Park too good for under-strength NMMU

PARK beat NMMU 37-3 in their EPRU Grand Challenge fixture played at Londt Park on Saturday to claim their second win of the campaign.

NMMU were without 18 of their players who were out due to injury and Varsity Sevens duty.

But Park were in no mood to show any pity as they handed NMMU their second defeat.

Park were the quicker team to get off the mark but in the fifth minute blindside flanker Estian van der Westhuizen knocked the ball on over the NMMU tryline.

However, luck was on Park’s side as the referee pointed back to an offside penalty which flyhalf Mot Schoultz converted for Park to take an early 3-0 lead.

A minute later, NMMU equalised from the boot of scrumhalf Nathan Augustus when Park were also caught offside.

The sides looked to be evenly matched, but NMMU’s handling let them down.

They were made to pay by No 12 Elandre Basson who picked up a bad pass to cross the line in the 13th minute, with Schoultz securing the extra two points.

Park No 7 Quintin Haasbroek was then sin-binned for robust play in the 32nd minute. Park were unfazed by their shortage of manpower and replied with a try through No 8 Arnold Kleyn from a short lineout.

Schoultz failed to convert and the half ended at 15-3.

Park came back stronger from the break to score a try in the 46th minute by right-wing Leandre Ebersohn off a scrum.

Schoultz converted to make the score 22-3.

Schoultz again punished the students from the tee with a penalty in the 52nd minute to bring the score to 25-3.

Five minutes later, a try came for Park when Haasbroek turned from villain to hero to finish off a counter attack. Schoultz converted.

The last try of the game came through Van der Westhuizen as he broke off the scrum.

Meanwhile at St George’s Park, Crusaders remained without a win when they went down to Grahamstown’s Brumbies 43-12.

The struggling Saders outfit continue to look for their first win of the season after five games.

In another game, home team Spring Rose were beaten 30-27 by Somerset East’s Born Fighters, while Harlequins gained a fine but narrow victory over African Bombers.

The results were: Park 37 NMMU 3; Crusaders 12 Brumbies 43; Suburbans 53 Windvogel 34; Gardens 12 Trying Stars 7; Spring Rose 27 Born Fighters 30; African Bombers 14 Harlequins 15; Sapse 28 Evergreens Krakeel 0; Wallabies 20 Progress 31; Despatch 77 Star of Hope 12; Kruisfontein 28 Central 0