Nico Malan will have to be at their best when they host the Daniel Pienaar Tigers in a King Price Derby Series showdown in Humansdorp on Saturday at 15:30.
Although the hosts claimed a convincing 38-8 victory when the teams met last year, coach Jaco Nepgens insists that result will count for little when two evenly matched sides renew their rivalry. “Last year’s result doesn’t mean anything this year,” he stated.
“Even if some of the players are the same, they are completely different squads. Boys grow up, teams evolve, and a lot has been done at Daniel Pienaar over the past 12 months.
“They have a very strong rugby programme, and we have a lot of respect for them. The score from last year has no bearing on this match.”
Nico Malan has quietly put together an impressive campaign after overcoming a difficult start to the season. Losses to Welkom Gimnasium and HTS Middelburg initially stalled their progress, while a scheduled fixture against Pearson was washed out, making it difficult to build momentum.
However, Nepgens believes his side has steadily developed into one of the Eastern Cape’s most consistent teams. “It has been a strange season because we had games cancelled and it took us a while to get momentum,” he explained.
“We started slowly, but from there the boys really began to gel as a team. We’ve done well considering the circumstances, and they’ve bought into what we’re trying to do.
“The draws against Marlow and Graeme were frustrating because no coach likes to draw, but they showed we were getting our game plan right and the players were executing well.”
One of the defining moments of Nico Malan’s season came in their hard-fought draw with Graeme College, when they contained one of the province’s most potent backlines.
“Even though it was a draw, the game against Graeme was a real highlight because of the way we defended against some very dangerous backs,” Nepgen said. He also pointed to their victory over Dr EG Jansen on the A Field at the Absa Wildeklawer tournament as another significant achievement.
“Winning there was a big moment for us, and I was very proud of the boys,” he admitted.
Saturday’s opponents present an entirely different challenge. The Tigers have developed a reputation for playing with ambition and attacking from all areas of the field, making them one of the more unpredictable teams in the region.
“They are a very dangerous side,” Nepgen said. “They’ll run from anywhere, and they don’t shy away from the physical side of the game. They are tough young men, and we’ve enjoyed a healthy rivalry with them over many years.
“They play at a fast tempo and have several X-factor players, so we’ll have to be at our best if we want to win.”
The Nico Malan coach believes controlling possession will be one of the contest’s decisive factors. “We pride ourselves on retaining the ball well, and possession will be key. We can’t afford to give them space to run, so we’ll look to keep the ball and limit their opportunities in attack.
“Our defensive structures will have to be very strong. It should be a good contest up front, but we have confidence in our systems, and we’ve prepared well.”
Nepgens also praised the impact the King Price Derby Series has had on schools’ rugby in the region.
“It has made a big difference to the community around Humansdorp,” he revealed. “For Nico Malan to be part of the series is a major occasion for the town, the surrounding area, and all the children involved in rugby.
“It creates an electric atmosphere and helps put our school on the map.”
With Nico Malan enjoying one of their strongest seasons in recent years and Daniel Pienaar capable of producing moments of brilliance from anywhere on the field, Saturday’s clash promises to be another compelling chapter in one of the Eastern Cape’s growing rugby rivalries.
TEAMS
Nico Malan vs Daniel Pienaar, Humansdorp, at 15:30
Nico Malan: 15 Reagan Stone, 14 Kobus Strydom, 13 Jehu Geswindt, 12 Kian van Schalkwyk, 11 Tequine Koopman, 10 Cristiano Goeda, 9 Lleyton Mienie, 8 Sima Ozah, 7 Merwe van der Merwe, 6 Callie de Lange, 5 Luciano Botha, 4 Ruben van Dijk, 3 Ruan Nel, 2 Janu Janse van Rensburg, 1 Reghardt Conradie.
Daniel Pienaar: 15 Marco Lamont, 14 Mzingisi Douw, 13 Cody Fleurs, 12 Cariston Mapoe, 11 Chibuzo Bosco, 10 Jade Miles, 9 Corbelle Claasen, 8 Stiaan Coertze, 7 Juvane Okwara, 6 Akhilomzi Sizani, 5 Thobani Mose, 4 Etto Mapapu, 3 Warwick Fredericks, 2 Morne Kritzinger, 1 Liqhayiya Bam.
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