The Graeme College Rugby Festival was a spectacle on Day One, with powerhouse performances, last-minute heroics, and some nail-biting close calls! Here’s a rundown of some of the most exciting matches:
Grey Mauls Their Way to Victory: Grey High’s Jon Hobson was unstoppable, powering through the Hudson Park defense for a hat-trick of tries. The Grey machine kept Hudson Park on their toes with a dominant mauling game, leaving them trailing 20-0 at halftime. Hudson Park showed some fight in the second half, but Grey piled on another five tries to secure a convincing 44-5 win.
Dale College’s Late Charge Almost Steals the Show: In a game of dramatic swings, Dale College found themselves in a deep hole against Nico Malan. The first half saw Nico Malan rack up an impressive four tries, leaving Dale with a mountain to climb at 32-8. But Dale dug deep in the final quarter, scoring a flurry of tries and threatening a comeback. Unfortunately, their final try came just after the hooter, sealing their fate with a narrow 32-29 loss.
Mary Waters Wins a Thriller with a Last-Minute Drop Goal: It came down to the wire for Mary Waters against Port Rex! The match was a tense battle throughout, with Mary Waters edging ahead on a Peterson penalty midway through the second half. Port Rex answered back with a try to take a 12-10 lead with just 12 minutes remaining. But Mary Waters wouldn’t give up. Capitalizing on territorial dominance, they earned a tap penalty just five meters out. With the Port Rex defense holding strong, Shaneen Peterson displayed some magic with a cleverly executed drop goal that sailed through the posts, giving Mary Waters a dramatic 13-12 victory.
Kingswood Cruises Before Marlow Mounts a Late Charge: Kingswood capitalized on Marlow’s mistakes, racing to a commanding 14-0 lead at halftime thanks to tries from Vizi Labase and Tapiwe Zhanda. The second half seemed like a formality as Kingswood added two more tries to stretch the lead to 24-0. However, Marlow refused to go down without a fight. They upped the intensity and clawed their way back with tries from Jan Els and Hermanus Steyn. Despite a glimmer of hope, Kingswood shut the door with another try to secure a hard-fought 29-14 win.
Daniel Pienaar Puts on a Masterclass: Daniel Pienaar dominated Union High with a clinical display of power and precision. A double strike by Mariano Pillay in the second half highlighted their dominance, while Armand van Rensburg orchestrated the attack with pinpoint kicks and a well-deserved try. The final score reflected Daniel Pienaar’s complete mastery: 43-6.
This is just a taste of the action at the Graeme College Rugby Festival! Stay tuned for more updates!
