For the first Bish/Bosch clash of the season, the home side Bishops had a day to forget against their neighbours, losing all but 2 of the 16 games on the day. The wind would play a factor, right from the first games in the morning, but defeat in the First XV game, the 4th in a row for Bishops, would have really hurt, especially having led 15 – 0 at the break.
The matches in the junior section were one way traffic for Rondebosch, the only defeat they suffered in 10 games was the U/14C match.
The U/16A match was particularly feisty, and Rondebosch were the better side, winning 17 – 12. The U/16A fixture always gives one a glimpse into what the First XV may look look in the following seasons and Rondebosch seem to have a future to look forward to. Rondebosch had scrum dominance throughout and dominated the forward exchanges through powerful carries, escpecially by their No. 8. Rondebosch scored two tries in the first half to take a 14 – 0 into the break and but for some poor handling close to the line it would have been more.
Bishops were much better in the second half and had the better of territory and possession, despite playing into the wind. After tempers frayed under the Rondebosch poles following a cynical penalty, a yellow card was dished out to both sides for some fisticuffs and a mild headbutt. Bishops finally took advantage of their territorial dominance through a fine individual try by their flyhalf to half the deficit to 14 – 7. With their tails up, Bishops pass up the opportunity to set up a dangerous lineout and instead take a tap penalty and then another pice of skill from their inside centre brought the score to 14 – 12, with the attempted conversion falling agonisingly short. With both sides throwing everything at the opposition, Rondebosch used their impressive No. 8 to carry from a lineout and were awarded a penalty in front of the poles to seal the win 17 – 12.
The matches in the U/19 division were a lot closer, but Bishops only tasted victory in the 3rd XV game, by 22 – 19.
The First XV game was highly anticipated after Bosch’s surprise defeat of Paul Roos the week before, while Bishops were on a run of 3 consecutive defeats, their excellent start to the season now disintegrating somewhat. There was ‘standing room’ only from the Second XV game onwards and the atmosphere was electric as both sides ran out for the main game. The Old Boys gathered on the far side behind the poles and the schoolboys were spitting venom from the bleachers! It was clear that the wind would play a major role in the outcome of the game, with Bishops playing with the wind behind their backs in the first half.
Bishops made a dream start, after a couple of Rondebosch errors. In the 4th minute, Rondebosch flyhalf Jacques Jooste did not kick the penalty out and after good multi-phase by Bishops, despite being tackled backwards, the class in the home backline was on show as good offloading having gone to the edge opened up space for right wing Jack Ryan to score a brilliant opening try, which was converted for a 7 – 0 Bishops lead.
From the kickoff, Bishops ran the ball back and after good ball retention found space in the wide channels again and when the ball reached Jack Ryan he had a simple run in down the right wing to make it 12 – 0 after just 7 minutes.
Rondebosch’s errors would continue to cost them after Jooste spurned the chance to get Rondebosch a handy lineout when he kicked the ball into the in-goal area instead of finding a simple touch. Bishops used the significant wind at their backs to hammer the 22m dropout all the way to the Rondebosch tryline and Jooste could then only exit to the Rondebosch 22m line. From the lineout, Bishops used captain Nic Steinhagen as a strike runner in the backline and the home side were awarded a penalty for Rondebosch not rolling and Bishops took the easy three points for a deserved 15 – 0 lead after 20 minutes.
This proved to be the catalyst for Rondebosch to get back into the game as they would spend the rest of the first half in Bishops territory, seriously testing the home side’s defence.
In Rondebosch’s first entry into the Bishops 22m, thanks to good metres being made by the forwards, No. 8 Ryan du Rand knocked the ball on in stretching for the line. Rondebosch hammered the resultant Bishops scrum and under severe pressure, Bishops fumbled in their in-goal area to lead to a Rondebosch scrum, with a decent blindside available to attack. In a classic 8/9 move, the Rondebosch scrumhalf Warrick Jones knocked the ball on in diving for the line due to a great double tackle.
With Bishops being unable to exit their own 22m, Rondebosch had a lineout 10m from the Bishops line and as they set up for a driving maul, Bishops outfoxed them by not engaging initially and then when they did, Rondebosch conceded a penalty for obstruction. When Bishops had their lineout stolen inside their half, Rondebosch probed both sides of the ruck before fullback Taylor made a great step on the inside before offloading on the floor to right wing Molyneux who knocked on with the tryline at his mercy to end the first half, much to the dismay of the baying ‘Bosch Old Boys on that tryline.
