22 May 2013, 8 th Edition

Transcription

1 22 May 2013, 8 th Edition From Behind the Posts One of the highlights of my week was meeting up with the Bosch U10 boys who were training their socks off on the top fields. Seeing their coach doing up boot laces of one of the players made me smile as I realised that there are different challenges at every level, but when the one boy piped up and asked me if there was rugby in heaven I realised that I wasn t going to have all the answers on the day. The U19A match was certainly a match of two halves as we only managed to score six points in the first half compared to the 35 in the second half. We actually played some really good rugby in that first half but once again failed to convert our opportunities. We definitely didn t have it all our way with SACS playing the territory and possession game very well. They were rewarded with a well-worked try when they found some space down the right hand touchline which certainly got our attention. We kept making life difficult for ourselves by not securing our first phase possession, which is ultimately any team s bread and butter. We struggled to keep our hands on the ball once we did have it, we only managed to win three of our eight lineouts in a frustrating first half. If you add eight penalties with five of them conceded while on attack, you will begin to see the picture of a team playing against itself. The other interesting number is in the scrum column where SACS fed the scrum on 10 occasions to only the three for us, alluding to the fact that we played most of the rugby as they persisted with a pretty effective kicking game. Our kicking game on the other foot was not as sharp as we would have liked and we will need to brush up on our accuracy as we will be facing some dangerous runners in the next couple of games.

2 There wasn t much for me to say at the break as the boys knew what needed to be done. The message was simple; get the ball, keep the ball and keep playing the plan that was implemented in the week and the scoreboard will take care of itself. The boys turned it around spectacularly in the second half and the numbers confirmed this with a different result, as we managed to win all our line out ball and only conceded one penalty in that Bosch-Krieg second half. There were some really good performances throughout the team and I wish I could mention them all, but the return to form of Nick Le Roux gave me the most pleasure as he showed what a danger he can be on attack. Ronnie Melck at centre gave us the much needed presence in the midfield and showed how dangerous he can be with ball in hand, as he unlocked their defences with a strong step which then started off the try feast just after half time. Up front, Luke Stringer and Christof Blake toiled hard with their physicality and are fast becoming a dream lock pairing. Graham Geldenhuys reveled in his new role as pack leader and made some telling runs as he improved his number of actions per game with a strong performance at no 8. Stef de Gouveia is now a nightmare for opposition defences with his intelligent and manipulating runs with Tyren Lee s marshalling of the game growing with every game. Our defence all round was once again a strong feature with only one-on-one tackling letting us down, something we can ill afford as we prepare for what promises to be our toughest test to date, and how we look forward to the Gim challenge.

3 It was a good day for Rondebosch Rugby on the whole with some really good play and hard fought wins throughout the ranks, but it was the U15 A win that had everyone talking and smiling on their way down to Rugby A. Well done to the coaches and players who now finally have some much needed reward to refuel their spirits after all the effort that has gone in. Enjoy! The weekend s success needed a bit of celebration on Sunday, but with the unpleasant surprise that was dealt to me by Mr Speedy s Exhaust and Tyre during the week, our celebrations had to be confined to delicious Lamb s Belly from the Farmers Market in George and a drop of Cool Bay Reserve Shiraz in the comfort of our own home. I suppose that if there is going to be rugby in Heaven that there might even be some lamb. Life is good. See you behind the poles. Clinton van Rensburg

4 Auric Auto 1 st XV sponsor- 2013

5 Results RBHS SACS 19A W 19B 5 3 W 19C W 19D W 19E W 19F 31 7 W 16A W 16B 13 7 W 16C L 15A 18 6 W 15B 7 22 L 15C 5 7 L 14A W 14B 7 12 L 14C 7 30 L 14D L Total points Av points For fixture and result updates, follow Rondebosch Rugby on

