RUGBY: United continues to flourish at fortress Graveyard
East Rand United registered their first home win of the season when they blew VUT off the park in a Valke Peregrine League encounter, in Reiger Park, on Saturday.
The match was all but decided at the halfway mark, as the home side took a 26-0 lead into the break, before going on to finish as 45-5 victors at their Reiger Park Sports Arena home, nicknamed ”The Graveyard”.
United scored seven tries to VUT’s single, securing a bonus point in the process.
Scrum half Cameron Lentoor enjoyed one of his better games in a United jersey, scoring a hat-trick of tries before later being named Man of the Match.
Fullback Dominique Perries added eight points for Derrick Sampson’s side with his four conversions. Flyhalf Duane Brown also converted a try.
The victory will have come as a relief to United and the club’s faithful following, a challenging start to the campaign.
However, back on their home turf and in front of their own supporters, the Reiger Park side were simply scintillating and VUT could not keep up with them.
The hosts sought to return to the all-out attack game for which they’re known: running from any position on the pitch and punishing opposition gaps.
The result was two tries in quick succession by Lentoor in the first-half, as United made their intentions clear early on.
Lentoor’s teammates, Morne Badenhorst, Sakki Klaas and Jackie Jonkers (brace), added to VUT’s misery with their own touchdowns.
“We’re happy about the points, we got maximum points with five,” said Sampson.
“We played better, we were more composed. Composure is very important, because it improves your decision-making.
“It’s the same thing Allister Coetzee said at the press conference after being revealed as the new Springbok coach: decision-making and what you do with ball in-hand is vital.
“The race [league] is vital, it’s not how you start, but how you finish. We haven’t had a good start, but we’ll be looking to get better from here.”
Meanwhile, in the day’s early encounter, United’s second team cruised to a 50-10 win.
United scorers: Tries: Cameron Lentoor (3), Jackie Jonkers (2), Morne Badenhorst, Sakki Klaas. Conversions: Dominique Perries (4), Duane Brown.
United: 1 Tyrin Wessels, 2 Shaun de Wet, 3 Sakki Klaas, 4 Andries van der Merwe, 5 Rudy Stoop, 6 Piet Mnguni, 7 Quinton van der Schyff, 8 Rudolf Prinsloo; 9 Cameron Lentoor, 10 Duane Brown, 11 Liam Mackay, 12 Ronald Botes, 13 Jackie Jonkers, 14 Morne Badenhorst, 15 Dominique Perries. Substitutions: 16 Zolani Norawana, 17 Laurie Brown, 18 Basil Jaftha, 19 Martin Boddington, 20 Riaan Oosthenhuizen, 21 Gary Nkomo, 22 Attie Janse van Vuuren – @SabeloBoksburg
