"Rhinos need the leopards"
BRING back the Leopards!
That was the call after the Rhinos
suffered a substantial 40-8 loss to Old Boys in a Premier League rugby
match played at Mick Kelly Park on Friday night. Old Boys led 13-3 at
half time and then 13-8 ten minutes into the second half with the Rhinos scoring probably the best try of the match.
Skipper Mark Smith leads the
North Coast Rhinos onto the field for the main game
Brendon Barton leaps high with
the help of prop Chris Sham to secure lineout ball for Rhinos II
This came after a superb break by Prince Mofokeng with the Mdluli twins
rounding off the movement with a try under the poles. Victor Campher
surprisingly missed the kick which could have reduced the gap to just
three points at a crucial stage of the game. The Rhinos were back in
the thick of things and the crowd were on their feet hoping for a
repeat performance of the Collegians match a few weeks ago. But it was
not to be as Old Boys hit back almost immediately with a soft try to
Mark Fouche who intercepted a poor attempt to clear the ball. He ran
past a pathetic attempt at a tackle to dot down under the posts. The
conversion was a formality and Old Boys were in command with a 20-8
lead. The game changed dramatically from this point with the referee
taking over with a procession of penalties and Rhinos players being
marched off to the cooler box. As the one came back, so the next would
go off and for the final 30 minutes Rhinos had to take on the powerful
Old Boys pack with just seven forwards - too much for them to contend
with. A game that could have developed into a fabulous contest was
ruined. I might add that the penalty count was heavily in favour of
the visitors - a clear indication of the control they had of the
match. The replacements from the Bulldogs came on in the second half
in an effort to stem the tide but the damage was already done. With
further tries to Dave Hawksworth, a second to Mark Fouche and a final
effort to Conrad Stolz who romped over in the corner, Old Boys were
decisive 40-8 winners. The match was a personal triumph for Fouche who
finished with a handsome tally of 25 points from three conversions, two
tries and three penalties. The Rhinos’ points came from a penalty by
Victor Campher from close to the half way line and that brilliant try
to Thokozane Mdluli. In the second team match, a much closer affair,
Old Boys got home by 21-17 after leading 18-10 at the break. Rhinos’
points came from tries to Chris Nel and Charles Calitz with Sakkie
Meyer adding a penalty and two conversions. Old Boys, who had to pull
out all the stops to deny the home side victory, replied with two
tries, three penalties and a conversion.
The forwards prepare for the
lineout
