Wynberg U13A punish Sweet Valley

Due to the long-weekend approaching the decison was to play this traditional fixture between these two schools over two mid-week afternoons.

So the U9, U10 and U11 teams played on Wednesday afternoon while the U12 and U13 sides played yesterday at Sweet Valley.

The main game yesterday started without rain falling but with the ground sopping wet and muddy. To make matters worse a strong and bitterly cold wind was blowing across the field. The conditions did not make for running rugby but both sides put paid to that idea with hard running. Wynberg's superior support play and timing of the pass was richly rewarded. 

In the first half Wynberg had the benefit of the wind behind, but were unable to make as good use of it as they would have liked. They spent a large part of the opening half in their opponent's area of the field and the pressure eventually told with a try near the posts by outside center Ayanda Mkhonto. His center partner Mika Ekström converted to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.

Sweet Valley replied with a try of their own very soon after the kickoff. They applied pressure in the Wynberg 22m area and after a 5m scrum was conceeded by Wynberg the home side managed to score and convert. Seven-all the non-functioninig scoreboard should have read with halftime looming.

Apart from that riposte by the hosts Wynberg had the territorial advantage and probably shaded the possession stats too. The last act of the half saw Mika succeed with a long range penalty to leave the halftime score at 10-7 in favour of Wynberg.

With the wind now against Wynberg in the second half there was some nervous chatter exchanged by the Wynberg supporters. Could the boys hold it together in the second half?

Well hold-it-together turned out to be the underestimation of the season as the Wynberg side clicked into their all-too-familiar superb second-half display. Soon after the re-start Ayanda scored the second of his three-try blitz in the match with a wonderful break down the right flank to run it in from just inside the hosts' half. Conversion by Mika was missed. Score 15-7.

The inter-play between forwards and backs by Wynberg was pleasing and once again captain Labib Kannemeyer playing at scrumhalf had a superbly creative game from the base. His uncanny ability to spot the gaps and unerring accuracy in find it with his boot kept the hosts on the back foot and provided much go-forward momentum for his team.

Wynberg's third try was justifiably scored by hard-working prop forward Mustapha Bey and Mika duly converted to leave Wynberg with an unassailable 22-7 lead with no more than 10 minutes left on the clock.

Testament to the side's much-improved hunger to win was the fact they kept their foot on the accelerator in making the big hits and running hard at their opponents. Ayanda scored his hat-trick of tries by pouncing on a loose ball just inside the hosts' half and he created some magical side-stepping of his own to leave him with a clear run to the posts. Mika converted to leave the final score at 29-7.

The visitors were good value for their big winning margin and now eagerly look forward to the return fixture at home against Rondebosch on Saturday 13 August.

Scorers:

Tries: Ayanda Mkhonto (3), Mustapha Bey

Conversions: Mika Ekström (3)

Penalties: Mika Ekström

Click here for pictures from the U13A game.

Video Highlights of the game.

Full results below: (Wynberg scores listed first)

U13:

U13A: 29-7
U13B: 29-19

U12:

U12A: 12-31
U12B: 24-12

U11:

U11A: 15-3
U11B: 57-0

U10:

U10A: 0-0
U10B: 0-5

U9:

U9A: 15-0
U9B: 40-0