Home ground advantage went out the back door in the first Top 9 encounter between Lagunya and Hamediehs this past Saturday 23 July. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lagunya, the winner of the Southern League and Hamediehs, the winner of the City League, locked horns in Nyanga, and Hamediehs was victorious with a 37-17 win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This coming Saturday Lagunya travels to Atlantis and are on the warpath to make up for the defeat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Atlantis will be in action for the first time in the competition after their bye last weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Top 9, also known as the Promotion-Relegation League of Western Province Rugby Union, consists of the top three teams of the Southern, Northern and City Leagues which are: Hamediehs from Athlone, Masiphumelele from Noordhoek, Violets from Lansdowne (City), Lagunya, Northerns from Elsies River, Atlantis from Atlantis (Southern), Van der Stel-Evergreen from Stellenbosch, Blakes from Stellenbosch and Sir Lowrians from Sir Lowrys Pass (Northerns). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each of the teams in the Top 9 will play eight matches during the campaign until Saturday 1 October. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two top teams on the log will automatically progress to Super League C, while the teams in position three and four will have a play-off on a neutral field to determine the winners of the last promotion spot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sides will them replace the three teams that finished in the last three positions in Super League C competition of the Southern, Northern and City League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hamediehs won the City League, Lagunya the Southern League and Van der Stel-Evergreens the Northern League. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only Hamediehs and Van der Stel-Evergreens finished their league unbeatean with Hamediehs accumulating 35 points out of a possible 40 in eight matches and Van der Stel-Evergreens 44 points out of a possible 45 in nine matches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A win with a bonus point was five points (a win with four or more tries) on the log and without a bonus point four points and Van der Stel-Evergreens missed a bonus point in one encounter and would have scored the full 45 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The past Saturday some of the teams encountered teams from other leagues and it was obvious that each of them learned valuable lessons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What probably worked for your team in your league before Top 9 was not fool-proof in Saturday\u2019s first encounter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the first ten minutes every team was sussing out what their opponents were made of and it was not plain sailing or no dominance at the start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When teams started to gel and what they practiced on the training field was implemented, everything came together. Mistakes were made and it is back to the drawing board to iron out the mistakes made in the game on the training field this week to be ready for the second match this coming Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Masiphumelele travelled to Stellenbosch to take on Blakes and lost 24-7. Hamediehs travelled to Lagunya and dispatched the home side 37-17 while Van der Stel-Evergreens paid Northerns a visit on Avonwood Park and was victors by 39-22. Atlantis had a bye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Van der Stel-Evergreens vs Violets<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blakes vs Northerns<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lagunya vs Atlantis<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Masiphumelele vs Sir Lowrians<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hamediehs have a bye<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Home ground advantage went out the back door in the first Top 9 encounter between Lagunya and Hamediehs this past Saturday 23 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