Both games were very physical, uncompromising, with the pride the players held in their jerseys to the fore.
Northwood’s imposing Jamie Wimble exited their game against Westville early. He appeared to be dealing with a cough, but if he is fit, that would be a big boost for the home side. They have a more than capable replacement in Kevin von Volenstee, though. While Wimble was recently named in the Sharks’ Craven Weekteam at no. 8, Von Volenstee cracked the nod in the Sharks Academy squad.
Maritzburg College’s captain and no. 8, Rory Stanton, was outstanding in the win over DHS and crossed for a brace of tries in the second half. His success, though, was the product of a 15-man effort. The Red, Black, and White‘s voracious defence showed many similarities to that of Northwood in their win over Westville.
Something’s got to give on Saturday, but a high-scoring game appears unlikely; both sides show far too much pride on defence to allow that to happen. Nothing is guaranteed, however.
The Knights’ Anesu Kuzonyei, another Craven Week selection, has shown he doesn’t need much ball to make an impact, and he’s a huge threat on cross-kicks. His aerial prowess has earned him a handful of tries this campaign.
Behind the packs, it will be a duel between the Craven Week scrumhalves, Dom du Toit (College) and Ludi van der Walt (Northwood). Both do a tidy job of providing their backs with good-quality ball, and both are good goal kickers. With ice in his veins, Du Toit won the match for College against DHS with the last kick of the game.
College’s big centre, Olwethu Kosani, is a dangerous, powerful runner. Northwood did a good job of containing Westville’s outstanding midfielder, Jadrian Afrikaner, last weekend, and they’ll need to be as wary and effective against Kosani on Reece-Edwards Field.
Buckle up! It should be a great game.
Kearsney College vs Durban High School (DHS)
Another equally exciting match takes place on Stott Field at Kearsney College, where the One-Stripefaces Durban High School (DHS) at 15:00.
The Horseflieshead into the game having lost four on the trot. They’re now five and four on the season, but underestimating coach Peter Engledow‘s charges would be a silly mistake, and it’s not one that Kearsney will make. Those four losses were to Monument and Paarl Gimnasium, who are among the top teams in the country, at the Absa Wildeklawer Tournament, and by three points to Northwood, and one to Maritzburg College.
Both sides are well represented in the Sharks’ Craven Week and Academy Week squads. DHS has five players – Nathan Aneke, Amo Mataboge, Zion Smith, Iglesias Bruiners, and Priden Sibiya – in the Craven Week line-up, and six in the Academy Week squad – Sterling Padi, Tanwil Onkers, Richaard Kriel, Aobakwe Moeng, Bulelani Cebane, and Phokuhle Hlatshwayo.
The return of Smith, their inspirational captain, who missed the Maritzburg College game, is a big boost for the visitors.
Kearsney has four players in the Craven Week line-up – Lwazi Mbebe, Daniel Miskey, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, and Clement Makalele – and the first three (Makalele is a front-ranker) are among the most exciting playmakers to be found anywhere.
DHS will be focused on closing down space when that trio is in possession. Loose kicking onto Mbebe, at fullback, is a recipe for disaster. He’s hugely unpredictable, which is challenging for his own team at times, due to Mbebe’s unorthodox thinking.
While School has the names up front, Kearsney’s pack is solid and extremely hard-working. They’ll fight for every centimetre of the field.
If the play stays tight, it should tilt DHS’s way. If it opens up a bit, Kearsney will fancy their chances. They’re one of the most inventive and exciting attacking teams in the game.
Northwood vs Maritzburg College at Reece-Edwards Field, Durban, at 15:00
Northwood: N/A
Maritzburg College: 15 Sandiswa Hadebe, 14 Sakhokuhle Xaba, 13 Olwethu Kosani, 12 Likhona Kosani, 11 Matthew Harris, 10 Luthando Dlamini, 9 Dom du Toit, 8 Rory Stanton, 7 Caleb Sweetman, 6 David Colenbrander, 5 Joshua Thompson, 4 Sean Jansen, 3 Alande Ngubande, 2 Theo Boshoff, 1 Linamandla Mabanga.
Kearsney College vs Durban High School at Stott Field, Botha’s Hill, at 15:00
Kearsney College: 15 Lwazi Mbebe, 14 Luke Grobbelaar, 13 Thomas Aylward, 12 Keanu Williamson, 11 Lwandile Mkhize, 10 Daniel Miskey, 9 Fynn Verbaan, 8 Nhlnhla Ndlovu, 7 Oliver Ludwig, 6 James Whatmore, 5 Thomas Francke, 4 Robert Gelderman, 3 Tunga Griffiths, 2 Matthew Wilson, 1 Clement Makelele.
