So close, but no cigar

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KNYSNA RUGBY NEWS - After an unsurpassed season in which it remained unbeaten until the final, Greater Knysna had to concede a close defeat by Mossel Bay's Garden Route Rugby Club on its Hornlee sports field home ground last Saturday. It is the first time ever that the club not only remained unbeaten but managed to reach the final of the SWD Coastal Leaugue.

The hosts, who were the absolute favourites on the day, were beaten by a much more determined and hungry Garden Route team by 25-19 in a gripping and gruelling final.

The day started off with the 2nd Team final between Black Lions and Black Warriors, with the latter coming out as the 2nd Team champions for 2018. In the main curtain raiser for the final, Black Lions played against and defeated Excelsiors from Wittedrift in a very close match to win the Cobie Karelse Trophy finishing third in the coastal league before the grand finale between the two top teams from the SWD east and southern sections.

Greater Knysna started like a house on fire scoring twice in the first 10 minutes with fly half Masekhane Sitole setting up Don-Marco Samuels for the first try of the match with a great line break from his own half. Captain Justin Damons scored the first of his two tries from a driving maul to take a 12-0 lead that would have been 19 if Cyanda Nquak had not missed a final pass early in the game with only the line in front of him.

Scoring opportunities lost
Another scoring opportunity was lost when wing Ludwe Vara managed a line break and ran deep into the Garden Route's 22m area but with no support, possession was turned over. Garden Route then scored a penalty shortly before halftime with Greater Knysna leading 12-3.

Mossel Bay's Garden Route Rugby Club during half time. Photo: Stefan Goosen

Garden Route started the second half at a fast pace forcing Greater Knysna into making silly mistakes – one in which possession was turned over and another from a kick that was left to bounce into the hands of the Garden Route's dangerous left wing who scored under the post to bring the score to 12-10.

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Halfway through the second half, Garden Route took the lead via a controversial try when one of its players picked the ball up from a ruck and scored through a gap left by the Greater Knysna fullback (who had illegally played the nr. 9 at the ruck).

Now leading 17-12, and with the host still making basic primary schoolboy errors, Garden Route scored its third try after a silly defensive mistake by Greater Knysna. With 5 minutes left on the clock, Garden Route kicked a penalty to take the score to 25-12.

Maxwell Kiewitz started a late surge for the hosts – breaking the line and driving into the visitor's 22m area with the forwards putting a lot of pressure onto the Garden Route try line and Damons forcing his way over for his second try. The kick was good but all came a little bit too late as the referee called the game after the conversion leaving the hosts defeated and handing Garden Route a well-deserved championship title.

Article: Aschin Klein

Fans... because they love the game. Photo: Stefan Goosen