Vryheid Rugby Club – Semi-finals, here we come!
Vryheid's first team took to the field and were off to a magnificent start, with Left Wing, Armand Holtzhauzen scoring a superb try in the first twelve seconds of play. By half time, Vryheid had scored 19 points, with the home team failing to put points on the board.
SATURDAY afternoon saw Vryheid Rugby Club’s first and second teams travel to Newcastle to face off against the home side.
The second team went up against Newcastle in the first match of the afternoon, keeping the scores harrowingly close from start to finish. At half time there was only one point between the sides, with the home team on 5 and the visitors on 6. Supported by the team, Right Centre, Johannes Barnard put the only points on the board for Vryheid, scoring one try, a conversion and two penalties. The final score was 10 – 13 to the visitors.
Second team Coach, Carel Burger, when asked for comment on his squad’s riveting display of teamwork and discipline, responded, “Boys, you owe me a new jockstrap and a manicure for that nailbiting performance!”
View the second team gallery below…
Following the second team’s victory, Vryheid’s first team took to the field and were off to a magnificent start, with Left Wing, Armand Holtzhauzen scoring a superb try in the first twelve seconds of play. By half time, Vryheid had scored 19 points, with the home team failing to put points on the board. The second half saw Vryheid racking up the points against their hosts, who, by the end of play were still unable to score.
Vryheid’s first team appeared virtually unstoppable on the field, scoring nine tries from start to finish, with seven conversions by Johan Herbst. Right Centre, Mornè Ellis, put the ball over the try line three times with dashing speed and agility, with the remaining tries being scored by Armand Holtzhauzen (in the first twelve seconds of play); Dylan Herbst (1); Ignus Potgieter (2); Rich Verster (1) and the devastatingly nimble Sbonelo ‘Sticks’ Mbatha (1).
Despite three contentious yellow cards being doled out by the referee, Vryheid were able to emerge victorious, with a final score of 59 – 0 to the men in maroon.
View the first team gallery below…
“We’re going all the way,” said first team Captain, Wessie Van Der Westhuyzen on social media.
“Elke speler wat Saterdag daar was sal weet dat die telling nie die game reflekteer nie maar wel sê dat ons nuwe goed probeer het en van dit werk.”
Van Der Westhuyzen also welcomed back old player, Ignis ‘Pottie’ Potgieter, whose experience has been sorely missed. The proud first team Captain furthermore added that the next two weeks will require hard work and dedication in preparation for the semi-finals, which will be played against Piet Retief and hosted by Vryheid Rugby Club.
“Ons beplan groot dinge,” he said, “vir ‘n great dag vir die hele familie, so sê almal wat jy ken en sien om die klub te ondersteun.”
At the time of going to press, the date given for the semi-final match was Saturday, July 11.
