By Staff Reporter
St Andrew’s College hosted Dale College in an exciting rugby encounter at Lower Field in Makhanda recently.
Both teams displayed attractive rugby throughout the match, making for a thrilling contest.
The 1st team match began with St Andrew’s showing early aggression and attacking from deep within their own territory. Despite their strong start, College initially struggled to convert their opportunities into points. Dale College seized the opportunity to open the scoring with a penalty kick, taking an early lead.
However, College rallied in the latter part of the first half, asserting control and scoring two tries. The first try came from Will Stern, who crossed the line to put St Andrew’s on the scoreboard. This was followed by an outstanding individual effort from Murray Wilson, who scored another try for College. Stern successfully converted both tries, bringing the halftime score to 14-6 in favour of St Andrew’s.
College carried their momentum into the second half, playing disciplined and effective rugby. They extended their lead with two more tries, scored by Guy Fraser and Aza Nonxuba respectively, showcasing their attacking prowess.
However, Dale College responded vigorously, increasing their tempo and capitalizing on the mistakes of St Andrew’s. Dale managed to score three tries of their own in the second half, making the game highly competitive.
In the closing moments of the match, with the score at 26-25 in favour of College, Dale had an opportunity to snatch victory with a conversion attempt after scoring their final try. Fortunately for College, Dale missed the conversion. In the dying seconds, St Andrew’s secured a crucial turnover and kicked the ball out to end the game with a narrow 26-25 victory.
The match concluded with St Andrew’s College emerging victorious in a closely contested encounter against Dale College. Both teams contributed to an entertaining spectacle of schoolboy rugby, showcasing skill, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the game.
