Ereklasse Round 18 Recap: Hoek van Holland Edge Oisterwijk in Thrilling Headliner

Round 18 of the Ereklasse delivered drama and fireworks, with the headline clash between Oisterwijk RC and Hoek van Holland living up to its billing in spectacular fashion. Both sides threw everything into the contest, producing a high-scoring thriller that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.

The hosts wasted no time asserting themselves, crossing the whitewash just 35 seconds after kick-off to take an early 7–0 lead. However, Hoek van Holland responded almost immediately. A swift attacking move saw Mats Pieters touch down, with fly-half Kevin Lessen slotting the conversion to level the scores at 7–7 just three minutes into the match.

Oisterwijk reclaimed the lead after capitalizing on a mistake from the visitors, who failed to clear their lines properly. The resulting counter-attack ended with Roel Bluijs diving over in the corner, and the conversion made it 14–7.

But Hoek van Holland refused to be rattled. They struck back with two quickfire tries, seizing momentum and starting to dictate play. By halftime, they had edged in front, leading 22–19 in what had already become a back-and-forth classic.

The second half remained fiercely contested, with both teams exchanging tries and keeping the scoreboard ticking. As the clock wound down, it was Hoek van Holland who held their nerve, securing a narrow 36–34 victory in a match that will be remembered as one of the games of the season.

Ereklasse Round 18 Results:

• Oisterwijk RC 34 – 36 Hoek van Holland
• AAC RC 5 – 48 DIOK RC
  DIOK ran riot in Amsterdam, putting on a dominant display to cruise past AAC.
• The Dukes RC 47 – 5 Haarlem RC
  A commanding performance from The Dukes saw them dismantle Haarlem at home.
• ’t Gooi RC 38 – 19 Castricum RC
  ’t Gooi proved too strong for Castricum, maintaining their strong form.
• Breda RC 7 – 88 Rotterdam RC
  Rotterdam turned in the most emphatic performance of the weekend, racking up 88 points on the road.
• Haagsche RC 39 – 19 Eemland RC
  A solid second-half surge saw Haagsche pull clear of Eemland for a well-earned win.