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KNYSNA RUGBY NEWS - Greater Knysna and Knysna United proved once again that there is no love lost between them when the two rugby clubs locked horns in the Knysna Derby on Saturday 25 May.

Sport rivalries and derby days often manage to conjure up the very best a player and side have to offer as they refuse to be outshone by their closest rivals. 

While neither of the Knysna sides are professional or playing in the top tier of SWD rugby, the Knysna Derby typically brings out the best rugby that lies within both clubs.

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Second teams
Both clubs have had a slightly rocky start to the SWD President's League Coastal this season, with their first and second teams languishing in the lower half of their respective logs.

The second teams kicked off the day at Loerie Park on 25 May, with their game following on from the provincial women's rugby game between SWD and Eastern Province.

As the cool air started drifting into Loerie Park from the lagoon, the fired-up second teams played out a tense first half with a Knysna United try the only thing separating the two sides at halftime, with the score at 5-0 to the men in blue. The second half played out in a similarly tense fashion as the first, but both sides began playing more free-flowing rugby with both defences having to stand firm and withstand numerous strong attacks from the opposition.

Knysna United seemed to be the more calculated side as they managed to hold onto their lead and deal the first blow in the derby by winning 15-5.

First teams
With daylight well and truly gone, the first teams battled it out under the floodlights as the cold air failed to pierce the fiery atmosphere among supporters and players.

The first-team game would be yet another low-scoring thriller, as possession swayed to and fro with neither side able to assert their dominance on their opposition. The game was evenly poised at halftime, as Knysna United held a slim five-point lead at the break. In stark contrast to the seconds game, Greater Knysna were by far the more clinical side among the two first teams as the moisture in the air made ball handling difficult for both sides. Knysna United remained scoreless in the second half until the last 10 minutes, as they trailed Greater Knysna 19-10. For the second time in three games, Greater Knysna relinquished a lead in the final 10 minutes of the game as Knysna United were awarded a penalty try for illegal scrummaging followed by a penalty which was calmly slotted home with less than five minutes on the clock.

This earned Knysna United a thrilling 20-19 comeback victory, meaning Knysna will stay blue until the next derby rolls around.

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