After an action-packed round of quarter-finals, College Rovers and Naka Bulle have secured home ground advantage, while Northam Rhinos and Helderberg will look to build on their momentum in the race for a spot in the final.
THE STAGE is set for an exciting weekend of rugby as the African Rainbow Community Gold Cup heads into the semi-final stage.
After an action-packed round of quarter-finals, College Rovers and Naka Bulle have secured home ground advantage, while Northam Rhinos and Helderberg will look to build on their momentum in the race for a spot in the final.
All four quarter-final matches delivered high-scoring contests, with home teams prevailing in each. In Pretoria, defending champions Naka Bulle made a statement with a 65-10 demolition of the Northam Wolves. The champions ran in 10 tries, with winger Pule Molokome scoring twice and fullback Hansie Graaf adding four conversions.
Over in Strand, Helderberg edged out Centurion in a thrilling first half, leading 22-19 at the break. However, a dominant second-half display saw Helderberg pull away for a 49-24 win, with scrumhalf Michael Visser’s 19 points from the boot proving crucial.
In Setaria, the Northam Rhinos continued their free-scoring run with a 60-12 victory over Groot-Brakrivier. Hooker Maliviwe Simanga came off the bench to score two tries, but five missed conversions kept the scoreline from being even more lopsided.
In Durban, College Rovers showed why they are among the tournament’s favourites, trouncing Louis Trichardt 70-6. Flyhalf Inny Radebe contributed 14 points to the Rovers’ dominant display. The Durban-based side has now scored a staggering 237 points across three matches, conceding just five tries.
The semi-finals promise to deliver top-quality rugby as some of the best community rugby clubs in South Africa go head-to-head. College Rovers will host the Northam Rhinos at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
This clash is a rematch of last season’s semi-final, where Rovers narrowly edged the Rhinos 21-19. With both teams coming off big wins, this match is expected to be fiercely contested.
Meanwhile, Naka Bulle will host Helderberg in Pretoria. Naka Bulle’s 56-29 triumph over Rovers in last year’s final will be fresh in their minds as they aim to defend their title. Helderberg, riding high after their impressive quarter-final win, will be looking to pull off an upset.
Rugby fans won’t want to miss these semi-final clashes, which are scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The matches will be streamed live on the SuperSport Schools app and website.
Quarter-final Results:
Naka Bulle 65–10 Northam Wolves
Helderberg 49–24 Centurion
Northam Rhinos 60–12 Groot-Brakrivier
College Rovers 70-6 Louis Trichardt
Semi-final Fixtures (Saturday, 12 October):
(3pm): College Rovers vs Northam Rhinos (Hollywoodbets Kings Park 3, Durban)
(4pm): Naka Bulle vs Helderberg (Naka Bulle Rugby Club, Pretoria)
The countdown to the final has begun. Which teams will emerge victorious and secure their place in the ultimate showdown? All eyes will be on Durban and Pretoria this weekend as the competition heads towards its thrilling climax.
