Elnatan pip WHS to Metropolitan rugby title

ELNATAN beat Windhoek High School 23-20 in a thrilling Under-19 Super League final of the Metropolitan Board Schools’ Rugby Trophy competition on Saturday.

In a thrilling match, the small private school from the south built up a 16-8 lead at halftime and then withstood a late onslaught to gain revenge against the mighty WHS. It was the first time that Elnatan had won the Super League final, after losing to WHS in the 2005 final.WHS had won the title for the previous three years in a row and nine times overall since the start of the competition in 1992.In a tense and hard-fought match, Elnatan’s heavier forwards controlled the tight exchanges, while they tackled like demons.Elnatan’s flyhalf Keady Strauss also had a big influence on the match, collecting 13 points with his accurate goal kicking, while he kept his pack moving forward with his long touch finders.Elnatan took an early lead when centre Neil van Wyk cut the line and burst over to score close to the posts.Strauss succeeded with the conversion and when he added a penalty in the 10th minute they were leading 10-0.WHS’s first score came three minutes later when right wing Burger Fourie touched down in the corner after a quick backline move, but flyhalf Ewald Steenkamp missed the conversion.With both defences outstanding, scoring opportunities were restricted and the respective flyhalves could each only add one more penalty before halftime.WHS COMEBACK Elnatan finally broke through nine minutes into the second half when centre Neil van Wyk crashed over after breaking the line from a backline move.Strauss added the conversion, but Van Wyk got injured going over for the try and had to leave the field.With a 23-8 lead Elnatan were firmly in control, but WHS refused to give up.Left wing Andre Nel went over for a try in the 46th minute after a quick backline move, but Steenkamp missed the conversion from the touchline.With the spectators in the packed grandstand going crazy, WHS continued to attack and three minutes later centre Corne Bosman went over for a try, converted by Steenkamp.WHS were now only three points behind but in the final tense minute they could not breach Elnatan’s defence.With three minutes to go Strauss missed an easy penalty in front of goal, but it did not prove costly as Elnatan held on for victory, to the delight of their fans who streamed onto the field at the final whistle.WHS WIN UNDER-15 FINAL Elnatan also reached the Under-15 A final, but here WHS proved to be too strong.The Windhoek side took a 14-0 lead at halftime through tries by flyhalf Zirk Coetzee and fullback Reinhard Liebenberg, both converted by scrumhalf Raymond Maasdorp.Elnatan centre Dawie Louw scored a try after the break, converted by Corne Karsten, but two more tries by Zirk Coetzee and a Maasdorp conversion gave WHS a 26-7 victory.WHS’s under-16 side won the Under 19 C title after beating Jan Moehr II 31-22 in the final.WHS streaked into a 24-8 lead at halftime through two tries by centre Guillaume du Toit and one each by centre Robert Wheal and right wing Jaydon Walters.Fullback Raymond van Schoor added two conversions, while Jan Moehr’s only points came from a try by centre Lyndon Platt and a penalty by right wing Herwin Tsowaseb.Jan Moehr staged a fine comeback after halftime through another try by Platt and one by flank Francois Clark, both converted by Tsowaseb.WHS eightman and captain Rezando Botes however also scored a try converted by Van Schoor to secure the victory.The results of the other age group finals were as follows: Under-14 B: Dr Lemmer 10 Dawid Bezuidenhout 7 Under-14 A: HTS 24 WHS 7 Under-15 A: WHS 26 Elnatan 7 Under-19 D: Ella du Plessis 15 Rehoboth 7 Under-19 C: WHS U16 31 Jan Mohr II 22 www.namibiasport.com.naIt was the first time that Elnatan had won the Super League final, after losing to WHS in the 2005 final.WHS had won the title for the previous three years in a row and nine times overall since the start of the competition in 1992.In a tense and hard-fought match, Elnatan’s heavier forwards controlled the tight exchanges, while they tackled like demons.Elnatan’s flyhalf Keady Strauss also had a big influence on the match, collecting 13 points with his accurate goal kicking, while he kept his pack moving forward with his long touch finders.Elnatan took an early lead when centre Neil van Wyk cut the line and burst over to score close to the posts.Strauss succeeded with the conversion and when he added a penalty in the 10th minute they were leading 10-0.WHS’s first score came three minutes later when right wing Burger Fourie touched down in the corner after a quick backline move, but flyhalf Ewald Steenkamp missed the conversion.With both defences outstanding, scoring opportunities were restricted and the respective flyhalves could each only add one more penalty before halftime.WHS COMEBACK Elnatan finally broke through nine minutes into the second half when centre Neil van Wyk crashed over after breaking the line from a backline move.Strauss added the conversion, but Van Wyk got injured going over for the try and had to leave the field.With a 23-8 lead Elnatan were firmly in control, but WHS refused to give up.Left wing Andre Nel went over for a try in the 46th minute after a quick backline move, but Steenkamp missed the conversion from the touchline.With the spectators in the packed grandstand going crazy, WHS continued to attack and three minutes later centre Corne Bosman went over for a try, converted by Steenkamp.WHS were now only three points behind but in the final tense minute they could not breach Elnatan’s defence.With three minutes to go Strauss missed an easy penalty in front of goal, but it did not prove costly as Elnatan held on for victory, to the delight of their fans who streamed onto the field at the final whistle.WHS WIN UNDER-15 FINAL Elnatan also reached the Under-15 A final, but here WHS proved to be too strong.The Windhoek side took a 14-0 lead at halftime through tries by flyhalf Zirk Coetzee and fullback Reinhard Liebenberg, both converted by scrumhalf Raymond Maasdorp.Elnatan centre Dawie Louw scored a try after the break, converted by Corne Karsten, but two more tries by Zirk Coetzee and a Maasdorp conversion gave WHS a 26-7 victory.WHS’s under-16 side won the Under 19 C title after beating Jan Moehr II 31-22 in the final.WHS streaked into a 24-8 lead at halftime through two tries by centre Guillaume du Toit and one each by centre Robert Wheal and right wing Jaydon Walters.Fullback Raymond van Schoor added two conversions, while Jan Moehr’s only points came from a try by centre Lyndon Platt and a penalty by right wing Herwin Tsowaseb.Jan Moehr staged a fine comeback after halftime through another try by Platt and one by flank Francois Clark, both converted by Tsowaseb.WHS eightman and captain Rezando Botes however also scored a try converted by Van Schoor to secure the victory.The results of the other age group finals were as follows: Under-14 B: Dr Lemmer 10 Dawid Bezuidenhout 7 Under-14 A: HTS 24 WHS 7 Under-15 A: WHS 26 Elnatan 7 Under-19 D: Ella du Plessis 15 Rehoboth 7 Under-19 C: WHS U16 31 Jan Mohr II 22 www.namibiasport.com.na