Pretoria Boys’ suffer shock loss
10 Apr 2009
Eldoraigne High caused a massive upset on the first day of the KES Easter Festival when they beat Pretoria Boys’ High 19-12.
Click here for more schools stories
Eldoraigne flyhalf Johan Etsebeth kicked nine points, including a sweetly timed drop goal, while their forwards disrupted Boys’ High at the breakdown with flank Jaco Coetzee at the forefront.
Eldoraigne led 11-0 at the break courtesy of two penalties by Etsebeth and a well-worked try by scrumhalf Quinten van Schalkwyk.
After some harsh words from their coaching staff, Boys’ High were a different side after the break and strung a few phases together.
No 6 Katlego Maake led the fight back when he scored after a charge down, and the try was converted by centre Byron Anderson.
Eldoraigne seemed to lose focus in the second quarter and Pretoria Boys’ winger Richmond Collins barged over from 10m out.
With eight minutes to go, Boys’ High attacked vigorously but to no avail. Coetzee stole a ball on his own 22m line and Eldoraigne worked the blindside well. Quick hands then saw fullback Johan Barnard round off a neat move in the corner.
Meanwhile, KES snuck home 20-19 against a luckless Marlow Agricultural College. The visitors had an opportunity to win the game, but impressive centre Hanro Louw’s penalty sailed wide.
KES took the lead in the third minute when inside centre Jaryd Meyer sliced through the Marlow defence to unleash his centre partner Lonwabo Ntleki, who cantered over for an unconverted try. Lucien Ruiters and Louw then exchanged penalties to make it 8-6 at half-time.
Marlow had the better of the opening exchanges in the second half and hard working No 8 Paul Schoeman thundered over after a neat break by flyhalf Rocco Gouws.
Ahead 15-6 with 17 minutes left to play Marlow should have closed the game out. Instead Gouws knocked on from the kick-off, which allowed industrious flanker Motusi Shuping to pounce on a loose ball and sprint in under the poles from 40m out. Ruiters added the conversion to make it 16-15.
Marlow then surged forward and were awarded a penalty at a scrum, where the visitors dominated the opposition front row all afternoon. Louw duly obliged and Marlow were ahead 19-15. From the ensuing kick-off, which seemed to be Marlow’s problem area the whole afternoon, KES won the ball and scrumhalf Daniel Eyre darted down the blindside to score what proved to be the match-winner.
While KES won, many eyebrows were raised at the fact that they had nine substitutes instead of seven. It was an unsavourary episode and quite unsportsmanlike for a festival of this nature.
In the earlier fixture Rondebosch Boys’ produced a strong second-half display to beat Westville Boys’ 15-11 and end the latter’s 10-match unbeaten run.
Rondebosch scored two tries through wingers Justin Fillies and Cameron Wright while Westville’s try came from winger Michael Louw. Some stoic second-half defence at the rucks and mauls enabled Bosch to come away with the victory.
By Gareth Wright
Day 1 results:
KES:
Eldoraigne 19 Pretoria Boys’ 12
KES 20 Marlow 19
Rondebosch 15 Westville Boys’ 11
Rob Ferreria 15 Florida 40
Hudson Park 17 FNB Invitational 13
Trinity House 31 Muir College 5
Union High 13 St Benedicts 17
St Stithians:
Bishops 50 FNB Invitational 6
St Andrews 38 St Davids 5
St Stithians 20 St Charles 20
Boland Landbou 27 Parktown 14
Wynberg 21 St Albans 5
St John’s:
Paul Roos 39 Lions 6
Affies 45 FNB Invitational 8
Monument 34 Helpmekaar 8
Outeniqua 43 Maritzburg College 3
Glenwood 55 Jeppe 11
Paarl Boys 46 St Johns 13
Kearsney:
Kearsney 19 Upington High 6
DHS 27 KZN Development 0
Queens College 50 Marais Viljoen 7
Selborne 18 HTS Middelburg 0
Dale 33 EG Jansen 22
8 Comments
10 Apr 2009, 11:19 am
School dragons!!!
10 Apr 2009, 11:25 am
Some big names at the St Johns festival.
But eish, how far have Maritzburg College fallen in the last 10 years?
10 Apr 2009, 14:40 pm
#2 Spooner: Absolutely! During my school days in the late 80′s and early 90′s Maritzburg College were one of the powerhouses of schoolboy rugby but in the last few years they have become whipping boys for the other big schools – what has happened???
Oh, and well done KES for adopting a win at all costs approach. So desperate to win with a decent team after being so kak for many years…
10 Apr 2009, 17:36 pm
College was a powerhouse in their day, unfortunately a government school has taken it’s toll on them. Will happen to other government playing rugby schools as the years pass, mark my words
10 Apr 2009, 21:48 pm
College was one of the top sides until about 2004. They were still producing great sides up til then. Crazy to see them being caned by scores like that.
10 Apr 2009, 23:34 pm
College got spanked by Outeniqua — another government school.
And several of the rugby “powerhouses” are all government schools: Grey Bloem, Affies, Rondebosch, Queens, Dale, Selborne, SACS, Wynberg, Grey PE, Glenwood, DHS, Paarl Gym, Paul Roos… just add to the list.
The private schools really don’t add a fat amount of rugby value when you really come to think of it.
11 Apr 2009, 09:35 am
KES only used 2 subs on the day, so I’m pretty sure the only eyebrows raised were Garth’s. Otherwise the game was a great contest.
Cheap shot, lets keep it about the rugby!
11 Apr 2009, 13:24 pm
Good to see the Border schools all winning 1st day at Kearsney! Good luck Dale, Queens and Selborne with the rest of your games.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.