Poorte overcomes a tough Wits side
Wits did not stand back and watch as they once again generated a rolling maul and crossed the line for a try.
On Saturday, 1 June, the men from Roodepoort came up against a young, hard to beat Wits side in what proved to be one of their toughest battles in the Pirates Grand Challenge.
The match started with Wits playing a tight game among the forwards and in no time they had discovered the secret of perpetual motion, initiating a perfect rolling maul that was almost impossible to stop.
Wits registered the first points of the game courtesy of a rolling maul that saw the forwards crossing the line early in the game, to make the score 7–0 in favour of the visitors.
Poorte replied with a penalty that was awarded to them within the kicking distance of outside centre, Brandon Rieck. Brandon made no mistake with his first penalty kick of the day and the score was 7–3, with plenty of time left to play.
Lock forward, Griffith van Wyk, finished off a good move that started in the middle of the park and ran a straight line to score a try for Poorte.
Poorte tried to manage the game from the front and good hands from the back line released the inside centre to score a perfect try under the woodwork, making the score 7–17 just before the halftime mark.
Wits did not stand back and watch, as they once again generated a rolling maul and crossed the line for another try.
Poorte’s Lux Ntsepe then kicked and collected along the line to score a well-deserved try against his former club.
There was a lot to talk about as the halftime whistle signalled the end of the first half, which closed with a scuffle that was quickly stopped, and the score was 14–24 in favour of the home side.
The second half started with the two teams indicating that they had regrouped and fixed their mistakes. Poorte’s loose trio combined very well and flanker Carl Mellet scored a good try to give his team the edge.
A Wits substitute scored a try with his first touch of the ball and the winger finished off some good running from the Wits fly-half to score a well-deserved try for the ever-fighting students.
The match ended with a score of 33–36 in favour of Poorte, courtesy of a late try by flank, Carl Mellet, who finished off a good move from the back line to score.
Poorte remains on top of the Pirates Grand Challenge log and is still campaigning to remain unbeaten.
