By David Skippers, Date: 5/11/12
The Western Province Rugby Football League’s newly-launched inter-club league competition kicked off at the Goodwood sportsfield in Cape Town last weekend.
In a historical match, in front of a vociferous crowd, the Cape Hyenas beat the Cape Town Buccaneers 14-10 on Friday 2 November to kickstart a new era for the sport in Cape Town.
WPRFL deputy president Denzil Watson, who is also the president of CT Buccaneers, highlighted the significance of the match.
“It is indeed a historical moment for our region as it is the first time that an organised league match is played in Cape Town,” he said.
“Most of the players are new to the game as all of them come from a rugby union background but I’m pleased with the standard of play and I could see that they liked the physicality which comes with rugby league.
“Although they are still coming to grips with league’s rules it’s about the enjoyment factor and the players had plenty of that in that opening match.
“Our aim is to get a fully-fledged competition underway and I believe this was just the first step towards much bigger things.”
The WPRFL have recently embarked on a drive to get more players involved in rugby league in Cape Town and established five clubs in the southernmost city on the African continent.
The five clubs are: The Hyenas, the Buccaneers, the White Sharks, the Cape Dolphins and Helderberg.
Like the inaugural match, all other fixtures will be played as 11-a-side matches and for an hour with each half lasting 30 minutes. Watson explained that playing in such a manner suited the way the game is played in South Africa’s Mother City.
“In Cape Town we enjoy a fast-paced and expansive game and we believe 11-a-side teams will make the game faster and showcase the players’ skills better,” he added.
The WPRFL’s next round of matches will also be held at Goodwood on Friday 16 November in the form iof a double-header. The Dolphins will take on the Hyenas and the Buccanneers face the Sharks.
