In the second round of their SLA2024 campaign, Motorvaps False Bay RFC reversed a disappointing loss a week earlier to exit the pitch 25-15 victors over Helderberg RFC of Strand at the Philip Herbstein Fields in Constantia on Saturday. The Bay led 10-8 at the break.
Helderberg, in their second season back in the top league, following a dream return to Super League A action in 2023, emphatically overshadowed the Bay in their pre-season friendly in March, their performance announcing the determination of the club who spent some time in dress rehearsal for their promotion to the SLA, their dominance in the SLB in the three seasons prior to promotion undeniable, but cruelly hampered by knockout stage losses and the disruption caused by Covid-19.
That said, they all but proved their value in the early 2023 season stages when they beat then defending SLA champions at the Morkel Stadium in the Strand. The pre-season friendly trumpeted a continuance of this form perhaps.
The Motorvaps False Bay team by contrast were deadest on correcting the sense of dread which descended over their die-hard supporters as they delivered a very competent, highly competitive performance against DurBell in Constantia a week earlier, for the first hour of an eighty-minute contest.
With a programme which reads in this order on consecutive weekends, False Bay could not be found wanting and lose two in a row. Hard on the heals of DurBell and Helderberg are UCT, Tygerberg, Stellenbosch, Kuils River, Hamiltons…
Does the point need any further belabouring?
With Motorvaps False Bay’s under-20s and their Second XV setting the winning tone in the build-up, the eagerly awaited main fixture started a quarter of an hour late, an unseasonal thunderstorm causing a pause in proceedings across the South Peninsula, purportedly after a bolt of lightning struck a floodlight pylon just down the track at Villager RFC in Constantia.
Thunder and lightning there was later in the day, but fortunately only on the pitch as two sizeable packs rumbled, forging ahead, and creating space for their, at times, lightning-fast backs.
The Bay’s pack, with powerhouse tighthead, Tahriq Allen back wearing the number three jersey, robust and rapid hooker Jacques Goosen in the middle; and the unsung “Mr Solid” Keegan van Wyk put their opponents to the sword. Modesty aside, the claims of one of this trio that rugby is a team sport while true, does not give due credit to the anatomy of victory in a rugby contest, where various areas of dominance contribute to the whole.
It is in this observation the Helderberg perhaps failed and False Bay triumphed. Moments of petulance and possibly selfishness cost Helderberg and early, potentially devastating score considering False Bay’s confidence going into the game. No player at this level intentionally errs and deserves no retribution if he so does but one such error stymied an almost certain try for the visitors, which may have caused panic in the home dugout.
It didn’t happen, although the visitors did take an 8-0 point lead after a penalty kick by flyhalf Darren Hendrickse and a try by wing, Hughwan Engelbrecht.
Motorvaps False Bay head coach, Ashley Wells, certainly did some homework in the build-up to this match. Patience in execution and defense formations were areas of focus. An arial game plan, from the outside, perhaps another and the home side managed to assert pressure on their guests, striking back with a well-worked try in a forward move from a lineout, with hooker Goosen last man to stand up after the whistle was blown. Fullback Grant Hermanus converted and then later gave his team a two-point lead and ultimately the half-time lead, with a penalty goal later.
The visitors, as menacing as in the previous encounters, were perhaps not as fluid in execution. Was this self-inflicted or alternatively a result of the pressure exerted upon them by the Bat defense. False Bay’s captain, Thabo Ngcongo was almost omnipresent, turning over ball after ball while delivering thirty tackles in the contest. On the other flank, veteran flanker Lukhanyo Nomzanga was immense, his ruthless tackling setting instilling fear in the ball carrying zone.
Lock Ettienne Oosthuizen delivered another simply immense performance, his line out execution impeccable, his ball carrying impactful, and his defense solid and uncompromising. Behind this hard-working pack wings Baaqir Kader and Daniel Hayes were busy and industrious, the later scoring on of his team’s tries with an early step inside which wrong-footed the cover defense. While not endearing them to home support, the ploy to chip and chase and/or attempt early breaks through defense in the centre channels did begin to pay dividends in the latter stages of the contest.
For the visitors, that early inside break with open support, together with a disallowed try for forward pass almost on the stroke of half time, allowed the Bay space to breath.
Young flank Erhardt Lambrecht, big and strong, still an under-20, overcame close marking in the early stages to impact positively on the contest, his eighthman partner equally industrious. Right wing Jodi Koul, a perennial threat, although contained to a great degree, still caused heart palpitations at times.
In all, a thoroughly entertaining contest, one which could have gone either way but one from which False Bay will draw a tremendous amount of courage. Helderberg, in a league with fifteen quality teams, will almost certainly be floating at the top with the cream of the competition.
Motorvaps False Bay travel up the M3 to Groote Schuur to face UCT at the Green Mile. Kick-off is at 4pm with the exciting False Bay under-20s facing some stiff opposition at 1.30pm.
• Jon Harris is a member of False Bay RFC.
