Field Report: Sideline Interviews by Ian Jones.


Media Box: You're good to go Jonesie.

Jonesie: Good evening all and welcome to tonight internal league rugby fiesta. We have a massive line up this evening and have already bared witness to victories from Clarendon, Easterns and Ubumbo but still have tonight's big match up ahead. Here I stand right now adjacent to the B field soaking up the atmosphere with two of the games greatest representatives watching from the sidelines. Ladies and Gentleman at home, please meet Ollie B and Timothy. Evening Guys.


Ollie: Yeah, howzit.
Tim: (cough) Hi.

Jonesie: Well men, it is a special night for both of you. Tim your Clarendon side has already advanced into the winners Semi and Ollie your side is about to run out against a tough looking Marquard outfit.

Ollie: Yeah!
Tim: (cough) Hi.

Jonesie: Of course tonight is extra-special because so I hear it is also your guys anniversary today. Congratulations men.

Ollie: Yeah!
Tim: (cough) Hi.

Jonesie: Its a pity neither of you fine players will take the field tonight though and entertain this massive crowd here but the viewers at home must know it is because you both 'are so hardcore and talented that you're too good for this level of rugby and your side concedes the result if either of you guys play!' Kinda similar to how Graham kept the ABs out the super 14 back home. You guys must feel main to be so good that you're not allowed to play?

Ollie: Yeah!
Tim: (cough) Hi!

Jonesie: Well guys, its been great chatting have you got any predictions for the next game?

Ollie: I love waterbottle.
Tim: Actually, certainly Ian. Playing into this stiff head wind to start the young men from the Cobras have a big task a head in breaching this formiddable Marquard defence but if they keep their structure and can a handle on the set piece they may sustain the necessary forward momentum to get the rhythm they will need to convert opportunities into points. Oliver, take your hand out your mouth. Thanks Ian. All the best.

Wrap: The Quarter Finals…

Anyone who has had the opportunity of experiencing it, will tell you that getting dragged home on a Tuesday night from Tiger to the room of a Carinus girl is a life changing experience. So I hear, it is fast, competitive, sweaty and over before you know it.

I am now under the impression that quarter-finals are pretty similar to Carinus girls, the only difference being the rugby can only happen 8 times in one night...which is far less than the res-food fuelled Carinus lass.

With the League now split into The Cup (top 8) and The Bowl (bottom 8) competitions the ¼s involves sides pushing for a win to be in the winning semi-finals as opposed to in the losing semis next week with other ¼ final losers.

The first four games of the evening (early afternoon thanks to having to accommodate an extra game on each field) were the ¼ finals for The Bowl. The League is more fairly split now according to a strength v strength division. The leveling of the playing fields as such only made the competition fiercer.

First up Clarendon battled impressively to win a tight 7-0 game against Kopano. It was a very physical games but unfortunately many individuals preferred the abrupt ‘high school trials’ approach to the game and never looked to pass before contact. In a free flowing game, the nippy Clarendon 13 ran from deep out of his goal dead ball area before off loading to the hard working number 8 who had a Juan Smith style run up field before ignite another series of offloads all the way into the Kopano 22m, whereby some bonehead knocked it on. Kopano countered the advantage running it all the way back to Clarendon line where another bonehead knocked it on. The passage of player was longer than this paragraph but credit goes to the hard running Clarendon workhorses especially since they spent Tuesday night with Carinus girls.

The other game saw College sustain their very rare and mildly rich vein of form and continued there winning streak by defeating Spanners, 19-7.

In two of the not-so-close contests of the night Easterns sneaked home 26-10 against Smuts. Smuts scored two great tries but could never hold their fleeting dominance for any consistent time period. Easterns were very chilled in their approach and can blame their own finishing for repeatedly letting Smuts back in the door.

Ikhaya were on the receiving end of a 5 try routing courtesy the Shebeen Boys. Ikhaya set a powerful platform through excellent scrumming but never did anything beyond that. Shebeen Boys were far stronger and blatantly weird on the sidelines. It could have been half-price ribs and draught night at the Cattle Baron if you didn’t notice the rugby.

