Stellenberg High’s powerful lock Juvan Burden may have earned the King of the Match award for scoring a try, dominating collisions, and his lineout supremacy. However, those weren’t the characteristics that stood out in the Jade Brigade‘s hard-fought 26-21 triumph over Hoërskool Outeniqua in Cape Town on Saturday.
The King Price Derby Series match was lit up by end-to-end rugby, with both sides regularly making huge dents into their opposition’s defensive lines by powering over the gain line.
Both units exhibited neat set-piece moves and also improvised with some excellent one-handed offloads. It was a match to delight the neutrals. For the teams’ supporters, it was nerve-wracking stuff.
Stellies‘ flyhalf Ethan van Biljon delivered a spectacular performance. He scored a try and kicked three conversions to tally 11 crucial points. However, what stood out the most was his desperate and effective cover defence. With little thought about his own well-being, he put his body on the line, preventing several tries from being scored by smashing the Kwaggas‘ ball carriers and stopping them dead in their tracks in the last line of defence.
Outeniqua captain and prop, Matthew Prins, and lock, Franco Pienaar, also turned in hugely physical performances. Prins pounced over the try line after picking up the ball from a ruck only two metres out, and Pienaar rolled over behind a rolling maul for another five points.
Eighthman Aldo Gouws was also in a fiery mood, executing some crunching tackles on defence.
After being down 14-19 at the break, the George locals took the lead for the first and only time in the game when Pienaar scored, putting them two points ahead at 21-19.
The home side, though, snatched the lead back when inside centre Daniel Mongie broke through the defence with a powerful carry in the Suzuki Game-Changer Moment of the Match.
A quarter of the contest remained, but neither side was able to tack on any more points. The all-out intensity had taken its toll.
For the first match of the new term, the performance was impressive. Flair, passion, and intensity filled the contest, which did justice to the clash being a King Price Derby Series showdown.
The Jade Brigade will aim to repeat their winning ways for the fifth consecutive time next Saturday when they play another King Price Derby Series match against Hoërskool Durbanville. Outeniqua takes on Grey College on the same day.
Scorers:
Stellenberg High 26 (19) – Tries: Juvan Burden, Ethan van Biljon, Daniel Steffan, Daniel Mongie. Conversions: Van Biljon (3). Hoërskool Outeniqua 19 (14) – Tries: Gerrit Janse van Rensburg, Matthew Prins, Franco Pienaar. Conversions: Tylor Marais (2).
Other results:
U19
II: Stellenberg 43 Outeniqua 14
III: Stellenberg 45 Outeniqua 7
IV: Stellenberg 48 Outeniqua 5
V: Stellenberg 12 Outeniqua 0
U16
A: Stellenberg 47 Outeniqua 19
B: Outeniqua 14 Stellenberg 10
C: Stellenberg 33 Outeniqua 29.
U15
A: Outeniqua 15 Stellenberg 14
B: Stellenberg 36 Outeniqua 0
C: Outeniqua 38 Stellenberg 10
U14
A: Outeniqua 28 Stellenberg 12
B: Stellenberg 14 Outeniqua 7
C: Outeniqua 7 Stellenberg 5
D: Stellenberg 17 Outeniqua 5.
Click here for more King Price Derby Series articles.
