Boksburg’s u-21s beat the visitors 36-12, the third team destroyed Springs 61-0 and the second team lost 33-22.
Having trailed 12-0 after two quick-succession tries from the visitors, the Owls rallied in quick response through outside centre Marius Mathee’s and Dean Swart’s dot-downs to overturn the deficit.
Incumbent flyhalf Ashley Buchler, who was wearing the number 15 jersey on the afternoon, converted both tries to give the Owls a 14-12 lead.
The slender lead was short-lived however, with Springs converting a penalty deep in the home team’s half to make it 15-14.
The Owls were not to be denied and carried through their momentum with Mathee crossing the whitewash for his second try from a well-worked move. Buchler added the extras.
The visitors were struggling to deal with Willie Smith’s men’s running game as the visitors, aided by the home crowd support, scored their bonus-point try through flyer Ashwill Adams, with Buchler slotting through the conversion, 28-15.
The talismanic full-back kept the score ticking for the homeside with an added penalty to hand his team a 16-point cushion.
The visitors, however, had the last laugh with a timely converted try of their own to cut the lead to just nine points, ending an exciting half with the score at 31-22 to Boksburg.
The away side improved immensely after the restart, showing more commitment and not giving up the encounter.
And they were rewarded by outscoring the Owls 21-7 in the second stanza as Smith’s men’s habit of throwing away good leads towards the end of matches, came back to haunt them.
“The guys played well,” said Boksburg’s assistant coach, Fillip Lemmer.
“I think it (losing the game in the end) was a matter of composure and we didn’t have it on the day. Our team was full of youngsters and if you look at our local rivals, most of them have guys who’ve been playing for seven or eight years, but our youngsters will get there.
“They just need to find the balance of remaining composed when things get tough in matches.”
Boksburg blindside flank Juan Bester scored the homeside’s sole second-half try, which Buchler converted, as Springs clinched the absorbing encounter with a bonus point.
