Bay bogged down in the mud at Gustro Park
In conditions not conducive to entertaining rugby, Motorvaps False Bay returned from Gustro Park in the Strand without the win they sought over St George’s. The final score was 5-8, unchanged from half time.
With the three previous matches on the programme all going to the Bay, the club’s standard bearers were aware that the success of the day hinged on them. The continued success of their SLA 2024 season would receive a major shot in the arm if they could get a bonus point win, giving them some breathing space in a group of hungry clubs vying for the play-offs.
Excessive rain is a great leveller in rugby. The fact that the day of rugby took place at all was remarkable in its own. The match officials did assess the suitability of the pitch before the toss of the coin and deemed it suitable. Both captains agreed. Coin tossed, Ground Zero established.
The match commenced. It bogged down here and there. It provided the odd sparkle. It had some dispute but at the end of the contest, St George’s took four league points in a satisfactorily successful campaign thus far, one which should see them finishing around eighth on the SLA table.
False Bay on the other hand, are still in contention for the play-offs but there is much water yet to flow under that bridge, and yes, the pun is perhaps a cheap one under the circumstances.
Nevertheless, with three matches to go, including their last home fixture against Uni-Mil on Saturday, any banana peels in their path should be unconditionally avoided.
It is all too easy to view the success of a club’s league campaign through the eyes of their first team only. Yes, the pride of that team’s success brings attention to, but club rugby is about all teams competing and the success is measured in another way here.
False Bay is thriving and enjoying league success across the board at the various levels.
The Bay’s Second XV currently occupy top spot; their Thirds are second; as are their under-20As. They lie third in the Reserve League and the Women's League tables.
It makes for an enthralling run-in to the end of the round-robin stage of the season. Saturday’s visitors at Constantia are high-flying Uni-Mil, currently lying second on the log. It is a deep and long rivalry, friendly off the pitch, yet intense on it. It’s a spectator’s delight, and with the weather forecast not showing any rain on the day, it is an ideal opportunity to rid oneself of the cabin fever forced upon Capetonians recently.
First matches kick off at 1.25pm with the main game at 4pm. Entry costs R20 or free for pupils.
- Jon Harris is a member of False Bay RFC.
