PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Plettenberg Bay's Jaguars rugby team played their first home game after making it into the SWD Premier League last year.

The plucky players who are based in Kurland Village – a rural area on the outskirts of Plett – took on the Grootbrak rugby team at the Bitou rugby field on Saturday 30 March.

Although they could not secure a home soil victory, the players put up a good fight and lost the match in the final 10 minutes when Grootbrak took a successful penalty kick and followed it up with a try. The final score was 28-17.

Jaguars coach Pieter van Rensburg said it was a tough match, but the players showed great potential.

"We are a relatively new team and it will take time before the players get to know each other well and create a bond on and off the field," Van Rensburg said.

He explained the team won the SWD President's League last year, earning them a spot in the Premier League this year. The team made it into the finals of the President's League last year and took on a much bigger team from George, but still managed to come out on top scoring 26-19.

'A different ballgame'
"Playing in the Premier League is a different ballgame. The tempo is much faster, so it will take getting used to."

He added that while some of last year's players are still part of the team, several new players have joined. "They need time to learn how to work as a unit, but they have what it takes."

On Saturday 6 April the Jaguars will play another Premier League match, this time against the Barbarians from Mossel Bay. They will be playing the match at the D'Almeida Stadium in Mossel Bay.

In the meantime, the players will continue with their strenuous training programme which includes two nights a week in the Crags and one night in Plettenberg Bay.

The Jaguars' B and C teams also played over the past weekend, but lost to their Grootbrak opponents 32-2 and 38-7 respectively.

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