by Ben-Piet Lotter
The Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge concluded this weekend at Alberton Rugby Club with some spectacular rugby in the respective finals. North-West University’s U19- and U21 teams were victorious against UJ and took the spoils in the 2nd team final, beating WITS 37-19. The university club were looking like they might clean up on the day as the first teams got ready to run on and although Pirates were coming off a fantastic season, punters may have thought that the students from Potchefstroom would have too much in the tank for the boys from Greenside, also the only team to have beaten the Rats in the group stages.
Prior to this weekend, the last time Pirates had won the Grand Challenge was in 2001, when they travelled to Potchefstroom as clear underdogs facing a strong NWU team, who had beaten them convincingly a week before in the final group game. Pirates won the final 17-15. Not only have the bulk of this 2001 team been regulars at the club, supporting the new generation of Pirates during the 2023 season, but a certain Warren Bakos, who came off the bench at hooker in 2001, was at the helm, coaching the Pirates 3rd team who lost narrowly by 17-15, to a spirited and equally well coached Alberton side. Stories of the community and past players involved at their local clubs in this fashion, is not unique to Pirates but a common characteristic that makes club rugby such a special part of the game we love.
Continuing the movie-worthy script, Warren’s son Dillon Bakos, who was 7 years old in 2001, ran out in the number 1 jersey on Saturday, underdogs again but ready to go to war. Pirates in a coup de grâce and their best performance of the season, played a controlled, physical, and clinical match beating NWU 28-19. Alberton, once more, hosted a fantastic day, and if the first season of the Castle Lager Pirates Grand Challenge is anything to go by, 2024 is going to be an epic year for club rugby!