Stage set for Primrose flair versus Franschhoek power
Primrose RFC's Masud Galant under pressure with ball in hand during his side's Super League B semi-final clash against Belhar, at City Park, on Saturday.
Image: Mark Ward
Mark Ward
Primrose RFC coach, Ricky Petersen, has long been a familiar face on the club rugby scene, a coach whose track record includes multiple league titles, promotions and shaping teams into champions.
His latest accomplishment in guiding Primrose back into the Western Province Super League A, has cemented his reputation as one of the most successful coaches in community rugby.
On Saturday, Petersen hopes to put the final stamp on another chapter in his remarkable journey, which has seen him steering the Kenilworth-based side to back-to-back promotions, from Super League C to B in 2024, and now into Super League A in 2025, for the first time since 2019.
Primrose coach Ricky Petersen on the sideline during his side's WPRFU Super League B semi-final against Belhar RFC, at City Park, on Saturday.
Image: Mark Ward
Primrose earned their shot at the title with a thrilling 46-34 win over Belhar in the WPRFU Super League B semi-final match, at City Park on Saturday, a contest that kept the crowd on edge until the closing stages. In the other semi-final, Franschhoek proved far too strong for Kraaifontein, running in a 33-18 winners to underline their threat to Petersen’s ambitions.
Victory over Franschhoek in Saturday’s final at City Park would complete a fairytale campaign for Petersen. Success however, is nothing new to the seasoned coach. His fingerprints are on several rugby milestones, which saw him playing a key role in the rise of both the University of the Western Cape and Cape Peninsula University of Technology, to clinch the Varsity Shield. He also served as Western Province’s provincial sevens coach for close to a decade, guiding the side to sustained success in the abbreviated format.
Primrose's Lesvin Love shrugs off his marker during his side's 46-34 win against Belhar, at City Park, on Saturday.
Image: Mark Ward
Yet it is at Primrose where Petersen has performed his latest transformation. When he took charge two years ago, the club was struggling with consistency.
“My philosophy is simple, if you want to win the war, you must win most of your battles. This team, the players, and the executive have bought into that philosophy since my appointment. We’ve made a complete turnaround, but there’s one last battle left, beating Franschhoek in the final,” explained Petersen after Saturday’s semifinal win over Belhar.
The stage is now set for a clash of contrasting styles Primrose’s attacking flair against Franschhoek’s power up front.
Villager's Andries Viljoen giving defenders a hard time during his side's WPRFU Super League A championship semi-final against SK Walmer, at City Park, on Saturday.
Image: Fuad Esack