RUGBY: Owls sink claws in NWU
The Boksburg Rugby Club was back to its best following a flawless second-half performance at Prince George Park in its 57-26 whipping of NWU on Saturday.
The Valke Peregrine League encounter took place on June 4.
As expected, the home side drew first blood following a patient build-up orchestrated by No 10 lieutenant Adriaan ven der Nest, before the move was finished in the corner.
Kicker PJ Beukes missed the conversion.
The visitors hit back soon with a converted score to take a 7-5 lead early on.
The two sides would then go on to exchange tries with neither team failing to build on a lead.
The Owls were leading 24-19 going into the half-time break following an entertaining try-laden half.
The try tally read 4-3 in favour of the home side as they secured their bonus point at the game’s halfway mark.
After taking the lead during the first stanza, the five-point deficit was the closest the visitors would get to the home side again in the game as the home team kept the scoreboard manager busier.
Two quick tries to begin the second stanza set the tone for a lopsided half in the Owls’ favour. The Owls went on to cross the whitewash on three more occasions for a total of five tries in the half as they outscored NWU 33-7.
All of JJ Breedt, marauding winger JP Joubert (both brace), Johan Venter, Wilbur Harris, Danie Shultz, Beukes and Van der Nest scored the tries for the home side.
Asked how he changed things around during the recess, Owls coach Marcell Fourie responded: “Nothing. We just made small mistakes so I told them (Owls) to work on it and fix it.”
On the overall performance, the mentor commented: “I’m happy with the overall performance because we ended up in fourth (on the log), now the top five awaits. We’ve already won more games than last year so the guys are positive.”
Asked if he was worried with his team conceding cheap tries in the first half, the trainer added: “Not once, we gave soft tries yes, but we were all over them from the beginning, we were playing the game and they were just lucky.”
On his side’s second-half performance, Owls captain Travis Howell said: “We started playing our game plan and more structured rugby. After those first two tries in the second half, the boys were full of confidence and ran the ball when needed and passed when needed.
“I think we’re peaking at the right time of the season.
“It felt good that we performed so well because the first round is over and we’ve made the top five. The boys will feel confident going into it with such a good win.”
Boksburg scorers: Tries: JJ Breedt (2), JP Joubert (2), Johan Venter, Wilbur Harris, Danie Shultz, PJ Beukes, Adriaan van der Nest. Conversions: PJ Beukes (5), Adriaan van der Nest – @SabeloBoksburg
