Gym's Ryan Oosthuizen executes a smart offload to Dylon Fairbridge (11) in the
game against Drostdy (photo: Eduan Hayman)
In a display of consummate efficiency Paarl Gym converted most of their opportunities into points as they crushed visitors HTS Drostdy 41-3 on the Jan Kriel field on Saturday 24 August 2013. In the process they booked their seemingly inevitable place as hosts for the Burger Large Schools Trophy final on 31 August against the crack Outeniqua side from George.
Gym left absolutely nothing to chance, scoring as early as the fourth minute. Rikus Bothma made the initial break from a line-out before feeding inside centre Ryan Ooosthuizen, who in turn released Jacques Vermeulen, whose offload sent full-back Andri Cooper over for the first try, which he converted, as he did the other four and two penalties for a personal haul of 21 points – not bad for the team’s third-choice kicker ! (Paarl Gym 7 HTS Drostdy 0 – 4 minutes)
Shortly after the restart the no. 15 was on target from the tee when a penalty was advanced by ten metres for backchat by a Drostdy forward. (Paarl Gym 10 HTS Drostdy 0 – 6 minutes)
Flyhalf Wynand Roets was wide with a penalty attempt a few minutes later as the Donkeys finally found their hooves, driving powerfully from a line-out. The move regrettably petered out after sterling work by captain Hanro Liebenberg, when the visitors gave Gym the chance to relieve the pressure by conceding a scrum.
Unfazed, Gym struck back, Oosthuizen running right over his Drostdy counterpart, but an almost-successful interception saw the visitors stall their hosts’ momentum.
In turn, the Donkeys surged back, only to find Cooper unflappable as he found touch with two huge kicks in quick succession. Nevertheless, the Worcester side was gaining confidence, which would quite probably have borne fruit, were it not for poor handling among the backs.
They had to be content with a penalty by Wynand Roets, which proved to be their only points, when Gym were caught offside around the fringes of a scrum. (Paarl Gym 10 HTS Drostdy 3 – 24 minutes)
The kick-off saw the Three Gym Loose Amigos combine beautifully to put their side right onto the attack. A quick release at the ruck saw Oosthuizen time his pass perfectly to centre partner JD du Toit, who dived over in the corner for the first of his two tries. Cooper stretched the lead to 14 points. (Paarl Gym 17 HTS Drostdy 3 – 26 minutes)
In full flight, Gym had the visitors chasing shadows, but two consecutive penalties put paid to any hopes they might have entertained of scoring again quickly.
Instead, a great dash by Drostdy right wing Selvyn White looked promising, ending with a very relieved Oosthuizen seeing the Donkeys knock his hurried clearance on.
The last bullocking run of the first period came from lock Jaco Willemse. When he was held up, a quick pass to flyhalf Wyatt Murphy saw him show great judgment to send flank Jacques Vermeulen over at the posts, making Cooper’s task a formality. Half time: Paarl Gym 24 HTS Drostdy 3.
A great cheer greeted the introduction of towering lock JD Schickerling in the place of Johan Momsen after the break, but it was another dynamic Bothma-Vermeulen drive through the midfield that put du Toit over for his second five, er, seven pointer. (Paarl Gym 31 HTS Drostdy 3 – 37 minutes)
The visitors seemed powerless to rein Gym in as the locals shifted gear from the kick-off, only a high pass which eluded Murphy preventing yet another try.
Drostdy left wing Gevin Scheepers looked certain to score shortly afterwards with a fine run down the touchline, but Murphy managed to reel him in fifteen metres short of the line.
The match seemed to lose its rhythm after Roets was stretchered off, Cooper notching his second penalty immediately upon the resumption of play. (Paarl Gym 34 HTS Drostdy 3 – 48 minutes)
The Worcester side promptly cleared their bench, but any immediate benefit this might have had for the hosts evaporated when Oosthuizen was yellow-carded for backchatting referee Joey Salmans, who had an excellent game.
The Donkeys were desperately trying to stop leaks as they appeared and would have been particularly grateful to the linesmen who ruled players in touch during promising attacks down both flanks. THen left-wing Dylon Fairbridge was ruled offside from a neat grubber and Willemse found himself held up a metre short.
Fairbridge was not to be denied, however, and when Man of the Match du Toit hacked through, the wing was first to the ball, thus adding his name to the scoresheet. Cooper’s conversion, one minute from time, ended the scoring. Final score: Paarl Gym 41 HTS Drostdy 3.
In the end it was the relentless attacking of the home team that wore down a battle-weary Drostdy side.
Gym’s performance wasn’t perfect either; hopefully they’ve reserved that for the Outeniqua match !
* As has become a tradition with the affable giant, Stokkies Truter, sports organizer at Tygerberg High, has put together a varied programme of full-length matches to be played this Wednesday evening, 28 August 2013, at the Jan Burger Sports Ground, home of Northerns Northlink College RFC, off McIntyre Rd.
The main U19A game, starting at 20:50, features hosts Tygerberg against Hottentots Holland, one of the surprise packages of the season. Other 1st XV games see Parow play Bosmansdam at 17:15 and President take on Monument Park at 19:40.
Brackenfell Primary U13A, who’ve accumulated quite a following this winter with their record of 20 wins in 23 matches – racking up 500 points on the way as against 72 by their opponents, in the process proving that the game is in a healthy state in the northern suburbs – will play Worcester Primary at 18:50.
Needless to say, there will be plenty of refreshments on sale. Please note that an entrance fee will be charged.
No one has commented on this page yet.
RSS feed for comments on this page | RSS feed for all comments