It was an intense derby on June 27 when the Springs Rugby Club hosted the Brakpan Rugby Club in a full day of rugby action, with Springs’ U21 suffering a defeat in a 0-40 loss, while Springs’ second team were victorious in their game in a 17-15 win.

Brakpan’s first team showed no mercy to Springs, winning their game 75-14. Speaking to the Springs Advertiser after the game, Springs’s U21 coach Alan Chapman believes his side is moving in the right direction despite the loss.

He said the result reflected the progress the team has made since their first meeting with Brakpan earlier this season.

“Brakpan is a very good team, as they are the reigning champions in the U21 league. From where we were in the first round, where we almost took 80 points against them, to come back in the second round and only take 40 points, we are extremely proud of the boys,” he said.

The coach added that the club is beginning to build valuable squad depth, which is contributing to the team’s development.

He also pointed to the difference in experience between the two sides, explaining that Brakpan’s squad has been together for three years and consists mainly of players in their final year of U21 rugby.

“We know that the Brakpan team has been together for three years already and are all 21-year-old players. We have a three-year plan with this team, so we will take it from there,” said Chapman.

Despite the defeat, the coach identified several positives from the performance, describing the defence as heroic.

“We did not give up at any stage. Our set pieces were very good. We just need to work on coming out of depth to our backline, but we’re looking good,” he said.

With another fixture on the horizon, the coach stressed the importance of responding positively to the loss.

“It is very important to keep the team’s morale high, and we have got East Rand United next week, which we hope will be a bit more competitive in our weight class. We will take it from there,” shared the coach.

Brakpan’s U21 coach Dalton Botha told the publication that he was satisfied with his side’s victory over Springs but believes there is still room for improvement as the team prepares for the business end of the season. Despite the win, Botha felt his side did not make the most of every scoring opportunity.

“During the game, we had lots of opportunities, and we executed approximately 50% of them. It is a little bit below the standard we set for ourselves, but at the end of the day we are happy with the result,” he said.

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The coach said discipline remains one of the team’s biggest strengths and was pleased to receive positive feedback from the match officials. Botha shared that the team prides itself on discipline and hard work.

“Speaking to the officials after the game, they complimented me on the discipline of our team and the communication, so we are very happy about that.”

Although Brakpan impressed in both attack and defence, the coach singled out his team’s defensive effort after keeping Springs scoreless.

Having also beaten Springs earlier in the season, the coach credited the team’s mindset for maintaining consistency throughout the campaign.

“We use life lessons to remain humble and stay in the moment and do not let previous results matter and just remain present every Saturday,” explained Botha.

While Brakpan has enjoyed a successful season, he said the team’s true measure will come during the knockout stages.

Looking ahead to the next round of fixtures, the coach said there would not be major changes to the team’s approach, but the focus would shift towards preparing for knockout rugby.

“We are changing our focus to be a bit more finals-rugby-orientated, where you take a little bit less risk and play more territory. We are making mental adjustments to our approach,” concluded Botha.