Grey pip Wynberg in scrappy battle
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:03
Quick hands:A Wynberg player moves the ball. Pic: livemoments.co.za
Grey High pipped Wynberg 14-11 in a tense clash between two FNB Top 20 schools in the final game on day two of the Cape Schools Week at SACS on Monday.
The game started slowly, both teams feeling each other out with some accurate tactical kicking from both flyhalves. It was Wynberg who struck first, earning two penalties from the boot of flyhalf Dylan Frylinck. After going down, Grey controlled the ball better and enjoyed a lot of possession. But they couldn't do a great deal with the slow ball they got, and spent most of the first half stuck inside their own territory.
The Wynberg defence was solid and their set-piece was strong, getting the upper hand at scrum time. Still Grey had most of the ball, and they controlled it well and made slow progress into the Wynberg half. It was an unspectacular first half, with very little to inspire the reasonably sized crowd at SACS. Grey capitalised on the possession they had, flyhalf Luke Daniels
kicking two penalties to draw level at 6-6.
Neither team looked capable of producing free-running rugby and the match was a pretty dour affair until an opportunistic Wynberg try sparked the game into life. The Wynberg forwards did some good work on the ground to force a turnover that was moved quickly to the backs. A neat chip was put over and the Grey defence scrambled back. A mistake by the Grey fullback knocked the ball loose and over the Grey goal line. The kick was well chased by the advancing Wynberg players and fullback Darren Sampson outsprinted the Grey defence to dive on the ball for a try.
The setback seemed to galvanise the team from Port Elizabeth and they struck back almost immediately, with wing Phaphama Hoyi crashing over in the corner after a well worked move. It was 11-11 with 25 minutes to go. It took the players all of fifty minutes to test each other out wide, but the game finally opened up a bit in the closing twenty. Both teams looked to move the ball from all positions, but their endeavours were too often cut short by poor handling. The game became scrappy and there was a distinct lack of quality and skills on show.
Grey managed to make a good surge down the left hand touchline, and put the Wynberg pack under severe pressure with well-judged pick and go's from the base. Wynberg did well to survive the onslaught, but eventually the pressure told and Daniels was handed an easy penalty chance from out in front. Grey took a 14-11 lead with just five minutes left on the clock. Wynberg threw the ball around in their own half in a last-ditch effort to save the game, but their attack came to nothing. Grey claimed a good Top 20 scalp in winning a scrappy affair that resulted from their ability to hold onto the ball and wait for Wynberg to make mistakes. Unfortunately for Wynberg, they made quite a few.
Grey vs Wynberg, 14-11
Scorers:
For Grey:
Tries: Hoyi
Pens: Daniels 2
For Wynberg:
Tries: Darren Sampson
Pens: Frylinck 2
Teams:
Grey:15 Clint Sacks, 14 Graedon Irvine , 13 Jonathan Medrovic, 12 Nicholas Holton, 11 Phaphama Hoyi, 10 Luke Daniels, 9 Chris Collins, 8 Siyanda Mangaliso, 7 Siayamthanda Kolisi, 6 Johan Nel, 5 Brendon Terblanche, 4 JJ Swart, 3 CJ Meiring, 2 Lumko Mbane, 1 Matthew Paul
Replacements: 16 Jarrod Nass, 17 Carl Du Plessis, 19 Mazothsonke Gabazane, 20 Hugh van Niekerk, 21 Olwethu Ngcelwane, 22 Xolisa Velim
Wynberg:15 Darren Sampson, 14 Ayanda Hess, 13 Sikho Camagu, 12 Ashbey Williams, 11 Rameesh Mentor, 10 Dylan Frylinck, 9 Jonathan Halliday, 8 Ryan Lok, 7 Alistair Mulholland, 6 Josh Katzen, 5 Devin Cunningham, 4 Russell Steyn, 3 Tjino Tjirare, 2 Nick Mitchell, 1 Butler Dube
Replacements: 16 Kyle Clark, 17 Chris Graham, 18 Umer Salie, 19 Grant Edmeades, 20 Lwandile Sompontsha , 21 Dylan Sage, 22 Craig Munro
By Tim Human
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