Victorious Klipfontein United eyeing a home quarterfinal spot

Mark Carrels

8 months ago

Klipfontein took one step closer to a home Adams Cup quarter-final when they defeated a plucky Gelvan Wallabies outfit 29-9 with a bonus point at their Harmony Park home ground on Saturday.

This match despite the five tries scored by the home team, was as tough as they come and the final result does not reveal the entire story of the first half exchanges between the teams.

The forward exchanges in the tight and loose proved a dogfight, with both sets of forwards putting heart and body into the scramble for the ball.

Klipfontein were off to a rousing start only five minutes after kick-off, when livewire centre, Duncan Van Rensburg, charged down the left wing which led to a move by the forward pack that saw flanker, Francois Gunn, surge in for a converted try (7-0).

Following sustained pressure from Wallabies, the Gqeberha side were awarded a penalty kicked over by flyhalf Conre Windvogel who had an off day with the boot.

Klipfontein fullback Denver Miles, collected the ball in his own half before kicking ahead, to find wing Junaid van Rensburg, who ran in to score. With the successful conversion, the home side were quickly in to a 14-3 lead by the 18th minute.

Klipfontein took their foot of the pedal, and it was all Wallabies who camped inside the locals’ half for a major part of the first half. Only dogged defence by the home team who repelled wave after wave of attack on their tryline kept their lead intact.

Coach, Sheldrid Cannon, admitted that Klipfontein seem to have developed the habit of slacking off after going in to a quick lead.

“The guys after they went 14-3 up seemed to slack off. It seems like they just switch off and maybe it’s complacency. That part is difficult to coach, but we will be looking at that,” said Cannon after the match.

Thanks to former Pumas forwards coach, St Elmo Wilken, Klipfontein are a hugely improved unit defending tirelessly and shoving Wallabies off the ball a few times, come scrum time.

The Wallabies’ pressure eventually told, and Windvogel was successful with a scrum penalty in the 39th minute before the half-time whistle blew. (14-6).

Wallabies with backs Leroi Mitchel, Emille Toring and Leeroy Draghoender making all the running, had Klipfontein under pressure for the first 10 minutes of the second half. The home team at this stage were left to feed off turnovers or any mistakes by the Wallabies. This caused them to lose their composure and Windvogel was called upon to slot another penalty (14-9).

Coach Cannon’s decision to send his five-player “bomb squad” on to the field in the 49th minute seemed to turn the tide just a little bit. Wallabies were holding their own with their speedy backs and forwards and had to see another penalty going wide in the 56th minute.

The home team’s experienced prop, John Gunn, hooker Aldridge Jaer and prop Ayanda Klaas combined well in the tight and loosewith their back row always in the thick of things with defensive duties.

Duncan Van Rensburg scored soon afterwards and Klipfontein were now 19-9 ahead with Windvogel going wide with yet another penalty for the Wallabies.

Two unconverted tries by Miles in the 75th minute and another by wing, Dylan Graaf, in the last movement of the game after Miles picked up a loose ball from a maul and ran at full tilt for 20m before releasing it to his No 11 who dotted down in the corner, made the final score 29-9.

Miles, who is destined for bigger things, with pundits not ruling out him getting a chance with Gqeberha-based EP Elephants in the future, said he was however a marked man now.

“The teams know me by now … my attacking style, but my job is to provide assists so when they are spending time watching me, I am offloading to my teammates in a better position.

“Wallabies didn’t make it easy for us … we could have done more, we made a lot of mistakes and knock-ons, unnecessary kicks maybe, but we are surely working on it.”

Cannon admitted it was a tough encounter but Klipfontein had enough in the tank to pull them through.

“Our fitness is one area we are concentrating on … we train virtually every night of the week and everyone is keen. Our fitness and commitment always pull us through in the tough games like the last 10 minutes today.”

If the “team who never quits” beat Glen Roses away this weekend they will be assured of a home quarterfinal spot in the Adams Cup.

This article was first published in Talk of the Town, September 4, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.

Klipfontein took one step closer to a home Adams Cup quarter-final when they defeated a plucky Gelvan Wallabies outfit 29-9 with a bonus point at their Harmony Park home ground on Saturday.

This match despite the five tries scored by the home team, was as tough as they come and the final result does not reveal the entire story of the first half exchanges between the teams.

The forward exchanges in the tight and loose proved a dogfight, with both sets of forwards putting heart and body into the scramble for the ball.

Klipfontein were off to a rousing start only five minutes after kick-off, when livewire centre, Duncan Van Rensburg, charged down the left wing which led to a move by the forward pack that saw flanker, Francois Gunn, surge in for a converted try (7-0).

Following sustained pressure from Wallabies, the Gqeberha side were awarded a penalty kicked over by flyhalf Conre Windvogel who had an off day with the boot.

Klipfontein fullback Denver Miles, collected the ball in his own half before kicking ahead, to find wing Junaid van Rensburg, who ran in to score. With the successful conversion, the home side were quickly in to a 14-3 lead by the 18th minute.

Klipfontein took their foot of the pedal, and it was all Wallabies who camped inside the locals’ half for a major part of the first half. Only dogged defence by the home team who repelled wave after wave of attack on their tryline kept their lead intact.

Coach, Sheldrid Cannon, admitted that Klipfontein seem to have developed the habit of slacking off after going in to a quick lead.

“The guys after they went 14-3 up seemed to slack off. It seems like they just switch off and maybe it’s complacency. That part is difficult to coach, but we will be looking at that,” said Cannon after the match.

Thanks to former Pumas forwards coach, St Elmo Wilken, Klipfontein are a hugely improved unit defending tirelessly and shoving Wallabies off the ball a few times, come scrum time.

The Wallabies’ pressure eventually told, and Windvogel was successful with a scrum penalty in the 39th minute before the half-time whistle blew. (14-6).

Coach Cannon’s decision to send his five-player “bomb squad” on to the field in the 49th minute seemed to turn the tide just a little bit. Wallabies were holding their own with their speedy backs and forwards and had to see another penalty going wide in the 56th minute.

The home team’s experienced prop, John Gunn, hooker Aldridge Jaer and prop Ayanda Klaas combined well in the tight and loosewith their back row always in the thick of things with defensive duties.

Duncan Van Rensburg scored soon afterwards and Klipfontein were now 19-9 ahead with Windvogel going wide with yet another penalty for the Wallabies.

Two unconverted tries by Miles in the 75th minute and another by wing, Dylan Graaf, in the last movement of the game after Miles picked up a loose ball from a maul and ran at full tilt for 20m before releasing it to his No 11 who dotted down in the corner, made the final score 29-9.

Miles, who is destined for bigger things, with pundits not ruling out him getting a chance with Gqeberha-based EP Elephants in the future, said he was however a marked man now.

“The teams know me by now … my attacking style, but my job is to provide assists so when they are spending time watching me, I am offloading to my teammates in a better position.

“Wallabies didn’t make it easy for us … we could have done more, we made a lot of mistakes and knock-ons, unnecessary kicks maybe, but we are surely working on it.”

Cannon admitted it was a tough encounter but Klipfontein had enough in the tank to pull them through.

“Our fitness is one area we are concentrating on … we train virtually every night of the week and everyone is keen. Our fitness and commitment always pull us through in the tough games like the last 10 minutes today.”

If the “team who never quits” beat Glen Roses away this weekend they will be assured of a home quarterfinal spot in the Adams Cup.

This article was first published in Talk of the Town, September 4, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.

Share this: