The Free State showed the kind of mental fortitude that defines champions, surviving an almighty scare before recovering exceptionally to hammer out a 38-26 victory over a spirited South Western Districts side on day three of the FNB Craven Week. This was character personified, a team that stared down the barrel at 19-5 down, refused to blink, and stormed back to claim a thoroughly deserved victory.
What started as a potential disaster morphed into a masterclass in resilience and power rugby. In the second half specifically, Free State were making 4-5 metres per carry, their dominance complete, their statement emphatic.
Free State start strong but SWD bite back
Free State grabbed the early initiative through the influential Lamla Mgedezi, taking a 5-0 lead that suggested they might control proceedings from the outset. But SWD had not travelled to simply make up the numbers. They mounted an attack of their own, hitting back to snatch the lead at 7-5.
What followed was a purple patch that had Free State supporters squirming in their seats. SWD crossed twice, one of the tries coming from their seemingly unstoppable maul that put Free State under immense pressure. At 19-5, the underdogs were in the ascendancy, and a major upset looked distinctly possible.
The Fightback begins
But this Free State side possesses backbone, and they proved it in the 30th minute. When SWD launched another attack, a wayward pass presented the turnover opportunity. Free State pounced, putting phases together with renewed purpose before dotting down under the sticks to narrow the deficit to 19-12. The momentum was shifting.
Four minutes later, Ruan Roux got Free State on the front foot with a barnstorming carry. Quick ball followed, sending it wide where Samson Lackay provided the link to Mgedezi, who powered over in the corner. At 19-19, the teams were level, and Free State had completed a remarkable recovery.
The teams trudged off at the interval locked at 19-19, but the psychological advantage belonged to Free State. They had absorbed SWD’s best punches, weathered the storm, and fought their way back into contention. The question now was whether they could maintain the intensity in the second stanza.
New intensity shifts the contest
Free State emerged from the sheds with renewed vigour, but SWD were up for the challenge, their defence holding firm in the early exchanges. When SWD’s maul got going, it looked genuinely unstoppable, a weapon that threatened to swing the contest back in their favour.
In the 45th minute, they demonstrated exactly that threat. Peeling off from a maul, Jacobus de Villiers went over to give Free State a 26-19 advantage. They had their noses in front, but SWD refused to buckle.
Ding Dong battle continues
The 50th minute saw AJ Hendricks barrel over in close quarters after Free State kept putting phases together with relentless intensity. At 26-26, we were level once more, the contest still hanging in the balance.
Free State attacked with menace down the wing, only to be denied by amazing cover defence from Bronwin Swiegelaar, whose heroics kept SWD in the fight. This was a battle being fought on a knife’s edge.
Free State pull away
The decisive period came in the final quarter. Mgedezi, who had been instrumental throughout, produced a moment of brilliance in the 57th minute. His perfectly weighted chip kick created havoc, and got a pressure pass out to Eddie Mabena. The outside centre showed composure to run it. At 31-26, Free State had breathing room.
SWD launched one final assault in the 63rd minute, but Xander de Beer produced a lightning-quick turnover that snuffed out the danger and swung momentum decisively back towards Free State.
The 65th minute saw Free State put the result beyond doubt. Tyropolis slipped a beautiful pass out the back to Lackay, who found the space he needed to score. At 38-26, Free State had turned a 14-point deficit into a 12-point victory, their dominance in the final quarter reflected.
This was a victory built on character as much as skill. Free State could easily have wilted when SWD surged to 19-5, their maul causing havoc and their confidence soaring. Instead, they dug deep, found their rhythm, and turned the contest on its head.
