False Bay Rugby Football Club

The 2^nd team had a wakeup call against Helderberg at home last weekend and it was the perfect  motivating factor for them to put in the hard work knowing that their previous week’s performance was never going to be good enough to face the biggest rugby club in the world, let alone even entertain a win. 

The warm-up was great and by the time the final huddle came the guys were ready!

False Bay started with a bang and within 18 minutes held Maties up against the wall. Tries by Kenny Africa (lock), Hyron Thyse (inside centre) and Darryn Matthee (wing) and 2 conversions by fullback Stefan Swanich took the score 0-19 Silly mistakes by the Bay gave the well educated boot of the Maties flyhalf the opportunity to goal 3 penalties. 

The score at half time was 9-19.

The 2^nd half was a titanic arm wrestle. The Constantia boys played all the rugby, only to let themselves down when a finish or a dive over the try line was all that was required. This gave the students hope and, playing typical Maties rugby, they launched attacks from just about anywhere on the pitch.

Big tackles from hitmen SP Blakeley and Wesley De Wet (both props), Mac Geleba (8^th man), captain Andrew Whittaker (flank), Liaan Scriven (flyhalf) and Stefan Swanich (fullback) stymied their plan of converting defence to attack and banking points.

It was déjà vu as the Maties clawed their way back into contention through a penalty and a goal, reducing the deficit to just two pints at 17-19.

Flashbacks from the previous weekend’s nightmare undoubtedly inspired the Bay’s Mighty Seconds to seek to wrap things up and score the bonus point try.

That is exactly what they did!

Reserves Andries “Stinky” Steenkamp (flank), JT Kunneke (lock) and Herbie Mayosi (prop) were brought on and gave the team the much needed boost they required. With seconds to go on the clock, a succession of phases and the exchange of the ball through several pairs of hands ensured that exciting wing Darryn Mathee scored under the poles, his second try of the day. This made the conversion for fullback Stefan Swanich easy to convert, hammering the final nail in the coffin at 17-26 to the visitors.

Standout player was man-of-the match prop SP Blakely who covered lots of ground to make big tackles, scrummed ferociously, ran like a centre with ball in hand, while hitting rucks like a man possessed.

His younger prodigy Wesley De Wet followed in his experienced footsteps. Locks Kenny Africa and Stuart Lawson did the hard work in the tight loose. Captain and flank Andrew Whittaker led by example with his strong runs and hard hitting tackles,  while fellow flank Sinako “Snakes” Dunywa had the freedom to roam, using his blistering pace to devastating effect around the hallowed Coetzenburg turf, in the process making life very difficult at the breakdown for the home side.

“Big” Mac Geleba was on the “small” list for man-of-the-match, displaying excellent fitness and athleticism to put in bone crunching tackles, bullocking runs and putting his forwards on the front foot as a result.

Young scrumhalf Tyrone “TB” Bloor played with heart and kept the forwards going…well forward. The architect, flyhalf Liaan Scriven showed class with his kicking display and silky smooth handling skills to conduct his orchestra of maestros. Centres Hyron Thyse and Cleopas Makotose were solid in the mid-field. Wings Darryn Mathee put in a great all-round display and Ismael Ebrahim popping up all over the field to cover in defence and on attack. Stefan Swanich closed the gate at the back and was elusive on attack.

Next up Belhar. A tough one.