We had the opportunity to sit down with Hawies Fourie, the Boland coach, to discuss the recent semi-final match and his thoughts on the team’s performance and preparations for the upcoming final.
1. For those who couldn’t watch the match, can you explain how the game went and how things played out?
“Ja, it was a tough game yesterday in Wellington. The field was wet and muddy, making conditions quite difficult. We started the game well from a Boland perspective, scoring two tries and a penalty in the first 20 minutes, putting us 15-3 in the lead. Then SWD came back at us, scoring two tries in the next 20 minutes. By halftime, the score was 18-17 to us. They played the conditions well, with a very good kicking game and quite physical, especially their backs. The flyhalf, inside center, and outside center had really good games. We struggled to get into their 22 and to score tries from there. In the end, we managed to score a maul try two minutes before the end of the game. Luckily for us, Ashlyn Davids converted, and we won the game by one point. We had some luck on our side, so we’ll take it and be better prepared for the final.”
2. Are you happy with the team’s performance?
“I wasn’t too happy with our performance. Especially at the breakdown, we were not good enough. SWD got a lot of turnovers at the breakdown. The scrums were a bit of a lottery. We struggled to adapt to the referee’s interpretation.
We definitely have the strongest scrum, but we got penalised for closing the space. I don’t know how they see that, but that was the decision.
So, we had to adapt and sort of take the foot off the pedal at scrum time. It’s better just to give them the ball than to get penalised and go 30 or 40 meters backwards.”
3. How much excitement is there in the camp for this week? It probably means a lot for Boland Rugby.
“Ja, we’re excited to play in the final. We won the competition last year, and we want to do it again – go back-to-back. We look forward to this week’s preparation. There’s a lot of rain forecasted from Wednesday onwards again, so the field conditions will likely be the same. But now I think we know better how to play in those conditions. We will adapt our game plan a little bit and make sure that we are ready for the final this weekend.”
4. On another note, what are your thoughts on the growth that SWD has shown since you last played them?
“SWD has definitely improved as a team as the competition went on. They beat the Leopards in Potchefstroom to get into the semi-finals, and they had to beat them with a bonus point and more than seven points difference. So, it was a good effort from them, and they really played well again in the semi-final. Unlucky to lose it.”
Looking Ahead to the Final
Tickets for the final will be available at the stadium gates, priced at R30 to R50. The match is scheduled to kick off at 3 o’clock on Saturday, the 27th of July. Boland fans are encouraged to fill the stadium and support the team in their quest to lift the trophy. The team is ready and determined to put on a spectacular performance for their supporters.
Stay tuned for what promises to be an electrifying conclusion to the season!