Kwaru and Walker Babes will contest the Betway Women’s Club Championship Cup final for the second year running at Alberton Rugby Club in Gauteng, after two cliffhanger semifinals on Wednesday that were separated by a combined one point.
Defending champions Kwaru held on for a dramatic 12-12 draw against home side Pirates in Wednesday’s first Cup semifinal, with the defending champions advancing to Friday’s Cup final having scored the first try of the match.
The Eastern Province champions will face Walker Babes in the gold-medal match, after the Bolanders sneaked through 21-20 against Pretoria’s Harlequins in the second semifinal. Last year’s inaugural final between the two sides was also a nail-biting affair, with Kwaru eventually winning 17-14 to bring the curtain down on a watershed week for women’s rugby in South Africa.
If Wednesday’s action is anything to go by, Friday’s final promises to provide even more drama.
In the main curtain-raiser, Pirates and Harlequins will play the women’s club version of the Jukskei Derby, with the bronze medal up for grabs.
Busy Bees (WP) and Mqanduli Sharks (Border) will battle it out for fifth place in the Premier Division on Friday, after a 29-19 win over Collegians Valkyries (Cheetahs) and a 26-22 victory over DUT (KZN), respectively. DUT and Valkyries will play for seventh on the final day.
In the first Cup semifinal, Kwaru and Pirates went at it hammer and tongs from the opening whistle, with the Gautengers forced to absorb wave upon wave of Eastern Cape attacks. The dam wall eventually broke after 10 minutes when flyhalf Julene Haas went over in the right-hand corner to set the alarm bells ringing for the home side.
But Pirates somehow hung in there and were rewarded with a try of their own in the 25th minute, right wing Andiswa Maseko diving over near the right-hand corner to cut the deficit to two points.
The momentum seemed to shift away from KWARU when flanker Pheliswa Mrwebi was yellow-carded on the stroke of halftime, but the champions eventually put what seemed like daylight between them and their hosts with 13 minutes remaining when No 8 Yolanda Ntibane went over from a ruck close to Pirates’ line to make it 12-5.
But there was to be a late twist in the tale when Pirates loosehead prop Sharon Baloyi went over underneath the posts with a minute remaining. Former Springbok Rumandi Potgieter converted to make it 12-12, but with the tournament rules not allowing for extra time, it will be KWARU and not Pirates who will now play for the biggest prize in South African women’s club rugby.
WALKER BABES EDGE SEMIFINAL
Things were almost as tight in the second Cup semifinal, with Walker Babes hanging on for a famous win against their Pretoria opponents.
Tries from hooker Yongama Delinkosi and flyhalf Ropha Madyah, together with a penalty try, paved the way for victory, while for Harlequins, flanker Kamogelo Tlhaaka went over early to go with a penalty try of their own and centre Klarissa van der Linden weighed in with two penalty goals and a conversion.
In the day’s earlier First Division matches, Welkom (Griffons) kicked off proceedings by scoring three tries to beat the University of Limpopo (Limpopo) 19-0, with player of the match, right wing Thato Rantai, playing a major role in her team’s victory.
Middelburg Stormers (EP) overwhelmed Potch Dorp (Leopards) in the second match, with Ywaydha de Vos, Shanice Scholtz and Johnerecia Booysen all scoring a brace of five-pointers in a 10-try, 66-5 win over their North West opponents that also included two penalty tries.
Nelspruit (Pumas) nilled VUT (Valke) in the third match, with Sesi Maguga going over for a hat-trick and Megan Guambe and Alicia Mahlalela each scoring twice as the Lowveld ladies racked up 11 tries in a 65-0 victory.
And in the final First Division match-up, Sol Plaatje University edged past Titans 15-14, thanks to tries from Maserati Bangaza, Tyrell Wilson and Rudeen Beukes, and a player-of-the-match shift from tireless flanker Evelyn Maile.
Scorers – First Division Day 2:
University of Limpopo 0 (0), Welkom 0 (19)
Welkom – Tries: Sebabatso Mochudi, Karabo Seaja, Thato Rantai. Conversions: Tshepiso Matelile (2).
Player of the Match: Thato Rantai (Welkom)
Middelburg Stormers 66 (31), Potch Dorp 5 (5)
Middelburg Stormers – Tries: Zusakhe Tembani, Ywaydha de Vos (2), Shanice Scholtz (2), Johnerecia Booysen (2), Rivonia Leslie. Penalty tries (2). Conversions: Booysen (1), Micayle Hendricks (5).
Potch Dorp – Try: Michelle Booysen.
Player of the Match: Lukhanye Lolo (Middelburg Stormers)
Nelspruit 65 (26), VUT 0
Nelspruit – Tries: Megan Guambe (2), Sam Ngcobo, Alicia Mahlalela (2), Sesihle Maguga (3), Bathabile Hlatshwayo, Pauline Sianga, Skhulile Mabuza. Conversions: Guambe (1), Sianga (4).
Player of the Match: Mbali Mzizi (Nelspruit)
Titans 14 (0), Sol Plaatje University 15 (15)
Titans – Tries: Anita Tom, Phelokazi Mande. Conversions: Siphenathi Yeko (2).
Sol Plaatje University – Tries: Maserati Bangaza, Tyrell Wilson, Rudeen Beukes.
Player of the Match: Evelyn Maile (Sol Plaatje)
Scorers – Premier Division Day 2:
Mqanduli Sharks 26 (7), DUT 22 (10)
Sharks – Tries: Nasiphi Mbhangula (2), Nqatyiswa Lufutha, Owethu Nayiphi. Conversions: Holofela (3).
DUT – Tries: Amanda Zondi (2), Sethabile Xulu, Sinoyolo Best. Conversion: Zusakhe Mayapi.
Player of the Match: Zintle Holofela (Sharks)
Busy Bees 29 (22), Collegians Valkyries 19 (5)
Busy Bees – Tries: Thulasanda Goniwe (2), Mizo Mkoba, Bongi Mndayi, Xola Masakala. Conversions: Sesethu Mtshazi, Mkoba.
Collegians Valkyries – Tries: Theresa Ruiters (2), Mookho Lesoetsa. Conversions: Lindiwe Masole, Ruiters.
Player of the Match: Anothando Khatshwa (Busy Bees)
Pirates 12 (5), KWARU 12 (7)
Pirates – Tries: Andiswa Maseko, Sharon Baloyi. Conversion: Rumandi Potgieter.
KWARU – Tries: Julene Haas, Yolanda Ntibane. Conversion: Haas.
Player of the Match: Charlize Jacobs (KWARU).
Walker Babes 21 (14), Pretoria Harlequins 20 (10)
Walker Babes – Tries: Yongama Delinkosi, Ropha Madyah, penalty try. Conversions: Chloe Adams (2).
Harlequins – Tries: Kamogelo Tlhaaka, penalty try. Conversion: Klarissa van der Linden. Penalties: Van der Linden (2).
Player of the Match: Keishia Stuurman (Walker Babes)
● The fixtures for Friday’s final day at Alberton Rugby Club have been confirmed:
First Division:
08h30: VUT v University of Limpopo
09h40: Potch Dorp v Welkom
08h30: Titans v Middelburg Stormers
12h00: Nelspruit v Sol Plaatje University
Premier Division:
10h50: DUT v Collegians Valkyries
09h40: Busy Bees v Mqanduli Sharks
10h50: Pirates v Harlequins (third-place play-off)
13h10: KWARU v Walker Babes (final)