Bay bag a bonus point at home

Jon Harris

Motorvaps False Bay scored four tries to two as they ground out a deserved win 22-20 over Van der Stel-Evergreens (VDS-E) at Constantia on Saturday. The Bay lead 12-10 at the break.

The visitors have arrived in the Super League A with deserved fanfare, a powerhouse team at their disposal with lofty ambitions. This, their fourth match of their 2025 campaign, would have been chalked down as a “could-win” prospect, their hosts still rebuilding, off the pace of where they were when they last won the Super League A (SLA) in 2022. The Stellenbosch-based club had won two of their three matches hitherto, among them a narrow win over Union-Milnerton, SLA 2024 losing finalists.

Hosts False Bay too were faring well in the early stages of their season, brisling with confidence after soundly beating the Maties in Stellenbosch the week before.

The build-up to the main event saw the Bay bag wins in all the men’s matches but register a loss in the women’s fixture, so it is with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that the local support cheered their team onto the pitch.

Almost choreographed, a steady rain began to fall just before the massive Van der Stel-Evergreens team took to the field, with False Bay following moments later.

The visitors were vibrant, taking their game to their hosts with an in-your-face energy. Their massive forwards robust and strong on their feet, the backs structured, quick and enterprising. Four of their starting pack were of the block variety, men built with powerful legs and hips supporting shoulders resembling suit jackets with shoulder puffs.

Among them, their front row, up for the challenge of containing the Bay’s premier line of Nizaar Nazaam, Kamva Mgwali and Tahriq Allen. Bragging rights went to the Bay, where Nazaam executed excellent technique in outshining his opponent.

The fourth member of VDS-Evergreens’ hulking pack was eighthman Godfrey Thomas, a ball-carrier with a low centre of gravity, a step to disarm the tackler and power on the run. All of this was on display early in the second half when he scored a 25-metre try of a lineout, where his weaving gallop made the defence appear as if they were flagmen at a Cape roadworks site.

Van der Stel-Evergreens have clawed their way bay to the premier competition in the province. An amalgamation of two clubs, Van der Stel and Evergreens, they find themselves in the top tier and to date are holding their own, already proving their right to compete among the top half of the Super League A. 

Conversely, the hosts are on a roll, their own goals written in indelible ink in their 2025 playbook. Two out of three wins; a loss, which still bagged two league points; and an ever-deepening pool of talent either returning to action or raising their hands for selection. 

VDS broke the ducks on the scoreboard when scrumhalf Kyle Alexander converted the first of his two penalties, but his team was soon back on defence, deep in their own quarter as the Bay strung a telling series of phases together, only to succeed a penalty in their opponent’s red zone.

For the partisan, this appeared to be a trend for the home side, work themselves into a dominant position only to have their efforts undone by a seemingly dubious adjudication, while upon a second, video viewing, most decisions on the day appeared correct and justified.

After some resolute defence of their line, Evergreens succumbed when eighthman Shain Orderson crashed over for the first of his tries after splintering the head on defence. Flyhalf Evan Adams converted and the Bay held a 7-3 lead. The contest, dampened by a strong south-easterly and sporadic showers was unlikely to reach a running rugby spectacle, but it certainly produced one of intrigue, tension and excitement.

Wing Enver Brandt scored in the corner to wrest the lead for Van der Stel, Alexander adding some daylight between the scores with his conversion, the score reflecting a 10-7 for Evergreens. The pendulum swung to the side of the hosts when mercurial wing Daniel Hayes crashed over for an unconverted try. Despite a furious contest for the upper hand, the scoreline remained intact and Motorvaps False Bay changed sides at the half, marginally ahead.

Soon after the restart, Thomas hushed the crowd with that devastating run past the goal line, his natural momentum his undoing in the hopes of the Bay support, as he victoriously dotted down near the dead ball line, a nose-rub to his opponents.Trailing by five points, the capacity of the Evergreens unknown, the Bay support was silenced.

Orderson’s second try levelled the scores at 17 apiece but then Alexander converted a penalty to put his team ahead again, although there was still ample time on the clock. Replacement wing Khanya Ncusane dived over in the corner after a wonderful right flank, switch to the left flank attack that showed False Bay’s prowess.

The score was 22-20 and Van der Stel were incensed at the switch in lead. They launched one attack after another, pinning False Bay back in their own quarter, yet the hosts maintained their poise and worked their way back to the halfway line, where the referee called an end to proceedings of a tight contest, one which saw False Bay take further steps in their maturation.

The Bay have a bye this weekend and then trek down the M3 to Claremont where they face second-placed Villagers RFC at Brookside the week after.

Besides being a traditional southern suburbs derby, the clash is between two performing clubs in the league, across all teams, and the day promises to be one of friendly yet keen rivalry.

Jon Harris is a member of False Bay RFC