Quins crowned 2015 knockout champions
Quins were forced to make an immediate change when burly flanker James McFadden couldn't return after break and Dylan Mason replaced him.
IT was joy for the Mighty Quins this weekend when they took on Hillcrest in the KZNRU’s Keith Parkinson Cup final at Northwood Crusaders in Durban North.
The day saw all the finals of the various leagues played at one venue and it was a wonderful occasion for all club rugby enthusiasts.
Harlequins were victorious in a tight game as the 18-10 scoreline suggests.
It was a beautiful day in Durban and not even the midday kick-off could dampen the enthusiasm of the players. The teams were one win each during the league season and after the drubbing they got from Hillcrest towards the end of the league season, Quins were in a determined mood to not have a repeat of that result. They came out with guns blazing and made full use of the breeze at their backs. Flyhalf Rouche Kleynhans kicked the opening points of the match when Hillcrest conceded a penalty after Quins winger Wayne Alberts made a nuisance of himself at the kick-off. Within the first minute it was 3-0, a good confidence booster for the team.
Quins were the better team during the early stages and they kept Hillcrest pinned in their half with good tactical kicking. Hillcrest had some good attacking opportunities, but on a number of occasions chose to kick for the corner instead of for poles and this would come back to haunt them later. Harlequins were up to the defensive challenge and comfortably dealt with every line-out drive the Hillcrest pack threw at them. It was Quins that managed the next score when Rouche Kleynhans kicked another penalty to make it 6-0 after 20 minutes. Ten minutes later, outstanding flanker Van Zyl Koch scored the first try of the match after sustained pressure in the Hillcrest 22m area. Rouche Kleynhans kicked the conversion and Quins had a handy 13-0 lead.
The downside of the half was the many penalties Quins were conceding as Hillcrest started finding their rhythm in the game and had the Quins try line in sight as they tried to play themselves back in the game. Scrumhalf Chris Schulenburg got caught offside at the scrum and the referee had no hesitation as he pulled the yellow card from his pocket. The consequence was immediate as Hillcrest scored their first try on the half-time whistle to cut Quins’ lead to 13-7. Game on and a nerve wrecking last 40 minutes and everything still to play for,
Quins were forced to make an immediate change when burly flanker James McFadden couldn’t return after break and Dylan Mason replaced him. Then a few minutes later, try scorer Van Zyl Koch limped off and live-wire Colin Scheepers came on as his replacement. It was Quins that were pinned in their half, as Hillcrest enjoyed territory and possession without really threatening much. Both teams seemed nervous and the many errors interrupted any flow in the game. Hillcrest changed their tactics and kicked a neat, long range penalty to narrow the gap to 13-10 and set up a tense last 15 minutes.
When Quins captain Gavin McArthur received a yellow and his marching orders after an infringement, it forced Quins to take off Danie Le Roux to accommodate a frontrower at scrum time. Markus van Wyk did very well to steady the scrums under testing circumstances. Hillcrest threw everything at Harlequins, but Quins proved why they had the best defense in the league and were literally tackling themselves to a standstill. They kept Hillcrest at bay and when Quins were back to equal numbers, the backline provided some spark in the final minutes when Wesley Slabbert and Sechaba Maloka combined well with some neat interplay that saw Maloka barge over with a number of Hillcrest players unsuccessfully trying to prevent him from crossing the chalk line. It sent the Harlequins bench and supporters into a frenzy as they sensed their team was on the brink of victory.The try capped off a wonderful afternoon for Maloka as his man of the match performance was well rewarded with the try that put Quins two scores ahead.
Hillcrest tried in vain during the last two minutes but again the stubborn Quins defense was up to the task.The final whistle went and Quins recorded a famous victory and probably shaded the match overall. What a well-deserved victory and a great way to end the season. The team spirit has carried them through many a tight match this season, and it was probably the biggest factor that won through in the tense final. A top three finish in the league and knockout champions reflects a wonderful season for the team.
Spring Fun Run
Harlequins will be host a 5km Spring fun run at the club grounds on 13 September at 7am.
The route will start and end at the rugby fields and extends around the Bluff National Park Golf Course. Entrance fee is only R30. Take your family members down to join in this easy, flat route and start shedding off those excess winter kilos. Medals to all prize winners and top three finishers. This will become an annual event on the Bluff.
