Young Poorte side take pointers from Wits loss
Promising youngsters got their chance to show their capabilities and align themselves with the future of the club.
On Saturday, September 4 Roodepoort Rugby Club fielded a young squad that was guided by a few senior players when they made a return to the field against a tough Wits side in the 2021 Memorial Cup.
The Roodepoort outfit had a tough day at the office and despite a courageous battle and manning up to their opponents they lost the match 50–20.
Poorte went into the game under the leadership of eighth man Ruan du Toit who led a bunch of youngsters on the field with a view to preparing them for next year.
The highly entertaining game was killed as a contest shortly before the half-hour break, and Wits continued in the second stanza with tries from Setshaba Mokoena, Lwazi Monakali, Siya Xulu, Jared Fuller, Connan Davies and Thomas Berman.
Lacking in the fundamentals, Poorte had to rely on the initiative of their loose trio to keep themselves in the game and keep testing the rock-solid Wits defence.
But that was as good as it would get for the Roodepoort side as they had difficulties in their set pieces and performed patently below par at ruck time.
Promising youngsters like Reuben Peterson, Joa van der Westhuizen, Brandon Jankowitz, Faqeer Paulse and JP van Heerden got their chance to show their capabilities and align themselves with the future of the club.
The match also marked Poorte’s first game since May 21 when they beat UJ in a home encounter at Scorpion Park.
“Putting 20 points past Wits after not playing for three and a half months, I feel we did really well and our youngsters came through. We are happy with the progress and just glad to be back on the field with no active Covi-19 cases,” said Roodepoort Rugby Club Chairman, Mathys Booyens.
Wits vs Roodepoort in the Memorial Cup:
• 1st Wits 50–20 Roodepoort
• 2nd Wits 63–0 Roodepoort
• U/20 Wits 38- 0 UJ
WEB (RR+RN)
On Saturday, September 4 Roodepoort Rugby Club fielded a young squad that was guided by a few senior players when they made a return to the field against a tough Wits side in the 2021 Memorial Cup.
The Roodepoort outfit had a tough day at the office and despite a courageous battle and manning up to their opponents they lost the match 50–20.
Poorte went into the game under the leadership of eighth man Ruan du Toit who led a bunch of youngsters on the field with a view to preparing them for next year.
The highly entertaining game was killed as a contest shortly before the half-hour break, and Wits continued in the second stanza with tries from Setshaba Mokoena, Lwazi Monakali, Siya Xulu, Jared Fuller, Connan Davies and Thomas Berman.
Lacking in the fundamentals, Poorte had to rely on the initiative of their loose trio to keep themselves in the game and keep testing the rock-solid Wits defence.
But that was as good as it would get for the Roodepoort side as they had difficulties in their set pieces and performed patently below par at ruck time.
Promising youngsters like Reuben Peterson, Joa van der Westhuizen, Brandon Jankowitz, Faqeer Paulse and JP van Heerden got their chance to show their capabilities and align themselves with the future of the club.
The match also marked Poorte’s first game since May 21 when they beat UJ in a home encounter at Scorpion Park.
“Putting 20 points past Wits after not playing for three and a half months, I feel we did really well and our youngsters came through. We are happy with the progress and just glad to be back on the field with no active Covi-19 cases,” said Roodepoort Rugby Club Chairman, Mathys Booyens.
Wits vs Roodepoort in the Memorial Cup:
• 1st Wits 50–20 Roodepoort
• 2nd Wits 63–0 Roodepoort
• U/20 Wits 38- 0 UJ
