Ballito Dolphins rugby squad exact sweet revenge on Hillcrest
There is real confidence across the club which has filtered into the supporters group, making a day at Maidstone a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
The Ballito Dolphins earned a massive victory in their first home game of the season last weekend.
Facing off against perennial title contenders Hillcrest – who beat the Dolphins 35-7 away in the first game week – the North Coast outfit showed the levels to which they have improved.
In front of a buzzing home crowd at Maidstone, the team arrived ready for revenge and settled into a bruising physical first half battle.
After dominating territory and the close quarter phases, the Dolphins sank three penalties through captain Carlo Gresse to enter the break 9-3 up.
It was always going to be a tough assignment keeping the inlanders at bay, but the pre-season fitness training paid off in a thrilling second 40 minutes.
An early try from stalwart DW Augustyn set the tone and put the Dolphins thirteen points ahead.
The men from Hillcrest rallied for a try of their own to make it 16-8, but it was the last time the away scorers would be troubled.
Dominance at the breakdown and calm efficiency saw the Dolphins slot another two penalties to earn a fantastic 22-8 win.
It is yet further evidence of the quality that this year’s team possesses after a strong start to the season has built solid momentum.
Three weeks prior, the team beat a tough Harlequins side, following it up with a narrow 20-17 loss away at Pietermaritzburg – one of the best teams in the division.
The next assignment is an away game at Kokstad, before the Dolphins return to Maidstone for the rest of the season from July 8.
They will have their chance to draw home ground support after starting the season playing almost every game away.
Aside from the excellent rugby on show, Dolphins’ games have a feeling to them which has not been seen in years.
There is real confidence across the club which has filtered into the supporters group, making a day at Maidstone a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
With a growing community in Ballito, now is the time to support the local clubs and convince more players to don the blue and pink.
Give a home game a chance – you will not regret it. Follow the Ballito Dolphins on social media to keep up to date with upcoming fixtures.
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