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GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - After a 27-year drought, Union won in Grahamstown.
The Union first team was involved in an absolute humdinger of a match on Saturday in Grahamstown.
The team had to be at their absolute best for 70 minutes to grind out an unforgettable win against Graeme College.
It was a match which encompassed everything schoolboy rugby should, from incredible handling skills, pin-point kicking, huge collisions, flair, precision and a nerve-racking finish which had every spectator on the edge of their seats.
Filled with belief and spurred on by the performance of their third and second teams, Union got off to the perfect start.
They scored an early try after Matt Harpur chased his own kick downfield and, through sheer will-power, managed to nudge the bouncing ball into the in-goal area and dive onto it for a five-pointer.
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Soon after the try, Matt slotted a penalty to stretch the team's lead to 8-0. Graeme continued to apply tremendous pressure at the breakdown and were rewarded with field position which they were able to convert into points after scoring a well-worked converted try.
Ahead by only one point at half-time, Union started the second half with renewed energy levels and a burning desire to extend our lead. It was a matter of attacking at every opportunity rather than defending the slender advantage that they held. Through colossal effort and determination, they played their way into the Graeme territory and crossed over for another unconverted try.
The try was scored by Daliwonga Mathiale after he cleverly picked up the ball at the base of the ruck and dotted it down before any opposition defender could react to his ingenuity. Union now led 13-7 with a quarter of the match remaining.
Soon after Union scored, Graeme capitalized on Union's first and only lapse in concentration on defence to score a sublime try close to the left-hand touchline. The conversion was pushed wide, but the teams were again separated by just one point. After a tenacious defensive effort and praiseworthy work ethic from backs and forwards alike, Union held Graeme at bay for the last few minutes while they threw everything at us just 5 metres from Union's line.
There was an overwhelming sense of relief, as well as jubilation when the referee blew his whistle to end what truly was an encounter that will remain etched in all of the Union players' and supporters' memories for a long, long time.
OTHER RESULTS:
- U.9A lost 56 - 0;
- U.11A won 10 - 5;
- U.11B lost 54 - 0;
- U.13A lost 51 - 5;
- U.14A lost 50 - 5;
- U.15A lost 53 - 5;
- U.15B lost 38 - 5;
- U.16A lost 39 - 12 and;
- Union's third team lost 17-15, the second team won 24-12 and the first team won 13 - 12.
'Ons bring jou die nuutste Graaff-Reinet, Karoo nuus'
