Blue Jets ground False Bay in women’s rugby clash
Blue Jets Rugby Football Club hosted False Bay Rugby Football Club in an exciting Western Province women’s league, division one rugby match, at the Khayelitsha Stadium on Women’s Day, Friday August 9.
Separated by only two tries and a conversion, Blue Jets emerged victorious 12-0 in the icy conditions.
In most parts of the match, it was a push and pull situation for possession.
With every penalty decision they won, Blue Jets kicked for touch. They used their forwards upfront and swinged the ball wide to their speedsters in the backline.
As a result, Blue Jets centre, Endinalo Fihla, was awarded with a try that was converted by flyhalf, Ayakha Soga, in the first half.
Restarting play, coach Greg Andrews and his False Bay women’s team made their intentions clear in the second half.
They scrummed, rucked and drove their way forward to within five metres off Blue Jets’ tryline.
False Bay scrumhalf Cuba Arendse had a good game and may have saw more of the ball then any other player on the day.
Coach Andrews said it was his first time leading his Bay troops out at Khayelitsha Stadium on Friday. As he expected, Blue Jets came out guns blazing.
“Our talk in the change room was to meet them half-way and front up for the challenge on the day. However, the False Bay players took strain through many frustrations in the game and lost their nerve, giving Blue Jets even more opportunity to score. All in all, we did not show our best towards the opposition. We must keep our heads up and focus on the next game,” he said.
In this league match, every opportunity to score was crucial. When the ball slipped from False Bay in the far right corner of the field, Blue Jets quickly took advantage.
They broke play, ran through the middle of the park and found their winger, Sinalo “China” Ziqwayi, who had some work to do to beat the defence line of False Bay, before darting over the tryline.
Coach Mzi Kunjuzwa’s Blue Jets’ resilience was tested once again, this time, they had to defend until the end of the 60 minutes.
“For Friday’s match, my girls played very well. I told them before they must work very hard to win the game,” said Kunjuzwa.
False Bay currently sit in third place, having won six and lost five of their 11 matches this season. With 29 points, their next challenge is against second-placed Brackenfell at home in Constantia, on Saturday August 17.
With Brackies only seven points ahead and Bay with two games in hand, they still have a shot at reaching the knockout stages. Their final game will be a mental and physcial catch-up at home against Bellville, the top team.
“The team has the ability to win against any team in the league at the moment. They have the physicality, skill and tools to do so. The effort they have been putting in, week after week, since February, is testament of that. Sure mistakes were made but more importantly is that we have shown in moments of the game that we are capable of being number one. The players just need to decide how much they really want it,” said Andrews.
Blue Jets had a sluggish start to the season, with five losses, one draw, and three wins in nine matches. They are on 18 points, in sixth position, and above last placed Tygerberg Women.
Jets face a demanding schedule with three pivotal fixtures on the horizon: a home match against UWC, an away game against Busy Bees, and another home showdown against Brackenfell.
“We have to try and work hard in order to collect all points. I trust them. They will win all remaining matches. We have to take it one match at a time. Working together as a team,” said Kunjuzwa.