6 Reports U19A RBHS 41 vs SACS 18 Our long awaited first home derby of the year started with the excitement clearly visible on all the practice fields during the week. The emotional week increased further with the farewells that the staff, parents and boys said to Mr Leon Erasmus. So, it was very fitting when the 1 st team invited him to their change room on Friday afternoon for a jersey handover ceremony. A very emotional Mr Erasmus spoke from his heart and made everyone present feel even more proud to be part of Bosch and to have the privilege to represent the school on a Saturday morning. Only a few hours later, the hockey boys put on a thrilling display of top hockey to dispatch SACS 4-2. The tone for the weekend was set. From early morning I enjoyed seeing good contests on all the fields. Players and supporters from both schools were clearly enjoying the outstanding weather and the competition between two great, traditional rivals. While our U16A team continued to demolish all opposition that comes their way, the standout performance of the day came from the field next to them. The U15A side had a very tough 2012 season and a mixed 2013 season to date with a few very close matches. However, everyone noticed two weeks ago how their commitment as a team and to each other was growing. After losing their home match against SACS 0-29 in 2012, this one must have been tough to prepare for. Massive credit must go to the boys who have clearly decided to make a mental shift in their approach to playing for Bosch along with the effort that they put in on the practice fields. Together with their head coach, Jonathan Raphael, their new specialist coach, Gareth Wright, and assistant coaches Egon Seconds and Josh Carew, the U15A and B teams continue to grow in confidence. The final result for the U15A team (winning 18-6) was the one that gave most people the biggest pleasure and definitely the biggest upset for SACS supporters. Well done, and keep up the good work. All week, the excitement for the 1 st team match amongst our supporters and Old Boys was growing on Twitter The scaffolding that form-scaff provide (free of charge) for extra seating every year, arrived in time for the big match. By default, it has become the area where the younger Old Boys gather on derby days. Some even call it the Old Boys Stand. It seemed as if this was a special invite for the Old Boys to show up in big numbers.

7 The Old Boys and other supporters did not disappoint, and the 1 st team ran onto Rugby A with every available spot for spectators taken up. The school boys packed their stand and looked very smart. With all age group A sides having won their matches up to that point, the pressure was on the 1 st Team boys to continue the trend. The match started a bit like two nervous boxers sizing each other up. It was SACS that made the best use of their opportunities and scored a well-worked try after 15 minutes to take the lead. Three minutes later, Graham Geldenhuys had an opportunity to equalise, but a desperate tackle from a SACS defender knocked the ball out of his hand as he reached for the tryline. It eventually took our boys 31 minutes to get on the scoreboard and by half time, SACS was leading n

8 Similar to the Tygerberg match, one can only guess what coach Clinton told the boys at half time, but I am sure that if one can bottle it, you would make a small fortune! The boys came back with a blast and stunned SACS by scoring two converted tries within four minutes of the kickoff. First Ronnie Melck showed everyone who doubted if he could still play at 12 that there was nothing wrong with his step and hand-off. Then a break down the blind side by Devon van Rensburg sent Robert Jankielsohn over in the corner. Tyren Lee converted both tries and SACS looked worried. Just as a certain third try was on, the SACS flyhalf intercepted deep in his 22 metre area and ran the length of the field for a try. This made the scoreboard look like SACS was still in with a chance, but solid defence from our boys and runners from all positions made the SACS defence s work very difficult. It was also the hard work done by the tough guys like Kyle Whyte, Christoph Blake, and Luke Stringer in the close exchanges that created the possession and space for the quick guys. Graham Geldenhuys powered his way over for a try and then a welcome return to form got the stands shouting Le Roux, Le Roux, Le Roux s on fire when Nic Le Roux rubbed the salt into the wounds by scoring two runaway tries in three minutes. As I said earlier, the supporters and Old Boys did their bit by showing up in big numbers. I can definitely say that the 1 st team responded and gave a sparkling display of what they can do. This is a team that can score tries, and they love doing it. In their eight matches to date, they have scored 39 tries and conceded only nine. This week we travel to Paarl to take on one of only two unbeaten 1 st teams in the top leagues of South Africa - Affies is the other one. Paarl Gim has had an outstanding season to date and with Bosch being their first home fixture of the year, we can be assured that their supporters will be there in big numbers. Let s not let our boys down - be there. Tries: Ronnie Melck, Robert Jankielsohn, Graham Geldenhuys, Nic le Roux (2) Conversions: Tyren Lee (5) Penalties: Tyren Lee (2) Gustaf Pienaar MIC Rugby & 1 st XV Manager

