The hosts ran Upington ragged, scoring 11 tries and converting nine of them, leaving the final score at 73-11 in KRC’s favour.
IN A HIGHLY anticipated semi-final clash of the Griquas Super League, Kimberley Rugby Club (KRC) left no doubt about their dominance as they demolished visitors Upington Dorp on Saturday.
The game, held at the KRC grounds, saw an impressive display of skill and determination from the dominant home team. The hosts ran Upington ragged, scoring 11 tries and converting nine of them, leaving the final score at 73-11 in KRC’s favour.
Right from the kickoff, both teams made it clear that they were not going to back down easily. However, it was KRC who drew first blood, crossing the visitors tryline just 10 minutes into the game.
This early breakthrough set the tone for the rest of the match.
To their credit, the Upington team’s scrums proved to be dominant throughout the game, providing them with a solid platform to launch their attacks.
However, despite their scrum superiority, they struggled to convert their dominance into points on the scoreboard. KRC’s fierce defence stood tall and made it exceedingly difficult for Upington Dorp to convert pressure into points.
But at the other end of the field, the score was mounting. At the 30-minute mark of the match, KRC was 19-6 ahead, and as halftime approached, the hosts unleashed a flurry of attacks to extend their lead to an impressive 33-6.
Upington Dorp had plenty of questions to answer during the halftime break especially if they hoped to mount a comeback. Their coach could be heard giving his players a hard talk, telling them to get in the game and fix their problems. He was overheard asking them, “What is going on today?”
Despite the hairdryer halftime talk, the second carried on similarly to the first, with KRC continuing to dominate. Within five minutes, they added another try to their tally, further solidifying their grip on the match at 40-6. However, Upington Dorp dug deep and launched a massive push 15 minutes into the second half. They strung together multiple phases of play but were unfortunate not to convert their efforts into points on the board. But it was the hosts that responded to Upington Dorp’s rally by piling on the points, increasing their lead to an astonishing 52-6.
As the final whistle blew, it was evident that KRC’s dominance was unmatched on the day. The 11 try romp gave them the deserved final score of 73-11.
KRC Point-scorers – (Tries): JP Roets, Keletso Seoposengwe (4), Jonathan Francke, Dylan Douglas, Tiaan Pretorius, Leonardus Meyer, Deon van Niekerk, and Henco Lourens. (Conversions): Tiaan Swanepoel (6) and Ederies Arendse (3)
• Meanwhile, at Hantam Park in Calvinia, Sishen Rugby Club secured their spot in the final by defeating the Young Lions 21-3 and setting up a final clash with KRC at Windhoek Draught Park in Kimberley on Saturday, July 15.
The final promises to be a thrilling encounter between two formidable teams, with the winner qualifying to compete in the Golden Cup championship.
The stage is set for a showdown that will determine the best team in the Super League. Rugby enthusiasts from all around are eagerly anticipating the clash between KRC and Shishen. So mark your calendars, next week spectators who make it to Windhoek Draught Park will witness the newly-crowned champions lift the prestigious Super League trophy.
