Rugby 1sts earn historic crack at Murray Cup glory

AMANZIMTOTI Rugby Club has made history by making it all the way through to the Castle Murray Cup final for the first time in their 67 year history, after comprehensively beating Nashua Crusaders 27-17 in the semi-final at the home of the South Coast Terriers.

The club founded just after the Second World War in 1947 have come a long way since those days.

Although the late Thys van Aken, an iconic figure in the club game in the 60’s and 70’s at Toti and Pinetown did mention to me before his sad passing that the origins of Amanzimtoti go back to the late 20’s under another name, there are no records on hand to prove as such.

But it now matters not, as they have made their community proud this season and once again in front of a big crowd and band of wonderful local supporters they produced the goods to set up their first-ever opportunity of taking home a major trophy – the priceless Murray Cup donated to the KZNRU by their first president, Sir TK Murray way back in 1890. Needles to say there can be no doubt that many of the past legends of Toti, some with us and some gone, will be there in spirit to see their old club do battle and and among them for sure will be Van Aken and his old mate, Arthur Greening, while across in Australia one Lester Green will be waiting in anticipation for the result.

The South Coast Terriers will be facing Varsity College who were full value for their 24-19 win on KP3 over Jonsson College Rovers, last year’s winners of the cup, so knocking out the runners-up in this year’s Fidelity Security Premier Division league in what has been an intriguing race for top honours. When one considers that the fourth and fifth placed sides in the league will be now battling it out for Murray Cup glory with the top three sides in the league – SA Home Loans Durban Collegians, Rovers and Crusaders – having been knocked out, it certainly has been a good result overall for the club game in the province.

Toti scored four tries to two against their visitors from Durban North with Sharks hooker Monde Hadebe crossing the line together with their other try scorers Louis Joubert, Richard Shore and Thinus Volke a prop who is fast being recognised as player with huge potential. Their 19-year-old number eight, Brad Lange, another youngster that should be looked at, put in a five-star performance to be named Castle man of the match.

Varsity College survived huge pressure from Rovers at the end of their game, holding off the eight-time champions’ last minute surge to claim a memorable victory. They last won the trophy back in 1997 as DHS Old Boys, with Sharks and Springbok wing Cabous van de Westerhuizen scoring the winning try. The club, although having claimed silverware at under 20 level and in the lower leagues, has yet to have its name engraved on any trophies in the Premier Division competitions, so there’s much to play for. They will feel very buoyant about their chances in the final, especially after scoring four tries to one against Rovers in the semis with Kayde Fisher, skipper Paul Sanders, Kwezi Mona and Biselele Tshmalala crossing for tries and Edward Wiggill converting two. The Varsity College loose trio were outstanding so it came as little surprise that flanker Tshmalala was named Castle man of the match.