UCT share spoils with False Bay

Bay Captain Justin van Winkel and UCT captain Bodo Sieber with Ikeys legend Gus Enderstein
The annual Mark Jordaan memorial trophy ended in a 15 all draw today at Philip Herbstein Stadium at “the Bay”. UCT A were in for a tight match with both team’s defenses closing down attacking space, putting in big hits and False Bay playing to the limits to slow down ball at ruck time.

The Bay went up 3:0 and UCT, with a bit of a breeze in their backs, soon equalised. The rest of the half was a tight battle,  UCT having the better of the lineouts and playing a solid scumming game needed too many men to secure the ball at rucktime, where False Bay was dominant. UCT’s star center Dave Edgar was replaced with a concussion after 15 minutes, which meant the young student’s backline had lost an experienced attacking weapon.

The score wouldn’t change till half time, when the wind died right down, which levelled any territorial advantage False Bay might have had from winning the toss. The Bay who were kicking the ball more now, struck first in the second half, after they had a failed attempt at goal and tried two aimless drop-goals, they managed to score in the corner after a UCT mistake  in their own 22 and made it 8:3.

UCT came back after some great attacking play that was finished off by Ollie Braithwaite and flank Mzoi Simani – Braithwaite crossed  the line to equalise. Next there was a bit of a scuffle, after a dangerous tackle by UCT’s Rob Hopward, that saw him in the bin for ten, alongside the False Bay hooker who had retaliated – the host’s full-back who had joined the shoving with a 30 meter run up and was fuelling  a full on fight at the touch lines, saw red which it must be said did go well with his hair.

For a long time of hard rugby nothing happend and proceedings looked like they might end in a draw. Then, with only four minutes to go False Bay used a gap on the blind side not even ten meters outside the UCT try line to score in the corner and added the tricky conversion to make it 15:8.

The Bay thought they had it all wrapped up, but as so often UCT pulled it out the bag. After a great break by Sam Peter off a quick tap penalty, he fed Justin Bijl who scored in the corner. Lorenzo Southy, who has joined UCT after playing for London Irish Academy last season, showed great composure to slot the conversion from the corner flag and make it 15:15 with the final whistle.

The old rival clubs now “share” the Mark Jordaan Memorial Trophy, that UCT has now defended for the 13th year running.

For UCT flyhalf Ollie Braithwaite played well, as did Mzoi Simani. Lock Bodo Sieber showed his experience by stealing several False Bay lineouts and also had some good runs. Herbert Mayosi and Fish Hove were solid as ever at scrum time, with Fish also adding some good forward momentum in open play.

The game was also the debut of former Maties hooker Chris Darby who had a solid outing.

UCT A:
1. Vakai ‘Fish” Hove, 2. Chris Darby, 3. Herbert Mayosi, 4. Pallo Manuel, 5. Bodo Sieber (c), 6. Michael Morris, 7. Mzoi Simani, 8. Sam Peter, 9. JP Robert 10. Oliver Braithwaite, 11. Justin Bijl, 12. Dave Edgar, 13. Andre Coetzer, 14. Anda Titi, 15. David Clayton

Reserves: 16. Wesley Chetty, 17 Kemp, 18. Graham Knoop, 19. Philip Taberer, 20. Ian Armstrong, 21. Robert Hopwood, 22. Lorenzo Southy
Injured / sick: Brad Gornall, Craig Kleu