Union High wins epic rugby clash

GRAAFF-REINET NEWS — Union High School's first rugby team made themselves, their school and every single Union supporter immensely proud on Saturday afternoon, 11 August during their Iinterschools encounter against Hoër Volkskool.

According to their coach Carl Bezuidenhout, "Their performance at Interschools was the culmination of a season throughout which they worked extremely hard at every aspect of their game, chasing perfection and striving to improve each time they got together as a group".

"The definition of potential is “having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future”. This year’s first team frustrated themselves and spectators because all knew they had potential, but it constantly felt as though they were capable of so much more than what they were delivering. Turns out, they were saving it all for when it mattered most," continued Bezuidenhout.

The first half of Saturday’s Interschools match was a flawless display of rugby.

Union dominated the set-pieces, won the collisions, attacked space with purpose and conviction, and showed composure when needing to absorb opposition pressure.

Matt Harpur kicked a penalty, shortly followed by a try when Cowan Swartz stood up his opposing wing and raced down the touchline before passing inside to Daliwonga Mathiale, who ran in untouched from 30 metres out.

It wasn’t long before Luthando Skapu once again showed his class, cutting the line with ease and beating the last defender to score a magnificent solo try. One could say it mirrored his try in 2017. Matt Harpur converted both tries and kicked a second penalty to give us a 20-3 lead at half-time.

Volkskool scored early in the second half to narrow the gap to 20-10, but the Union players were determined to defend their lead and bounced back with a try a few phases later.

Daliwonga Mathiale capitalised on a brilliant lineout steal by Union's forwards and ghosted through three defenders to score his second. Matt Harpur added the extra two, taking the score to 27 - 10.

Unfortunately, Union's captain Matthew Broeksma suffered a serious head injury at this point and had to be replaced with just less than half the game remaining. Union seemed slightly thrown by the incident, but another well-taken penalty by Matt Harpur put Union 20 points ahead. Volkskool made a late charge and scored a converted try to bring them within two scores. It stayed this way until the end and Union won the match 30-17.

"Every player in a White Jersey did his job, was effective, worked hard and put the team ahead of themselves," concluded Bezuidenhout.

The Union first rugby team would like to make use of this opportunity to thank every learner, member of staff and spectator who supported them, not only on Saturday but throughout the whole of last week. They also want to congratulate the school's second team on an incredible unbeaten season and the first hockey girls on their phenomenal victory.

Union High School's victorious first rugby team.