Alberton Rugby Club prepares to host Roodepoort Rugby Club in the first round of the 2024 Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge on Friday 19 April, in what promises to be a big clash.
Alberton Rugby Club, under the leadership of Captain Thylor Paulsen, has been focusing on rebuilding and nurturing talent within the club. This season, they’ve impressed with a blend of experienced players like Lindo Dladla, Brendon Schaffer, and Bennie Botes, alongside a youthful squad that has shown remarkable improvement. With four successful pre-season outings, including a victory in the prestigious Louis Odendaal Cup, Alberton has demonstrated its readiness and determination to excel in the upcoming match.
In contrast, Roodepoort Rugby Club, captained by Barend Steyn, has faced a challenging pre-season. Three matches were cancelled, which led to Roodepoort only two warm-up games, both of which ended in defeats. Despite these setbacks, Roodepoort is known for its physical style of play and has a history of tough encounters with Alberton, often emerging victorious in recent seasons. The team aims to leverage their historical edge while addressing the gaps exposed during their limited pre-season.
In other matches, the defending champions Pirates will host 2023 Semi-Finalists, U.J. at their home ground. Simultaneously, WITS University, another semi-finalist, will face off against the Raiders, who just missed out on a playoff spot last year. The action continues into Saturday, with Wanderers hosting NWU Pukke, last year’s runners-up. Randfontein, who got promoted to the Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge in 2024, will have a bye, taking a rest this weekend as the teams battle it out on the field
The stage is set for a dynamic clash in the Feature Match, with Alberton’s mix of youth and experience up against the seasoned Roodepoort squad. Each team has a point to prove, and as the sun sets, all eyes will be on the Alberton Rugby Club grounds. Join us for what promises to be a captivating display of rugby, or catch the live stream on the Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge YouTube Channel for a front-row experience of every tackle and try.
https://www.youtube.com/@PiratesGrandChallenge/
