Hammies’ play-off plans take a knock

Staff Reporter|Published 6 months ago

Azzaam Adams of Hamediehs clears the ball from a scrum during his side’s Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) Super League B match against Belhar at the Accordian Park sportsground, in Belhar, on Saturday. Picture: Mark Ward

MARK WARD

Hamediehs’ ambitions to secure a place in the Super League B play-offs suffered a major setback when the Athlone-based side went down 9-10 to Belhar in blustery conditions at Accordian Park in Belhar on Saturday.

On top of it, they now face the prospect of having to win their remaining two games, failing which could see them bowing out of the race. Four teams will be fighting it out for the remaining two semi-final spots. On Saturday, they travel to face Langa in a tricky encounter.

The match against Belhar was from start to end a scrappy affair with the cross winds and rain playing havoc.

It was, however, Hamediehs’ flyhalf Yasfir Davids who kept his side in the hunt for maximum points with two second half penalties while he also slotted over a first half attempt.

The homeside’s Clint Damons sliced through the Hamediehs defence for the only try of the match midway through the first half and was successful with a penalty and a conversion.

Hamediehs’ Ghalieb De Allende breaks away from the scrum during a WPRFU League B match against Belhar at Accordian Park on Saturday. Picture: Mark Ward

According to the league format, the top two teams automatically qualify for the semi-final while the teams which end from third to sixth place after the completion of the league fixtures on the log (four teams) will compete in the play-offs.

As matters stand, Hamediehs is now on 43 points from 13 games but slip down to seventh place on the table while Belhar has moved into fifth spot with 45 points. Franschhoek, after their 36-17 victory over Bellville, moved to sixth place.

Meanwhile, the University of the Western Cape thumped Strand 59-8 to move top of the log while contenders Van der Stel also made their intentions known with an emphatic 45-7 win over All Saints.