BAY SUCCUMB TO UCT
Played in front of a crowd estimated in excess of 2000, the match which had been the talking point of club rugby for the preceding week produced enough glitz and controversy to match the hype.
Two determined teams, one off a slow restart to their season, smarting from an unexpected loss the week before, the other intent on continuing their dream run and cementing their place in the top three of the SLA.
False Bay started off ferociously, announcing to the students that they were in for a physical contest as much as one of wits and skill. Tackles were hard and unrelenting. UCT, with their provincial players back to boost strength and morale, seemed to soak it up and set about building their game. In their previous outing against SK Walmers they were understandably rusty after a long midseason break.
They were not all flash and fluidity in this game, but their determination and intensity meant they delivered a workmanlike performance and they will certainly return to typical Ikey glamour rugby in their last five outings.
Carrying the expectations of their adoring supporters, False Bay set out to deliver the result all demanded. It was certainly on the cards. False Bay enjoyed a glut of possession and territorial ascendency in the first half but turned 17-6 down.
Contributing to this was an amalgam of error riddled play and cruel application of a law the IRB have been under pressure to reconsider.
In the 22nd minute of the first half, UCT's monolithic prop, Grant Kemp was given a red card for what amounted to a silly rush of blood in full view of the assistant referee. After tackling opposite number and former clubmate, Herbie Mayosi, Kemp foolishly punched Mayosi who was left prone with a bloodied nose. The referee had no option to show him a card of a similar hue to Mayosi's sanguine nose.
With UCT down to 14 men, they would be hard-pressed to resist a rampant False Bay, who once into a rhythm are a tough outfit to stop.
Fate was cruel when replacement prop, Chris Heiberg twisted his knee and exited the match. With only a hooker, Mark Goosen who incidentally seemed to outweigh his props, on the bench, the referee was forced to rule uncontested scrums.
This blight on the game of rugby proved to be the undoing of False Bay. For the less technical, scrums as a starting mechanism of the game serve to keep every player honest in terms of binding and honouring the off side line (All Blacks excluded). It affords the team with the put in an effective launch pad to cross the gain line and create forward momentum. Uncontested scrums nullify this facet and the most important advantage the defending team gains is through its ability to stand off and wait for those attacks.
The scenario seemed to break False Bay's momentum and their error rate multiplied as a result. By contrast, the UCT outfit worked on their accuracy and intensity and reduced the effect on their play. That aside, the game styles are the two teams are vastly different and this loosening up of the tight phases favoured the visitors.
Technicalities aside, there were individual performance from UCT which seemed to turn the game on its head. Fronting these was Western Province centre Marcelle Brache, who intercepted a pass 30 metres from his line and galloped to score in the twelfth minute. Early in the second half he kicked a massive 52 metre drop goal, which was sheer brilliant opportunism. Outside of these two acts, he taunted the Bay defences with his sniping runs, and when he left the pitch injured, received a warm applause from the crowd for his all important performance.
Ikey eighthman Sam Peter also caught the eye with some wonderful cross covering and exciting running. He enjoyed a battle with opposite number, Whalied Heyns, the latter seriously inhibited by the static scrum play. Ikeys lock, Stormer Martin Muller made his presence felt and was inspirational to his teammates. Prop Ashley Wells was all over the pitch in an energetic display.
For False Bay captain Justin van Winkel played his heart out, as did hooker Vlam van Vuuren. Lock Ryan Olivier made an impact upon his entry early in the second half. Scrumhalf Ridaa Damon, playing off the bench did so too. Wing Jaco Roux on two occasions almost snatched intercept passes to turn the score around, but failed to gather.
With a few minutes to go False Bay quickened the pulses of the spectators, visiting and home, though for different reasons when eighthman Whalied Heyns scored a try with his typical driving play, and Demetri Catrakilis converted to narrow the score to just seven points. With just a few minutes left one felt that the Bay were likely to score an equalising try, but referee Joey Salmans, who had an ordinary game all round, was having none of that and called a timeous end to proceedings.
For False Bay Heyns scored and Catrakilis scored the other eight points through a conversion and two penalties. UCT's point scorers were Brache (try and drop goal) and wing Paul Cohen (try, a penalty and 2 conversions).
By the high standards of the False Bay outfit, they were disappointed with the result, but no matter how the season plays out, the Constantia team can be extremely proud of their performance in their first year back in the top league. Widely tipped to be a temporary visitor to the Super League A, the club has won accolades and respect with their consistently high performances during the season and the spirit that abounds at Constantia. Club rugby is healthy at the Phillip Herbstein fields.
The Bay's season is by no means over and they look forward to travelling to Coetzenburg on Friday night to take on Maties. Kick off is at 9pm.
