False Bay's valiant effort falls short in dramatic game

In an enthralling and tense cliffhanger at the Charles Morkel Stadium in Strand, Helderberg clawed onto a tenuous lead to exit victors against Motorvaps False Bay on Saturday.

The final score was 36-34 after the hosts led 24-10 at the break.

Fixtures between the two clubs have become fiercely contested affairs across the matchday schedule and Saturday was no exception.

The Bay under-20A narrowly lost, while their third XV continued their victory run against the lads from Strand. False Bay’s second XV applied slow-death tactics, absorbing the pressure from their hosts and then tightening their stranglehold in the last quarter to exit 33-19 winners. It was a character-building victory for the defending Second League champions, who will build upon this foundation.

The events prior to the main fixture was the ideal build up to not only a much-anticipated fixture, but one marking three special appearances of committed club men. Veteran flank Lukhanyo Nomzanga entered the arena first, in acknowledgment of his 100th appearance for the Bay. He was followed by two half-centurions, captain Darren Jaftha and front row leader Tahriq Allen. It was an auspicious introduction to a keen contest which was to follow.

Almost in celebration, the rain, borne by a stiff north-westerly breeze, began to fall, and maintained its presence for the duration of the clash. This “breeze” was to play a wicked role at the death of this absorbing contest.

It was Motorvaps False Bay who broke the duck on the scoreboard, when flyhalf Mikyle Jaftha converted a penalty.

The quality of play throughout the contest was high, testimony to the strength of Super League A 2025, where each of the fifteen teams in the contest would not disgrace if they made the playoffs at the end of the season. Helderberg’s coach, Phil Pretorius, a man who demands the highest quality of play and commitment from his charges, has this team well-drilled and familiar with their script. They play at pace with accuracy and guile, but there were areas of concern for him, such as the inaccuracy of their lineout, certainly in the first half. To blame the throw-in alone would be unfair to the immense work done by False Bay’s lineout talisman, Andrew Goode, who seemed to pilfer the opposition ball with impunity.

Their scrum creaked at times, benefitting from some lenient interpretations of factors such as going down and hands on the deck. Nevertheless, there is a lot going on at any given moment of live rugby and fair application of what is seen is the standard to apply.

Half time saw Motorvaps False Bay trailing by fourteen points,the ease with which centre Luke Carew reached their line perhaps lowered a pall of doubt over the sizeable travelling support. If that wasn’t it, then Helderberg’s first try of the second forty minutes, surely was. Captain and scrumhalf, Michael Visser danced his way to the line, his conversion giving Berge a 31-10 lead. Heads dropped. Not the heads on the pitch, heads amongst the Bay support. Some left, the continuing rain completing an unenjoyable outing for them.

As life is, those who departed missed out on a cliffhanger of a second half. Firstly, False Bay’s standout player (along with hooker Jacques Goosen), was felled by a high tackle by Helderberg’s eighthman, Ernst Lambrecht. Not only was it high, but there was head on head contact, which has mandatory penalty protocols attached. Lambrecht, along with Visser, was outstanding on the day, the base from which his team launched many of their attacks on their visitors. He is as tough as teak, foul play not in his armoury, so malice in the tackle was definitely no issue. A fracas ensued, for which a False Bay player received an early shower and a Berge player ten minutes on the naughty bench.

The seemingly unfair departure of Josh Florence exasperated the legion in the stands but inspired the fourteen on the pitch. Players like eighthman Shayne Orderson, wing Daniel Hayes, and fullback Luke Jacobs, demonstrated defiance in the face of a team comfortable with the result already being theirs with twenty minutes to spare. New Bay warriors, such as brothers Khanya and Lindo Ncusane, born a couple of years apart yet as identical as twins, raised the energy of their team’s performance. At hooker, Kamva Mgwali brought his unique brand of frenetic bustle and happiness to the contest, freeing Grobler up to shift to openside flank.

First in the fightback was a try by Orderson, a well-taken tap and go from a five-metre penalty which left Berger with insufficient tacklers to stem this powerhouse’s run.

Popular Mgwali was next, receiving the ball on the Helderberg quarter line, eluded a tackle and sprinted to swan dive under the poles, the conversion making it a seven-point game.

Hayes, initiated by Jacobs who fielded a kick, chipped, chased and collected to pop to the little dynamo to score in the corner. Jaftha was left with a difficult conversion but he is a capable kicker and the ball was looking to perfectly dissect the uprights when the aforementioned wind showed its allegiance by holding it short.

Two points was the difference and theoretically the game was still in the balance if Motorvaps False Bay could convert a penalty. To convert a penalty, you need to be awarded one and that was not to be as the referee ended proceedings to the disappointment of False Bay.

Motorvaps False Bay departed with a valuable two league points in the bag, one for the loss within seven points, the other for scoring four tries. Their disappointment at the loss overshadows their tremendous effort, which they will realise after the pain has subsided.

All teams take a break over the Easter weekend. Morovaps False Bay host UWC next Saturday at Constantia.