Panne rack up over a century of points

Brakpan Rugby Club’s first XV returned to league action, with the start of the second round of the Valke Peregrine League, on Saturday, June 21.

The “Panne” played host to NWU (Vaal-Pukke) at Bosman Stadium and were striving to bounce back from their recent narrow defeats against Boksburg and Springs.

Captain Francois Robbertse and his men did their pursuit of 2015 Cell C Community Cup rugby all kinds of favours, with a try-fest against their visitors and an impressive and devastating 103-0 victory.

The last time the teams met Brakpan struggled to a 15-7 win, and their century of points in Saturday’s huge win may well be the start of a solid march towards the top of the table.

Their job is still difficult, though, as Springs kept up their stranglehold on the lead with a narrow 33-30 victory over third-placed Boksburg.

Brakpan stormed over the away team’s try line 17 times in the match, with 10 different players dotting down the ball.

“It seems like the first team are back on track and, for the first time this year, we actually played like the champion side of 2013; our line outs, that have been a major problem this year, were perfect and we also scrummed very well,” said club chairman, Harry Nieuwenhuis.

“This gave the backline great opportunities and the guys played excellent rugby, hence the 17 tries.”

He added that the team will need to keep the good momentum going and use all the upcoming games as preparation for the semi-finals, in August.

“We had total control up front and this was evident when flanker Wikus van den Berg scored four tries from line out play,” he added.

Try-scorers on the day were Wikus van den Berg (four), Neil van der Walt (two), Mathews Mtshali (two), Jaco Lotter (two), Uwe Sauer (two), Ronald Botes, Francois Robbertse, Daan Hatting, Duane Morrison, Tobie Strydom.

Meanwhile, fly-half Dewald Nel kicked 16 points and, fortunately for NWU Vaal, missed 16 more.

n Brakpan’s second XV beat NWU Vaal 19-17, while the third team won 45-8.