Half Time
Bishops 15 – 0 Rondebosch
After Bishops made the perfect start and being in complete control, Rondebosch came back strongly and finished the half in the ascendancy, ruing a few mistakes with the tryline at their mercy. With the wind behind their backs for the second half, Rondebosch would have believed a comeback was possible. Rondebosch were utterly dominant in the scrums and in the forward exchanges.
Rondebosch’s flyhalf Jooste, who made a couple of errors in the first half, started the second poorly by launching the kick off over the dead ball line to give Bishops a scrum on the halfway line. From this error, Bishops made one of their own and ‘Bosch left wing Amissi collected the fumble and raced away towards the tryline, many Bishops players having given up the chase, all except for Gilermo Mentoe, who pulled off an unreal try-saving tackle as Amissi knocked on when it looked easier to score.
From this 5m scrum, Rondebosch continued their dominance at scrum time by winning a tighthead and then got a scrum of their own as Bishops knocked on. Rondebosch then used inside centre Ricketts on a crash ball close to the line and when captain Gareth Blackmore came around the corner and offloaded to Jooste, the flyhalf atoned for his earlier errors by going over for a well worked try to reduce the deficit to 15 – 5.
From a Rondebosch lineout drive on the halfway line, they made 15m before getting the forwards to do some strong carrying which got them close to the tryline. After a number of pick and go’s by the tight forwards, the ball was released to impressive hooker Jono Birhange who barged over from 5m out to make the score 15 – 10. After a brilliant conversion by Jooste, ‘Bosch were suddenly back in the game, now trailing only 15 – 12 and clearly with all the momentum.
Bishops were now starting to make errors and struggling to get out of their half owing to the strong wind they were playing into. After a knock on in contact by Bishops, Rondebosch recycled the ball, first out wide and then through the forwards and got as close as 10m from the Bishops line before winning a penalty handy to the posts and the scores were suddenly level at 15 – 15 with fifteen minutes to play.
With less than ten minutes to go, Bishops had an attacking lineout, 10m from the tryline, but in setting up a driving line they knocked the ball on in transferring to the back, a crucial error in their first visit to the ‘Bosch 22m area in the half. This was to be their only real chance to score in the second period.
Rondebosch used the wind at their backs effectively and their kick-chase was also leading to uncharacteristic handling errors by Bishops. In the 64th minute, after a period of sustained pressure on the Bishops line through hard running by Ricketts and Blackmore, the Bishops hooker Max Cary had a rush of blood to the head and came in from the side to crash tackle Rondebosch’s scrumhalf, which led to a clear yellow card. With the pressure ramping up on the home side, Rondebosch kept the ball close to the forwards and when just 2m short of the tryline, Mentoe was then given his marching orders for not rolling away when ‘Bosch had the tryline at their mercy. Bishops were now down to 13 men for the last 4 minutes.
Rondebosch opted to make use of their dominant scrum and from a solid platform, Ricketts came barrelling towards the tryline on a cut back line from Jooste and Bishops were powerless to stop him, with 3 defenders trying to get under the ball to no avail. Rondebosch had completed the turnaround and there was jubilation in their stands and on the field as they led for the first time in the match 20 – 15, with seconds left to play.
In the last movement of the game, Bishops had a scrum on the halfway line and after a good break by Jack Ryan down the left wing, the ball came back to the openside where support was slow to arrive and Blackmore was immovable at the ruck, winning a jackal penalty and the game for his side. Jooste gleefully kicked the ball into the Bishops stands to seal an epic come-from-behind win in a classic game of two halves in front of a stunned Bishops crowd.
Full Time
Bishops 15 – 20 Rondebosch
Bishops were in control for the first 20 minutes but after that there was only really one side in it. Rondebosch dominated up front, especially through a dominant scrum and after spurning a number of chances towards the end of the first half, started to take their chances in the second, using the wind expertly. Birhange and Blackmore were immense in the pack, as was Ricketts, the scorer of the match winning try from inside centre. Bishops have now lost 4 in a row and will have some soul-searching to do before next term when they face Paarl Gim on 23 July, whilst Rondebosch face the plucky Boland Landbou on the same day.