East Rand United has gone a long way, achieving great strides since the club re-introduced itself in local club rugby with a near impossible come from behind 56-51 win against Nigel in the Valke Merlin League final in 2015.
This gained the club promotion to the Peregrine League.
Those involved with the club predicted that it was the beginning of great things, while others said it was a fluke.
You couldn’t really argue with the group who formed the latter opinion if you were actually at the match. After being completely outplayed in all facets of the game in the first half, a combination of sheer will from United, their never give up spirit, a bit of luck and a rather spectacular psychological meltdown by Nigel allowed the men from Reiger Park to create Merlin League history.
But looking back now, that opinion has been made laughable considering the progress the club has made since.
From winning the Merlin League by ‘fluke’ in 2015 to being part of the Gold Cup four years later in 2019.
In fact, those within the club’s circle by the time (in 2015), including then coach Derrick Sampson, had set the club goals and those goals included playing in the Gold Cup by this year.
From 2015, even though most involved with the club would never admit it, United have been playing to reach the top (like any other club) and to prove their constant naysayers wrong.
And boy have they done it well.
Following their promotion in 2015, the club was part of the 2017 Peregrine League final two years later, against Vereeniging.
At this stage, United had gone from being known as perennial underdogs to legitimate competition to perennial big boys of the Peregrine League the likes of Vereeniging and Brakpan.
Unfortunately, after being in a good position towards the final minutes, the Reiger Park outfit, then under the tutelage of Stephan Nel, failed to close the game, with Vereeniging being crowned champions.
The club returned to the final the following year (2018) against Springs, this time in another final that was difficult to call with the sides being so closely matched.
Those involved with the club had hoped that lessons from the Vereeniging loss the previous year would come in very handy, and they did considering the performance United put out there.
But, like 2017, the Reiger Park outfit somehow managed to lay an egg in the game’s dying minutes to gift Springs a dramatic win.
Fast forward to 2019 where the club finds itself in the Gold Cup as a wildcard thanks to their proven credentials the two previous years.
This time, they are faced with a final-esque encounter against Gardens in a do-or-die tie at home at The Graveyard in Reiger Park following a loss and a win in their first two pool matches.
They beat Gardens, and they are through to the knock-out stages of the country’s club rugby premier competition, which excludes university sides.
However, following a great display of attacking rugby which saw end-to-end action – Gardens emerged as 37-32 victors after United had thrown away a 13-point lead.
One of English’s prevalent clichés goes: ‘Respect is earned and not given’.
United has, with little doubt, done that, at least within the local rugby fraternity.
Now, they have another barrier to play for: getting over the hump in imperative matches. Their inability to do so, as depicted afore, has cost the club two Peregrine League titles and a playoff spot in the Gold Club.
The stand-out lack in all instances was the lack of big match temperament: calm heads which translates to calm and favourable decisions in big moments.
You can throw in on-field issues like set-pieces, personnel, fitness and handling errors, but that’s nothing that managerial team cannot handle.
They’ve proven to their fans that they belong, now they have to prove it to themselves that belong.
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