False Bay Rugby Football Club

False Bay exacted revenge for their first round SLA loss to Villager by comprehensively beating them at Constantia on Saturday. The final score was 30-16 after they lead 11-10 at the halfway mark.

The victory means that with three quarters of their season completed, the Bay are once again at the top of the SLA. Had the rub of the green gone the way of False Bay in three of their matches, they could easily have been out of reach of the other frontrunners in this tough competition. But those involved at the club are not regretting any of the 'what-might-have-beens'. It has been a fairytale season so far and the Constantia club has won respect and admiration throughout the province for their efforts.

The Bay Third Team had opened the account with a victory and then the Constantia club's second stringers snatched a victory at the death through a try by captain Khwezi Mquombothis, which left the visiting second team absolutely gutted.

Played in front of a large crowd who turned out to see the first Southern Suburbs derby at Constantia since 2001, it was Villager who opened the scoring through a try by bulky hooker Boshoff Muller off a forward drive from a lineout. Flyhalf Warren Edwards converted.

The Villager outfit seemed focussed on containing their opponents. Defence was organised and for the better part of the opening 50 minutes, it appeared as if their loose trio were content to slow the ball down at the breakdown. This stymied the Bay rhythm and frustrated the home crowd somewhat. Eventually referee Matt Kemp acted on the tactic and afforded scrumhalf Louis de Jager, a standout player for Villager, a ten-minute break in the sin-bin.

The match may not have reached any great heights as a spectacle, but it was filled to the brim with tension and excitement as the teams shadowed each other on the scoreboard.

Trailing 0-7, the Bay struck back through two penalty kicks by Demetri Catrakilis(he had a penalty reversed by the referee because the assistants could not agree on whether it had gone between the poles). He marshalled his troops admirably. The Bay took the lead through a try by wing Danie Roux.

The Bay restarted the match after the break with passion and focus. Their forwards settled into a dominant pattern and their loose forwards, Justin van Winkle, Ryan Williams and Whalied Heyns, started to control proceedings, tackling and turning the ball over with greater ease. van Winkle in particular was omnipresent at the breakdown,which placed the visitors under some pressure to retain possession. Heyns was back to his best with strong drives off the base of the scrum. Slab Williams lived up to his nickname with his tackles and ball carrying.

Locks Ryan Olivier and Graham Knoop caught the eye in the loose, with the former never afraid to field the high up and under Garryowens and fronting the opponents, standing up in the tackle to allow support to arrive and the team to regroup.

Centre Brendell Brandt ran well and tackled mercilessly, inspiring his team mates to emulate him. Scrumhalf Jonno van der Walt was solid and when replaced, Ridhaa Damon continued his good work.

Villager were not without their standout players. Neil Cleghorn, by now having relinquished living dangerously, was a force for the Whites. Captain Rito Hlungwani was solid in the lineouts, loosehead du Toit Louw solid in the scrums and centre Charl Kitching a powerhouse on defence.

With fifteen minutes of the second half lapsed, the score was 18-16. False Bay had scored a well worked try by Hugo Lambrecht after sustained pressure, eventually scoring off a forward drive. Catrakilis had banked the extra two points. Villager were close on the Bay heels courtesy of a penalty conversion and a drop goal by Edwards.

Hard on attack, Villager kept the Bay pinned in their own 25 for what seemed like ages. The Bay defence was resolute, and an impatient Villager were becoming frustrated at their lack of penetration. A speculative pass was flung out in the hope of reaching wing Conrad Marais, who helplessly watched False Bay speedster Jaco Roux scoop it up and gallop 95 metres for the touchdown.

The score seemed to knock the fight out of the visitors who never threatened the Bay line again.

False Bay's bonus point try came was scored by Danie Roux, whose outdid his cousin with a brace. It was the try of the day with some wonderful interpassing between forwards and backs and quick recycling which stretched the Villager defence.

False Bay play struggling Helderberg at Strand on Saturday. This is a tough match for the Constantia boys as Helderberg are a quality outfit whose log position belies their ability.

False Bay then host UCT at Constantia on 7 August.

They invite their supporters to travel to Strand to lend support and earmark the home game as one not to miss.