The rugby this week was of a clearly higher standard than normal and it would probably be on account of the more reflective match ups. The other factor was of course that the business end of the competition attracts more prestige. Prestige attracts women. Women attract men. Basically the guy that was happier on the couch during the pool stages whilst his mates battled it out scrumcap and gumguard in the pouring rain and toxic mud has now PVRed Survivor and decided to try use his rugby boots to become famous…again.

Its the same guys every year. No where when there is no glory involved and a little bit of precipitation; but in full flight during the play-offs sporting his new (and for some reason always white) rugger boots, gelled hair and shoulder pads. He inevitably passes a ball behind his back and craps on his mate that doesn’t catch it but is more astute and reloading his depth when there is a ruck to hit. Who are you phantom player? Come do the hard work next year.

In The Cup competition Ubumbo stamped on the dreams of the little train that could and schooled the Turtles in a blazing display of powerful rugby. The only thing worse than the Turtles performance was their Officer-in-charge of Editing and Spelling for their PR department’s upper campus poster nightmare. It was amusing watching the octogenarian referee call the game as it literally looked like he was there to oversee a child playing with its ninja turtle figurines. But credit must go where (wear?) its due. The B League minnows never even made a semi-final down there but here they are fighting with the big dogs.

The headline game of the evening was a repeat of last years final and lived up to the grudge behind it. In the end the Nadoes walked away comfortable 13-6 winners over the Barbarians despite been deservedly down to 14 men for more than half the game, after senior player Graham Barrit suffered a nasty brain freeze and earned himself a very red card. The game didn’t erupt thankfully but the tension of the game did destroy the rugby part of the game and the contest ended up tight and hard, but rather bland. The Barbarians took terrible decisions sending the ball wide when it should have stayed tight, or keeping it tight when it should have gone wide and early. Nadoes on the other hand were very astute in their decision making but faltered when it came to finishing and building momentum. Barbarians flyhalf Mauro Ciochetti, had a main performance and held his side together with a great deal of balls, maturity and two wonderful place kicks off old school sand.

The rise of the Purple Cobras continued in full force as they breezed past a very bold Marquard side 28-7. The hard hitting lower campus boys managed to stem the flow that the Cobras usually generate but didn’t play with the same accuracy on attack.

The last game of the evening managed to fly under the radar of my less perceptive co-writer who failed to tip it as a major game of the night as it was in fact the replay of last years B League final. Over the past three years the Wildboys and Panthers have developed a competitive comity build on respect and rugby. They are the epitome of rivals. In 2005 the Panthers beat the Wildboys twice to take the league honours, but then Wildboys bounced back in 2006 when they beat the Panthers in the Finals to displace them on the podium. This was their first encounter in 2007 and it was frantic.

In the first half the Wildboys scored two brilliant tries through fullback, and the League’s leading try scorer, Warren ‘Oupa Ohata’ Kelly with the Panthers only scoring through a seemingly innocuous (well at that stage anyways) 50metre drop goal Francois Steyn style from fullback Hilton Brown.

The second half saw a resurgent Panthers (I am going to say it) 'claw' their way back into it. Once again through clever use of rolling subs their impact men, Sbu Thusi and Scotty Dyson, were sub-fuckin-blime. They scored an incredible try to get back into it, 12-10, and then after relentless pressure the Wildboys ran out of ‘get out of jail’ cards and Scotty D broke the line to score under the polls. 17-12 Panthers.

It was an epic game. The great thing about watching two evenly matched sides fight it out is that it can go any way. Unfortunately, it sometimes goes to an uncontrollable, like a ref missing something, or a straight judicious error from the ref, but sometimes it goes to something special like a solo try or a heart stopping drop-goal.

Bring on the World Cup…and more Carinus girls…

Tries of the Week: All game changers.

3^rd place: The one that broke the horses back! Straight after the red card, the Nadoes struck back with a typical SA backline try. Straight up line speed pressure to force the loose pass that Lomu Winger Greg Gray (back from the Belly-dancing world champs) picked up to gallop home for the try that would win the game.

2^nd place: Kopano-Clarendon was tighter than sitting next to a fat chick on a Jammie and a half break from Clarendon 13 JP was enough to give the ball to lightning fast fullback Thando that sped the ball over for the game winner.

