Rugby highlights
It was not the best of seasons, but it was also not the worst of seasons for Alberton rugby the past year. In fact, the 2014 rugby year will be remembered for some special highlights.
ALBERTON – Six of the top highlights for the 2014 rugby season, could be relived as follows:
* At the opening night of the training season, the news-breaking announcement came that Springboks Kaya Molotlane and Lawrence Sephaka will join the club’s coaching team. With this move, the tradition of former Springboks to coach Alberton continued. Springbok Floris Venter, three tests against All-Blacks in 1932, started this proud tradition in 1932 and was followed by Dirk de Vos, Klippies Kritzinger, Kevin de Klerk and Johan le Roux.
* The Golden Lions sevens tournament at Alberton during the first weekend of March, was a big event with 53 matches played and four Alberton teams in the semi-finals. Alberton B: was runner-up in the junior bowls and Alberton seniors runners-up in the plate final. Lood Kleynhans was honoured by the sponsor with all his efforts to crack such a successful event.
* A-Square Alberton senior rugby side’s first win in three efforts in the season’s friendly games happened on a Friday night in autumn against Police, after leading 14-11 at halftime.
* The narrow 13-11 defeat to Union at Union, gave Alberton lots to ponder for the season. The message to Alberton was clear, the more composed, smarter and ruthless side will win the league fixtures, but the hope was established with a good performance against ruthless Union defence.
* Probably the jewel of the season was the last provincial Vodacom Cup fixture at the Alberton Stadium between the Golden Lions and the Pumas. After trailing at half time 5-38, the Lions fought back in the second half with three tries in the first 20 minutes to trail 22-38 before three final tries brought the final score to 48-27. Namibia’s world cup eightman Renaldo Bothma, who was born in 1989 in Alberton, was brilliant with two splendid tries. What a day to remember.
* Back to the club rugby, Alberton hearts were broken for the second time in two seasons, when a penalty in the dying minutes of the game reversed a victory into a heartbroken defeat. The previous season Alberton had almost sealed a victory at Union and this season Randfontein did the same to break the hearts of Alberton supporters, who desperately wanted that elusive first-time league victory. The visitors led 10-0 after eight minutes, but De Wahl Rautenbach’s Alberton team fought back gallantly to bring the score to 20-19 in the dying minutes when drama unfolded. A last penalty reversed a potential victory on the scoreboard to a heartbroken defeat of 20-22 for Alberton.
With the prize-giving in September, the final curtain was drawn for the 2014 season, and Alberton supporters hope for the best of seasons next year.
