Get ready, get set, rugby!

ABERDEEN RUGBY NEWS - Aberdeen emerged victorious in the second round of the Camdeboo Challenge Tournament played last Saturday in Graaff-Reinet.

In the first game, Aberdeen beat Graaff-Reinet team Hampshire convincingly with a final score of 22 - 12. Tries were scored by Elroy April, Brian Nobles and Octavius Coetzee. Two out of the three tries were converted by Brendan Flippies and April, and Flippies also kicked a penalty.

Eric Job scored Hampshire's only try, which was converted by the fly-half. The team also scored one penalty.

The second game was the most convincing win of the day, when Aberdeen thrashed Central 31 - 8. In the first few minutes of the game, Aberdeen's Romeo Skaarnek managed to touch down with a try, which was converted by Curtley Kameel. Just five minutes later, the Aberdeen crowd erupted when Emmanuel Joy scored a try in the corner, which Kameel again converted.

A difficult penalty from Kameel, also from the corner, saw Aberdeen finish the first half with 17 points, with Central yet to get on the board. Eric Job (who also plays for Hampshire) scored a try for Central early in the second half, but Aberdeen soon responded with tries by Arlen Jantjies and Damien Gouws, one of which was converted by Skaarnek.

A penalty by the Central fly-half brought the game to a close, with a resounding victory for Aberdeen.

The local derby between Hampshire and Central was the feature game this week. Central went ahead in the first half following a try by captain Christo Smit, which was converted by Ben Koeberg, who also kicked a penalty. The half-time score was 10 - 0 to Central.

Ready, set, scrum: Central and Hampshire in action.

The second half produced the most exciting moment of the day when Hampshire's number 8, Dean Ketu, scored a brilliant try in the dying seconds of the game, sprinting 60m to touch down.

This was not converted, leaving the final score at 10 - 5 in Central's favour. The tournament proved to be a great success, and organiser Nico Vywers is grateful to the players and supporters for their enthusiastic participation and commitment.

A youngster watches the rugby action at the Collie Koeberg Stadium in Graaff-Reinet.