Queen’s played against traditional rivals, Selborne, in East London on Friday the 1st of May. The match was played in perfect conditions for running rugby. Selborne started the game well and exerted early pressure on the Queen’s try line for the opening minutes but the visitors defence withheld the initial challenges and managed to win back field possession. The first points of the game came from Albre Wagener who slotted a penalty for a 3-0. Queen’s then went on the offence and controlled possession and territory. The visitor’s patience on attack was rewarded with a successful penalty from Wagener for a 6-0 lead.
Selborne bounced back with a try by Thaki Boloko after a patient build up where their forwards and backs combined well to send the speedy winger over in the corner. Josh Alderman was successful with the conversion and Selborne enjoyed a 7-6 lead. After an exciting start by both teams the middle passages of the first half were dominated by great defence as both teams went hammer and tong at each other. Wagener was the man to break the deadlock as he added a penalty to the Queen’s score for a 9-7 lead. After a poor restart the Selbornians capitalized on a Queen’s mistake and managed to send Boloko over for the host’s second try which was converted by Alderman. Selborne enjoyed a 14-9 lead at the break.
The early stages of the second half saw the game ebb and flow in each teams favour and it was only great defence by both teams that prevented the other team from scoring. Selborne opened the scoring in the second half with a penalty from Alderman and enjoyed a comfortable lead at 17-9.
Queen’s battled with some of the breakdown interpretations in the second half and conceded another three points from Alderman’s boot to take the score to 20- 9 in Selborne’s favour. The Queenians threw everything into attack after this and were unable to capitalize on several good line breaks made by Matanzima, Foslag and captain Oranje. The hosts would have the last say as their captain, David Brits, added a try to their tally as he went crashing over for a five pointer. Queen’s lost the game 25-9.
Queen’s will now shift their focus as they take on Kingswood on Saturday the 9th of May in Queenstown at The Recreation Ground.
@QC86:
No rain pleeaaaase!!!!
Yeah, our under 16s are going to be men by the end of this season. I feel for them.They’re in for a bladdy long morning this Saturday. I think our under 15s will put up a good fight. I still believe in our under 14s as well – regardless of the 60 pointer you guys handed QC last weekend.That’s m heart speaking though, admittedly. As for the under 13s…ours got a lekker beating in Queenstown, while yours put the kudu to bed.It will be very interesting.
Given our resident psychololgist’s waist line…I don’t reckon he will have much trouble taking that cheese down his throat
@DC ARMY: I’ll hold my breath for that victory as I do every year. Last year’s game was epic.I was thoroughly impressed, especially since it was on the Phillips Mattress. If we can get the 100th win against Selborne and then beat Grey…I’d be happy even if we lose all the other remaining games.
@Playa: Well if you watched that game in PE last year you would be optimistic that Dale can beat Grey as they could have won that game last year.
@QC86: Agree with you fully there, Selborne do not have a Flyhalf that kid is not worthy of a First Team Jumper and in a way i guess you can’t blame Kevin Taylor to resorting to what he knows best, watching those 10/15 Metre Mauls by the Selborne forwards in the 2nd half was like watching that running, lying, hugging and kissing farce that happened in Las Vegas. One could be forgiven for going to sleep.
@Rugbyfan: Less said about that REF the better, he was horribly terrible in that 2nd half, Queens did not in fact schoolboys do not deserve that kind of officiating.
As for the Reunion game i guess there is no better platform to get that 100th victory against Selborne and make history, but boring or not there way in which the Selborne forwards decimated Queens in the 2nd stanza was scary and i expect them to deploy that game plan against Dale from the word go and to me the forward battle will give them the edge for victory, but in saying that Dale do have a very good loose trio and a rather sizeable tight five. But for me the battle of the day will be the one between the 2 centre combinations.
@Playa: Old man is nearly 60 now,he is co owner so he can call it when ever he wants.I’m praying for rain,if that Dale backline gets any ball we in for a kak day.Wish we had Morgan back then i would be a lot more cocky.Rest of the day will belong to Selborne i’m afraid.Selborne u16’s played against Dale u16’s yesterday at Border trials and Dale don’t have much there.U13’s could go Dales way,Selborne not to strong there this year,looking forward to the day tho.Hoping to bump into Mclean at the pub before the game to force feed him some of that cheese he was talking about
@rugbyfan: We just don’t seem to get it right against the Pyjama Boys.I would seriously consider taking unpaid leave for a week to go on a celebratory drinking binge if we beat them this year.Heaven knows when the next victory would come.To quote the born-frees…YOLO
@QC86: Got some lekker chops and wors from your shop 2 weeks ago. I think you were up in Kimberly for Wildeklawer. Mr Wood is ageing quite significantly, give the man his pension already
I am bummed I am going to miss this Saturday’s game – also sad for missing the QC-Selborne one. It promises to be classic fixture. I only managed to see the Dale-Stirling game, which is was more of a shadow outing for Dale.I hope Winnar has shipped in new kicking boots, he had a shocker with the boot last Wednesday.He will not get as much time on the ball against Selborne as he did last week, so all convertible points will be critical.
The battle upfront will be very interesting. My sense is Selborne will be superior in the tight five.The breakdown, however is where the game will be won or lost.Both teams have quality loosies (who from the matches I have seen have been pretty evenly matched, though one may argue that Selborne have had tougher tests o the two schools).It may be a long day for Selborne if Dale wins the battles at the breakdown as the backline will get free reign….on the contrary…a tight and contained game will lead to a drowning of sorrows at the Dellwood Pub for the Old Dalians.
I seriously cannot even predict a score for this one
@rugbyfan: i agree,Selborne were hopeless against QC,falling back into that old channel one game plan of the past.If they play with their current flyhalf, Winaar is going to kill us
Must say after watching QC play Dale and Selborne I would stick my head out and say Dale will win this coming Saturday.
You never no Dale also play Grey PE at home and could win that as well so don’t be surprised they land up as the ECape No 1 team this year.
@rugbyfan: That’s seems to be the rule with the age groups against Selborne in Under14 they lose by big margins in Under 15 a bit closer and sometimes by the last game in Under 16 they get a win.
This is usually a size related issue, if you look at QC Under14 vs Selborne Under 14 just on size they have no chance in hell in winning.
Agree the Under16A game was great very close game a bit closer than the score says. The game in Queenstown later this year in Under16 will be a humdinger.
Was quite surprised with the Under 15 game last year in Under 14’s I think Selborne won both games by 60 or so and this time round it was quite close.
Don’t think the QC 1st team new what hit them in the second half with that ref quite a shocker although not saying they would have won but I think it would have been a lot closer.
Hats off to John Duncan with this report not allowing himself to be dragged into a sledging match like the attitude of you lost just learn from it and carry on.
Selborne must have a pretty formidable u16 team.
@Andre: 36 – 12 for Selborne.
What was the u16a score?
I really enjoyed the u16a game,it is always one of the tuffest games of the year for our u16’s.