KEARSNEY FESTIVAL DAY 2, MATCH 1 RESULT
HOëRSKOOL NOORD-KAAP 22 – 31 NICO MALAN HIGH SCHOOL
Nico Malan High School got the better of Hoërskool Noord-Kaap 31-22 in the opening game of Day 2 at the 2024 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
With both sides having copped losses on the first day’s play, there was plenty riding on the outcome of this one. As it happened, a tidy Nico Malan display boosted them to victory in a highly entertaining match-up.
Nico Malan’s physicality and efficiency at maul time was a big boon for the side, repelling Noord-Kaap on many occasions and laying the platform for their strike play. Although the boys in green and white held their own well at scrum time and in general contact, their inability to deal with this aspect of the opposition game was a major hindrance.
Still, they dominated the possession and territory stakes early on, and were finally rewarded for a prolonged period of pressure inside the Bloutrui red zone when Elrin Morkel crossed the whitewash on the left wing.
It wasn’t long before a Ruan du Preez penalty reduced the deficit for Nico Malan before a Edrich Klue score under the sticks made it 10-5 at half-time.
A lovely break and grubber through from Keano Mettler set up midfield partner Jayden Potgieter for Noord-Kaap’s second, before Nico Malan loosehead Francois Smit trotted in from close quarters to push his side out again.
Jonaden Links finished off another electrifying score for Noord-Kaap, and the successful conversion brought the teams level, before a series of Noord-Kaap penalties inside their own 22 finally resulted in a yellow for flyhalf Abdul Fisher.
Tequine Koopman dotted down soon thereafter, seemingly settling the contest, but Ambijorn Vraagom’s score right from the ensuing kick-off made it a two-point ball game with less than five-minutes left.
Not to be denied however, Nico Malan fought back and a converted Gelden van Niekerk try was the final say.
Scores
Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
Tries: Morkel, Potgieter, Links, Vraagom Cons: Koopman Yellow card: Fischer
Nico Malan High School
Tries: Klue, Smit, Koopman, Van Niekerk Cons: Du Preez, Joubert (3) Pens: Du Preez
Photographer: Hannah Shirley
