Macassar RFC’s first team broke the hearts of CPUT players and supporters with an unending display of power rugby to clinch their fifth Super League C win in iconic fashion at Riverside Park on Saturday (21 May).
A last-gasp penalty from the boot of flyhalf Garth de Bruin and second-half tries by lock Oliver Gila and replacement scrumhalf Leswin Love ground the visitors in the Riverside dirt.
The well-conditioned CPUT team were clear favourites for the encounter following their impressive performance in the Varsity Shield weeks earlier. However, the MC Boys produced a powerful and tactical display, master-minded by the coaching corps, to deny the students and hand them their first loss of the club rugby season.
The Macassar pack were dominant in the scrums and disrupted the CPUT line-out, but when the students made their first series of forays, they won the contest out wide and soon touched down in the corner through hooker Duke Shasha (0-5).
From the restart, Macassar won a penalty and kicked for touch into CPUT territory, where a driving maul and multiple phases of attack ensued. But the hosts were denied as the visitors’ defence stood firm. The home side was eventually rewarded for their unwavering forward attack through a penalty by De Bruin 13 minutes in (3-5).
An immediate response was sparked, but the MC Boys did well to stop CPUT with great defence as the students piled on the pressure. Persistence and expansive attacks eventually led to CPUT winger Keanu Maree kicking into space and re-gathering to cross over for a brilliant individual try (3-12).
The scoreline remained stagnant into the break, as the MC Boys were outclassed in the wider channels and misfired when scoring opportunities were presented.
With a pack growing in stature, especially with ball carriers Gila and Wilbur Smith playing their hearts out, and the loose-forward trio equally impressive, the hosts struck first in the second half. Unfortunately, a string of defensive lapses allowed the visitors to extend their lead when winger Linton Maritz scored in the corner (3-17).
Soon after the introduction of impact players Burnodick Julius, Owen Williams and Gurston Cupido, the MC Boys’ intensity amped-up in the latter stages of the half. Young playmaker Love sniped in CPUT territory and was brought down 5 m from the try-line. Quick recycling resulted in Gila crashing over for his try, which De Bruin converted (10-17).
While the game delivered some poor periods of defensive lapses, the hosts knew when to strike. The last 15 minutes saw a complete turnaround as they dominated territory and possession.
In the 75th minute, Love expertly broke the line around the pillar defence and ran 20 m to score in the corner (15-17).
Macassar sustained the pressure with the impact players making their presence felt and were awarded a penalty, which De Bruin converted with four minutes remaining (18-17).
A costly decision during exit play from the hosts resulted in the visitors sneaking the lead with a penalty by Maritz (18-20). But the MC Boys showed determination and resilience, launching attack after attack and won a penalty in the dying moments of the match.
The cool-headed De Bruin stepped up to convert – much to the delight of the home fans, who rushed on the field as their team clinched the 21-20 victory.
