach Sias van Rensburg does not see a bye as a negative, telling varsitycup.co.za: "We always knew that we'd have a break after the first round, so we geared up for that."

Van Rensburg said his lads had a good first quarter against Bastion (leading 13-0), before four injuries affected their momentum.

Winger Theo Ackerman and front rower Sarel Janse van Rensburg, freakishly, ran into one another and were taken off injured, before both flankers, Llewellyn van Blerk and Bernie van Rooyen, were also forced to leave the field with injuries shortly afterwards.

"So ja, I'm actually glad about the respite," said Van Rensburg. "It will give our injured players extra time to recover and more time to prepare well for our next match."

The Villagers coach was especially pleased with the BMT his guys showed at the end to come from behind to win the match, adding: "That fighting spirit we showed will serve us well later in the competition. Over the next week we would just like to work on their finishing touches.

"We now know what's expected in this competition and where we need to improve - something you never really know before the start of a tournament of this nature."

Van Rensburg did not want to single out any player and rather put the win down to a "good team effort where each player played his part".

By Ruan Bruwer