1^st place: Panthers were down 12-3 and unable to break the C-max Wildboys defence but quick ruck ball enable a runner to come off the stand offs shoulder, come around the corner and put winger Murray Beattie away on the outside. The work wasn’t done and Murray Mentz took it up quickly, held is line, looked at his inside support and advancing 1-on-1 defender and boldly chipped him, recovered and scored the try that turned the game.

Hit of the Week:

There were some big Chabalesque knock overs but the biggest hit came from the Barbarians scrumhalf, Mike Terrablanche who put in a monster front on hit on a bulky Nadoe runner.

Team of the Week:

Clarendon 8/10. College 7/10. Easterns 6/10. Shebeen Boys 7.5/10. Ubumbo 8/10. Cobras 7/10. Panthers 9/10. Wildboys 8.9/10. But the Nadoes get it. Not for the manner of their win but from the context. Beaten in the last outing against Ubumbo, the detractors were singing ‘the end to the Nadoes day’ but they faced adversity, pulled together and playing with 14 men stepped up and beat last years runners up for a momentous win. They stumbled, but maybe that just woke the sleeping giant. Watch this space.

See you on the Green Mile, but until then, see you in the Carinus hallways… Hifive.

Rage rage against the dying of the knock out.

Can you feel how palpable the pressure is? Win - top 4, lose - bottom 4! It's plain and simple and that is the reality of tonight for the 4 games in either Cup and Bowl competitions.


Sure success is measured on how you finish and not how you start but lets be honest, you can't win a trophy if you aren't in the final and a silver medal is the same as last! However, despite our craving for success we are a league for all and everyone is set to win something.

First place: The Internal League Trophy 2007
3rd place: 3rd Place
5th place: The Plate
7th place: The Mug
9th place: The Internal League Bowl 2007
11th place: The Can
13th place: The Funnel
15th place: The Famous Gold Plated Wooden Spoon

Ucha cha: Another one for the Nadoe cabinet courteous Greg Gray.

Come the 19th September 2007 all this will be up for grabs as each side will battle it out for one of these coveted trophies. As time stands immemorial the Nadoes have held a firm grip on the Internal League Trophy but every year sides surface to try wrestle it from the vice like clutches. This year is no different and the men will be sorted from the boys this evening.

The Wildboys are the current Internal League Bowl holders but they have graduated to higher honours as have the runners up to it last year the Panthers. The title race for the Bowl is a tight one and again the first leg of the race will be run tonight.


The key match ups tonight have to be the Nadoes v Barbarians clash, and the Easterns v Smuts game. Nadoes-Barbarians is a replay of last years finals although both sides are far different from their 2006 outfits. It will be an almighty clash. The Easterns v Smuts clash is off such importance since the winning side will probably find itself with half a hand on the Bowl for 2008.

We're looking forward to fireworks on the Green Mile, and the odd cracker...in a short skirt.

See you on the Mile...

Play Offs: Times and Field


Here we are at the quarter fields, and here we are, is the schedule:


PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGED STARTING TIMES...!!!

Rule Awareness....

Please consider this important excerpt from the 2008 Rules. It's important:

The Finals

As stated all 16 teams will participate in the quarter-finals with the winning and losing teams both advancing to the semi-finals and then onto the final. For this reason certain policies have had to be implemented in regard to the selection of players not permitted to play and to uncontested scrums.

A team that participates in a game in the final that selects a player who under point 2.2 is not permitted to play for an Internal League side will automatically forfeit the opportunity to advance as a victorious team, instead they will advance as the losing side. If both sides field such a player they both will advance as losing sides and the teams in the corresponding match will automatically proceed as winning sides.

If a team doesn’t adhere to the rules under 2.2 in regard to the selection of two front row players on the bench which leads to the requisition of uncontested scrums not through injury that team will forfeit the opportunity to advance as victorious irrespective of the result.

These seemingly harsh rules are in place to ensure that our Internal League is played in the high spirit and regard in which it has traditionally been played whereby the competing teams do so on the level playing field as rugby teams and nothing else.

As with all play-off games the event of a draw will be dealt with in the manner that is in accordance with the IRB and this league. If the scores are tied at full time, in a play off game, extra time will be played.

