Komatipoort Akademie’s u/11 rugby team attacked their opponents try line in the dying minutes of the match on Tuesday. They needed a try to draw the game, a converted try would win them the provincial championship.

It was not to be. Laerskool Marietjie van Niekerk (MVN) from Bethal won the Mpumalanga primary schools u/11 final at Hoërskool Nelspruit, 10-5.

Komati dominated possession and territory early in the match but MVN defended well.

The very first time MVN fought their way into the Komati half they scored a try.

The second attacking movement saw flanker Tredoux Ferreira run across the face of Komati’s backline defence.
Ferreira should have been tackled. It was poor defending from Komati.

When scrum half Handroux Roux scored MVN’s second try, from numerous attacking phases, it seemed Komati might be in for a hiding.
The half-time score was 10-0.

Ten points down with 20 minutes to play Komati threw everything at MVN. They camped on the MVN try line early in the half but got no reward. The boys from Bethal gave back as good as they got and it was a thrilling display of running schoolboy rugby.

Komati continued their assault on MVN’s try line. Komati took a tap penalty and prop, Johannes Brown, scored off the third phase.

MVN hit back with a try by Ziaan Kotze. The ball was turned over and MVN gained five points from hard teamwork.

With the score on 15-5, Brown then charged over for his second try from a tapped penalty.

With minutes remaining Komati attacked in wave after wave. Akademie gave it their all in the final minutes but MVN defended well.

The final score was 15-10 in favour of MVN.

Komati Akademie’s boys can hold their heads high. They played high-level rugby with passion and pride.