‘Come on without, come on within - you ain't seen nothing like the Mighty Quinn’ - long after the sun had gone down and the rain had subsided the chorus from the lyrics of Manfred Mann’s hit single of the sixties The Mighty Quinn could be heard wafting across the Bluff after their team had done the unthinkable against Jonsson Crusaders in the curtain raiser to the Vodacom Super 14 match between the Waratahs and the Sharks at The Absa Stadium Durban last Saturday.

The House of Paint Premier Division has truly proved to be an exciting competition this season with the 2008 Moor Cup champions Rovers now not quite that certain as to where their destiny lies this year. With the log standings changing every week and now the surprise results starting to filter through we are definitely in for one of the most competitive seasons in the last decade or so.

Durban Harlequins Airtron Coastal raised a few eyebrows when they comprehensively beat the Durban North club 32-16 on the hallowed turf of The Sharks in what has to be considered one of the biggest upsets in the club game in the last five years. 'Saders simply didn’t turn up for the game and for whatever reason they were taken apart by a side that had yet to register a win in the competition and how Quins deserved their victory and their celebration long after the last car had left the gloomy stadium.

Wing Logan Basson was the toast of the Bluff scoring one of the most amazing tries after a skewed drop goal effort from the boot of Hanno Botha left Crusaders' last line of defence at sixes and sevens as he slid past for the touchdown. Botha, a flyhalf of rare talent, and for my money the man of the match, slotted the opening penalty while their burly Cameroonian lock, Herve Hillaire barged over for two tries with the other going to their blond dynamo flanker Jason Kaschula. Bason who took over the kicking reigns from Botha kicked the remaining points.

Crusaders to their credit bounced back in the last quarter to reply with tries from Steve Thompson and Richard Strydom with Mickey Malloy kicking the balance.

In Empangeni, House of Paint College Rovers edged out Thanda Zululand Rhinos AT Mick Kelly Park 9-3 with Guy Cronje kicking the three winning penalties that counted while in another game, centre Quinton Crocker scored two tries in Envirosan Old Boys' 76-7 victory march over ChemSpec Jaguars at their Durban North home grounds. Wesley Dunlop scored 27 points for Oldies but all the credit should go to their magnificent front row of Wiehahn Herbst, Alfred Rhies and Dave Hawkesworth who laid the platform for their dangerous backs of Alex Kock, Ian Adendorff, Barend Theisinger, Lwazi Mvovo and Deon Stow to launch their countless raids into enemy territory.

Acer Durban Collegians hammered Maritzburg Varsity 52-6 in the remaining game.

In the Under 20 ‘A’ Division, Rovers had their wing Mark Richards in fine form scoring two good tries in their 45-0 away win over Empangeni while Old Boys hammered Jaguars 46-3, Quins edged out Crusaders 18-16 and Collegians accounted for Midlands 41-7. The plus for Midlands however is the way their ‘B’ side has performed, beating Durban Collegians 22-8 in their last outing.

In the First Division Toti and Hillcrest lead the way with South Coast Warriors in hot pursuit in the Sout Section while Vryheid are the top dogs in the North Section

- Jos Robson - The Mercury