Bobbies bared their muscles during a bit of rugby, bashing the Diggers Rugby Club at a Pirates Grand Challenge match 22–0.
The Johannesburg Police Rugby Club (Bobbies) from the Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia, went into the game on 5 May on the back of a good start to the competition, and with the win, moved near the top of the table.
Renier Wiesner of Bobbies tries a chip over the Diggers defensive line.
An early try under the posts and an easy conversion put the Diggers, who were at home, under pressure right after kick-off. But the Diggers’ faithful cheered their team on from the stands right through a gruelling game, which saw tough, running rugby played on a bitter cold night, with strains and cramps suffered on both sides.
Brett Crowe tries to slip through a tackle for Diggers.
While Diggers could never capitalise on the odd occasion they broke through the Bobbies defence, they held their own for most of the game and were only 10–0 down a few minutes from full-time.
But the home side looked tired at the end and was unable to stop two tries at opposite ends of their try line.
“The only thing we did well was defend,” said the winning Bobbies coach, Gerhard Swart, in an almost angry tone. “It took us a while to get going and we had good fitness in the game, which we have worked on all season. We will work on more cohesion going into the competition.”
The teams scrum, with a Bobbies put-in.
By contrast, the losing Diggers coach, Sean Johnson said that although he was disappointed by the defeat, he would take this loss over a win against a weak team.
“Bobbies are a strong side. This is not a bad result when you think about where we are and where we want to get to,” he said, adding that the team was in a rebuilding phase.
Paul Fouché of Bobbies attempts to stop a bouncing rugby ball.Justin Smallman kicks off for Diggers.Ryno Brits converts for Bobbies.
