SUE MACLENNAN and MARK CARRELS
Makhanda’s Swallows gave it all they had but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 25-13 defeat to the Karoo Springbokke in their Inter Sub Union Semifinal at Albany Sports Ground in Makhanda on Saturday October 14.
The Karoo Springbokke Rugby club from Cradock are the Midlands Sub Union league champions while Swallows are the South Eastern Districts (Sedru) champions after going through the league season unbeaten.
The eight respective sub union league champions, who play under the banner of the Eastern Province Rugby union, lock horns in a separate competition every year to determine the Eastern Province Sub Union League champions.
“Swallows, as the Sedru champs, were part of the last four in the Eastern Province Sub Union league,” said Sedru chairperson Deon Hilpert.
The match was very physical with Swallows coach Weston Du Plessis describing the fixture as “intense and quick”.
“It was played in good spirits, deserving of the occasion,” Du Plessis said.
Spirited supporters from both sides filled the club’s raised parking area which provides an excellent view of all the action.
“Swallows had their chances to take the lead and also come back later in the game,” Du Plessis said. They couldn’t capitalise on early possession and territory though and failed to turn advantage into points.”
Karoo Springbokke changed the balance of forces when it came to possession and when given the opportunity, they turned that into points.
The visitors marched into an early lead which meant Swallows were having to play catch-up rugby.
“Ideally my team should have stayed calm and try to keep chipping away at the scoreboard,” Du Plessis said. “But they wanted to attack at all costs.”
The second half followed a similar pattern.
“After gaining momentum and field position, we rushed things and made many unforced errors. That saw us losing the last pass and again not going for the points after getting penalty after penalty for our hard work.
“We need to work on our decision making, handling and composure,” Du Plessis said.
He said credit must go to the confident Karoo Springbokke who took every opportunity they created.
“In the end they are deserving winners and congratulations to them for sticking to their game plan,” Du Plessis said. “I’m still proud of my boys for the effort and achievements of the year by getting to the play off stages after going on a massive unbeaten winning streak of 12 games in a row to be crowned Sedru sub-union champions.
“Rugby is a process and we have come far as a team and club: We believe in the process and not just the product!”
It was an emotional game for the Karoo Springbokke whose coach Alfred ‘Sebe’ Jafta recently passed away.
“We were up against a formidable team with a 7-1 split of massive forwards, but our lads displayed incredible grit and determination,” the team’s management posted on their Facebook page.
They dedicated their semi-final victory to their late coach Jafta.
- This article first appeared in TALK OF THE TOWN – the community newspaper for Ndlambe and Makhanda, in supermarkets and other outlets every Thursday.
