Villager continued to experience a purple patch after beating Paarl during the latest round of Western Province Club Rugby Super League A action over the weekend.
Taking the victory with 45-12, the visitors’ pack was just too strong for the team from Paarl.
Flanker Roelof Smit, an uncapped Springbok and a former Lions player, was a tower of strength in the loose.
His marauding runs caused consternation in the ranks of the Paarl defence. He capped his performance with a try after a powerful drive.
If Smit was prominent in the loose, then lock Lukman Yaya was Villager’s go-to man in the tight phases of play. His driving play was effective and he was on hand to score two tries– one in each half.
Unfortunately, he spoiled his performance when he was given a yellow card late in the game.
Among the backline players, Villager fullback Josh Vermeulen was adept in his counter-attacking efforts and accurate with his goal kicking, keeping the scoreboard ticking over for Villager.
In other Super League action featuring teams from the southern suburbs, False Bay were at home to a hapless SK Walmers side, comprehensively beating the Bo-Kaap side 66-7, with a margin of victory of 10 tries to one – indicative of the Bay’s superiority.
A feature of their game was the interplay between the forwards and backs.
As a result, the Bay hooker George Fritz emerged as the highest try scorer. As the Bay forwards secured a mountain of possession, Fritz scored a hat trick.
Flyhalf Evan Adams was in his element, orchestrating most of the team’s attacks.
For SK Walmers, the result means they are still without a single win this season and will have to show remarkable improvement going forward if they are to avoid relegation to Super League B.
Meanwhile, the Super League A derby encounter between the home side Kuils River and Tygerberg was a typical feisty clash with no quarter asked or given.
It was a game of the proverbial two halves with Tygers leading 17-3 at the interval. Kuile outscored them by two tries to one in the second half, but in the end, it was the accurate goal kicking of veteran Tygers centre Adrian Roberts that proved decisive.
He converted all the tries scored and also kicked three penalties for a personal tally of 15 points, enabling Tygerberg to secure a 30-15 victory.
While the exchanges up front were fiercely contested, the Tygers’ backs played with much more cohesion.
Tygers got off to a flying start when, from the kickoff, their speedy wing Ryan van Ster capitalised on a Kuile knock-on to open the scoring.
Stung by this reversal, the Kuile had to play catch up. Van Ster, arguably the most incisive of the Tygers’ backs, completed his brace shortly before halftime. Sandwiched between Van Ster’s brace, was a penalty by Roberts with another by Cameron Olivier of Kuile.
In the second half, it was the turn of long-serving fullback John-Lee Klazen to reciprocate, scoring a brace of tries to keep Kuile in the hunt.
The Tygers’ forwards were prominent at the breakdown and were engaged in a titanic struggle with the opposition.
However, superior game management on the part of the experienced Tygers stalwarts kept the Kuile at bay.
It was a try in the closing stages of the game by Tristan September that put the issue beyond doubt for Tygers.
In the Super League B division, Collegians travelled to Helderberg to clash with the log leaders.
Unfortunately, the team from Lentegeur failed to provide a performance of note and seemed overawed by the occasion.
For once their enterprising pattern of play failed to yield a try as they succumbed 30-3 to the team based in Somerset-West.
Primrose, at home, gained much-needed log points at the expense of Busy Bees, winning 17-11.
St George’s of the Strand caused an upset by beating Bellville 20-14 away from home.
In the Super League C division, Rangers lost their unbeaten record when they lost to the home side Kylemore 26-14.
Results:
Super League A:
False Bay 66, SK Walmers 7
Hamlets 17, Durbanville-Bellville 71
Kuils River 15, Tygerberg 30
NTK 15, Hamilton 55
Paarl 12, Villager 45
Super League B:
All Saints 25, Vineyards 22
Bellville 14, St. Georges 20
Franschoek 34, Young Peoples 20
Helderberg 30, Collegians 3
Langa 26, Goodwood 13
Primrose 17, Busy Bees 11
Super League C:
Blue Stars United 18, Macassar 43
CPUT 23, Strand 12
Kraaifontein 51, Eerste River 26
Kylemore 26, Rangers 14
Morningstar 34, Elsies River United 7
Pniel-Villagers 22, Albion 22
Raithby-Universals 14, Strand United 17
