Defending Moor Cup club rugby champions Jonsson College Rovers got their title defence off to a winning start as they ground out a 21-5 win over FNB UKZN Pietermaritzburg at a rain-drenched Peter Booysen Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

With new sponsor Fidelity Security Services on board - a company that has Natal legend Wahl Bartmann at the helm - the opening round of the Premier Division league season offered up some interesting action.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't play ball, with all the matches being contested in driving rain, which wasn't conducive to error-free rugby, but Rovers ultimately managed to overcome the conditions and a tenacious opponent up in Pietermaritzburg.

2010 was a golden year for Rovers, with the Durban club having won the Moor and Murray Cup before being going on to be crowned national club rugby champs for the first time, finishing the season with 22 wins and not a single defeat.

They are sure to be more than a handful once again this season, and yesterday afternoon a try to prop Roy Godfrey and scrumhalf Shannon Rick was enough to ensure they came away from the capital with another win safely secured.

In Sydenham, last season's league runners-up, Acer Durban Collegians sent out a statement as they recorded a comprehensive 68-3 win over Fidelity Security Jaguars.

If you'll excuse the weather-related puns, after seeing off an early storm from Jaguars, the floodgates opened as the tries starting raining in for Collegians, with winger Quinton Dormehl scoring four.

Meanwhile, it was a good start to the season for Bluff Superspar Harlequins as the hosts recorded an 18-14 win over Varsity College Old Boys. Winger Faizel du Bruin and hooker Thinus Volker both crossed for tries to help their side to victory, a result which will have done wonders for Harlequins' confidence going forward.

The final result of the weekend went in favour of Goss and Balfe Crusaders, with the Durban North side claiming a hard-fought 18-14 victory over Thanda ZRA Zululand Rhinos.

Crusaders were competitive as ever last season, and would have been grateful to come away with the desired result in trying conditions yesterday afternoon, with scrumhalf Nolan van Staden scoring a brace of tries.

- Craig Lewis