Durban High School: 15 Tanwil Onkers, 14 Amo Mataboge, 13 Sterling Padi, 12 Nathan Aneke, 11 Richard Gyamfi, 10 Cilermo Carlous, 9 Hlomelo Mbane, 8 Aobakwe Moeng, 7 Jose Lottering, 6 D Swart, 5 Bulelani Cebane, 4 Ambisiwe Sipanga, 3 Priden Sibiya, 2 Okuhle Mbanjwa, 1 Tumiso Mokoena.
Glenwood makes the short trip from Durban to Pietermaritzburg to face St Charles College on the Saints’ Old Boys’ Weekend. Photo: Brad Morgan.
St Charles College hosts Glenwood High in a King Price Derby clash in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday. It’s a big day for Saints, their Old Boys’ Weekend, and they’ll be highly motivated to get one over the visitors from Durban.
The match brings together two sides with contrasting identities. St Charles embraces an expansive game, and they try to get the ball out wide quickly. Glenwood, meanwhile, plays a more traditional game, using their forwards to soften up their opposition and suck in defenders before setting their backs moving.
The different approaches reflect the backgrounds of coaches, Craig Dwyer (St Charles) and Justin Hollis (Glenwood), with Dwyer’s rugby journey including a 10-year stint coaching in New Zealand. Dwyer, it should be noted, is a Glenwood Old Boy. Hollis hails from Queen’s College.
The Saints’ forwards should not be underestimated, though. They started the season without specialist locks because of injuries, but they now boast a clean bill of health, with Joshua Harris and Braydon Joese filling the second row. Glenwood will be without their big second-rower and captain, Sambesiwe Ndamase, with loosehead prop, Bonga Cibane, taking over the leadership reins.
Another big change for the visitors is Jonah Chaita playing flyhalf. Last weekend, Joshua Kopp pulled on the no.10 jersey. Opposite Chaita, Caleb Sharp possesses a fantastic goal-kicking boot. Regularly converting tries to turn five points into seven points is valuable.
One of Glenwood’s most exciting players is their hooker, Tyler Leon. He’s not a tall player, but he’s rock solid and a powerful presence around the park, usually good for a bullocking highlight run or two.
In the backline, fullback Rosco Williams provides the spark, along with inside centre, Elgenio Oerson. They were both included in the Sharks Academy Week team.
Saints’ fullback PJ Dlamini is also a counterattacking threat, good at spotting opportunities and gaps. In the back three, his wings, Raheem Wheatley and the experienced Matthew Ludick, bring some gas to the wide attack.
Both teams have found themselves just off the pace in a very competitive KZN season at the top level. Rugby in the province is in a very healthy state, and keeping up with the front-runners is a tough challenge. But they’ve both also produced some entertaining rugby.
Glenwood’s played a tougher schedule and has played good rugby in spurts. In their most recent outing, they pushed Hilton College hard on Gilfillan Fieldand trailed only 7-17 at halftime before Hilton hit their stride in the second half and pulled away to a 42-7 victory.
St Charles had too much firepower for Clifton at the Sharks Schools Rugby Day. They’ll find the Green Machineto be a far more abrasive challenge.
In the cauldron-like setting of Old Orchards, with Saints vociferously backed by their schoolmates and Old Boys, Glenwood can expect a stern examination, but they’ve never shied away from a challenge, and an exciting game is on the cards.
St Charles College vs Glenwood High at Old Orchards, Pietermaritzburg, at 15:30
Sharks’ Craven Week centre Alex Jankowitz and Michaelhouse visit St John’s College on Saturday. Hilton College faces Pretoria Boys High in Pretoria. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton College
Every year since 2018, except for the Covid-19-affected years of 2020 and 2021, Hilton College and Pretoria Boys High have met in an annual interschools fixture. Hilton has won all six of those matches, including 38-24 last season, and they’ll be favoured to win again when they visit the South African capital city on Saturday.
Eight matches into their campaign, Hilton’s record is clean. They’ve won all eight. The Candiesare only seven matches into their season after illness led to them skipping the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival and matches against King Edward VII (KES) and Kingswood.
In their most recent outing, they beat St David’s Marist Inanda 47-31, while Hilton outplayed Glenwood High 42-7.
