Close game for Glenwood

GLENWOOD High School played host to Michaelhouse at the weekend in a game that saw Glenwood win by the smallest of margins.

The 1st half saw Glenwood secure both the possession and territorial advantage but, unfortunately, the home side were not able to translate this into points on the score board. Often playing with too much width, the Glenwood side saw their ball being turned over on numerous occasions allowing the Michaelhouse side the freedom to run the ball as they wished.

With Glenwood unable to build and sustain pressure on the Michaelhouse side, the visitors took full advantage and capitalised on Glenwood’s mistakes. Mid-way through the 1st half, the Michaelhouse backs spread the ball wide after turning over another Glenwood ball and scored in the right hand corner. Slick handling and speed out wide, normal trademarks of a Michaelhouse team, were the difference as the visitors went into the break with a five point lead.

Glenwood had their opportunities to score and to build a healthy lead, but were held up twice over the line after some brutal forward play and missed several kicks at goal from penalties deep inside the Michaelhouse half.

What was becoming very clear as the game entered the 2nd half was that the Glenwood forwards were starting to take control as their team kept playing most of the rugby deep down inside Michaelhouse territory. This pressure resulted in the visitors making a number of errors as they paid the ultimate price with two yellow cards received for repeated infringements. With their goal kicking game not working for them, the Glenwood team decided to play into corners and it was from here they launched their attacked.

Three tries were scored from the lineout mauls and it was James Venter, Kenny van Niekerk and Jaco Coetzee who crossed the white-wash for the home team. Cutis Jonas, the Glenwood fly-half, converted one try.

Although the Glenwood forwards were well in control, it was the Michaelhouse fly half who kept his team in the game with three long range penalties. With only minutes to go the home side led 17-14 and it seemed as though the game could go either way. It was Kwazi Khanyile and Curtis Jonas, Glenwood’s 9 and 10, who established some order in the otherwise rattled Glenwood team as they kicked for territory and forced the visitors to play from inside their half.

With the final whistle came a collective sigh of relief for the Glenwood coaches, team and supporters. The final score was 17-14 but this performance was not one to be remembered.