Rovers to face Pretoria Police in SARU Club Champs final

Pretoria Police will play Jonsson College Rovers in the 2012 SARU National Club Championship final after both teams recorded impressive semi-final wins at the Impala Club in Rustenburg on Wednesday.

And in a unique twist, the Plate final will also be contested by Police and Rovers teams, after Bloemfontein Police and Welkom Rovers won through to an all-Free State province decider after victories over BB Truck Noordelikes and Naka Bulls respectively.

Both finals will be televised live on SuperSport, with the Plate final kicking off at 13:00 and the Cup final at 15:00.

KZN champions College Rovers, who won the national title in 2010, advanced to their fourth final in seven years with a clinical 72-10 victory over Border champions Broubart Old Selbornians, who battled manfully but were no match for the streetwise and super-fit KwaZulu-Natalians.

It was Rovers’ 78th win in 82 matches since the start of the 2009 season, an incredible streak made all the more impressive by the fact that it includes four Club Champs campaigns in addition to KZN league and Cup matches.

“We’re very happy to get through and now it’s a case of who's got the most left in the tank,” said Rovers’ coach Robert du Preez, the former Springbok scrumhalf. “The guys played well today and they know what they need to do now because they've been here before. We can’t wait for Friday.”

In the other semi-final, two tries to wing Michael Nienaber, a late score from fellow winger Ruan van Loo and 15 points from the boot of flyhalf Dillon Laubscher allowed Pretoria Police, the 1995 and 1996 national club champions, to advance to the final for the fourth time after a 35-25 win over hosts Rustenburg Impala.

“It was a very tough game but I'm very, very proud of my players,” said Police skipper Nico Luus. “All the hard work has been worth it and now we have one more hurdle left to clear. We’ve had a very successful season but now we have to finish the job.”

Day 4 fixtures (Fri, live on SuperSport):

Plate Final
13:00 Bloemfontein Police vs Eagle Towing Welkom Rovers

Cup Final
15:00 Jonsson College Rovers vs Pretoria Police.

Day 3 results (Wed 19 Sep):

Cup semi-finals

Jonsson College Rovers 72 – Tries: Kyle Wilkinson, Anton Verster (2), Lubabalo Mtembu (2), Calvin Adam, Conrad Stoltz (2), Rosko Specman, Francois Robbertse. Conversions: Jors Dannhauser (3), Kobus de Kock (5). Penalties: Dannhauser (2).
Broubart Old Selbornians 10 – Try: Dylan Rogers. Conversion: Glen Warner. Penalty: Warner.

Newrak Rustenburg Impala 25 – Tries: Michael Lubbe, Morne Jooste, Gavin Williamson. Conversions: Willie Kok (2). Penalties: Kok (2).
Pretoria Police 35 – Tries: Ruan van Loo (2), Michael Nienaber (2). Conversions: Dillon Laubscher (3). Penalties: Laubsher (2). Drop goal: Laubscher.

Plate semi-finals

BB Truck Noordelikes 7 – Try: Mynhardt Smith. Conversion: Zander Byleveldt.
Bloemfontein Police 27 – Tries: Stevie Meyer, Heino Shepperson, Albert Hertzog. Conversions: Andre du Plessis (3). Penalties: Du Plessis (2).

Naka Bulls 24 – Tries: Leon Nel (2). Conversion: Ruan Boshoff. Penalties: Boshoff (2), Phillip Mulder (2).
Eagle Towing Welkom Rovers 35 – Tries: Pieter Cocken, Ivan de Klerk, Donovan Ball, Gerhard Klopper. Conversions: Ricardo Santos (2), Tiaan van Wyk. Penalties: Santos (3).

Day 2 results (Mon 17 Sep):

Cup quarter-finals
Broubart Old Selbornians 28 Brakpan 26
Jonsson College Rovers 41 Despatch 30
Durbanville-Bellville 25 Pretoria Police 36
Newrak Rustenburg Impala 31 Roodepoort 19

Plate quarter-finals
Naka Bulls 25 Villagers Worcester 23
Blanco 22 Eagle Towing Welkom Rovers 37
BB Truck Noordelikes 38 Witrivier 30
Bloemfontein Police 22 Kumba Iron Ore Sishen 17

Day 1 results (Sat 15 Sep):

Roodepoort 26 Naka Bulls 12
Jonsson College Rovers 61 BB Truck Noordelikes 0
Bloemfontein Police 33 Broubart Old Selbornians 43
Durbanville-Bellville 53 Blanco 20
Pretoria Police 43 Eagle Towing Welkom Rovers 12
Kumba Iron Ore Sishen 0 Brakpan 28
White River 10 Despatch 72
Newrak Rustenburg Impala 53 Villagers Worcester 21

SARU