Newton Primary’s ‘Fight’ secures Kathu Sevens title

RECENTLY, Kimberley’s Newton Primary School was invited to the Kathu Sevens Rugby Tournament, and obliged by sending along an Under-12 and Under-13 team.

Newton’s players showcased exceptional talent and determination at the competition held on Friday and Saturday last week.

The Under-12 team demonstrated incredible resilience, competing valiantly against older teams. Their matches included a narrow defeat against Lime Acres Under-13s with a narrow 17-19 scoreline, a dominant 38-5 win over LS Kuruman Under-13, a commanding 46-0 victory over Staats Under-12, and a sobering 0-55 loss to Kathu Under-13.

Reflecting on the results, the team’s performance was commendable, and each player should be proud of their efforts.

The Under-13 team, however, stole the show with their outstanding performance. They triumphed over Amarantus Under-12s with a score of 55-7, they defeated Futurum 38-7, overpowered Oranje-Noord 33-5, and went on to edge Op die Voorpos 29-28 in a thrilling match.

Their journey continued with a decisive 41-5 victory against Op die Voorpos in the semi-final.

The grand finale saw Newton’s Under-13 team facing Kathu, where they emerged victorious with a score of 31-19, clinching the tournament championship.

This victory is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the players and coaches, and a big congratulations can be given to the Under-13 team for their well-deserved win and to both teams for representing Newton Primary School with pride and excellence.

De Wet Kruger, Newton’s Under-13 coach, said that the Kathu Sevens was a great tournament and that it was the first time that they were there. “The competition was really tough, and we were in the so-called pool of death, where we had to play against the Voorpos A team, the Oranje A team, as well as Futurum’s A team.

“Only one team can go through per pool to the semi-finals, so it was really tough, but our children showed what they had in them and gave the ‘Newton Fight’ a new meaning,” he told the DFA.

“One thing that counted in our favour was the fitness and talent we have on the field,” the coach added. “We are really proud of our teams for how they performed because it just shows what Newton is made of.”

Winning the title at their first appearance at the Kathu Sevens means that Newton Primary can hold the trophy high with pride for now, until they need to defend their title at the next instalment of the competition.