Photo: Bernadette Louw Photography

We are in week three of the 2023 Sanlam Boland Top12 and the semi-final spots are slowly but surely starting to take shape. The defending champions, Saldanha Bay, finally recorded their first win of the tournament, bringing them to within four points of second place on the Pool A table.

They thumped Vanrhynsdorp Eagles in their backyard, 97-17. The Eagles are winless this season and despite a spirited fightback were just not good enough to keep up with a trailing scoreboard.

Safcol United and Robertson Town are the only two sides that are unbeaten after three games, the former played their second successive home game against Young Hamiltons. Margins are tight in this year’s competition, Young Hamiltons were tied for the first place ahead of the Round Three matches but following their 29-10 loss at the hands of Safcol sending the Worcester-based side to fourth position albeit five points adrift the log leaders, Safcol.

A win for Safcol next week will almost certainly propel them into pole position. Andrin Mepomie, Conor Mahoney, and captain Benjamin Dwayi were standout players today for the Safcol team.

Things could not kick on for Darling when they failed to neutralise a strong and bulldozing Robertson Town in Darling, losing 30-24. The home side captain, Earl Lewis has been instrumental for his side. Still, it was the visiting side’s personnel like Juandre Joseph, Fredginald Africa, and Sanlam Player with Confidence, Colin Willemse. Robertson led the pack in Pool A by a feint margin, two points clear of Roses United.

Town along with Safcol are the only unbeaten sides after three matches.

Wesbank got the better of a spirited Delicious NW side in Malmesbury, the home side leapfrogged into second position, just three points behind log leaders, Safcol, after picking up five valuable log points in their 53-19 win over the side from Clanwilliam.

In Ceres, it was last year’s runners-up, Bella Vista, that outclassed and outplayed Mamre, 56-24. The win kept Bella Vista’s semi-final hopes alive. Roses United hosting Hawston in Wellington at Pelikaan Park, the home side got off to a fiery start and outsmarted the coastal side, 29-21. A very tight encounter where the visitors, according to captain Branden Hunter, did not capitalise on the quality ball possession and territory that his side enjoyed.