The four top teams of the Steinhoff UCT internal league came out to do battle for a place in the final. All teams did exceptionally well but in the end there could only be two.
The Steinhoff Nadoes kicked proceeding off against a confident Magic Lions teams. Both teams starting off well with Magic Lions having the advantage with a stronger pack. Magic Lions came out strong attacking the Nadoes from every angle but found the Nadoes defence unbreakable. Magic Lions were awarded an early penalty which they missed. The penalty soon ignited a spark within the Nadoes setup as they scored twice within 10 min and going into a half time break with a 14 – 0 lead.
Magic Lions started the second half the same way they started the first attacking the Nadoes at every opportunity, the Magic Lions however played right into the Nadoes hands as they soon started tiring out. The Nadoes now sensing this, soon set up a few attacking moves that paid dividend and had their hooker cross the line to score in the corner. From here on in the Nadoes controlled the game using their pace down the flanks and down the centre scoring and impressive eight unanswered try victory. Scorers for the Steinhoff Nadoes where Graeme Stegeman, Curtis Middleton, Josh Gloak, Stu hablutzel, Theo Von Aspern, Shafieq Nordien, Brad van der Westhuizen and the paceman/hooker Phil Quma.
Magic Lions the new comers of this league can hold their heads up high as they made it this far in their 1st year and can only get stronger.
The second semi-final was a tight affair as Steinhoff Ubumbo played Cobras for the vacant finalist spot. Cobras started off well and looked the more experienced team as they held possession for most of the first half. The cobras was soon award for their positional play when Brendan Raubenheimer split the Ubumbo defence to score under the post and captain Warren Butler converting allowing for a 7 – 0 lead. Ubumbo started playing a more physical game and producing the gaps just to be smothered by the disciplined Cobras defensive structure with Callan Artus and even the flamboyant Ollie Braithwaite putting their body on the line. Ollie soon showed why he was once a 1st team player as he broke on the out side of the Ubumbo defence to score the Cobras second try of the match.
In the second half Ubumbo brought on their experienced campaigners Sitembele and Kanya Madaka to steady the ship and see if they could help Ubumbo break down the Cobras defence. The cobras defended for most of the second half if not the whole of the second half as Ubumbo started getting some moves put together at the end but just couldn’t break that defence. At the end the Cobras won it 15 – 3.
The finals is sure going to be an interesting show down with two teams possessing two different game styles.
Other results saw Ikhaya beating Spanners and Wild Boys beating Smuts for the 5th to 8th place play offs in section A.
