Not Darren's finest moment!
It was when I was Captain of the 4th Rugby team at Potch Boys High. We were playing against one of the many enormously over-talented and over-sized Afrikaans schools which encircled us like a kraal. We were the last British outpost in Potchefstroom.
Keep in mind we were all kitted out in togs, socks and matching shorts and rugby jerseys. Their 4th team showed up barefoot, PT pants and whichever rugby jersey they could find in their cupboard - and they annihilated us! I think the half-time score was 40 – 0!
Now I had been given the unenviable position of Captain of this 4th team. It was, however, a very popular 4th team as I had full Cultural colours and was always cast in our sister school’s house plays and all our inter-school plays – so they were the support team on the side of the pitch. My team enjoyed quite a lot more support than the 2nd or certainly the 3rd team did! Yes, it was a little girly and very loud but it really did not seem to change the fact that we were going to be beaten to a pulp on this particular pitch.
As the Captain of this team I took it upon myself to lead and one of the things I did was to constantly change my position in order to better our game! As far as I was concerned – this was my bounden duty! If the scrum half wasn’t doing his job properly – I would inform him that I was now the scrum half. I did the same thing with the fly half, the lock, then I was the full back and then I was the wing.
It was when I was playing first centre that there was a loose ball which fell down behind the 22 line. I picked it up, broke the line and was now running the entire length of the pitch to the opposing team’s try line and I thought this was amazing! The girls were screaming, the pompoms were out, the crowd was on their feet. This was an epic moment – MY moment!
So there I am sprinting down the field towards their try line and in my peripheral vision on my left hand side – I see their wing man coming at me almost at the same pace. I was quite convinced it was OK as he had to match my speed and still come in to the centre. I had to run to the right of the field trying to avoid him. That said he got closer and closer and closer and closer and even closer. I have to admit there was a moment when I thought I was not going to make it to the try line before this seemingly genetically modified human being pounced on me and broke my neck.
BUT – as he tackled me I did what we in the industry refer to as a ‘milo dive’ – a thrust of your body into the air with arms outstretched, the ball held firmly in your fingertips. I flew and I flew and felt my ribcage give slightly with the impact of this wing hitting me whilst I was in mid-air. At this stage I am still convinced I have done enough to score this try. I just know I can make it to the line, I mean he can’t exactly pull me backwards in mid-air.
I landed with a crunch on the ground with the ball still securely in my hands. There was no way I was going to knock this ball on. And I landed………6 inches behind the try line!! The silence that followed was more deafening than any cheer or crowd jubilation you have ever heard.
Everyone just kind of looked at each other or looked away and sat down to continue with the conversation they might have been having before this almost epic moment occurred and then the game continued.
And I think we were beaten by just over 100 – 0….keeping in mind that this was the 4th team and school boy rugby and I don’t even think we played 35 minutes per half.
(File photo: Gallo Images)