Defending champs too strong for PE Police

Don’s Pawn Shop PE Police had their first taste of the Cell C Community Cup when they faced the defending champions, Rustenburg Impala, at the Impala Rugby Club in Rustenburg on Saturday.

Despite a surprising 10 point lead at halftime from the visiting “newcomers”, the home team scored five second half tries to record a 36 – 22 win.

Police scored the first points, after Impala’s Wolco de Wet failed with an early penalty attempt, through flyhalf Juan Smit when he crossed the tryline for his team’s first try. Smit also converted his try as they took a seven point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Smit extended their lead just before halftime when he kicked a penalty to give his team a 10 – 0 lead at the break.

De Wet brought the Impala’s within 3 points after he scored and converted his try five minutes into the second half, 7 – 10.

Police’ right wing, Sebastian Loxsen, scored a minute later to stretch their lead to 15 – 7 after Smit failed to add the extras.

Impala’s struck back with four unanswered tries, two of them while Police were reduced to fourteen men, after Loxsen received a yellow card in the fifty-fifth minute.

Scrumhalf Willem Kok scored the first, followed by eigthman Leon du Plesis. De Wet converted both of them as they took the lead for the first time, 21 – 15. Right wing Morne Jooste scored his team’s bonuspoint try, de Wet converted as they stretched their lead to 28 – 15.

Jooste scored his second and his team’s fifth try as the game reached the final quarter, de Wet missed the conversion but took a convincing 33 – 15 lead with ten minutes left.

With time running out, Police’ fullback Fabian Juries, scored his team’s third try with five minutes remaining, Smit converted as they trailed by ten, 22 – 33.

De Wet kicked a last minute penalty to give the Impala’s a 36 – 22 win.

Scorers:

Rustenburg Impala (36) – Tries: Wilco de Wet, Willem Kok, Leon du Plesis, Morne Jooste (2). Conversions: Wilco de Wet (4). Penalty: Wilco de Wet

PE Police (22) – Tries: Juan Smit, Sebastian Loxsen, Fabian Juries. Conversion: Juan Smit (2). Penalty: Juan Smit