Villager rugby team triumphs over Hamilton in WPRFU Super League clash

Claremont-based Villager faced traditional rivals, Hamilton in a tough Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) Super League A fixture, at Brookside, on Saturday June 7.

Two neighbouring clans of warriors trampling the undergrowth to tear chunks off each other. It was a battle between the two oldest clubs in South Africa.

Hammies, on the field we are like enemies, but off the field we are friends and we welcome you even when the weather is cold and uninviting. Even spectators required commitment to watch under the cover of the balconies as the rain pelted down. On the field, there was no cover, just mud and guts. It was brutal. From the club house the old faithful sipped on soup to keep their hands warm.

At times you couldn’t tell friend from foe on the field, the jerseys all appeared brown, and mud caked the faces of the players. On the previous night – on two battle grounds – the Vipers rose victorious at Hamiltons.

As a band of brothers they were sent off to raid the enemy’s turf… they plundered and came home with the goods. And on home ground on the same night, our young U20 warriors fought bravely on a pitch still showing some grass. Both our U20 teams lost their matches in very difficult conditions.

Saturday was worse. Water poured down and soaked the pitch, underfoot was soggy, the game required brutal direct lines, holding onto the ball and winning meter by meter. Kicks didn’t travel and passing was difficult.

Villager's  First XV ran onto a very muddy turf to start their game. The previous games had churned up the pitch so much that only the four corners still had grass. It was a battle, relentless, with only inches won on both sides. Dropped passes, knock-ons and fumbles were impossible to avoid.

But a few audacious tries that probably never should have happened under the circumstances, first, a beautifully timed kick pass from Andries Viljoen across field to Giuliano De Franci that unbelievably stuck.

Giuliano with some work to do, ran to score in the corner. And more great hands off the scrum to start quick hands and good passes to Giuliano who again scored in the corner. Two more tries from Austin Prins made it look like we were playing in marvellous conditions. But those moments were brief, for most of the game our forwards ploughed through the turf, inch by inch. Never giving in. Hamiltons had their opportunities in the final stages to take the lead but the weather and the underfoot conditions made kicking very difficult.. In the end our forwards proved too much and after some nail biting moments we were declared winners.

The final whistle was a relief. This match concludes Villager's "triple crown" - beating False Bay, UCT and Hamilton. Saturday's win was the first time they've managed to beat Hamilton twice in one season for many years.

• Kirk Gainsford is a member of Villager FC.