False Bay a true test for Brakpan
Western Province rugby champions Direct Axis False Bay made the trip to Bosman Stadium, to face Siyaya Brakpan Rugby Club, in the second week of the South African Rugby Union’s (Saru) elite community club competition, the Gold Cup, on Saturday, September 17.
The match at the “House of Pain” ended at 26-19 to the hosts.
It was Brakpan’s first encounter in the tournament and a lot was expected of their highly-rated opponents from the Cape.
False Bay ended their 2016 provincial club campaign undefeated, but they were not ready for the robust and rampant Brakpan forwards, who dazzled in the loose.
The Brakpan forwards stamped their dominance on the proceedings and were also particularly good at line-out time, which has always been a strength of ”Panne” sides.
The hosts opened the scoring early, through a try from number eight Theo “Spartan” Mynhardt (which was unconverted by fly-half Gido Horn), courtesy of good work from skipper Francois “Bones” Robbertse in the line-out.
False Bay soon established a three-point lead (9-5), after slotting three penalty kicks, before Brakpan’s captain barged over the line (which was converted) to give the Panne a 12-9 score at halftime.
The team from the Western Cape struck two minutes after the break, with an unconverted try, to take the score to 12-14.
That quick score didn’t faze the Panne and they soon hit back, to take the lead again, through winger Thinus Ueckermann’s unconverted try (17-14).
Horn knocked over a penalty to stretch the lead to 20-14, before False Bay crossed the whitewash again, to make the score 20-19.
Horn would slot two more penalties thereafter, to make it 26-19.
The forwards would hold onto the ball and see the game out, to give Brakpan their first big victory in the Gold Cup.
They will now head to Durban’s King Park stadium, to square up against Durban Collegians, on Saturday, September 24, with nothing but a win expected in the quest to top Pool C.
