Mr Price Kearsney Touch Rugby Festival

The 78th Old Crocks game took place in chilly misty conditions on scenic grounds of the Kearsney College main field this weekend with the eLan Rugby Legends Old Crocks team raising the trophy after a fantastic game.

The hotly contested annual match between the Kearsney 1st Team and the eLan Rugby Legends is always scenes for wonderful rugby. The Old Crocks played a phenomenal game with great understanding between players and fine ball handling that resulted in awesome passing, space and some untouchable tries.

At half time the Old Crocks were confidently ahead with the score board well in their favour. But whatever drinks the school lads sipped on certainly turned the game around directly after the start of the second half. Kearsney ran in three quick succession tries and as John Allan, CEO of the South African Rugby Legends Association said, “You had us worried!”

Tactical substitutions were obvious for the Old Crocks with Allan, coach for the game, keeping all the players rotating constantly. Special mention was made to Ron Byng, 51 year old eLan Rugby Legend, who remained on the pitch for the entire game. Allan encouraging all the youngsters, “No matter how old you are, you can still get out there and enjoy yourselves!” The young players were out classed by the wiser, more experienced team.

Hats off to the Kearsney 1st team for their great performance on a tough weekend, having played against the Westville 1st team the previous day. The 1st team look to have a wonderful season ahead of them.

The final score was 64-40 in the Old Crocks favour.

Other results were:
Boys Schools Touch Rugby: 1st Maritzburg College
Girls Schools Touch Rugby: Kloof High School
Companies Touch Rugby: On Dad
Woman’s Touch Rugby: Team Chicken
Inter Schools Touch Rugby: Junior and Senior: Finningley House

The festival was also about learning and giving. Former Springbok flyhalf, Braam Van Straaten was flown up from George to take part in the highlight of the festival but also took a kicking clinic with budding flyhalves being coached by one of the greatest in South African rugby.

The fun filled day organised to create awareness for those injured in the game managed to raise R80,000 for two young former players. This is the highest amount that has been raised at the Mr Price Kearsney Touch Rugby Festival. Daniel Lombard and Tom Rout, keen rugby players are differently abled. Lombard was injured during a rugby game and Rout was involved in a car accident. Both “Heroes” received cheques for R40,000.

Lombard, a former Pretoria Boys High School player beamed when he graciously accepted the cheque stating that the money would go towards renovating his home to make it more wheel chair friendly. Rout, a former Kearsney boy, eagerly gave a thumbs up to the crowd in appreciation for their contribution.

John Slade, Captain for the eLan Rugby Legends Old Crocks team commented that all of the players loved taking part in the festival. “It is brilliant to have a run around in such a well organised tournament. All the guys thoroughly enjoyed themselves.”

The day ended on a high with eLan Rugby Legend, Andile Nyembezi leading the stand of enthusiastic Kearsney Boys in a heart lifting “Shosholoza”.

The Mr Price Kearsney Touch Rugby Festival is a lovely hunting ground for the eLan Rugby Legends Old Crocks rugby team as they notched up yet another victory against the Kearsney 1st Team in their annual clash.