Ballito Madalas and SA Legends clash

Ominous storm clouds added to the drama of the Great Railroad Brewing Company Dolphins’ opening games of the 2017 rugby season.

In spite of the weather, supporters came out in droves and packed the tent city to watch as the Dolphins’ first and second teams went up against the Durban Mets before the big game of the day – the Dolphins old boys, affectionately dubbed the ‘Madalas’, going head to head against the SA Rugby Legends.

The second team were too strong for the Mets, dominating for most of the game and winning 22-5.

There was a break in the action as legends, including names such as former Springbok Stefan Terblanche and former coach Ian McIntosh took the children for a short coaching clinic. Parents were beside themselves, madly snapping pics of their little rugby tykes with some of the biggest names ever to have played the game.

Then it was the turn of the first team in their curtain-raiser for the Madalas’ game.

Unfortunately the Mets proved the better team on the day, beating the Dolphins boys 23-14 in a physical contest.
“We let ourselves down a bit at the ruck and there were too many handling errors,” said flanker Zam Mthembu.

Then, with the heavy grey clouds bearing down and the crowd excitedly standing by, the Dolphins’ Madalas took to the field to measure themselves against men who they had been watching play on TV for years.

As it turns out, there is a reason they are legends. The Madalas gave a good account of themselves, playing a physical game as the rain started coming down. The match became a muddy, brutal affair but the superior handling skills of the Legends proved to be the undoing of the Madalas as they took the victory 38-5.

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