From Queen’s
Queen’s College took on Hudson Park at The Recreation Ground, in Queenstown on Saturday 30 May. Both teams were keen to get back to winning ways, after suffering defeats the previous weekend. Hudson Park won the toss and played with a strong wind at their backs for the first half.
The hosts, however, were first to open the scoring after Justin Kuyler slotted a penalty in the opening minutes for an early 3-0 lead. Hudson went on the offensive after miscommunication at the kick off and applied pressure on the host’s line after been awarded a series of penalties. After sustained pressure on the host’s line the visitors opened their account with a converted try after a number of good carries from their forwards. Queen’s was then awarded a penalty and Kuyler was successful with another three points for the home team.
Hudson used the wind to good effect in the first half and enjoyed the majority of field position and possession. Hudson after applying pressure were awarded a penalty and opted for a kick to the corner and set up a driving maul which saw their tight head score the second try for the visitors. The conversion was successful and Hudson enjoyed a 12-6 lead. The first try for the home team was scored after Foslag made a good run from a misdirected kick and then some good continuity between the forwards and backs saw Bulela Sotyelelwa crash over for an unconverted try. Hudson was the next to score after their fullback slotted a 40m drop goal. Queen’s had opportunities to convert pressure into points but a ball dropped over the try line and missed penalty saw the hosts down 15-11 at the break.
The second half started, much the same as the first, and Hudson enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages. Queen’s then managed to win back some field position and after some good patient, phase play Gareth Heidtmann opened the scoring for the hosts with an unconverted try.
The third try from the hosts came from the kickoff and a poor kick return was punished. Juan Du Randt made a line break and played Mihlali Peter who scored. Kuyler was successful with extra two points. Hudson never a team to lie down managed to score after a series of penalties and that saw the visitors score from a driving maul. The conversion was ruled not to be successful by the referee and Queen’s enjoyed a narrow 23-20 lead. The next score in this close encounter came after Frank Van Heerden was high tackled by the last defender and saw the referee award a penalty try which was converted by Kuyler. The hosts would have the last say in the game after a great chip ahead by Yaw Penxa was gathered by Van Heerden for the home team’s fifth and final try. The conversion was wide and Queen’s won the match 35-20.
Both teams showed passages of brilliant play; however the coaches will be slightly concerned with the number of errors that their teams made on attack and defence. Queen’s will now shift their focus to next weekend when they take on St Andrew’s in Queenstown.
@Queenian: I don’t give the snobs a chance. I think QC will be too much for them. That said – both teams will be hungry for a big EC scalp. In dry weather, this should be a cracker of a game.
@Playa: If QC keep all there boys the next two years could be decent.
They must not let the snobs in the door on Saturday.
@Playa: I have a little birdie on my shoulder that says Dale will pip Grey on Saturday.
Same birdie who told me QC would pip them last year.
@DC ARMY: WOW! I had no idea they blew such a lead. It will be critical to play a full 70 against Grey, things ma get really ugly, very quickly if they fall asleep, even for 5 minutes.
I said it before. These injuries may well be a blessing in disguise for QC…a combination of this current group as well as their under 16s could be deadly for their 2016 opposition.
@Playa: For that to happen Firstly we need to put on a better performance than we did against Selborne, more like the one against Queens. Secondly these boys must learn to play the full 70 minutes, last Sat against Kingswood i left in the 2nd half with the score 32 – 5 only to find out later that it ended 32 – 26. With Grey you can’t afford to do that
It remains to be seen if these two teams can replicate what they did in PE last year.
For Queens if they grind out favourable results for the remainder of the year with this team and with that u16 team this year that should bode well for them next year
@Queenian: Big test for them against St Andrews this weekend. Both sides are pretty much under 17 sides.
As for us…the daunting task of facing Grey PE
Hoping home ground advantage will assist in getting a rare victory against those Pyjama Boys
Hope they keep winning.
@rugbyfan: Looks like Hudson are a dangerous horse this year.
Good win for a QC team which is now mainly Under 17