Henco van Wyk and Herschelle Goodman scored hat-tricks as Monument beat John McGlashan College 48-10 at the World Schools Festival in Stellenbosch on Friday. DYLAN JACK reports.
As has happened throughout the tournament, the overseas team started well and got in the faces of their South African opponents, only to run out of steam and get run off their feet in the second half.
Monument did not have it all their own way, though, as they were well met by a physical John McGlashan side, who opened the scoring when No 8 Leroy Ferguson grounded the ball in the corner.
The Krugersdorp team struck back almost immediately as Henco van Wyk intercepted and ran a good 50m before being brought down, with scrumhalf Aiden Robberts on hand to finish off a great counter-attacking move.
After John McGlashan missed the chance to go ahead through a penalty, Monument extended their lead when fullback Goodman ran an excellent line from a set scrum and sliced through the defence to score.
Minutes later, Goodman proved elusive as he slipped through a tackle to get his second, putting Monnas 19-5 up at the break.
Monument continued to pile the pressure on and, after tighthead prop Heiko Pohlmann went close to scoring with a run that would have made former Springbok Richard Bands blush, star centre Van Wyk went on a good run of his own to score Monnas’ third.
Goodman was up to his tricks again and toed the ball through, regathered and ran a good 60m to score an excellent solo try to round off his hat-trick, before Van Wyk scored his second by gathering a chip over the defence.
Ferguson gave the New Zealanders a brief respite with his second try from close range, but that was nullified when Monnas lock Tiaan de Klerk popped up in the right space to finish a wonderfully worked scored started by Van Wyk, who scored his hat-trick shortly afterwards.
Monument–- Tries: Aiden Robberts, Herchelle Goodman (3), Henco van Wyk (3), Tiaan de Klerk. Conversions: Byron Wentink (4).
John McGlashan College – Tries: Leroy Ferguson (2).
Photo: riaandbphoto