Extra time will consist of two halves of seven (7) minutes each with a two (2) minute period of half time between them. It will be played according to the Golden TRY rule, whereby the first team to score a TRY during the period of extra time will be declared the winners, and the game will end.

If at the conclusion of the first half of extra time one team has more points than the other, (with no tries having been scored in the first half of extra time) the second half of extra time will be played. The team that is thus leading at the conclusion of both halves of extra time shall be declared the winners.

Should there be no further score after both periods of extra time, OR should the scores be equal, each team will select five (5) members to take penalty kicks at goal. Kicks will be taken on the 22m line, directly in front of the poles. Kicks will be taken by a member from each team of 5 alternatively. Only players having played for some period in the match (either regulation or extra time) will be permitted to take kicks at goal. A toss of the coin will decide which team kicks first and at which end the kicks are taken. At the end of the ten kicks the team with the most successful kicks will be declared the winners. If the teams are level at the end of the ten kicks, the same five kickers from each team will compete in the same order in a sudden death shoot out, whereby the first team successful where their opponents are not will be declared the winners. The kickers will keep kicking until this end is reached.

All of the Final games will have the duration of 25minutes per half.

The Play Off Scenario...

Listen up, this is straight forward but very important.

As outlined, every side still has three games to play. Check out the Play Off spider below. Check the dates. Check where you side is. If you win you advance and play the side that won the game adjacent to you. If you lose you advance to play the losing side.


This continues all the way to the Finals. However, it is at this point pertinent to stress that each side must familiarize themselves with the rules for the play offs and especially be aware that because there are now 4 games on each field per night we play at 17h30, 18h30, 19h30 and 20h30.

Rest week next week. Play Offs start on the 29th August. Lovely.

Wrap Week 8: And that is a wrap ladies and gentlemen!

Last night saw the 2^nd round of pool matches culminate in emphatic fashion as the weather held long enough giving the players a perfect canvas to show off their skills and team play.

Unlike a PWC warm up again against the 4^th tier desert region rugby playing nation with less professional rugby players than at the Makro games last night, being the final week in the pool stages, actually meant something. Every side last night had a reason to win, or in some cases just not to lose.

Pool A was settled last week but every other pool had something to play for. Cobras Wildboys were playing for top spot. Barbarians were securing place 1. Kopano needed to win. Marquard just had to. Turtles needed at least 4 but 5 would be better. Panthers needed one. Easterns had to win with a bonus. Anyway some of that happened, and some didn’t.

Pool B. Barbarians struggled with their run on 15 against a small and determined Kopano side and only led 5-0 at the break. The first period of the 2^nd half wasn’t much different, although the Kopano attack never looked like scoring. The game swung on the scoreboard with the entrance of some super substitutes. For every line break that Kyle Dutton engineered and didn’t cough up the Barbarians scored or looked like they were going to. First Dutton cut an outside gap and slipped the ball to winger Redders who showed clan heels despite the mud to score under the polls. From there the flood gates opened with Sean Shields in particular making some charging runs. Barbarians scored 3 in the final 10 minutes to wrap up the game, 31-0.

Elsewhere in Pool B, an under-strength Marquard side came home clean against Ikhaya scoring 4 tries and earning themselves a place in the final 8.

Pool D was an intricate affair with more possible mathematical permutations than a hot girl’s chance of coming right at Tiger. Turtles needed a 5 point win to ensure top 8 status and did so in expansive style by scoring 8 tries against the Spanners. That result meant Eastern Cape not only had to win but had to do so with a bonus point, or by not allowing the Panthers a bonus whilst beating them by 29 points. With much riding on the game the Panthers came out firing scoring two excellent tries in the first period, both of which were converted. Panthers then clicked and gave the performance of their season. Loose forward Sbu Thusi was uncoachable and the strong running and defence of centre Scott Dyson compliment him brilliantly. Thusi and model-slash-hooker Dayne Jans even combined their astute knowledge of the laws when they took a quick 50m lineout off a long kicked restart and raced 49m down the park to come up just short of what was one of the nearest chances of the night. Panthers were sublime and showed they are a massive underdog side to the Top 8 Cup title.

