SECOND WIN FOR BARLA GREAT BRITAIN

SECOND WIN FOR UNISON BARLA GREAT BRITAIN YOUNG LIONS

South Africa Junior Development .. 0
Unison BARLA Young Lions .. 76

Richard de la Rivière at The Welkom Police Club Stadium

The Unison BARLA Young Lions picked up where they left off at the weekend by hammering a South African Junior Development side 76-0 on Wednesday afternoon in Welkom, the town that produced the former Wigan player, Nick du Toit.

Six players who sat out last Saturday’s 50-18 win over the South African Students came into the side, and Cumbrian forward Stevie Scholey would have made that seven had it not been for a training-ground calf strain.

The Development side were, on average, a couple of years younger than their British opponents and produced a thoroughly courageous display. Considering their ages, some of their players look to have good futures in the game - centre Casey Oosthuizen, a 16-year-old, displayed some impressive skill and second row Jakes Tembe was strong and consistent throughout.

But from the kick-off, it was all about the Lions as they raced in try after try in a merciless first-half display. The sextet of debutants were eager to impress, in particular Matthew Bell, who scored a 20-minute hat-trick to the delight of his parents who just arrived in South Africa to see him play.

His first came from Ross Gainford’s pass, his second from a counter attack after Jack Murray had dealt with a dangerous South Africa scrumbase kick, then Anthony Tognola sent him in for his hat-trick quarter of the way through the game.

In between his second and third, Tognola profited from a superb long ball from man-of-the-match, Kenny Hughes, to score, and Peter Caddy, who also went on to complete a hat-trick, scored a 50-metre try after a great ball from fellow Cumbrian Lewis Wilson.

Wilson was next to invite himself to the tryscoring party by going over from Caddy’s pass before Liam Thompson plunged over from a tap penalty close to the line, and when Wilson, who was enjoying an outstanding first half, scored after a move involving Gainford, Thompson and Caddy, the score had blown out to 42-0 after just 32 minutes, a total which included five conversions from Gainford, the Lions captain.

The visitors went over again a couple of minutes later when hooker and vice-captain, Daniel Jones, scored after Caddy’s break on the previous play. Gainford kicked his sixth goal to leave his side just two short of the half-century at half-time.

The Lions weren’t as prolific in the second half, wasting a number of tryscoring opportunities, but still crossed the line on half-a-dozen occasions. Adam Masson went over in the first minute of the half thanks to Lewis’s pass and after Gainford had put prop Kevin Tshabalala into touch with a great tackle, Caddy notched his second with Tognola sending him to the corner.

Matthew Huby, who had an excellent game with a number of barnstorming runs, scored next after Thomas Spencer had made inroads into the South African defence but, to their credit, the South Africans showed what they could do, when Charl Lightfoot broke through impressively, only for the tourists to snuff out the danger.

With 15 minutes left, Nicolas Hiongwane made a trysaving tackle on Murray but Caddy was over for his hat-trick a minute later. Daniel Rowse was now kicking the goals and knocked his first of two successful attempts.

Murray scored three minutes later as the Lions smashed through the 70-point barrier, before Oosthuizen chipped through delightfully from his own half on the second tackle, regathered and tore into the British half. The defence managed to get to him and keep their line in tact, but it gave an appreciative home crowd a moment to remember.

They threatened to score when awarded four consecutive penalties in the BARLA ’20’ but a desire to nil their opponents saw the visitors successfully repel them.

In the closing moments, Worrall produced a massive hit to floor the lively Oosthuizen before Daniel Rooney finished off a move involving Jones and Rowse to bring up an impressive final score of 76-0

The Lions move on to Potchefstroom on Saturday to play South Africa Schools.

Unison BARLA Young Lions
3 Peter Caddy (Wath Brow Hornets)
2 Matthew Bell (Thatto Heath)
24 Greg Worrall (Oldham St Annes)
21 Anthony Tognola (West Hull)
14 Jack Murray (Egremont Rangers)
5 Ross Gainford (Kells)
8 Kenny Hughes (Thatto Heath)
7 Matthew Huby (Wath Brow Hornets)
11 Daniel Jones (Leigh Miners)
9 Thomas Hurdus (Saddleworth)
13 Adam Masson (Shaw Cross)
20 Liam Thompson (Queens)
23 Lewis Wilson (Kells)
Subs (all used)
16 Daniel Rowse (Lock Lane)
15 Daniel Rooney (Maryport)
17 Karl Sandford (Thatto Heath)
19 Tom Spencer (Wigan St Pats)

SOUTH AFRICA JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT
1 Curtley Hendrik
2 Thebo Mapogo
3 Casey Oosthuizen
4 Kutlo Mokoto
5 Thomas Robentson
6 Clinton Harvey
7 Kobus Engelbrecht
8 Kevin Tshabalala
9 Vujani Magadlela
10 Galian Abrahams
11 Alex Melela
12 Jakes Tembe
13 Charl Lightfoot
Subs (all used)
14 Nicolas Hiongwane
15 Asley Janke
16 Delaary Delport
17 Paul Motshwari
18 Neo Mamatella
19 Henk Smit
20 Jean Davids
21 Julio Da Silva

Men of the Match:
Young Lions: Kenny Hughes (Thatto Heath)
South Africa Junior Development: Jakes Tembe

GAMEBREAKER: The Lions’ whirlwind start which saw them amass 22 points in 17 minutes.

GAMESTAR: The Young Lions’ Kenny Hughes had an outstanding all-round game.

TOP TACKLE: In the closing stages, Lions centre Greg Worrall absolutely hammered Casey Oosthuizen with a huge hit.

South Africa Junior Development 0
Unison BARLA Young Lions 76: Tries: Bell (4, 9, 20), Tognola (14), Caddy (17, 52, 65), Worrall (24), Thompson (27), Wilson (32), Jones (34), Masson (41), Huby (57), Murray (68), Rooney (79). Goals: Gainford 6/10, Rowse 2/4

Scoring sequence: 0-6, 0-12, 0-16, 0-22, 0-28, 0-32, 0-36, 0-42, 0-48, 0-52, 0-56, 0-60, 0-66, 0-72, 0-76

Penalty count: 8-10
GLDO Forced: 0-1
Half-time: 0-48
Referee: Quentin Tolmay