1 May 2023
For a long time, it looked as if Glenwood, strangely loose and listless in the first half of their Absa Wildeklawer clash with Welkom Gimnasium on Monday morning, were headed for a loss. However, an improved second half performance, along with a moment of first half brilliance from Jaco Williams, saw the Green Machine steal a narrow 17-16 victory on the final whistle.
Last-gasp opportunity
They had trailed throughout but, with only one more opportunity to pull a rabbit out of the fire, they found the mental fortitude and the execution to capture the honours. But Glenwood had to start from midway between their 22m and 10m lines to pull off the comeback.
From a lineout, Glenwood were just outside of their 22 when Welkom were blown up for going offsides. Andrew Martins sent a kick into touch to take the Green Machine into the Gim half. Their lineout take was untidy, however, and captain Lithemba Mfupi and company had to play from back in their half. Charging hard at Gimmies, they maintained possession through eight phases, but they had to work hard to gain forward momentum.
Eventually, Welkom stopped Glenwood just outside of their 22. Then, though, the referee signalled for a penalty to Glenwood for Gim being offsides. That left Jaco Williams with a kick at goal to win the match for the Green Machine. It was just right of the uprights, about 27 metres out. It was dead quiet around the ground.
Led for the last seconds
Williams struck the ball. His kick was straight and true, and the Glenwood team celebrated. They had led the match for only the final seconds, but that was all that mattered as they claimed a 17-16 victory.
(Video clip from SuperSport Schools)
Glenwood were poor in the first half, lacking accuracy in their play, and all too often turning over possession because of that inaccuracy.
Welkom went ahead early through the boot of flyhalf Renaldo Kiewiet and then quickly added a try when, from a five-metre scrum, centre Teschan Meas hit the line at pace, on an angle, to go over for a five-pointer in a tackle.
Crucially, though, fullback Jaco Williams charged down the conversion attempt. That unusual occurrence would prove to be the difference between victory and defeat.
From the kick-off, Glenwood, at last, started to exhibit some momentum, producing phase after phase of play, but Gimnasium stood firm until the Green Machine knocked on. At last, there were encouraging signs for coach Derek Heiberg’s charges.
Double-figure lead
Gim, however, moved into double-figures when Kiewert kicked a penalty from the 10m line to put Welkom into double-figures. Unforced errors were costing the Green Machine time after time.
Another example of that occurred minutes later when Glenwood made huge metres through centre Johandre van Rooyen, who hit a pass from flyhalf Andrew Martins flat and hard. When he was stopped inside the Welkom 22, the boys in green went off their feet, once more giving up a soft penalty. It was stop/start for the Green Machine.
In the 28th minute, Welkom extended their advantage. Close to the Glenwood line, they chose to go out right to the short side. Glenwood got a hand on the pass out wide, but Welkom scrummie Julian Samuels grabbed the ball out of the air and went over a second Gim try. Kiewiet missed the conversion, but Welkom were 16 points to the good.
With the half-time whistle imminent, Glenwood finally made it onto the board. Okonta Chijundu was given some space on the right-wing, and he stretched Welkom with his pace before finding Jaco Williams on the inside, with a behind-the-back pass leading to the fullback going over for a try. Hartnick slotted the conversion kick, and the half-time whistle blew. Welkom Gimnasium 16-7 Glenwood.
(Video clip from SuperSport Schools)
The Green Machine started the second half well and a strong attack almost undid Gimmies, with a grubber from Williams narrowly evading Glenwood hands right on the try-line. Welkom, in turn, surged onto the attack, and made it into the Glenwood 22, but the Durban school forced a penalty on the ground to relieve the pressure.
Greater urgency
There was noticeably more urgency from the Green Machine. Captain Mfupi burst through the middle of a ruck, and Glenwood took play into the Welkom 22. But, as had happened so often during the game, they surrendered the momentum by giving away a penalty on the ground. Welkom hooker Dante Smith, who forced four turnovers on the day, gave Glenwood headaches all game at ruck time.
One man who was providing a spark was Glenwood fullback Jaco Williams, whose counter-attacking was challenging the Welkom Gimnasium defence. It was, however, Okonta Chijundu who went over for Glenwood, winning the race for a clever grubber from Williams to gather and score. The conversion, from Tyrique Hartnick, was on target and just two points separated the two sides.
(Video clip from SuperSport Schools)
A high tackle gave Welkom a chance to extend their lead to five points, but Kiewiet hit the right-hand post with a simple opportunity from just outside the 22.
Gimmies, then, came ever so close to catching out Glenwood when scrumhalf Samuels set Welkom going with a blind-side break. Then, a chip over the top from Navan Goeda just evaded two Welkom players over the Glenwood try-line, with the ball being knocked on.
There were only a couple of minutes remaining and Glenwood were two points behind. Somehow, they found a way to win.
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