By Chesley Daniels
The Swallows 1st XV forwards pack showed no mercy against their counterparts as they managed a dominant 25-15 bonus point win at the Albany Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon. This encounter was part of their EPRU SEDRU Regional League Competition.
Swallows turned the table in the all-important top-of-log clash in front of a large crowd, that saw some
exciting and entertaining rugby from both sides throughout the day. These two top teams are not
numbers one and two for nothing, as they went into this battle as the only unbeaten teams. Hundreds of spectators came in their numbers to witness this long-awaited encounter to see who would remain
unbeaten and who would go to the top. Both Clubs are level, with 18 points in 1st position on the log,
with Swallows having a game in hand.
As expected, the game was played at a very high tempo and at a fast pace from the outset with
immense physicality and brutality from the start of the match. Rhodes went into the fixture as the
firm favourites as number one on the log, and also having beaten Swallows twice last season in 2022,
both home and away. A different Swallows outfit rocked up on Saturday and came with only one
thing on their minds – to prove everyone wrong. They marched off the field with an all-important
bonus point win, which they achieved with profound distinction in the end.
Swallows’ forwards were absolutely devastating and ruthless in all facets of play. Rhodes’
backline looked very sharp and dangerous with the ball in hand, with Ethan Goliath and Jano Roux
leading matters at the back for the students. Swallows’ big powerful ball carriers, Jason Potgieter,
Wonga Wakashe, Ethan September, Jerome Blaauw, and Elandre Lofty Eaton made the difference up
front and put the home side on the front foot by gaining metres every time they had the ball in hand on
the attack. And at the back, the experienced Alexius Steyn Walters and Bradley Christian showed their
class with calmness, controlled the game nicely, and were overall good in both attack and
defence.
FIRST HALF
The students were first to put points on the board via a penalty by young scrumhalf Ethan Goliath in
the 6th minute. Continuous pressure from the home side’s forwards led to a perfect lineout
maul try by prop Wonga Wakashe shortly afterward. A combination between forwards and backs
led to a brilliant break by Man of the Match Bradley Christian in the opposition half, which saw the
experienced centre break through the line of defence and neatly offload to winger Ruwayden Sias
to score in the right-hand corner.
The Students never gave up and came back strongly especially playing the ball out wide to their skillful backs that put the home side under pressure to capitalising on their own mistakes. Swallows started losing focus and let the opposition back in the game. A neat kick through saw Rhodes centre Lethu Ntshangashe collect and dived over under the poles, with Ethan Goliath then converting in the 22nd minute. Swallows led 15-10.
SECOND HALF
The dominance of the Swallows’ forwards pack continued in the second half as they were
continuously rewarded for their dominant scrum that led to numerous scrum penalties. Rhodes’
defensive efforts improved and Swallows finds it difficult to get through on attack. They were
eventually rewarded in the 11th minute with a brilliant bonus point try by Bradley Christian, who burst
through and broke the defences with ease to score under the poles, after an attacking scrum inside
the 22m area of Rhodes. Fullback Jason Henson converted his first try as Swallows extended its lead
22-10. Rhodes’ scrums also started improving and competed well up front and gave their backs
quality ball at that stage. An 18th minute try by flanker Xhanti Stofile brought the students in catching
distance 22-15.
The home side kept the pressure on attack and came very hard in the last five minutes of the second half in search to score points. They were eventually rewarded again with yet another scrum penalty in the 35th minute. Henson stepped forward from 40m out with the biggest and most important kick of the day. The youngster made no mistake as he perfectly struck the ball that sailed high through the upright poles. Rhodes failed to score and Swallows ended the Derby with a convincing and dominant 25-15 win.
MAN OF THE MATCH
The Grocott’s Mail Sport and Daniels MEDIA Man of the Match went to Swallows’ experienced
stalwart Bradley Christian. Christian played his best game for Swallows since arriving at the Club and
was just brilliant with an impressive all-round performance. He scored a brilliant try, created a first-half try with a 30m line break, his defence was rock solid and his ball distribution was spot on.
Rhodes 1st Reserve beat Swallows 22-17 in the main curtain-raiser of the day. Sherigan Lackay scored
two tries for Swallows while Sikho Pahlane, Simelele Mbanzi, and Simamkele Ngantweni scored tries
for Rhodes.
