Saldanha RFC Clinches 3rd Boland Top-12 Championship Defeating Roses United

Saldanha RFC walked out of Boland Stadium as the new Boland top 12 champions after a terrific second half display saw them beat Roses United 31-29 in the final.

Roses United started like a house on fire, imposing themselves on the team from the West Coast in the early proceedings. 

A deep kick off into Saldanha’s half led to sustained pressure by the team from Wellington. They eventually crossed the whitewash when a sensational pass from scrumhalf Percival Williams found speedster Easton Arendse in acres of space to open the scoring account for the game.

Saldanha did not lie down. The West Coast champions piled on pressure of their own, which led to a scrum, 15 metres from Roses United’s try line. A quick clean out ball from Monray Jacobs allowed fly-half Feghon-Lee Snyers to muscle his way over for his team’s first try of the match. Craig van Rensburg converted the try to put the West Coast outfit into the lead.

There was a feeling around the stadium that the game’s momentum was constantly shifting, and that proved to be true.

After some superb defense work that kept Saldanha in their own half, Roses finally turned the ball over at the breakdown, leading to a scrum with some solid work at the base of the scrum saw the team from Wellington exercise a smart set-play move as Garth April and Xavier-Lee Solomons combined to set up winger Arendse for his second try of the game and 29th of the season. Fly-half Garth April added the extras to put his team into a 12-7 lead with 23 minutes gone on the clock.

Roses United continued to heap relentless pressure on Saldanha. A dominant scrum by the ever-present Roses Forward-Line took them within 5 metres of the tryline. Saldanha’s defense held on for a few more seconds before Roses United lock Wilbur Julies barged over the line from a pickup and go play. Xavier-Lee Solomons slotted the conversion to open up a 12-point lead over Saldanha in the 30th minute.

Saldanha’s Craig van Rensburg converted a penalty conversion to make it 19-10, 8 minutes before halftime. Garth April replied with a 3-point penalty of his own, giving his side a 22-10 cushion going into halftime.

Saldanha came out at halftime looking like a new side. They put in some big hits on Roses United, which led to a turnover ball.

Monray Jacobs and captain Sampie Greyling showed why they are a formidable duo as they helped set up flanker Virgil Stoffberg for a try after the big man utilized the space given to him by Roses United. Van Rensburg once again ensured that the extras were converted. 

The charismatic fullback went from strength to strength early in the second half. Feghon-Leigh Snyders created an opening on the outside, and a clever little dummy by the fly-half saw the ball end up in the hands of fullback van Rensburg, and from there he showed a superb burst of acceleration to leave the defenders for dead and go over for another try. He converted his own try as Saldanha retook the lead, 24-22.

Saldanha’s Craig van Rensburg delivered a near inch-perfect performance to help his team win the 2025 Boland top 12 championship.

Both teams rang the changes as the hour marked approached. Saldanha’s substitute scrumhalf Darren Visser made an immediate impact. The Boland u21 prospect sped up the tempo of the game, and an inside ball to captain Greyling carried Saldanha over the advantage line. Visser proceeded to run the blindside, where he pulled in two players and offloaded the ball to Craig van Rensburg, who sliced through the defense with ease to score his second try of the match. He once again converted his own try again, bringing his own personal tally in the game to 24 points, while taking his season tally to a sensational 72 points.

Just as we thought Roses United would throw in the towel, the team from the Boland showed their infamous fighting spirit. They hit back with 20 minutes to play after gaining possession in Saldanha’s territory, and from there they edge closer and closer to the try-line with patient build-up play. They would eventually cross the try-line as substitute prop Lee Heino Appollis showed his determination and strength. Xavier-Lee Solomons was at it again, converting the extras. 

Roses United fullback Xavier-Lee Solomons ended his season with an outstanding 48 points for Roses United RFC.

Roses United went through wave after wave of attacking play towards Saldanha, but the team from the West Coast dug in and put in some big hits on their opponents. The forwards worked overtime, as they contested every ruck, scrum, loose ball, and lineout.

Both sets of teams had numerous opportunities to put more points on the board, but they failed to capitalize on mutually poor discipline.

The game could have gone either way, but it was Saldanha that held on for a famous victory and their first Boland Championship in 3 years.

Representatives and players from both teams chimed in on the result after the match.

Saldanha RFC captain Sampie Greyling was the first to give his insight on the result. “All Glory to God. What a fight. What a battle. Thank you to all our supporters, coaching staff and management and also every single player at Saldanha RFC. We as a team hoped that we could make everyone proud and let them feel inspired. You are truly capable of achieving anything through God.”

“We were underdogs throughout the season, but look where we are today”, Monray Jacobs from Saldanha RFC added.

Roses United chairman Mr. Herman Bailey also spoke on the final from his team’s point of view. “The players and coaching staff need us more now. Just because we lost the final doesn’t make us less of a champion. The players will always be champions in our hearts. I need with the boys and the community, it was a brilliant effort for the whole campaign. Hats off to Saldanha RFC as well.”

Xavier-Lee Solomons gave his own thoughts after the defeat to Saldanha RFC as well. “I think we had a lot of chances to win the game, but things didn’t go our way, especially not my way. I am just thankful for my teammates and my friends who lifted me up in the tough moments. It is going to be tough, but we have to get over this loss and try again next year.”