9 U19B RBHS 5 vs SACS 3 SACS started this game with a point to prove, after being comprehensively thrashed previously by Bishops. On the other hand, Bosch probably thought the game was going to be one of their easier matches. The game stayed 20m from the Bosch line for the first ten minutes, but somehow the defence prevented SACS from scoring. They did, however, convert a penalty after 12 minutes. Scrappy play from both sides followed with Bosch seeing very little of the ball. Missed tackles and bad passes from Bosch kept SACS on the attack. Bosch were also guilty of not finding the touchline on numerous occasions. Bosch took the game into the SACS half for the first time after 20 minutes. Jack Purcell was injured and was replaced by Alessandro Napoli. With half time looming, Napoli broke clear down the middle of the field, the ball went wide to centre Blake Reinecke, who beat three men to score far out. Poor passing and tackling again let SACS camp 15m from the Bosch line. Half time showed Bosch in front 5-3. In the second half, Napoli continued to impress. Nothing was working for the Bosch team and they were again starved of decent possession. Eventually, Bosch clicked into gear and play stayed 20m from the SACS line for some time. Justin Baty broke the defence and a try seemed evident, but somehow SACS prevented Bosch from scoring. Poor communication amongst the forwards meant that Bosch were not winning their own lineouts, and touch kicks were still not finding the touchline. The final whistle sounded with Bosch winners 5-3. This is a game that the Bosch team will want to forget. Man of the Match award is again shared, between Blake Reinecke and Alessandro Napoli. Rowan Harmuth

10 U19C (COLTS) RBHS 22 vs SACS 17 Once again we were blessed with fantastic weather conditions for what was going to be a fantastic game of rugby for the Colts side. Some hard work was put into our practice sessions during the last two weeks knowing that SACS would come at our Bosch lads guns a blazing after our bye weekend. The game turned out to be a real nail biter as both sides had some great spells of rugby which was a pleasure to watch. Our set pieces were once again as strong as ever, giving our ever-improving backline some great front foot ball to attack off. Up front, solid performances came from Alessandro Napoli and Chris Newby in the loose, always crossing that advantage line with strong ball drives. But overall, the pack played with patience and composure when the team needed it most. For me, the best aspect was to see the pack hunting together, working for each other, trusting each other and never giving up in the tight exchanges. Our backline was well directed once again by scrummy, Matthew Tippett, and flyhalf, Jean Naude. Centres, Rob Waddilove and Dylan Harty also had a good day in the office on attack and in midfield defence. My pick of the day must go to our back three combination of Dale Cornell, Josh Williams and Frankie Swart who kept the SACS defensive lines stretched with quick throw-ins, quick counter attacks from behind when kicked upon and showing enough confidence to allow their pace to bear fruit on attack, this was beautiful to see. All in all, it was a great game of rugby with all the small problems of the last couple of games becoming a thing of the past. As a coach, there is nothing more rewarding than when 15 players play together like these boys did. Well done! Tries: Conversion: x2 Frankie Swart, Alessandro Napoli, Dale Cornell Matthew Tippett Divvie Maritz U19D (THE FORCE) RBHS 20 vs SACS 14 A very focused week of practice preceded our toughest match yet. Despite their performance against Bishops the previous week, we knew SACS were likely to be a much tougher outfit. Our rock-solid defence out of the gate forced SACS to kick early and we were unlucky to concede a try through an unforced ball-handling error. Moments later though, we struck back through a scything run, past several tackle attempts, by Liam Ludski to open our account. Our momentum continued to pressure SACS defence with big runs by the intimidating frames of Pearson and Fortuin. Eventually, after a good few minutes on the SACS line, Josh Kaplan swan-dived over in the corner for our second of the match. The half-time talk called for much of the same, but with a bigger emphasis on a more expansive game to take advantage of the space out wide. The backline obliged and captain Damon Erasmus tore the outside backs to pieces with his protractor-accurate line-running. Etienne Kille eventually snuck through some weak defence on the fringes to extend the lead. The lead was cut to just one point when SACS struck back after camping on our line for a good five minutes. This only served to motivate the boys even more and we flew back on the offensive with late call-up Mitch Edwoods managing to blast his way over the line. A nervy kick off, with only a six point lead, saw HB Keaton Saunders make an outrageous seventy metre run, busting tackles and dishing out free samples of his left palm to any would-be tacklers. After finally being brought down, we immediately cleared for touch to secure a hard-fought victory, which will only boost our confidence going into the next three tough fixtures. Tries: Liam Ludski, Josh Kaplan, Etienne Kille, Mitchell Edwoods Andrew Cowley

