Big win for Bay squad

May 23, 2008

Zululand OBSERVER

	Big win for Bay squad Mike Harrison LOCAL league rugby continued last weekend with Mandini and eShowe struggling to find enough players to fulfil fixtures. Empangeni's third team got their second round in the Stewart Shield off to a satisfactory start with victories over eShowe last Wednesday night and then Mtuba at Mick Kelly Park on Saturday. Willie van Rooyen, who picked up 21 points from the match in eShowe, was the hero of his team's success. He not only scored two tries, but kicked four conversions and a penalty to dominate the scoring. eShowe actually led 12-10 at the break with tries by Phakeni Biyele and Dolf van Heerden and a conversion by Shane Armitage. Once a few injuries set in and Empangeni's pack got on top, however, the game swung in the visitors' favour and Jors Strydom's team ran out as comfortable winners. Gerrie van der Westhuizen scored two tries for Empangeni while Stephan Erasmus added a second half try for eShowe, leaving the final score 31-17 in Empangeni's favour. In the match at Mick Kelly Park, Empangeni's third team scored nine tries, beating Mtuba 51-9. The visitors were no match for the rampant Empangeni team who dominated from start to finish. Gerrie van der Westhuizen three, John Carpenter and Jors Strydom two each and Jors Dannhauzer and Richard Springorum were the try scorers. Empangeni's third team certainly missed the kicking ability of Willie van Rooyen who is injured and it was left to Jors Strydom, who kicked one, and Jors Dannhauzer, who kicked two, to go for poles with only three attempts out of nine successful. Bollie Meiers, moved from flyhalf to flank forward, was the try scorer for Mtuba. In the Van Rooyen cup, Richards Bay second team beat eSikhawini 66-10 while Unizulu withdrew from their match with Richards Bay's third team giving the latter five points for a walkover victory.