A red letter day for the Bay

It was truly a special occasion for Motorvaps False Bay as they travelled to Brackenfell for the eighth match of their 14-game SLA season.

Not only in terms of log position, but the celebration of a remarkable achievement by a standout player of the last decade and a half. The Bay won 47-31 after leading 28-10 at half time.

Leading the Bay onto the field was Ryan Olivier, now playing at lock, but who played the vast majority of his 238 First XV matches to date at eighthman.

With this, he became the highest capped False Bay RFC player of all time, no mean feat in the club’s 95-year history.

The 35-year-old former Zwaanswyk High School pupil, who transferred to Bellville High for his matric year, has a list of achievements seldom seen at club level.

It is testimony to the character and talent of the man. Joining False Bay as an under-20 in 2008 when it was far from trendy to claim allegiance to the then struggling club, and the lure of Super League A and even Varsity Cup was strong, Olivier stood fast, later becoming a major positive influence on potential new recruits to the the Bay.

The quietly dispositioned bull of a man, whose game was highlighted by an innate ability to anticipate where play was next heading, was ruthless in the tackle and carried the ball with authority.

As if that wasn’t enough, he often fell back on defence, fielding kicks, with an impetuous one-handed grab with a bear-paw, returning the kick with a booming boot.

Flashy play such as this aside, Olivier’s rugby resume reflects his brilliance and value both as a player and leader.

For False Bay, he has won 1 Gold Cup; 2 Super League A; and 2 Super League B medals. In 2012 he joined Tukkies, where he won a Varsity Cup medal and in 2016, he added a WP Amateurs title to his collection.

As if not enough, “Vleis” as he is affectionately known to most, has almost 30 blue-and-white hooped shirts for Western Province in one form or another, including under-18, Currie Cup, the aforementioned Amateurs and Vodacom Cup.

The powerhouse made a half-hearted attempt at retiring at the end of last season, although in his defence he did leave the door open on whether it was a full-blooded retirement or not. As is so often the case, he was pulled back to the game by a force so many experience after departing, and when he made a return to the playing field a month ago, it was a rested and hungry Olivier who returned, his experience and influence on those around him, particularly the youngster in the Bay squad, was as significant as his physical presence and ability.

As he cut a solitary figure in taking to the pitch at Brackenfell on Saturday to rapturous applause, even from the opposing supporters, he knew a loss on the day would almost tarnish the occasion for him.

Motorvaps False Bay, hunting a Top Six finish to make the Presidents Cup playoffs, could not afford another slip on a banana peel, while Brackenfell were determined to show their true value, perhaps feeling that they had allowed some results to go to opposition in the build up to this encounter.

The pitch at Brackenfell RFC, although within standard guidelines, is narrower than any other pitch in the SLA, something that has a two-way cutting effect on visitors to the grounds. Firstly, visiting teams are caught out when spreading the ball wide or whose game is expansive. It takes conscious adjustment to play if the backline is to be incisive. Secondly, defences need to be alert to the efficacy of the Brakke on this pitch, after all they practice on it three times per week. To this end, the Bay coaching panel had their teams practicing in a narrowed zone, demarcated by cones, alleviating to a degree the sideline as an extra defender. The incisive, straight running of the Brackenfell backs perfectly was entertaining foremost, but perfectly demonstrated the threat they posed on attack.

The home side’s game plan appeared to run hard and straight at their guests, particularly in the first quarter of the contest, thereby placing scoreboard pressure on the Bay, who would be playing into the wind in the second half. With a defendable half time score, Brakke could easily have kept False Bay camped in their own territory in the last forty minutes. In a way and as it turned out, a risky ploy, if indeed it was so. They took an early 10-0 lead through a try by fullback Quan Eyman, goaled by flyhalf Hendrik Mulder, who followed that with a penalty.

Eyman and centre partner, Keegan September continued to exploit their knowledge of the home ground conditions throughout the contest, at times gaining ground with their straight running, others launching diminutive powerhouse powerhouse wing Stephan van Wyk on marauding rums with the space created.

The other side to this coin was a False Bay team hungry for a big win, a massive occasion spurring them on, and the maturity to absorb the pressure while their hosts expend valuable energy against an organized defence seldom in disarray. False Bay, with several players now beginning to standout as the season progresses, began to rise and effectively took the game away from the hosts.

By time the final quarter of an hour of the match started, False Bay commanded an almost unassailable 47-17 lead, the result and the four-try bonus point pretty much in the bag. Testimony to the dog in the determined Brakke outfit, they kept on coming at their opponents, exploiting the accompanying break in rhythm which sometimes accompanies the introduction of the reserves from the bench. They bagged another two tries, adding respectability to the scoreline, but more importantly, earning a valuable league bonus point.

False Bay scored six tries on the day and although a comprehensive team performance, influential players were undoubtedly the “two Joshes”, du Toit at lock and Florence at centre, the former busy in the tight loose and delivering quality lineout ball, the latter now showing his recognized talent as a line breaker. Veteran flank Lukhanyo Nomzanga was formidable, and again wing Daniel Hayes was all energy and bottled power on attack.

False Bay travel to Green Point Track to face SK Walmer on Saturday. Matches, which include the women’s contest between False Bay and Bellville, kick off at 1.30pm wit the main fixture at 4pm.