Clubs make early statement

There were bonus-point wins for Rustenburg Impala, Pretoria Police, Despatch and Wesbank in round one of the 2015 Community Cup.

In the opening match, flyhalf Leegan Moos guided Evergreens to a 22-15 victory over Villagers Worcester, with a superb kicking display in treacherous weather conditions in Pacaltsdorp. Moos slotted five penalties and converted their sole try, which proved the difference in the much-anticipated derby.

Staying with Pool C, Hamiltons were made to work hard for their 25-24 victory over Sishen in Kathu, as they snatched a win courtesy of 63rd-minute converted try. The Green Point-based side are second in the pool behind Evergreens, who boast a better points difference.

A second-half brace from wing Morné Jooste helped Rustenburg Impala overcame a 10-point half-time deficit to beat newcomers Port Elizabeth Police 36-22. The defending champions ultimately got a four-try bonus-point, which landed them top spot in Pool A.

In East London, Old Selbornians recovered well to defeat Durbanville-Bellville 22-14. Durbell, who failed to score any points in the second period, are fourth in this pool and Old Selbornians second.

Pretoria Police made an early statement in the competition with a six-try, 40-17 rout of Noordelikes, who managed to cross for two converted scores of their own. Police are at the summit in Pool B and Noordelikes at the bottom.

A second-half try from wing Gardener Nechironga, earned Raiders a vital away win as they upset hosts Bloemfontein Crusaders 20-16 at the Clive Solomon Stadium. The Crusaders didn't add any points to their half-time tally, but they did earn a losing bonus point that lifts them to third position, behind Police and Raiders.

Inaugural champions Despatch scored nine tries to thrash Welkom Rovers 69-32 in Welkom. Kalvano King for Despatch and Shaun Nieuwenhuyzen for Rovers both bagged hat-tricks, but it's flyhalf Francois Nel who leads the point-scoring charts after round one with 24 points.

And in Malmesbury, Wesbank eased to a 32-13 bonus-point win against Ferros. Despatch lead Pool D, followed by Wesbank and Rovers respectively.

Old Selbornians (22) – Tries: Bradley Birkholtz, Jannie Rossouw, Saneliso Ngoma. Conversions: Dale Sabbagh (2). Penalty: Sabbagh.
Durbanville-Bellville (14) – Tries: Angus Cleophas, Garth April. Conversions: Dane Sherratt (2).

Rustenburg Impala (36) – Tries: Morné Jooste (2), Leon du Plessis, Wilco de Wet, Willie Kok. Conversions: De Wet (4). Penalty: De Wet.
PE Police (22) – Tries: Fabian Juries, Juan Smit, Sebastian Loxsen. Conversions: Smit (2). Penalty: Smit.

Bloemfontein Crusaders (16) – Try: Blaine Tlhapane. Conversion: Griffin Colby. Penalties: Colby (3).
Raiders (20) – Tries: Christopher Juries, Gardener Nechironga. Conversions: Arno Coetzee (2). Penalties: Coetzee (2).

Pretoria Police (40) – Tries: Birtie Powell, Jerry Sefoko, Johannes Rademeyer (2), Nico Luus, Rayno Wasserman. Conversions: Dillon Laubscher (5).
Noordelikes (17) – Tries: Johannes Muller, Sias van Wyk. Conversions: Arno Venter, JP Vermeulen. Penalty: Alwyn Olivier.

Sishen (24) – Tries: Jamie Zwiegelaar, Prince Mofokeng. Conversion: Tiaan le Roux. Penalties: Le Roux (3). Drop goal: Le Roux.
Hamiltons (25) – Tries: Morgan Newman, Niel Cleghorn, Sebastian Ferreira. Conversions: Shane Vallender (2). Penalties: Vallender, Jody Burch.

Evergreens (22) – Try: Gerschwin Muller. Conversion: Leegan Moos. Penalties: Moos (5).
Villagers Worcester (15) – Tries: Louis Carstens, TC Botha. Conversion: Shandro Issel. Penalty: Issel.

Rovers Welkom (32) – Tries: Shaun Nieuwenhuyzen (3), Wayne Ludick. Conversions: Tiaan van Wyk (3). Penalty: Van Wyk. Drop goal: Van Wyk.
Despatch (69) – Tries: Kalvano King (3), Michael Vermaak (2), Trichardt van Tonder, Elroy Ligman, Elrich Kok, Cameron Jacobs. Conversions: Francois Nel (9). Penalties: Nel (2).

Wesbank (32) – Tries: Chrislyn van Schalkwyk (2), Salmon Coetzee, Sedwell Diedericks. Conversions: Dashton Wellman (3). Penalty: Wellman. Drop goal: Wellman.
Ferros (13) – Tries: Pule Sibiya, Willem Kotze. Penalty: Jan Adriaan van der Merwe.

Photo: Roger Sedres/ImageSA/Saru

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