While Paarl Boys’ High thrashed a Golden Lions XV 66-7 at the St John’s College Easter Rugby Festival on Thursday, there were also wins for Helpmekaar, Windhoek Gim, St Charles, Nelspruit and the hosts. THEO GARRUN reports.
Boishaai scored nine tries, and on this form it’s unlikely that they are going to be beaten at this festival.
Helpmekaar edged Stellenberg 10-8 in an arm-wrestle in the first of the night games. It was as tight as the scoreline suggests – 3-0 to Stellenberg at the break. Helpmekaar got the first try of the game 10 minutes into the second half when lock Brink Marx forced his way over under a pile of bodies.
That was followed by a similar forward try, accredited to eighthman Brink Marx, making it 10-3 to Helpmekaar. It stayed that way until the closing minutes when Stellenberg flyhalf Nivan Pietersen broke clear and scored 15m out. However, he missed the conversion that would have drawn the game.
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The hosts, St John’s, rounded off the proceedings with a 17-7 win over Noordheuwel in the final game of the day. They scored tries through Daniel Deeks and Clayton Pather, with Bismark Olivier adding two conversions and a penalty. Noordheuwel’s try was scored by JC Viljoen and converted by Heinrich Muller.
In other day-one action, the visitors from Australia, NSW Combined Schools, beat St Alban’s 22-7; Windhoek Gimnasium beat Graeme College 37-24; and St Charles College caused something of an upset by beating HTS Daniel Pienaar 22-0.
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St David’s Marist put up a brave second-half performance in going down 27-7 to Hoërskool Nelspruit. Nelspruit were 20-0 up at the break and the sides got one try apiece in the second period.
The big games on Saturday are going to be Stellenberg against Nelspruit, Paarl Boys’ against Nelspruit and St John’s against Daniel Pienaar.
Day 1 results:
NSW Combined Schools 22 St Alban’s 7
Windhoek Gim 37 Graeme College 24
Paarl Boys’ 66 Golden Lions XV 7
St Charles 22 Daniel Pienaar 0
Nelspruit 25 St David’s 7
Helpmekaar 10 Stellenberg 8
St John’s 17 Noordheuwel 7
