When Mother Nature decides to intervene, rugby matches take on a different complexion entirely. Welkom Gimnasium discovered this on Saturday 28 February, grinding out a hard-fought 12-10 victory over Fichardtpark in a match that the heavens tried their best to wash away.
The weather didn’t just threaten the contest, it stopped it completely before officials decided to restart and see the match through. By the final whistle, Gim had two tries to their name and a precious opening victory, but the real story was about resilience in the face of challenging conditions.
“There were lots of outside factors that played a part. The weather, the long day – we scored two good tries and the interplay was encouraging,” said Roean Bezuidenhout, 1st XV coach of Welkom Gim.
It was far from perfect, but it was a winning start. The two-point margin tells you everything about how tight this encounter was. Fichardtpark pushed Gim right to the wire, and the men from Welkom had to dig deep when the conditions made handling and execution treacherous.
Bezuidenhout took positives from his team’s set-piece work, an area that provided a solid platform despite the slippery conditions. The scrum and lineout functioned well enough to give Gim front-foot ball when they needed it most. But the coach knows there’s plenty of graft ahead.
“I think the biggest work on at the moment is the defensive structures and how we execute,” Bezuidenhout admitted.
Attack and defence both need attention on the training paddock this week. The encouraging interplay Bezuidenhout mentioned suggests the attacking framework is there, it just needs polishing.
But here’s where reality bites. Gim’s next assignment is a hit-out against Grey College on 7 March. The Bloem giants opened their campaign with a commanding 38-12 victory over Trio, showcasing their championship firepower.
It’s a massive step up in class. Grey will test every facet of Gim’s game, particularly those defensive structures Bezuidenhout identified as a work in progress. If the set-piece holds firm and the interplay continues to improve, Welkom might just surprise a few people.
Bezuidenhout knows exactly what he needs to work on and has a week to execute his plan. The weather may have tried to derail their opener, but Gim found a way to win. Now they need to find a way to compete with one of South Africa’s rugby heavyweights.
Sometimes a scrappy win teaches you more than a comfortable victory. Welkom Gim will take the lessons learned, sharpen their defensive edge and prepare for the storm that Grey College will bring.
