FALSE BAY RUGBY CLUB

False Bay RFC continued their run of victories when they overcame a determined Vics at Constantia on Saturday. The final score was 27-3 after the Bay led 12-3 at the break.

 

After two easy outings against league minnows and then a bye, the Constantia outfit had a very tricky fixture against Stellenbusch University’s second stringers, eager to help the senior team out with a victory against one of the teams staking a claim for automatic Gold Cup qualification. Participation in the National Club Tournament is automatic for the top-finishing non-university club in the Western Provincer’s Super League A. Defending SLA Champions False Bay are kean on being that team but there are three teams equally eager on that achievement and breathing down their necks, none less than their next oponents Durbell.

 

Coach Johnno van der Walt is a realistic man, all too aware that dropping league points en route to the season’s end would be handing his team’s destiny over to others and the cruel hand of fate. Saturday’s performance against a very determined, high quality Vics outfit underlined this. His team were determined to keep their destiny in their grasp and not hand it over by proxy.

 

The earlier matches between the Second and Third Teams of the two clubs demonstrated the intensity that the Bay were to expect in the main match of the day. False Bay were victorious in both these contests, their Second XV particularly impressive in the manner in witch they absorbed the pressure exerted upon them by their visitors and then tightened the screws to run out eventuall 41-21 winners after trailing 7-21 early in the second half.

 

Results of earlier matches on the schedule are academic and have no bearing in the pre-match preparation of a team. What was clear from the start of the match was that Victorians were there to cause an upset and False Bay were prepared to face the onslaught. While the sizeable crowd may not have had reason to gush about a try-fest, they were treated to a quality contest wherein the better team absorbed the pressure exerted upon them and achieved what they had set out to do, a five-league point victory.

 

The foundation to this success was built upon the perfmormance of the home side’s outstanding pack. The starting front row of Simon Raw, Vlam van Vuuren and Ashley Wells put their opponents to the sword, laying a foundation for scrum dominence throughout the contest. Locks Graham Knoop and Jan Ferreira were outstanding in the tight and the loose while the loose trio of Brandon Wood, Taps Tsamondo and eighthman Ryan Olivier wer outstanding. Wood delivered quality lineout possesion as a bonus to his loose play, Tsamondo was again a dynamo around the pitch while Olivier is beginning to look the part of the mature eighthman influential in all phases.

 

Behind this juggernaut scrumhalf Dillon Frylinck was solid and busy and flyhalf Merick Ward continues his role as a number ten who gets his line moving. Outside of him Riaan O’Neil delivered his stock high quality performance and fullback Adnaan Osman was understated class. Wing Danie Roux, earning his 100th cap for the Bay got apt reward for his service to the team with the bonus-point fourth try barely minutes from the end.

 

False Bay’s performance cannot be underrated. Vics, as evidensed by the earlier matches came with victory in mind and to cause an upset along the way, in the process taking some league pressure off big brother, Maties. Their attacks on the Bay line were met with resolute defence which kept the Bay tryline intact. Hardworking flanks Michael de Marco and Roelf Burger toiled tirelessly while fullback Francoer Myburgh was dangerous on attack. Flyhalf Geirge Louwrens martialed his line well and scored his team’s only points.

 

False Bay’s tries were scored by Roux, Osman, Ward and Tsamondo. Osman converted two as well as a penalty.

 

With three matches left, the Bay are loath to drop league points alomg the way. They currently top the SLA but that is a position aided by mirrors as Maties have only played six matches compared to the eleven of the Bay, who host high-flying Durbell at Constantia on Saturday. The two clubs enjoy a warm relationship but the contest is expected to be keen and pure with no quarter given. The hosts will most certainly have their work cut out especially considering that they twice beat Durbell last season, once in the league and then in the Gold Cup semi-final and the visitors are not keen on a hat trick of losses.

 

Again the club rugby enthusiast is the benefactor from a contest guaranteed to deliver top quality rugby filled with excitement and tension. First games are at 1.30pm and the program header kicks off at 4pm.  

 

-Jon Harris