There was a feast of running rugby at Coronation Park in Barberton last Saturday.
The day started with Hoërskool Barberton’s u/14 team taking on their counterparts from Lowveld High School at 08:00. When the last game between Barberton Rugby Club and Lydenburg Rugby Club’s first teams concluded, the sun had disappeared behind the Makhonjwa Mountains.
Barberton’s first team demolished the Rooikatte I of Lydenburg 60-29 in the Mayor’s League match.
The Rooikatte fought hard until the final whistle but were no match for the home side, which dominated the game.
The men in the white, yellow and green hoops fought to a 17-0 lead early in the first half and never looked like losing the game. Barberton led 24-8 at half-time.
Both teams were keen to run the ball and the game was a try fest with 14 five pointers dotted down. Barberton scored 10 tries with four players claiming two tries each. They controlled the set pieces and launched attack after attack.
Barberton are second on the log, with 10 points. The Pumbas top the log, also with 10 points but lead on points difference. Both teams are undefeated.
The Rooikatte are fourth with two log points.
Barberton’s second team scored a 31 (12) – 17 (12) win over the Rooikatte II. The home side outscored their opponents by five tries to three.
Points scorers
Barberton I
Tries: Senzo Khoza, Kabous Engelbrecht, Herman Engelbrecht (2), Jaice Terblanche (2), Mark Pretorius (2), Wessel Wessels (2)
Conversions: Khoza (5)
Rooikatte I
Tries: Roland Kemp, Hendrik van der Linde, Ruhan Bouwer (2)
Conversions: Riekert Kleynhans, Bouwer (2)
Penalties: Bouwer
In an interesting family-orientated aspect to the day, Hoërskool Barberton (BHS) played their winter sports day rugby matches against Lowveld High School (LHS) at Coronation Park, instead of at the school field.
The results were:
• U/14: BHS 19 – LHS 27
• U/16: BHS 28 – LHS 4
• U/16: BHS 0 – LHS 51
• 2nd: BHS 21 – LHS 21
• 1st: BHS 31 – LHS 31.