It was an epic night for Pool C. Cobras and Wildboys had already booked their tickets to France and just had to fight over shotgun, whilst the Shebeen Boys and Smuts were also tussling over the coveted 3^rd spot. Shebeen Boys gave probably their best effort of the season winning 31-0.

The headline clash of the night lived up to expectations. In reality the results was for academic and pride purposes but neither side was going to concede to this reality. They came out blazing with neither side looking to yield an inch.

The Cobras ball security in this first important period was telling. They kept the ball for long periods and gave it plenty of width as they attacked phase after phase after phase. The pressure was relentless and Cobra star centre Cian spotted the no one sweeping behind the line of red jerseys and weighted a perfect chip kick into the vacancy that he collected on the bounce and made a cobra offload to a supporting runner that crossed under the posts. 5-0.

Wildboys fought back hard and scored in reply to lead 7-5. In the remainder of the first half the Cobras showed why they can swagger in purple hoops up and down Jammie plaza and they played top class rugby. They gave the Wildboys nothing but scraps and the lack of possession and territory frustrated them. Cobras scored twice more before the half taking themselves 19-5 leaders into the half.

Cobras then won the game in the crucial ten minutes after the break when they scored first up. The playmaker General at ten, Warren Butler, took the ball to the defence in the red zone and slid through a perfectly weighted grubber kick that ‘oh-my-god-he’s-quick’ impact player Jordan Biderman-Pam collected to swan dive under the posts to score off. 26-5.

It was a crippling deficit on the scoreboard and meant a fight back seemed improbable. Wildboys however weren’t prepared to listen to better judgment and didn’t give up. They finally only found some momentum in the second half and looked their usual dangerous selves on attack a few times. They scored a great try and numerous other chances were halted by persevering Cobras cover defence.

In one particular turning point, Wildboys fullback Warren Oupa Kelly made a classy break and a great link pass but the support runner was brought down by an unknown Cobras defender grass blades away from the chalk. That instance was an accurate snapshot of the game, Wildboys doing lots right but the Cobras just doing a little bit more.

Check out either teams webblogs for less objective write ups. Just kidding on the subjectiveness but check it out anyways…

Team of the Week: It was hard to call with so many sides earning great results but it has to go to the Panthers just because the opposition they beat was hardly a substandard outfit.

Hit of the Week: An upright running tall skinny glass of Barbarians lock water was pole-axed by a Kopano midget in an aggressive hit but the award has to go to Panthers flank Sbu Thusi. The Easterns metro leg shaven winger was flying down the touch line and got monstered by a flying black missile. The poor winger got about 3m airtime has he flew over the touchline and even got his bright access park raver soccer boots muddy.

Try of the Week: The Barbarians scored some great ones, as did a Marquard flier and a few Turtle guys but the award goes to the Cobras toe poke and dive as mentioned from the Butler and Biderman combo as the importance of it was game closing.

If you're confused about where we go from here. Watch this space..!

FNB CLASSIC CLASHES:


With One round of pool games left before the play-offs the magnitude of what lies at stake isn't far from the magnitude of a Butcher Boys steak..!


Urgent Press Release: Retuers online just minutes ago...

"Rumours are flying about possible spies lurking around the training fields of the Wildboys at their captains practice on sunday at bishops ahead of their crunch encounter against arch rivals, The Purple Cobras. Experienced centre and the 2007 season's biggest transfer from dissolved team Soco Thoco, Dale Owen, was unable to comment, literally unable... Cobra's captain, and sturdy first five eight Warren Butler denied the rumours, however it remains to be seen if the Cobras have the upper hand come set piece time at 8pm tomorrow. Dubbed the do or die game of Group C, this speculation will no doubt stand to add to what will inevitably be a fiery contest from start to finish/death"

To add truth to the rumours amidst tomorrow nights Main Game clash we spoke to Ashfak Mohamed from the Cape Times. Unsurprisingly, he blamed, a lack of transformation as the key reason behind the rumour mill. Thanks Ashfak. We will consult with the 3rd Force to try rectify this.

Unconvinced we spoke to Luke "I pay, I order" Watson whilst he enjoyed his Luke sandwhich (the stormers special with extra ham) and USN shake at Nino's to try get to the bottom of the rumour barrel. He quoted scriptures and referred to himself in the 4th person (I am Luke's Luke) and called the waiter his disciple. We were left disheartened but without the bill, he did order afterall..!

