Despite starting off the annual USN JBay Touchies event with rain, the highly-anticipated event was a great success with 32 teams from all over the country battling it out on Jeffreys Bay Main Beach on December 26.
Christo Botha, event organiser for USN, said that a total of 32 teams registered on the morning of the event, with four female teams and 28 male teams participating.
He indicated that they had teams from all over South Africa, including Bloemfontein, Gqeberha, Hankey, Patensie, Thornhill, Humansdorp, Joubertina, George, and Brakpan.
Botha said that once the rain stopped, they were off to super-fast touchies with a few interesting team names participating, such as HkGK, Barbars, Borsbrekers, Sandbusters, Jbay Honne and Spoedermans.
“The amazing crowd gathered on the steps and pathways to support the teams, and the tension grew as they waited to see who was going to make it to the top eight,” said Botha.
He said that the quarter-finals saw an upset of the tournament when Coastal Juniors won 3–2 against the highly-rated Giant Tigers.
Botha said that the exciting legends game with the Kouga Municipality Legends playing against JBay Legends saw Boer Soek ’n Vrou’s Gerrit Genis scoring for the JBay Legends and the game ending in a 1–1 draw.
He said that the women’s final was dominated by The Queens and a Princess winning 6–0 against Humansdorp Protea Angels, with Leah Meintjes scoring a hat-trick of tries.
“The men’s finals were super exciting with KRA Blue Wave playing against EPCTA, with one being the defending champs. It all came down to the last two seconds when Jade Muller scored the winning try for KRA Blue Wave, winning 4-3 and making them the new USN Jbay Touchies Champs for 2023,” said Botha.
To further add to the excitement of the event, he said that former Springbok rugby player, Morné Steyn, was also at the event taking pictures with his fans.
The prizegiving took place at Je Vista Social Café with Charl Oosthuizen being crowned the Christian Ellis Referee of the Tournament, Leah Meintjes – an 11-year-old girl from Jeffreys Bay Primary School – walking away with the title of Women’s Player of the Tournament, and Jade Muller crowned as the Men’s Player of the Tournament.
Botha said that each winner received a Casio watch and core silicone ring sponsored by Gabriël Jewellers.
He said that the after-party kicked off thereafter, with South African musician Fatman performing some of his well-known songs, Vuil Coke and Dorp Toe.
“A big thanks to all our sponsors, especially USN and Kouga Municipality for making this event possible,” said Botha. “See you all again in December 2024 at the Touchies Tournament.”
ISSUED BY USN JBAY TOUCHIES