11 U19E (FLYERS) RBHS 19 vs SACS 12 This past weekend saw the Flyers take to The Fortress yet again to put their two match winning streak on the line as they took on SACS in a must win clash to retain their goal of being undefeated at home. The stage was set, with the weather yet again primed for some exhibition-style running rugby and without a cloud in sight. SACS began with the kick off and the Flyers immediately applied pressure and started to ask questions of the SACS defence. It was after 10 minutes that the home side found themselves gaining great metres with their attacking on the blind side to expose any sloppy defence. Unfortunately, it wasn't able to amount to points as a minor handling error prevented the scoreboard from ticking in the Flyers' favour and went out for a 5m lineout. The lineout immediately turned to points. Daniel Hodson pounced on the loose ball off the fumbled lineout and Zander Botha converted the extra two points with ease, resulting in a seven point lead in the first 30 minutes. After a brief chat from the coaches and the proverbial "halftime oranges", the second half contained all the drama. Play started off with Zander kicking off and the matric, speedster wing, Ebrahiem Abrahams, leading the chase. With a keen eye and a great burst of speed, he caught the kick off and rushed through basically untouched to dot down the Flyers' second try of the morning with the entire second half ahead of them. The conversion made the points difference Shortly thereafter, play began to seesaw with SACS asking major questions of the home side defence. This amounted to points after a sudden fumble of possession and the Blue and Whites dotted down after a few frantic phases to create a bit of drama in the closing 10 minutes. The score: After conceding the try, the Flyers had to ring in a good few changes. This immediately turned into points with a cameo from young Samuel Carstens at fullback. He provided a deadly counterattack play to return an infield kick and score a 40m+ counter attack solo try. Unfortunately, the conversion was sent wayward, but the lead grew yet again to Play became a bit scrappy in the closing minutes. This resulted in SACS scoring another try after a solitary slipped tackle on the outside which, including the conversion, made it with not much time to go. Play remained with the score unchanged over the final two minutes to hand the Flyers a seven point win and deserved victors over the rivals from up the hill. A word of mention needs to be made of young Daniel Hodson who shone during the game with his tremendous attack as well as defence, including his try in the first half. This performance earned him our coveted Man of the Match award and major bragging rights over the weekend. Another word of thanks needs to go out to all the supporters that made the atmosphere so electric. They really do have a 16th man effect on the game. Great form. Until Next Week... Yusri Williams

