THE KwaZulu-Natal sides fared very well in the recent SA Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) Amateur Competition tournaments and the victorious KZN Duikers are now shooting for the national title, with the first hurdle being Western Province at Harlequins in Durban at 2.30 pm this Saturday.
The KZN Duikers team, under the guidance of Maritzburg Collegians first XV head coach Carel Nel, won the Central Section tournament in Kimberley when they beat Griquas 29-26.
“Next week, the Duikers meet the Bulls in Pretoria and the week after that, the Bulls travel to Cape Town to face Province,” Nel told The Witness yesterday.
The team with the most points after the three matches will win the competition.
Reflecting on the gripping three-point win over Griquas, Nel said the final score was somewhat flattering to the host province.
“The Duikers were leading Griquas 26-10 at half-time, but 10 minutes before the interval, one of our players was red carded. So we played most of the match with 14 men,” said Nel.
“I have been involved with the Duikers for three years now and I must say the standard of this competition was higher than last year. The teams played some good rugby.”
Nel said the Duikers team to play Western Province would be released tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the KZN Platteland XV lost 39-17 to the Griffons Rural side in the Plate Final, and the KZN Wildebeest beat Eastern Province 41-12 in their tournament final in Margate.
Nel said his appointment as co-coach of the Maritzburg Collegians first team during the 2013 season gave his 11 years as a club coach renewed vigour. “It is a phenomenal club, unbelievable spirit, and I am really looking forward to being head coach next year for the 2014 season,” he said.
