In the corresponding game last season, both Capetown and Sydney were fighting it out in Division Two's race for promotion. Whilst Capetown got away with a 24-8 win that week, the Oilers ascended due to the promotional tournament and once again face the old enemy at the daunting Newlands Stadium. Capetown's dominance over Sydney has continued this season, but the Oilers' run of miraculous wins on the way home could prove a crucial factor in a tight game.
Capetown Ravens Sydney Oilers
1 Freddie Banquet 1 Luke Patten
2 Luke Rooney 2 Tonie Carroll
3 Sebastian Mpofu 3 Craig Wing
4 Martin Gleeson 4 Ben Harris
5 Alan Watts 5 Joe Rokocoko
6 Andrew Mehrtens 6 Craig Gower
7 Derek Gateshead 7 Brett Kimmorley
8 Uri Novavich 8 John Skandalis
9 Jeremy Paul 9 Jason Death
10 Barrie McDermott 10 Jason Ryles
11 Mike Forshaw 11 Ali Lauitiiti
12 Travis Elken 12 Monty Betham
13 Andy Farrel © 13 Ben Kennedy ©
++Interchange
14 Frank Pritchard 14 Grant Martin
15 Sean Carstens 15 Willie Beaman
16 Stanley Gene 16 Mark Lennon
17 Steve Devine 17 Benji Marshal
While the gap on the table between the two sides may have been larger than any other game played this week, the quality of early play was definitely inseperable. Both sides showed they had commitment in defence- and both showed early flashes of brilliance. In particular, Sydney's Ben Harris made a show of upstaging Martin Gleeson and Sebastian Mpofu. Where other games showed nerves off in the opening stages, they were never an issue as the two sides played like veteran lineups. Indeed, Sydney's older line showed their level heads in weathering three consecutive sets from Capetown in the 11th minute.
As the game wound towards its quarter mark, however, both sides showed the pressure of finals football in dropping some easy ball. A particularly telling error from Jason Ryles provided first points- the set of six in Sydney's twenty giving Cape the possession they needed. A routine set was finished when Uri Novavich barged over from ten out to put his side up 4-0. Mehrtens, the season's most accurate goal kicker, kept up the trend to make it 6-0.
In a tragic twist of fate, the try scorer was taken from the field only minutes later when he was involved in a sickening head clash with Jason Death. Death, a man who had played most of the year at the Balmain Storm, was one of three RSC players called up (the others being utilities Mark Lennon and Willie Beaman). The fans were soon treated to some real end to end football- both sides making promising breaks and both sides being thwarted by tenacious defence from their opposition. Martin Gleeson must have felt hard done by after embarking on a forty metre break, only to have Andy Farrell drop it unmarked.
It took back to back sets in the 25th to get Capetown on the board again, a line drop out giving them the chance, and Freddie Banquet seizing it with a memorable darting run to the line. While Mehrtens' conversion was waved away, the 10-0 lead threatened to boil over. While Sydney had been in the game thus far, another Capetown try could well and truly spell an end to their season.
When superstar centre Sebastian Mpofu left the field with a fractured hand in the 30th, the weakened Capetown side looked fit to crack if only Sydney could mount some real pressure. Mount it they did- with the pairing of Craig Gower and Brett Kimmorley producing repeat set after repeat set with some astute kicking. With all the possession, the Oilers still couldn't get the ball across the line- and their spirits looked to be well and truly crushed when a penalty put Capetown on the attack for the first time since Banquet's try. Capetown showed plenty of tenacity in the face of stinging Sydney defence, and the fans were ecstatic when Banquet spun in a tackle and slammed the ball down for Capetown's third try. Mehrtens wasted no time in converting, and as the halftime siren sounded, the Ravens held a commanding but not unassailable 16-0 lead.
HALFTIME: Capetown 16 lead Sydney 0
Roger Bossert made it clear during his halftime speech that all the courage and defensive intensity in the world would do the Oilers 'no f**king good' if they couldn't score. While some fans and critics may frown on his choice of words, it had the desired effect. An early penalty put the Oilers in field position, and John Skandalis muscled his away over to score an inspirational try. Craig Gower was unable to convert from just right of the upright, but the 16-4 margin left room for hope in Sydney hearts. The outnumbered Aussie fans, for sure, were making their feelings known.
While Bossert's halftime speech did wonders for Sydney's confidence, something must have been said out of place in the Capetown sheds, as they side struggled to recapture the form they'd ridden to the minor premiership. Missing two classy players didn't help Capetown's case either, and things began to look more and more grim for the first time Premier League finalists. Ben Harris lifted the hearts and hopes of Sydney fans when he pounced on a lose Freddie Banquet ball in the 52nd and went to the tryline untouched. The Capetown players objected that it had been a double knock on, but Harris was awarded the try. Gower's conversion made it 16-10, and the Newlands' crowd was strangely quiet as it looked more and more like an Oilers' victory was on the cards.
When Derek Gateshead signalled to the bench with a hamstring tear in the next set of six, the alarm bells were ringing for Capetown fans. If they weren't chiming then, they certainly were when Ben Harris went over for his second- sheer strength carrying the underrated centre across the line. Gower again missed, but the momentum had clearly swung in Sydney's favour, and Capetown were shellshocked at 16-14.
The game continued at its increasingly intense pace, neither side able to find a potentially match turning try. Both sides began to make fundamental errors and surrender easy ground- but neither had the energy left to capitalise on what few chances they found. Ben Harris, Sydney's best by far, was justifyably heartbroken when his handling error led to Capetown's fourth try. Bringing the ball out from his line, Harris looked to spark something with an offload, but it went astray and the Ravens regained possession. The tired but experienced back clicked into gear, and Mike Forshaw was put into a small hole by Gateshead for a potentially match winning try. The conversion had it at 22-14 with fifteen minutes remaining.
The added margin seemed to lift Capetown's game, but the extra possession couldn't yield the try that would seal the result for the minor premiers. True champions always rise to the ocassion, and Harris showed plenty of champion qualities when he raced out of his line and risked another Capetown try to pluck a ball from the air and race downfield with Banquet and Rooney in pursuit. The talented centre was able to evade both, his hat-trick and the conversion putting the Oilers 22-20 behind.
It was frantic football in the final six minutes, but Capetown did enough to hold off the fast finishing Oilers. As fulltime sounded, Steve Devine made a line break that could have blown the scoreline out once more. Fittingly, Ben Harris ended the movement with a tough tackle.
FULLTIME
Capetown Ravens 22
Freddie Banquet 2
Uri Novavich
Mike Forshaw
Mehrtens 3/4
defeated
Sydney Oilers 20
Ben Harris 3
John Skandalis
Gowers 2/4
PoM Points
Ben Harris.............3
Sean Carstens.......2
Jason Ryles............1
