WITH a fierce rivalry between Allies and Secunda, it was never going to be an easy game for either side.
Secunda had beaten Allies twice this season, so Allies were extremely motivated to turn the tables on the Secunda side.
The teams faced each other on April 13 at Hoërskool Dr Malan in Meyerton in the third place play-off in the NWU Super16 series. The score was 17-17.
Secunda put pressure on Allies from the start and took a five point lead early in the game with a try in the left corner from a mistake by Allies out wide.
Allies had not been at their defence and this is also a strength for Secunda. The Secunda coach was unhappy because the defence of Allies then tightened up on the outside, but Secunda went wide at every opportunity.
According to the Secunda coach, the plan was to only go out wide after the defenders had been pulled in down the middle of the field.
Allies defence was for the better part very good and they took the first opportunity they had to get points on the board via a Damian Holl penalty.
What followed was a 15 or 20 minute period of Allies taking the game to the opposition for the most part and they looked really competitive. After successfully converting two more penalties, disaster struck.
A dropped ball in the backline had Secunda again running the ball out wide and broke the defensive line to score under the poles. They converted and led 12-9 at the break.
Allies were by no means out of it though.
The second half saw much the same pattern with Secunda pouncing on mistakes that Allies made and Allies being very patient, eventually breaking the defence down, but just not rounding off.
It was either the options or handling errors that let them down, but in patches they looked a super team. Their line-outs were good the whole game and they were competitive in the scrums.
A few times the support players could be heard groaning as they had run good lines, but failed to get the ball.
Eddie Lessing scored an unconverted try, while Holl added another penalty in reply to an unconverted try scored by Secunda. Holl also missed the odd relatively easy kick.
Right at the end captain Thomas Duvenhage crashed over, but the try was disallowed by the referee after consultation with his assistant.
At the end of the day it was probably a fair reflection.
Allies will take a lot of positives out of the game, but will have to tighten up on their finishing.
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