Undeterred we went for the jugular. Straight to the players!

Dale Owen was unavailable as he was involved in some serious Fijian Off Field training methods so we left him alone, and spoke to Hard man Wildboy tight-forward The Big Show. The interview last 45 minutes and all he managed to spill out his mouth, besides T-sauce onto his shirt was, "No comment sir"!


It seems the Fire in the Engine Room, the architect of Wildboys success off field captain Matt Borne has sworn the side to silence, although he was seen in earnest conversation with Eddie Jones this morning in a first year Information Systems tut. Kenrick Brown was also present!

In a last ditch effort we knocked on the doors of the Cobras High Performance Training Center at O'Hagans below Newlands Stadium. (close enough to Sports Science you can feel the rehab). Inside were Cobras masterminds Dougal "They retired my jersey with me' McDonald and Ian "I am kissing a nazi" Armstrong. Both were sprawled over a cocktail table licking up a spilled draught. A lost opportunity some might quip!


But then, Hallelujah a break through. Sports celebrity personality Jordan Jose Biderman-Pam was seeing fighting off an orange sweater clad angel in the reference section of the upper campus library and forced to comment.

Author: Jose, what say you about tomorrows big 8pm show down?

Jose: CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS...CAN"T LOSE..!

UEFA Draw...

With the Top 8/Bottom 8 split looming around Wednesday's corner we had to engineer the fairest and simplest system whereby we could arrange the quarter final setups for the play-offs. Since we can't use previous years seedings like they do in the RWC we went abroad and employed complicated algorithms and expanding notations to devise what I flatly believe without fear of contradiction is the best stolen method available. Thanks UEFA!


We put the first position seed of each pool in a hat, and put the 2nd position seed of each pool in another one and hey presto:



The formula was then just substituted into the Bottom 8. You can now look at the logs and the soon to be posted fixtures for Week 8 and hit the tote with your predictions.

For clarity now: Semi Final 1 = WQF1 v WQF2 and Semi Final 2 = WQF3 v WQF4!

Wrap from Week 7:

We seem to have unearthed that the rise in the intensity of our internal league rounds is directly proportional to how we advance further down the competition calendar. Week 7 was faster, harder and more enduring than a night with a Tugwell girl and more so than any other round we’ve had so far…

Also within the vein and spirit of our league was the cancellation of all the refs for Wednesday night but we managed to sidestep that hurdle by the reintroduction of our A list reffing crew. Once again thanks to all those guys…

You have to be a man bigger than the rest if you have the balls to pick up the whistle and field constant abuse from every supporter of the losing side when no one else sticks their hand up…

In Pool C we had two sides that have their eyes on a play off spot prize, the Purple Cobras and the Wildboys, facing up for their first matches in a while after having a bye last week. The Cobras played entertaining rugby scoring 49 unanswered points against the Shebeen Boys. The Cobras brand of rugby is so marketable it might be used for the 2008 Super 14 ad campaign. Their conversion of ‘no look’ offloads, in and before contact, is astonishing and something the Shebeen Boys found very hard to defend.

The Wildboys came up against the resilient Smuts side but just had too much firepower out wide and ran in a routing 72 points. The Wildboys aren’t doing anything special, but just doing the basics especially well. They create space outwide and then crucify the shoulders of the guy working the scoreboard as they finish just about every opportunity.

Pool D produced our first upset of the season with the Eastern Cape 2 Rios side taking 5 tries from lowly underdogs the Turtles. Easterns are a new side but proved more than formidable with some big results earlier this season but fell far short of their own benchmark when they let the Turtles walk all over them. The Turtles used the wind well to go up 10-5 into the break but then showed how pressure and ferocious defence can lead to points as they ran in a further 3 tries into the wind, coming up deserved 27-5 winners. In the other game the Panthers were at their clinical best with a 27-0 defeat over the Spanners, with David "Peter Hendriks" Finch scoring a double!

