Match report: U18 Blue Raiders claim narrow 7–5 win
In a fiercely contested under-18 rugby match, the Blue Raiders edged past the Eldoranians Rugby Club with a hard-fought 7–5 victory on the final day of the Saints SportsFest.
Both teams brought intensity and passion to the field, with strong tackles and tight defense, keeping the score line low. It took nearly 28 minutes for the game to come alive, with the Blue Raiders pushing forward and finally breaking through to score a crucial try. The effort, scored by Blue Raiders' right lock Sthembiso Mngomezulu, came at a vital moment and helped shift momentum.
The second half of the match proved to be a double-edged sword. While both teams chased the win, errors and pressure made it difficult to take full control. The Eldoranians left lock Blessing Masuku responded with a try, but the Blue Raiders missed the conversion, leaving them just short.
The Blue Raiders' coach, Tsepo Maieane, believed that his team should have performed better. 'I feel very confident. I am very happy with the team's performance, but they could have done better,' he said. 'I feel like it's minor things that we need to fix, but otherwise they did pretty well.'
In the end, the Blue Raiders held their lead and walked away with a tight but well-deserved 7–5 victory, showing heart, discipline and belief under pressure.
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