Westville hosted DHS on Bowden’s Field on Saturday the 12th of May. The home team were looking to build on their impressive results at the Grey PE Festival, which saw them return with three wins against tough Eastern Cape Schools. DHS are a much improved team this year and were coming off the back of a convincing victory over Clifton midweek.
DHS started well and capitalised on the unforced errors made by Westville to lead convincingly by 9 points to nil ten minutes into the game courtesy of three penalty goals from Le Roux Van Zyl. However, from the restart, the kick did not travel the required 10metres and DHS handed Westville their first attacking opportunity of the game which the home team gladly accepted. From the resultant scrum, right wing Donovan Pieters made a brilliant line break and fed centre Juan Anderson who dived under the poles for a five pointer. Kyan Braithwaite added the extra two and the home team were back in the game. Minutes later, the Westville fullback Bradley Smith sparked a brilliant counter attack which saw Braithwaite score under the poles to give the home side the lead midway through the first half. The home team’s third try was created from a midfield break by flank, Nathan Meilhon and was finished in the left corner by Brad Smith. Once again Braithwaite added the extra points to give Westville a comfortable lead. DHS fought their way back into the game and tested the home team’s defence out wide with several attacks but Westville’s defence held firm to leave the score unchanged at the break.
The second half was disrupted by several injuries which affected the flow of the game. DHS competed well in the line outs and at the breakdown which disrupted the home team’s attack and prevented them from gaining complete ascendancy in the game. Westville’s pack maintained their dominance upfront and the fourth try came from a well executed move off a scrum in the midfield. The pack created the right shoulder to allow centre Wayne Smith to punch a hole in the DHS defence and big flank Adrian Heystek was on hand to provide an excellent finish from 15m out, holding off two DHS cover defenders in the process. Westville’s final try came from a turnover in the midfield by No 8, Teigen Erasmus; Braithwaite sparked a quick counter attack and Jaun Anderson was on hand to claim a brace.
In the end, the home team won by a comfortable margin 33 points to 9, but they were made to work very hard by a determined DHS team who refused to lie down and fought hard until the final whistle.