12 U19F RBHS 31 vs SACS 7 Many a thing happens on a fine Saturday morning: the birds chirp, the sun shines and the crisp air makes you zip up your jacket to your chin. This Saturday, however, all of that was irrelevant as the Stunners strode out onto The Fortress and boy did they do so with a purpose! They brought the heat - making you unzip that jacket and throw away that morning coffee - and made the sun envious. It had been a great two weeks of preparation and the men had their opposite numbers admiring them from the warm-up until the final whistle. Although they may complain about the amount of fitness they do at practice, it paid dividends as the gents were able to maintain a high level of intensity throughout the duration of the match. Despite starting off a bit tentatively, we managed to bag a try through live-wire scrum half, and eventual Man of the Match, Matthew Jeffery. SACS managed to score a run-away try of their own and we walked into halftime leading After a pep talk from the captain, Nick Baker, the men turned the screws to the ninth degree as they ran in 21 unanswered points, running their opposition ragged. A special mention of flyhalf, Gabulo Nayo who cut through the defence like there was no tomorrow and slotted every conversion (save for one which was on the touchline) and to winger, Sipho Johnson who ended all hope of SACS running past him - phone him up if you're looking for someone to write a tackling manual! Despite losing many players since the opening game against Wynberg through injuries in the higher teams and amongst themselves, the gents showed a great hunger and desire which can't be coached. The match against Paarl Gimnasium is sure to be a humdinger as some of the other southern suburb schools have given them a run for their money. Watch this space! Nabiel Allie-Ebrahim U16A RBHS 67 vs SACS 10 In the David Kramer song the old rugby hero, Blokkies Joubert, longs for the days when rugby was to dummy and to side-step with a rugby ball in your hands. Those who witnessed the clinical demolition of SACS on Meadow A would have seen just that - no senseless kicking, no kick and charge and no battering ram tactics. The ball did the work and ten tries were scored of which seven were converted. The interplay between forwards and backs, keeping the ball alive and going forward was the hallmark of this game, making it far more enjoyable than the stuff dished up by most Super XV sides which frustrated viewers are forced to endure week after week. To single out individual players in what was a great team effort would be unfair, but mention must be made of the (often unseen and unsung) work of Liam Greenhalgh (flank). Here is a player with the ability to dig a ball out of most rucks and create turnovers to ensure his hard-running backs can do what they do best. The Bosch pack was again superb in laying a platform for the backs to cross the line seven out of ten times. The defence was solid and only lapsed briefly, in the twentieth minute of the second half, to let SACS in for a soft try to add to their earlier penalty. The trusty boot of Nic Potgieter (scrumhalf) remains an invaluable asset. His 30 conversions and eight penalties account for 25% of the points scored by the team so far this year. Tries (10): Yaseen Jacobs (fullback), Kyle Ballakistan (left wing) 3, Imraan Andrews (right wing), Eddie Bester (fly-half) 2, Jamie King (flank) 3 Conversions (7): Potgieter 6, Jacobs Penalty: Potgieter Johann Gerber

13 U16B RBHS 13 SACS 7 When nuggety Armani Minani (centre) crossed over after five minutes to put Bosch ahead 10-0, everyone was expecting the boys to dominate and take an easy win. The lead was 10-0 at the turn thanks to an earlier penalty and the conversion by Ryan Oertle (fullback). Unfortunately, the pocket dynamo from Burundi had to leave the field in the second half, which resulted in SACS doing all the attack and Rondebosch defending like Trojans. The striped jerseys from Dean Street came right back in the first minute after the break to cut the lead to three points (10-7) and then tried everything to pull off a win as the fire in the Bosch backline was no longer there. Inspired by new captain, Leo Figuera the boys in blue held out and tackled as if their lives depended on it. A critical penalty five minutes later by Oertle stretched the lead to 13-7 but SACS knew that a converted try would send them back home with a win under their belts. It was 15 dog-tired but jubilant Bosch boys who left the field, after the final whistle, knowing that they had lived up to the old Trojan motto of they shall not pass and kept the enemy at bay. Johann Gerber

