Coach upbeat despite losses

Vereeniging outplayed Benoni Northerns after scoring 12 tries to win 72-5 in their Peregrine Super League encounter at the Northerns grounds on May 14.

In a show of dominance, the men in green and white’s physical game and dominance in the scrum and lineout was unmatched by the Northerns team, which really held its own but fell short against the strong opponents.

Northerns started well with neat interplays in the Vereeniging half but that dominance was short-lived as the visitors began to impose themselves physically.

Vereeniging’s game plan was clear from the onset as they set out to dominate the midfield – allowing their bulky forwards to do all the hard work while the wingers ran hard at the Northerns defence.

They were soon rewarded when loose-head prop Johannes van Deventer opened the scoring with a try from a lineout.

Lock Armand Smal received and passed to scrum-half Charl Penning. Penning off-loaded to van Deventer who carried and outmuscled a few Northerns defenders to grab the five-pointer. Hendrick Smith converted to make it 7-0.

Right flank Lian Ambrosius scored the visitors’ second try after brilliant work by Brandon Henning. The eighth-man tackled Nico Smuts who was trying to run across. Inside centre Smith stole the ball and passed to Ambrosius to score. Carlyle Hendricks converted to increase their tally.

Northerns really struggled to match Vereeniging’s speed and physicality. Their cause was blighted by ill-discipline as mistakes in their own half proved costly.

The men from the Vaal were especially lethal at the scrum. Their forward pack left nothing to chance as they displayed brute force to win and scavenge every ball in the rucks.

Van Deventer grabbed his second try and his team’s third after using his strength to go over the line. Smith missed the conversion. Undaunted, they continued poking and hooker Jaco Peyper joined the try list when he scored his team’s fourth five-pointer from a successful rolling maul.

Also Read: Good day at the office for Northerns rugby sides

Northerns really had their moments of brilliance. Left wing Smuts received a pass from the centre. He outran his marker and, facing the bulky Van Deventer, he tip-toed this way, then that way and surged forward but was stopped in his tracks, metres from the try line.

Vereeniging launched an attack after that and, following an exchange of passes, substitute Jaco de Bruyn scored and Smith converted to make it 31-0 into the break.

The visitors continued their dominance in the second half as fullback Deon Hendrikz joined the scoring charts. Following a successful scrum, Hendrikz received from Penning and ran in under the posts.

Northerns’ fighting spirit was rewarded when right winger Jarrod Jeral outran and outmuscled Vereeniging’s outside centre Hendricks to score his side’s only try. Eben van Niekerk’s conversion went wide.

Vereeniging responded immediately. They were awarded a scrum and using their power, Penning fed Henning and the eighth man carried to grab the five-pointer. Hendricks converted to make it 43-5.

Van Deventer was at it again as he scored his third try, which was a carbon copy of his first. From the line-out Smal fed Penning who passed to Van Deventer. The prop bulldozed a Northerns player to score.

Vereeniging took full advantage of Northerns’ shortcomings. Their props really dominated the scrum and Smal was clinical in the lineout.

Juandre Visagie, Hendricks and de Bruyn grabbed their side’s other tries to make it 72-5 at full-time.

Northerns coach Herman de Beer told the City Times that they will take this loss on the chin but they will bounce back.

“This is a tough competition. We’ve just from moved up from the Merlin League where we were dominant. This is a learning curve for the players.

“This wasn’t our strongest squad as we had lots of injuries while some of my boys were ill. There are still lots of games to play. We will be back. It wasn’t our best performance.

“Vereeniging is a strong side but we are playing them again and we will beat them.

“It’s not the end of the road. We’ve got a good team and very good players. We are playing East Rand United this weekend. We will bounce back.”

Scorers

Northerns: Try – Jarrod Jeral

Vereeniging: Tries – Johannes van Deventer (3), Liam Ambrosius, Jaco Peyper, Jaco de Bruyn (2), Deon Hendrikz, Brandon Henning, Juandre Visagie, Ryno Hendrikz, Carlyle Hendricks

Conversions: Hendrik Smith (3) and Carlyle Hendricks (3)

Northerns’ u-21 lost 66-0 to Vereeniging’s u-21 team while the second teams clash ended with Vereeniging claiming the victory.

Also Read: Benoni Northerns rugby sides enjoy winning start in Merlin League

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