Pool A started with a massive result as College beat Clarendon 24-5, which is only the second win for the men in blue in their 110 year history at internal league. Besides a 0-0 draw against Van der Stel by the mighty 1906 side, captained by Jan Van Riebeeck Jnr, College only other non-loss came last year. Hence the magnitude of the victory this week will echo down the corridors on their Main Rd abode for another hundred years to come

The headline game of the week has undoubtedly been one of the most exciting games of Internal League rugby I have ever witnessed. Pool A's top of the table clash saw the Nadoes competing against Ubumbo for pool seeding honours. The game was physical to say the least. The wind was howling down the C field end of the Green Mile and the Nadoes used it to their advantage and went into the break 13-0 up. Ubumbo soaked up serious pressure on defence and were lucky not to concede more points.

The blustery gales that funnel down our channel of greenery nullify any attack beyond the 2nd channel when you are playing into it and kicking is really no option. Ubumbo were heroic into the wind on defence but their creative attack was a non-entity. The game threatened to spiral into a demise at the hands of ill tempers and reckless disregard of the laws at the tackle but ref Sean Shields didn't back down and kept consistency on his side when he punished offenders.

The second half chapter of the game's story might as well have been an entirely new book it was so different. The wind picked up and was now behind Ubumbo and flying hard into the faces of the Nadoes. The men in red and white were rock solid on defence without detracting from the clinicalness of their pattern but the constant pressure was too much and replacement outside centre Dan Watson made a telling run into the 22m brushing off defenders to score. 13-5.

With their tails up Ubumbo increased their intensity and played everything down in Nadoes territory. Ubumbo missed a few long range penalty shots, but eventually scored when Lyle 'Is he human?' Claasens picked up at 8 and drove through numerous defenders to score close to the polls. 13-12 Nadoes lead.

Minutes later Ubumbo goaled a penalty (through lock John Eales) to snatch the lead 15-13 with 8 minutes to go. Losing the lead was the trigger the young Nadoes side needed to get their game together and show why they proudly wear the reputation they have earned over the years. They played precise rugby attacking with accuracy and important ball control to get within range, get a penalty and bang it over to retake the lead 16-15.

With 1 point in it and the clock counting down the euphoria around the C field was incredible. Each side had brought its entire entourage and it seemed there were far more than 30 hearts involved on the field, although literally there were often more than 31 people on the field.

Ubumbo flew into everything and eventually earned the field position for another goalable effort which came at the death with a Nadoe infringing at a ruck. The African John Eales stepped up again and sailed the kick over from an acute angle to steal the win 18-16. Mayhem ensued.

Ubumbo deservedly won the pool stage battle and lets hope these side meet again somewhere in the play off to showcase for all us involved another rugby spectacle. Nadoes were gracious in defeat and showed their true champion colours. I think it is the first time they have lost since the last league game before the semis against the Squirrels in 2004. That's one impressive record.

Watch this space. See you on the Green Mile...

Week 7: Fixtures...


There are some massive fixtures this week. Look out for Nadoes v Ubumbo. It reeks of potential...

Wrap Week 6:

Os Du Randt took off a decade to go and farm and is now training for France, a world cup that is 12 years after the first one he played in. Luke McAllister’s dad told him if he wanted to make it he should take a year off and just gym, his legs now weigh 90kgs each. Chris Latham took 11 months off for a knee reconstruction, ran on in a test against the All Blacks and his first touch was a 60m touch finder…

We were forced to take an exceptionally long 9 week break and the League got up like a sleeping, conditioning, or injured giant to run amok up and down the Green Mile. A length lay-off does zero for momentum or continuity but it can rest tired bodies and refocus tired minds. Players came back eager and super keen to get stuck in.

It is an interesting aside that WP has decided to do the same. They have taken off this years Currie Cup and haven’t pitched up to any matches. I think they are focusing on Super 14 2008.

Sides how ever weren’t indolent however during this long layoff and some were in fact very active. The Nadoes and Purple Cobras went off on a whirlwind tour of the Eastern Cape playing such rugby stalwarts as Plett RFC, each others and the bouncers at Dropzone. Whilst Kopano and Smuts also enjoyed a quaint weekend away together at an undisclosed venue to hone the mauling skills.

