ON August 3, the Amanzimtoti Rugby Club enjoyed an incredible day of rugby, with both the second and first teams winning their quarter-final home games against Kokstad.
The second team delivered a fantastic performance, triumphing over Kokstad with a score of 39–19.
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Owen Masinga, coach for the second team, said although they had a rather uneven training schedule leading up to the match, the men maintained excellent control and structure in the early stages of the game.
“However, as it wore on, we started to get a bit loose and stray from our game plan. That was compounded when we lost two of our flankers to injury. Discipline also became an issue, with two yellow cards shown for ill-discipline, which compromised our defensive line and allowed two late tries against us. So while it was ultimately a good win, there are still some things we need to work on,” he said.
Looking at the season as a whole, Masinga said the team members have grown together and are in good form.
“The boys are hungry and focused. This weekend’s game against league champions, Hillcrest, is a big one. It’s going to come down to our discipline and execution, but I believe we’re in a good place to get a positive result,” he said.
The first team also had a strong showing, defeating Kokstad 36–20.
Masinga said the men seemed really up for it in the opening stages, which was pleasing to see.
“And with it being a knockout match, we knew defence would be crucial, so that was a big focus for us in our preparations that week. The boys seemed determined to leave it all out on the pitch, and once we took the lead, thanks to our scrums and the reliable boot of Tristan Vermaak, you could tell they had no intention of relinquishing it. As they hit their stride, we started to see them express themselves more, with Mike Uppink’s offloading game, Micheal Gibbly’s battering ram surges and Vincent Cele’s menacing coming to the fore,” he said.
The introduction of Linda Shezi, back after a lengthy spell out, was a plus for the team. “You could see the break had done him the world of good, as he went on to notch a couple of try assists and a five-pointer of his own. Realistically, you can point to some individual performances, but at the end of the day, it was very much a team effort – the culmination of the hard work the playing group and coaching staff have been putting in,” said Masinga.
Both teams are now moving forward to the semi-finals against Hillcrest this Saturday, August 10, at the Amanzimtoti Rugby Club.
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