South African Rugby League Final: Results

6/2/2012

University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks) Rugby League club again made history this past-weekend to gain ownership on both the First and Second Division trophies - the prestigous Rhino & Protea Cups, fittingly closing the 2011-12 Rugby League season with some testing Rugby League.

Tuks Groenkloof Campus, known to everybody as the campus for teachers, looked as a well-manicured putting green for some golf-estate. The weather was very hot and humid. Fortunately no rain interfered the outcome of the day.

In the Rhino Cup Final (Divison 1), the main attraction of the day, was as predicted all action. Both teams provided entertaining rugby league.

UP-Tuks RL opened the scoring with "Captain Courageous", Deon Kraemer, scoring in the 3rd minute with a long pass-receipt on the left-hand-side from stand-off Pieter Van d Nest catching the Bears depleted defence. Score: UP-Tuks RL 4-0.

In the 17th minute, the Bears hit back to score a converted try. Score: UP-Tuks RL 10-6.

In the 22nd minute, the Bears & Rhino captain, André Loader, slid smoothly through the UP-Tuks defence to score the equaliser. Score: 10-all.

In the 27th minute, UP-Tuks scrum-half, Hans du Plessis, proved why he is one of the future stars for the Rhinos by scooting the PtB, outwitting three defenders with a sequence of side-steps to score a converted try. Score: UP-Tuks RL 16-10.

In the 32nd minute, UP-Tuks prop forward, Manie Loots, used his physical strength over 20m to beat the defence, off-loading to Siviwe "Banana" Mpondo, who rolled in the tackle perfectly to score the next converted try. Score: UP-Tuks RL 22-10.

The Bears had the last say of the first-half by scoring on the half-time whistle. Half-time score: UP-Tuks RL 22-14.

The Bears opened the second-half positively, catching the UP-Tuks off-guard to score & convert in the 42nd minute. Score: UP-Tuks RL 22-20.

This half belonged to one of the UP-Tuks 'senior' players, Jonathan Soares, who appeared at the right time to score three of the best converted tries of the season. His angles in receipt made all tries look so easy to round-off entertaining passages for the home-squad.

The first came in the 61th minute - UP-Tuks RL 28-20; the second in the 71st minute - UP-Tuks RL 34-20 and the third in the 73rd minute to clinch the title - UP-Tuks RL 40 - 20.

The Bears scored a consolation try in the final minutes of the game which was converted to make the final score: UP-Tuks RL 40 Bears 26.

Play had to be delayed in the second-half for medical assistance to UP-Tuks' rookie, Marchelle Olivier, who was knocked out cold (shoulder charges) and had to be evacuated to hospital for concussion. Fortunately he tested ok and was released after thorough check-up by the doctor-on duty.

Jonathon Soares (UP-Tuks 1) and André Loader (Bears) were awarded their team's respective Man-of-the-Match awards.

Earlier, the following Championship matches were decided:

Protea Cup (Division 2) - Middelburg Tigers (2) (Mphumalanga Panthers) 44 defeated Fish Eagles (Eastern Eagles) 30; Man of the Match - Donavan Featherstone (Middleburg Tigers), Hennie le Roux (Fish Eagles).

Rhino Plate Final (Division 2) - Vaal Mambas (Vaal Buffaloes) 44 defeated Ermelo Thomahawks (Mphumalanga Panthers) 22; Man of the Match - Andries Kwezi (Vaal Mambas), Boeta Cronje (Ermelo Thomahawks).

Protea Plate Final (Division 2): Witbank Hurricanes (Mphumalanga Panthers) 22 defeated Silverbacks (N Bulls) 20; Man-o-Match - J Scheepers (Witbank Hurricanes), A Van Tonder (Silverbacks).

The final two games of the day provided the prospect of a UP-Tuks double celebration, with the University team fielding teams in both.

The Protea Cup Final (Divison 2) was written like a boxing match screen-play. UP-Tuks RL (2) (Northern Bulls) were nearly out for the count when trailing 10-30 at half-time. With the Kungwini Scorpions (Northern Bulls) in relax-mode the young-guns of UP-Tuks RL (2) started their comeback like a long-distant runner, winning the game 34-30 with their superior fitness.

Try-Scorers: UP-Tuks RL (2) - Carl Labuschagne 3, Christo Greyling, Rhyno Adendorff & Manny Manabe; Kungwini Scorpions - Stefan Erasmus, Stian Johnson, Jamie Du Plessis, Collins Masilo, Leon Oosthuizen.

Man-o-Match: UP-Tuks RL-2 - Shaun Bouwer; Kungwini Scorpions: Stian Johnson.