The Wildboys entered the Knysna half en masse with most players walking straight from the starters pistol to the gates of the Crabs Creek after-party and the Shebeen Boys spent the winter posing for their upcoming 2008 Get naked for charity calendar, which is apparently meant to be the xmas present of choice this year.

Of course the Panthers returned to their summer houses in the south of Spain but this time not with rugby objectives but for the World Mullet Pageant where they impressive took First, 3rd and all the number from 5th-10th.

Unfortunately the lay-off wasn’t as lucrative and enjoyable with other teams as College, Marquard, Clarendon and Ikhaya all had to stay and do winter school, whilst the Turtles went back to Zimbabwe and are still hitching hiking back, pushing your car takes too long.

The Spanners were invited to an International Engineering Summit but were too disorganized to arrive. Ubumbo spent the break investing at the JSE and as an accumulative now have more preferential shares and board room seats in South Africa’s big businesses than Premier League football owners have in European equivalents. Most of the Eastern Cape to Rio’s (and hence the Barbarians since I'm not convinced they're separate entities) got arrested for drunken driving so spent 9 weeks bulking up in the awaiting trial prisoner’s gym facility at Goodwood prison.

Last night was the Week 6 of 2007 which to get technical was the 2nd week of pool matches in Round 2 leading up to the play-offs. Now that it is done we have two more weeks of pool matches (August 8th and 15th) and then we’re into the Play offs.

With the top 2 sides of every pool advancing to the Cup competition and the bottom advancing Bowl competition sides are playing attacking rugby to finish as high up there pool as possible.

In Pool D the Eastern Cape 2 Rios were horribly let down by a Spanner’s no show, so took the full points and nothing else from the disappointment. Panthers and Turtles then had a very physical encounter that was tight until deep into the 2nd half when the Panthers scored (through so excellent footwork) but the Turtles bounced back to score, convert and take the lead. Panthers then scored twice more near the death to give the score line a fair assessment of position and territory but an unfair testament to some staunch Turtle defence. The only difference between numerous Panthers line breaks and points on the board was relentless Turtle tackling.

In Pool B a very new look (new in appearance not new in age) Ikhaya side battled hard against little side Kopano but to no avail as the determined boys that spend all day trying to look into the windows of Graca Michel wouldn’t let anyone over their try line and they walked away 5-0 winners. I didn’t see the next game but heard it was a classic examples of hard, fast and attacking Internal League rugby when Barbarians took out Marquard 6 tries to 2.

In Pool A Nadoes ran riot against a brave Clarendon side. I am not using brave euphemistically to pander a team that took 50 as the Clarendon boys could easily have woken up in Carinus this morning and looked themselves in the mirror with pride. They were heavily outgunned but totally undeterred and gave everything for all 60 minutes. Concurrently another bravely fought losing battle was meted out by College against a more and more deadly looking Ubumbo outfit. College played an impressive amount of rugby but the Ubumbo charge was just too fast, too aggressive and too organized to halt.

This has become a reoccurring theme but massive thanks and congratulations must go out to our ad hoc refereeing committee that has been summoned for the 2nd round in a row and which has performed with such class and control we are deeply indebted. Chad, Stu Mac, Sean, Burt, Mike and Pig thank you so much guys. In my eyes you are the only guys justified to abuse the officials from the sidelines from now on.

Team of the week: Kopano. Traditionally a very strong team the boys from Belsen always arrived and stamp themselves underdog status but then perform to the potential and have more ‘shut outs’ on defence this season than many sided. And also because baby blue is so 2008.

The WP team of the week: Spanners – see you next week.

Massive apologies: Eastern Cape 2 Rios – you guys are used to getting all dressed up and going home along but not when it comes to rugby. Sorry dudes.

Try of the week: Nadoes, Ubumbo and Barbarians scored some crackers and the interplay of the one Panthers try was sick but it’s going to an individual today. Taking flat fast attack ball at first receiver Edward (someone) in the mauve of College house, showed the ball inside, looked for a man outside, and went himself straight through a flummoxed Ubumbo defence. Touches like that are priceless…

Celebration of the week: The Marquard fullback crossed over for a cracker against the Barbarians but then did everything short of a victory lap in his whooping hi5 throwing end zone dance. He should have got 6 points not 5…