RUNNING in five tries to the Rhinos’ two, Collegians had no trouble in picking up a 39-15 victory over Thanda Zululand Rhinos in the first of the Murray Cup semi-finals played at the Riverside Sports Club on Friday night.
Although they were easy winners, they never looked comfortable – not until their pack took total control in the final 15 minutes of the game.
They had the better of the conditions playing with a strong south-easter at their backs in the first half and then into the wind which dropped considerably in the second.
As far as the Rhinos were concerned they were by no means disgraced as the score might suggest.
Corné Els’ withdrawal the day before was a big setback to their chances of doing really well, as he is the team’s goal kicker, normally a lethal weapon which could have been worth at least 15 points on this occasion. They were missing penalties from in front of the posts and in the end they gave up kicking for goal.
His educated boot would certainly have reduced the gap to single figures and changed the complexion of the game. The suggestion is not that the Rhinos would have won, but it would have been a different ball game and a much closer contest had he been present.
The Rhinos were 25-0 down early in the second half until Thokozane Mdluli scored the first of his two tries. Johan de Kock intercepted near his own goal line and on being caught 20 meters out, he switched the ball to Thokozane who romped over under the poles.
Dirkie de Waal converted with a kick that just made the distance.
De Waal then kicked a penalty, but was wide with Thokozane’s second try, a strong run down the left-hand touchline.
In a Peter Taylor Trophy match played on the B field, Varsity College’s second team thrashed Rhinos 2 by 73 points to nil. For the Empangeni Club the season is now over, but they can look back with a certain degree of satisfaction.
There were 16 teams in the Castle Murray Cup competition and they made it to the last four.
