FALSE BAY RUGBY CLUB

DirectAxis False Bay showed their champion class as they defeated a determined SK Walmers in their Super League A clash at the Green Point Track on Saturday. The final score was 36-21 after the Bay lead 24-7 at the break.

 

The Constantia outfit have had a slow start to their season, losing two and winning one of their friendly encounters and “narrowly drawing” the first of their SLA against Hamiltons. SK Walmers at “The Track” are a formidable challenge, one which required the Bay to show definite improvement in all areas. The previous two encounters between these two clubs have been narrow one-point victories for False Bay, testimony to the rivalry of the fixture.

 

Played in energy sapping heat, the visitors started off full of intent and determination. From the kick off, flank Brandon Wood placed the SKW receiver under tremendous pressure, the clearance kick being charged down and collected by livewire Bay scrumhalf, Dylan Frylinck who scored within 30 seconds of the opening whistle. Flyhalf Andri Claasen converted for the goal.

 

“The Kloof” were stunned, the Bay invigorated, sustaining the pressure on their opponents and moments later they scored another, this time by lock Simon Askew. Claasen added the two and then converted a penalty to give his team a 17-point lead within as many minutes. The Bay were unrelenting with Frylinck returning to his unpredictable style of play to maintain the pressure. He took a quick penalty and had the Walmers defence scrambling, stretching his frame to score the Bay’s third try.

 

The hosts were reduced to fourteen men as a result of not retiring ten metres and the heat and scoreline appeared to take a toll. But never write the Kloof off, as they proved in the middle half hour of the contest. With Bay fullback Mustaqueem Jappie cooling his heels off in the sin bin for cynical play, assisted by some ordinary defence around the edges of the scrum, SK Walmers with fullback Ramiz Osman at the spearhead, mounted a comeback which the visitors scrambled to contain.

 

They scored two tries during the ten-minute yellow card period, the first by Jerome Esterhuizen, the second by Danwill Erasmus. Both were converted by flyhalf Yasir Davids, who had an outstanding match. Back to a full complement, the Bay were to concede another try, Davids the scorer and then converting to make it a three-point game. The already searingly hot temperature appeared to become even hotter as the too-close-for-comfort scoreline shone brighter on the board.

 

DirectAxis False Bay are a quality outfit. They did not panic and a few minutes later flank Taps Tsamondo, probably the outstanding player for the Bay, showed a turn of pace to score his team’s bonus-point try. Claasen converted. Minutes later veteran scrumhalf Ridhaa Damon, who further upped the intensity at scrumhalf when entering the contest, exploited the blind side from a turnover and sent hooker Roan Dalzell on a forty-metre dash for the line. This seemed to break the resolve of the hosts.

 

It would be churlish for anyone to expect the Bay to operate at full capacity at this stage of the season. Picking up from where they left last season is unrealistic and detrimental to sustainable performances. One thing is certain, False Bay delivered a vastly improved performance in just about every department. Any team in the league peaking in April should be concerned about their season. This is possibly one of the strongest SLA competitions in a number of years and already after two rounds, a few surprises have been delivered.

 

For SK Walmers, Osman at fullback was outstanding, his counter-attacking a feature of his game. Davids marshalled his troops well and Erasmus too had a quality outing. Graham Knoop was again exceptional for False Bay, putting his opponents under pressure in the lineouts, especially on their own ball. Wood is fitting into the flank position nicely, Frylinck and Damon at scrumhalf were all quality. When centres Riaan O’Neill and Jacques van Staden were partnered after substitutions they appeared to combine well. The outstanding player for False Bay was undoubtedly Taps Tsamondo, who delivered a physical game on defence and showed finesse and pace on attack.

 

False Bay has a bye this weekend and then host UCT at Constantia in their next SLA match on Saturday 22 April at 4pm.

 

 - Jon Harris