White River Rugby Club delivered a dominant performance on Saturday, with all three teams securing victories on home soil against Nelspruit Rugby Club, just ahead of the provincial knockout stage.

It has been a highly rewarding, albeit frustrating, season for both clubs. While they have enjoyed consistent success since the start of the campaign, a number of cancelled fixtures have hampered their momentum – particularly affecting the progress of their first teams.

Saturday June 14 was the last round of fixtures in the round-robin phase of the MRU Ehlanzeni Premier League, and it was White River’s turn to host Nelspruit. The hosts were looking to avenge their first team loss away at Nelspruit, while Nelspruit were seeking revenge for the second and third team losses earlier in the season.

The day started off well for White River, who claimed a convincing 69-12 victory in the third team clash. The second team encounter was a much tighter contest, but the men in red and white edged it 14-12. With two wins already in the bag, anticipation was high for a thrilling first team showdown.

Another factor that added some oomph to the match was that White River were playing in honour of late member, Pieter Burger, who was shot and killed near the club on June 5.

The game was hotly contested from the get-go, and Nelspruit drew first blood through a straightforward penalty. The home fans received their first reason to cheer when White River scored a converted try not long after to take the lead. This was the last time that Nelspruit would remain within scoring distance of White River, as the hosts never relinquished the lead for the rest of the game.

Two penalties and an unconverted try rounded off the first half for White River, who held an 18-3 lead at the break. Nelspruit applied consistent pressure in the latter stages of the half, but couldn’t break through the White River defence and ended the first period tryless.

This momentum for the visitors carried over into the opening exchanges of the second half as Nelspruit enjoyed better possession and territory. However, as determined as ever, White River did not let their opponents through. They ultimately scored the first points of the second half, through an unconverted try, after they powered over the line with a line-out maul. White River led 23-3.

Nelspruit did enjoy luck at scrum time, which eventually paid dividends midway through the half after they had crashed over the line for their first try of the game. The conversion would be Nelspruit’s last points of the game, with the score standing at 23-10.

White River hit back immediately with the bonus point try to move 28-10 ahead. The momentum swung back towards Nelspruit as they again began to pile pressure on their hosts, but they simply could not break through. Ultimately White River proved far more clinical on attack, as one more penalty and a converted try after the hooter sealed an emotionally charged 38-10 victory.

In spite of the win for White River, Nelspruit finished the round-robin stage top of the log in the first team division. This means they’ll host Witbank Rugby Club in the provincial Premier League semis at Nelspruit Rugby Club this Saturday, while White River travel to Secunda to take on Sasol Secunda Rugby Club.

The second team division of the MRU Ehlanzeni Premier League was won by White River, who will travel with their firsts to Secunda to also face off with Sasol Secunda. Nelspruit’s seconds will take on Witbank on home soil on Saturday June 21.