14 U16C RBHS 17 vs SACS 22 Having not played in nearly a month (no fixture against Tygerberg, Stellenberg and then a bye weekend), we were hoping the boys would be able to cope. An early penalty by Gareth Naude should have settled the nerves. By the end of the first half we were sitting pretty, having established a 17-0 lead through two great converted tries: One, a counterattack from our own tryline, in which Joshua Riley showed a tremendous turn of pace and evasiveness to blaze through the opponents and score under the posts. The other, a snipe from scrumhalf Robbie Moser after a great lineout maul (it was the only lineout we won in the first half). Who knows what was said in the SACS camp at halftime (I suspect a tongue lashing of sorts). I had given our boys some Bar Ones to get the energy levels up. That sure backfired! Ten minutes into the second half and SACS had scored three unconverted tries! The game was slipping out of our hands. The score remained until the final play of the game in which SACS managed to score a try. It was a brave defensive effort. The Chiefs were depleted and shell-shocked. The moral of the story: Never rest on your laurels. Never stop playing (which is ironically our team motto). Tries: Joshua Riley, Robbie Moser. Conversions: Gareth Naude (2) Penalties: Gareth Naude (1) Gareth Heüer U15A RBHS 18 vs SACS 6 Saturday s game shows the value of playing a team sport. The match contained every aspect that makes playing sport a worthwhile activity. We (the underdogs) took on a side that had given us a good beating last year and ended up victorious. That alone, however, does not do the side justice in the manner in which they approached this game. During the past week the team trained hard, were mentally well prepared and on the day started from the warm up. It was truly a memorable occasion with tremendous guts, determination and concentration being shown. It is the first time that we have seen this team play like this and all the players contributed. A few players that stood out: Gracey was solid in his first match, Cameron kept us going forward, Ebrahim had his best match of the season, the front row played out of their skins, whilst Mike scored two scintillating individual tries before having to leave the field with a shoulder injury. The final score of 18-6 was a true reflection of a job well done. The hard work by the coaches and players is definitely paying dividends. Grant Paarman

15 U15B RBHS 7 vs SACS 22 SACS came to our fortress with the intention of winning. We hardly touched the ball in the first half and looked pretty feeble. At half time, Gareth Wright did not mince his words and suggested that we needed to show some character if we were to avoid a drubbing, because at this stage the score was already The second half was a far better performance and we managed to score whilst SACS could not add to their half time lead. A 7-22 loss is not acceptable considering how we showed we are able to play in the second half. The team needs to stand together and start playing from the outset and not wait until it is too late to rectify the situation. Grant Paarman U15C RBHS 5 vs SACS 7 It was heartbreaking for the boys and coaches on Saturday against SACS. It was a nail biting game throughout and both sides were very evenly matched. The boys played with good structure and intensity and we kept SACS under pressure for most of the game. After suffering a marginal defeat against SACS in our last encounter we focused on our defence and rucking and identified it as our main areas of concern. By the end of the first half we were leading 5-0 thanks to a brilliant try by Josh Hillman. Unfortunately, SACS were able to score a try early in the second half and convert it to bring the scores to 5-7. In the dying minutes of the game we had a scrum on the SACS five metre line. Bad decision making led us to give away a penalty from a scrum and gave SACS the chance to kick the ball out and clinch the victory. As coaches we are proud of the boys and look forward to meeting SACS again. Try: Josh Hillman Gerrit Cilliers

