National Club Rugby Round-up – Border clubs make their moves
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With just over 12 weeks remaining until the start of the 2011 National Club Championships, a number of Border clubs made a statement as the second round of the league resumed in the Eastern Cape last weekend.
East London Police and Buffalo, who between them have represented Border at the last three National Club Championships, notched up crucial victories in a province in which the league winner, as opposed to the first-round log leader, qualifies for SARU’s flagship tournament.
Buffs, the 2008 and 2009 champions, beat FNB Varsity Shield side Fort Hare University 21-9 – their sixth win in eight matches – while Bobbies picked up an invaluable victory on the road when they overcame Old Selbornian 20-16 to get their campaign back on track.
“We’ve got a young side this year, with a lot of under-21 players,” said Police coach Hansie Dewing. “We’d dearly love to go back to the Club Champs as Border champions this year.”
Dewing’s team very nearly did not make it to Stellenbosch in 2010, after a league dispute saw the Border Rugby Union fail to crown an official champion. Police were however thrown a lifeline at the eleventh hour when they were invited by SARU to take part.
Police then surprised everyone by reaching the Plate final, where they lost to Varsity Cup team Shimlas.
In other news from around the country, Kuruman will host the Griqualand West Super League final on 9 July against reigning champions Kimberley Police, after the Bobbies beat Ammosal 35-22 in what was effectively a playoff match to decide who would go through to the final.
There are only four teams in Eastern Province left with a chance of qualifying for the Club Champs, after a number of nailbiting Grand Challenge quarter-finals finally took place last Saturday after being postponed because of waterlogged pitches.
PE Harlequins squeezed home 10-5 against Kruisfontein, 2009 champions Park hung on 20-17 against SAPS, and Despatch survived a late rally to see off surprise packages African Bombers, in their first season in top flight, 30-23.
Resurgent Varsity Cup side NMMU Madibaz, who have endured a couple of lean years, powered into the last four with a solid 31-16 win over Gardens.
SK Walmers moved to the top of the Western Province Super League A following their 45-5 win over Helderberg. The victory takes the Green Point side one point ahead of Club Champs qualifiers Maties, who have a game in hand and have yet to start their second-round campaign.
With four confirmed Club Champs qualifiers (Maties, Shimlas, Progress and Roses United), the race for the remaining 12 slots resume in a number of northern provinces this week after the successful conclusion of last week’s SARU Amateur Provincial Competition, hosted by the Valke Rugby Union and won by the Blue Bulls, who beat the Golden Lions 47-32 in last Friday’s final.
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