Union-Milnerton (Uni-Mil) showcased a dominant first-half performance as they secured their sixth win in seven outings at home against Kuils River in Western Province Rugby Football Union Super League A (SLA) action at Theo Marais Park. The final scoreline read 43-19 in favour of Uni-Mil after a 29-0 lead at halftime.
Leading the charge was Xander Kuys, who delivered a remarkable hat-trick of tries in the opening 40 minutes, setting the tone for Uni-Mil’s comfortable win in front of their home supporters.
Right from the kick-off, Uni-Mil displayed their intent to dominate the game but the scoreline may be a little unkind to the visiting Kuila as they never made it easy for the home side.
But for Uni-Mil, their first half display was a true testament to their superiority as they made the most of their scoring chances and raced to a commanding 29-0 lead.
Their attacking prowess was evident as they scored a total of seven tries, with five of them coming in the first half.
However, the second half witnessed a spirited fightback from Kuils River, who were determined to make a comeback. They wasted no time and were the first to get the second half points, scoring their first of three tries in the seventh minute of the second half. Suddenly, Uni-Mil found themselves having to dig deeper, as their visitors gained momentum and threatened to narrow the gap on the scoreboard.
Uni-Mil’s challenges threatened to escalate when they were reduced to 13 men at one point, with two players receiving yellow cards. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Uni-Mil showcased their class to hold on to their lead. They managed to weather the storm and regain control of the game.
Their victory was not solely dependent on Xander Kuys’ heroics, as several others made their mark on the scoreline. Leon Castens, Vuyisile Dlepu, Brian Matoramusha, and Jacques Fick all contributed by crossing the try line, adding to Uni-Mil’s dominant performance.
Elsewhere, Hamilton were in a rampant mood as they dispatched NTK 73-7 at home for their third win of the season in seven encounters.
In other weekend fixtures, Helderberg emerged victorious over St Georges with a 43-17 scoreline. Villager secured a comprehensive win over Tygerberg, 32-13. UWC defeated Hamlets 45-31 in a high-scoring encounter.
Uni-Mil are not in action this coming weekend as they take a much needed break before welcoming a strong Durbel side at Theo Marais Park next week.