16 U14 A RBHS 24 vs SACS 17 The second home game of the season was expected to be a very tough fixture against local rivals SACS. The game certainly proved to be the toughest encounter the RBHS side has played this season and required 50 minutes of all out dedication and focus from the boys. The game started with the RBHS side playing 10 minutes of the most attractive and clinical rugby we have played all year. The result being two extremely well-worked tries, the second coming from a turnover on our own line and a 90 metres counterattack down the blind side, with multiply offloads amongst the tight forwards. The RBHS side was forced to defend for large periods of the remainder of the first half, but was able to hold out until the break with a lead of The second half started very much like the beginning of the first, but due to a handling error and some sharp reactions from the SACS backline the RBHS conceded their first points bringing the score to Once again, the RBHS side was made to work extremely hard on defence. After forcing another turnover, and cleverly kicking the ball down into SACS half, the boys were able to convert pressure into points and score again, pushing the score up to The SACS side proved they were a quality outfit and piled on large amounts of pressure. They scored again to bring them back into contention. RBHS, however, were able to stay composed and close out the game with a fourth try to lead 24-12, with only minutes to play. The SACS side scored an outstanding team try in the last minute leaving the final score at to RBHS. An outstanding team performance from RBHS and a well deserved victory over a very good SACS team. Tries: Samuel Alexander, Suhaib Ajmoodien, Donald Falconer and Matthew Beneke Conversions: Samuel Alexander (2) Adam Rundle U14B RBHS 7 vs SACS 12 The habit of pulling a win out of the bag in the final seconds of a game has finally caught up with the U14B team. For the first time this season, the boys looked good in the warm up and it honestly looked like they were up for the challenge of the first home derby against SACS. This positive energy translated into points soon after kick off, when Eohan Lakey crashed over from short range after some brilliant phase play. Had this structured play continued, one would have been forgiven for thinking that Bosch were by far the stronger side. However, these early points resulted in some complacency and SACS managed to equalize with a break straight through midfield to score directly under the uprights. Seven all at halftime and after the previous two performances, no fingernails left to chew. The second half turned out to be a rather scrappy affair, with neither side displaying very much skill. It was SACS who pounced on an opportunity from a sloppy defensive lineout and took the lead to With the pressure heaped on Rondebosch to score yet another last minute try, numerous unforced handling errors occurred and the heroics of the previous two games were not to be repeated. One can only hope that this game (our first loss of the season) will serve as a reminder to the boys that it is vital to play for the full 50 minutes, rather than to relax each time they hit the lead. Three big games await - Paarl Gimnasium, Paul Roos and Bishops. Trevor Edwards Photographs If any players, pupils, supporters or parents have photographs from the weekend fixtures please with captions or names in jpg format to: caroline.fowler@rondebosch.com before midday Monday of the following week.

17 U14C RBHS 7 vs SACS 30 The Chiefs came off the bye week looking to get revenge over SACS for an earlier defeat in the season. The boys worked hard on their defence and fitness in the off week so as to get a 'leg up' on SACS. We were lucky enough to have DHL WP Vodacom player and Stormers squad member, Rayn Smid, down to help out with the Chiefs' lineouts during the week. On the Saturday, the boys went out hoping to put everything we'd worked on in the week to proper use. Unfortunately, the boys didn't quite rock up to the party and were unceremoniously blown out of the water by a strong and well-drilled SACS side. There were a few standout performances, namely, Regan, Khaleel and Jake. The boys hit the ground running this week in prep for their first proper Afrikaans school experience against Paarl Gim. Tries: Khaleel Tayob Conversions: Morgan Bolnick Gareth Vlotman U14D RBHS 15 vs SACS 22 The D's struck first with a powerful run from centre Matthew Mc Petrie, getting us on the score sheet early. As has been the pattern in the last few games, the boys fell asleep for a while and decided to turn up the heat in the second half when they were down three tries to one. Unfortunately, it was too little too late, the final score was Tries: Matthew Mc Petrie (2), Cameron Bergh Gareth Vlotman

18 Fixtures RBHS vs Paarl Gim - 25 May TEAM OPPOSITION TIME FIELD U19 A Paarl Gim 11:55 Jan Kriel U19 B Paarl Gim 10:45 Jan Kriel U19 C Paarl Gim 09:40 Jan Kriel U19 D Paarl Gim 08:30 U19 E Paarl Gim 09:40 U19 F Paarl Gim 08:30 U16 A Paarl Gim 08:30 Stofberg Stofberg Oukraal Jan Kriel U16 B Paarl Gim 09:45 Oukraal U16 C Paarl Gim 10:45 Oukraal U15 A Paarl Gim 10:45 Stofberg U15 B Paarl Gim 08:30 Lemoenkloof U15 C Paarl Gim 10:45 Lemoenkloof U14 A Paarl Gim 10:45 Dammetjie U14 B Paarl Gim 09:45 Fonteintjie U14 C Paarl Gim 08:30 Fonteintjie U14D BYE Note Due to exams, all rugby practices from THURSDAY 23 MAY will start at 13:30. All practice venues remain the same. Photos courtesy of Matthew Twigg, Liesl Arendse and Andrew Louwrens -