South Africa Rugby Tour
Day Four / Five
Both of our teams gave very strong accounts of themselves in the tour’s first fixtures played at Rustenburg High School stadium. The firsts were defeated narrowly 17-19 in a tough, physical encounter with their hosts in which all of the points were scored in the first half.
NSB took an early lead when Joe Nicholson went over for the first try of the game converted by Cameron Fisher-Naylor. The South Africans responded with two converted tries to lead 14-7 before the excellent Matthew Andrew scored NSB’s second. ‘The Rusties’ furthered their lead with Cameron Horrocks replying before the interval.
The second half remained close and hard fought. Despite some late pressure from NSB, they were unable to secure the score that would have won them the game.
The development squad otherwise known as ‘The Bulldogs’ faced strong and quick Under 17 opposition who raced to an early lead. Despite this, our boys’ heads never went down and they competed throughout the game. Sam Dayson went over in the corner for a well-deserved late consolation.
The playing squads then assembled for the post-match presentations before the boys departed for the evening with their host families.
Following the fixtures at Rustenburg High School, the tour party travelled to Sun City where they enjoyed a morning at The Valley of the Waves water park. From there, the group headed north to Pilanesburg National Park and the luxurious, five star Ivory Tree Game Lodge.
The boys enjoyed an evening and an early morning game drive for which they assembled at 6am! Nearly all of the ‘big five’ were seen in their habitats – lions, rhinos, elephants and buffalo with only the leopard remaining elusive – as well as giraffes, zebras, hippos and antelopes.
The group now fly to Cape Town ahead of their next fixture against Norman Henshilwood High School on Sunday.