In a thrilling encounter at Green Point Track on Saturday, a patient Motorvaps False Bay bagged a valuable five Super League A points as they absorbed the pressure from a determined and enterprising SK Walmer.
The final score was 31-24 to the Bay after they trailed 10-17 at the break.
With their passionate home supporters in full voice, Walmer, with only one win out of their five previous matches this season, took the challenge to their guests, and simply never relented until a try with moments to go, gave the Constantia club a well-deserved victory.
SK Walmer shot out of the starting gates, their clear intent being to force their opponents onto the back foot and keep them there. The Track is a Walmer stronghold of note. No team, no matter their pedigree, log position or form is guaranteed an easy rite of passage, and just like the home stadium of any province or nation can be intimidating in the contest, at this level, this is no different.
So it was that the fourth match of the day, of which False Bay were victors in the previous three, was between the 23-men of the visiting team, and a dedicated and passionate SK Walmer with their supporters spurring them on. Intimidating it could so easily have been, but the Bay, with a wonderful blend of experience and exuberant youth, managed to keep their heads and score five tries in the process.
The home side led 17-10 at the break, courtesy of two tries by Mishal Daniels and Ramiz Osman, both converted by Ayob Davids, who also added a first half penalty. The Bay points were courtesy of tries by Niyaaz Johnson and Ryan Olivier.
Passionate support matched the passion on the pitch and False Bay managed to remain focused and calm. With a new coaching panel at the helm since their Gold Cup campaign at the end of last season, the Constantia outfit has shown great strides throughout 2024, improving with each outing and limiting some errors which had crept into their game and cost them dearly in the form of points and players kicking their heels in the sin bin. But the outstanding feature of their game on Saturday was their patience.
With the home side extending their lead to 17-5 through another Daniels try and Davids conversion, the gloom of a loss at the Track hung like a cloud over the visitors, those outside the field of contest, that is. The Bay needed to stay in reach of their hosts by the break, and a Ryan Olivier try did just that, giving the scoreboard its half time look.
In the second half False Bay levelled the scores with a Dylon Frylinck try, which he converted himself and then took the lead for the first time in the match when hooker Jacques Goosen crossed, again converted by Frylinck. That first lead was relatively brief as Davids got his second and Daniels converted. It was to be the last points for SK Walmer and there was a little heartbreak in store for them as fullback Luke Jacobs crossed for the visitors, again converted by Frylinck.
The win lifts the Bay to joint-seventh with neighbours, Villager RFC on the SLA table.
After nine matches, both teams have 27 league points, but the Brooksiders hold the edge by virtue of a better points difference.
The Dirty Whites surprised club rugby followers a fortnight ago with a resounding 45-14 win over Maties in Claremont. The Bay have won one more match and lost one less than Villager, but the latter has collected more bonus points, the lifeblood of league success, en route to this point. With the top six teams qualifying for the play-offs for the Presidents Cup after the round robin stages, this match is integral to progressing to this stage.
Irrespective of what has preceded this fixture, in true southern suburbs derby fashion, the playing fields are level, in each of the matches happening on the day.
In the main event, Villager has been performing well throughout the season, improving as they go, while the hosts perhaps spluttered and coughed in the opening stages of the league, perhaps dropping a result or two which could have gone their way. As evidenced in their recent performances, they are definitely beginning to hit their straps at this critical stage of the season and with mild weather forecast for Saturday, the Phillip Herbstein Fields promise to be thronging with club rugby fans, rivals and friends come 1.30pm when the under-21 teams of both clubs kick off proceedings.
The main fixture starts at 4pm. Pupils under-18 enter free. All are welcome.
- Jon Harris is a member of False Bay RFC.
