One try and an accurate drop-kick boot was the difference between White River I and Nelspruit I when they met in the cup final of the Makiti 7s on Saturday.
Barberton, KaMhlushwa Black Cats, Matsulu, Nelspruit I, Nelspruit II (Kudus), Ohrigstad Ratels, and three teams from White River Rugby Club took part at Hoërskool Bergvlam, while the Maroela Makitigoers looked on.
Although the day started out cloudy and cool, the sun soon came out and it soon steamed up into a Lowveld sauna. The players, all of who are still in pre-season training, were pushed to the physical limit.
The day was fairly informal and about the spirit and camaraderie of club rugby. And, of course, it was about the bragging rights earned by the team that won the cup. The boys in red from White River got the better of the Nelspruit I, and deservedly so.
In the pool stage of the tournament, White River I played three matches, scored 132 points and conceded 0. Nelspruit I scored 59 points and conceded 17 in their three games.
In the cup final, White River I turned on the heat when necessary and, particularly in the second half, played quick-thinking sevens.
Nelspruit I scored first, early in the first half. Juandre van Wyk ran 35 metres after receiving the ball from an attack started by Tjokkie van Tonder.
Van Tonder added the extra two points.
White River capitalised on a turnover ball from a Nelspruit knock-on five metres from their own try line. There was no stopping Mervin Gilbert from that distance. Barend Smit drop-kicked the conversion for a half time score of 7-7.
The boys in royal blue and gold regained the lead through a Zama Mhlongo try early in the second half.Another Nelspruit error led to White River I’s next try. Marcelino Marais grabbed a lost pass on the opponents 10-metre line and sprinted 90 metres to score. Smit converted.
Junior Kotze put the result beyond doubt with a try, which was converted, just before full time. White River II claimed third place when the Kudus withdrew from the play-off match due to too many injuries.
Earlier in the day, in the round-robin stage, Black Cats and White River III also could not continue due to the inability to field a team because of injuries.
