Tony Mahlangu from Westville in a tense, tactical battle.
Westville rugby teams completed a clean sweep against Kearsney on Saturday in front of a capacity crowd. Most games were closely fought and highly competitive affairs. To be fair to the visitors from Kearsney, the host’s home ground advantage and the fact that it was Westville’s Old Boys’ Day, swung the cliff-hangers in Westville’s favour. None the less, the clean sweep against one of the top rugby schools in KZN was something that the WBHS Old Boys will remember for some time.
Kearsney had form coming into the game after a big win over DHS, where as the home team were still smarting from a last minute loss against Jeppe. Going into the 1st Team game, the day had belonged to Westville with the Age Group A team results all in the home team’s favour. None of this would matter if the visitors took the honours in the final game of the day; the scene was set for another classic clash between the two Highways Heavyweights.
The first half was a tense tactical battle. Both sides employed a kick game in an attempt to gain territorial advantage. Neither gained any significant advantage and the game was played mainly between the two ten yard lines. Kearsney had the first opportunity to put points on the scoreboard with a long range penalty kick but James Tedder’s kick was short and wide. Westville’s Niel Van Rooyen was successful with his first attempt and after a tense opening quarter, the home team led 3-0.. The defence from both teams nullified any attempts to build momentum from phase play and it took a brilliant line break from Westville’s centre, Brogan Boulle to set up the first try of the game. Right wing James Wheeler then finished strongly in the right corner and Van Rooyen’s kick was accurate to give the home team a 10-0 lead. Kearsney competed well from the kick off and pressured the home team into conceding a penalty. Tedder made no mistake and the visitors were on the board. Kearsney had a golden opportunity just before the break to add to their tally with a penalty 5 metres out under Westville’s poles. They chose instead to opt for an attacking scrum but excellent defence from the home team snuffed out any chance of a score.
Westville began to play with more confidence in the second half and took control of the game. Van Rooyen goalled another penalty and then Boulle, who was having a cracking match, made another scintillating break from a scrum move to power over for a great try. Van Rooyen was unable to convert but at 18 – 3, the home team looked in control. Kearsney to their credit absorbed the pressure and took their chances. Turning over the ball metres from their tryline, they launched a brilliant counter attack which took them the length of the field. They kept the ball in the Westville red zone and forced the home team into committing numbers at the breakdown. This gave Kearsney the space out wide, and Tedder showed his class by stepping inside the scramble defence to score a fine try. He converted to bring his team back into the game.
Westville took control of the game again and pressurised the opposition into conceding penalties deep in their own half. Van Rooyen goalled a further two penalties to extend the home team’s score to 24 – 10. Kearsney refused to lie down and came storming back. After an extended period of pressure, lock Jarred Meyer crashed over from close range and Tedder converted to set up a tense final 5 minutes. The home dug deep and showed resolute defence to keep out the Kearsney attack.
The final score was 24 – 17 to Westville and both teams received warm appreciation from the crowd for a great game of schoolboy rugby.
The rest of the rugby matches all went Westville’s way including the fillers against Maritzburg College
Rugby results vs Kearsney College at Westville:
1ST 24 – 17 win
2ND 22 – 10 win
3RD 30 – 14 win
4TH 19 – 0 win
5TH 17 – 0 win
6TH 50 – 0 win
7TH 40 – 7 win
16A 29 – 22 win
16B 18 – 17 win
16C 50 – 0 win
16E vs College 16E 40 – 15 win
15A 20 – 3 win
15B 28 – 5 win
15C 22 – 10 win
15D 24 – 0 win
15E 50 – 0 win
15F vs College 15F 44 – 10 win
14A 23 – 21 win
14B 34 – 7 win
14C 52 – 0 win
14E vs Kearsney D 36 – 0 win
Played 21
Won 21