Boys High’s best result of the season was a 35-34 victory over SACS at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Festival, but the game before the win over St David’s, they were blasted 61-5 on Goldstone’s by Maritzburg College.
While the Candies will have the advantage of hosting Hilton on Brooks Field, the challenge they face is that Hilton’s approach is similar to that of College, and they’re an extremely well-drilled outfit.
It’s often a case of Hilton administering slow poison, grinding teams down, but that slow poison becomes a flood later in the game, and they build up momentum through wave upon wave of attacks. If Boys High does not slow Hilton down at ruck and maul time, they’ll be in for a tough outing.
The Candies are often at their best when they get the ball out wide. They’ll need quality ball to feed to their flyers, and that’s the biggest question that they face on Saturday: Can they win sufficient quality ball to challenge Hilton College?
They’ll have to be spot-on in the lineouts, too. Hilton College captain Andrew Schnell has proven himself to be one of the best at the set piece this season, often stealing the opposition’s throw-ins. His reward has been inclusion in the Sharks’ Craven Week team.
Nico Davel, who kicked the match-winning kick in Hilton’s derby win over Michaelhouse, and played against Glenwood in the absence of John Grubb, who was injured against Michaelhouse, retains the no. 10 jersey, with Grubb named among the substitutes.
St John’s College vs Michaelhouse
In Johannesburg, Michaelhouse takes on St John’s College.
While St John’s has won five of its seven matches, Michaelhouse has played a tougher schedule, resulting in a record of four wins and four defeats. The hosts, though, cannot match Michaelhouse’s wins over Northwood and Affies, two of the better teams in the country this season.
‘Housewill, however, be without their talismanic captain, Nicolas Salamousas, again. He has a hamstring injury, and those are notoriously difficult to overcome. It takes time.
Salamousas, a tighthead prop, was, nonetheless, included in the Sharks’ Craven Week team, along with loosehead Aphelele Chamane. Inside centre, Alex Jankowitz, also cracked the nod, while Fabiano Ferro and Ben Hughes were included in the Academy Week line-up. Jaydon Jubber, who is not part of the 1st XV for Saturday’s match, was also included in the Academy Week squad.
Michaelhouse is a tough, physical outfit, and they’ll be like a bear with a sore tooth headache on Saturday after successive last-gasp losses to Hilton College and Kearsney College in their last two outings.
St John’s, most recently, beat St Andrew’s School 31-21 in Bloemfontein, but Michaelhouse is a big step up in competition, and the home side doesn’t boast any of the signature wins that the Balgowan boys own. Still, they have home ground advantage on the Burger Field, and with that comes the altitude of Johannesburg. For visiting teams, that feeling of burning breath in the last quarter of a game can be disconcerting.
St John’s captain Mako Mandizha, who represented the Golden Lions Academy team in 2025, has been included in the Lions u18A side for the province’s Craven Week trials. He’ll pack down opposite Michaelhouse’s Aphelele Chamane in an interesting duel.
He’s not the only player who represented the province last year. Lock Allan Njanfang Patu ran out for the u17 Golden Lions Welpies.
They’ll lead the St John’s charge. No doubt, though, the hosts head into Saturday’s contest as the underdog.
TEAMS
St John’s College vs Michaelhouse at Burger Field, Johannesburg, at 11:50.
St John’s College: 15 Joshua Nyamaropa, 14 Mihlali Tabane, 13 Lwandile Khupe, 12 David Ireland, 11 Tumiso Motshegoa, 10 Alex Psillos, 9 Adam Haselau, 8 Cameron Coetzer, 7 Shane Dalton, 6 Glenn Greyling, 5 Allan Njanfang Patu, 4 Simon Mussett, 3 Mako Mandhiza, 2 Luke Scott, 1 Titus Mhlongo.
Michaelhouse: 15 Reece Cole, 14 Laird Hamilton-Brown, 13 Fabiano Fierro, 12 Alex Jankowitz, 11 Barend de Bruyn, 10 Jack Carmody, 9 Ben Hughes, 8 Oliver Guy, 7 Jed Reilly, 6 Kumkani Dwenga, 5 Reece Malga, 4 Trezeguet Hawkins, 3 Sphelo Mfazwe, 2 Max Oliva, 1 Aphelele Chamane.
Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton College at Brooks Field, Pretoria, at 13:15
Pretoria Boys High: N/A
Hilton College: 15 James Peattie, 14 Tom Gurupira, 13 Guy Fender, 12 Ruan Mulder, 11 Liyema Gazi, 10 Nico Davel, 9 Benoit Rey, 8 Zander Muller, 7 Ross Steyn, 6 Callan Kenmuir, 5 Andrew Schnell, 4 Hartman Fourie, 3 Mholi Khuzwayo, 2 Kyle-Reese Clements, 1 Aidan du Plooy.
Elgenio Oerson of The Sharks during the match between The Sharks and Blue Bulls on day two of the SA Rugby U16 FNB Grant Khomo Week at St Albans College on 2 July 2025. Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images.
Parity. It’s a word that describes one of the most unpredictable rugby seasons in years.
Among top-tier teams in South Africa, only Hilton College remains undefeated. There are, of course, other sides that many would rate as being better than Hilton, but none of those teams is unbeaten. At their best, Brad Macleod-Henderson‘s charges are a very tough outfit. Remember, they beat Nudgee College a couple of days after the Australians beat Grey College.
Hilton, then, has staked a claim to being KwaZulu-Natal’s best in 2026, but that status is far from clear-cut. Had the ball bounced differently late in their recent derby clash with Michaelhouse, their record might no longer be clean. It bounced favourably, though, and Hilton turned over possession before laying siege to the ‘House try line and then winning a penalty, which Nico Davel landed to win the game for his side.
Some would say Northwood, despite four losses, has a case for being number one. They went down to Michaelhouse early in the season and lost to Westville Boys’ High, too, but they avenged that defeat by beating the Griffins at the Sharks Schools Rugby Day. Their only other defeats were by two points to Paarl Boys’ High and by five to Garsfontein. They’re playing very good rugby.
Maritzburg College, too, is firing on all cylinders, and they downed Durban High School (DHS)on the weekend. Their clash with the Knightson Saturday in Durban should be a humdinger. Michaelhouse has lost three, including their last two, but their record includes a win over Affies in Pretoria.
KearsneyCollege has some of the most exciting attacking players to be found anywhere, and they edged out Michaelhouse on the weekend. Westville Boys’ High has endured an inconsistent season, but it’s not difficult to see the quality in their side.
Durban High School (DHS), beaten four times, remains a formidable opponent. They lost by three points to Northwood, by one to Maritzburg College, and also fell to Monument and Paarl Gimnasium, undoubtedly two of the better teams in the country this season.
Their coaches, Peter Engledow and Ronnie Uys, have been rewarded for their consistent excellence by being handed the reins to the FNB Craven Week team. They’ll be assisted by Kwanele Ngema (Kearsney), Flash Malinga (Maritzburg College), and Derek Heiberg (DHS). Westville’s Sebenza Mapumulo handles strength and conditioning, and Kearsney’s Divesh Sookdeo is the Manager.
So, getting back to that word, “parity”, their squad features five players from DHS, four each from Northwood and Kearsney, three from both Michaelhouse and Maritzburg College, and two from both Hilton and Westville. That speaks volumes about the spread of talent in the province.
Lwandile Mlaba (lock) and Nathan Aneke (centre) were included in the SA Schools team in 2025. Jamie Wimble and Zander Muller, both no. 8s, were part of the Craven Week team, too.
The Academy Week u17 squad features six players from DHS, four from Northwood, three from Hilton and Michaelhouse, two from Glenwood, Kearsney, and Westville, and one from Maritzburg College.
Fifteen of those players helped the Sharks win the u16 Grant Khomo Week in 2025. Another two, Daniel Miskey and Clement Makalele, have been included in the Craven Week line-up.
Kevin Elder (Maritzburg College) is the Head coach, and will be assisted by Lyle Matthysen (DHS) and Burger Nel (Hilton College). Agreement Sikhosana, from Port Shepstone High, is the Manager.
The teams:
Craven Week: 15 Lux Sonkononkono (Westville Boys’ High), 14 Amo Mataboge (Durban High School), 13 Nathan Aneke (Durban High School), 12 Alex Jankowitz (Michaelhouse), 11 Anesu Kuzonyei (Northwood), 10 Daniel Miskey (Kearsney College), 9 Johannes (Ludi) van der Walt (Northwood), 8 Jamie Wimble (Northwood), 7 Zion Smith (Durban High School), 6 Zander Muller (Hilton College), 5 Andrew Schnell (Hilton College), 4 Wandile Mlaba (Westville Boys’ High), 3 Nicolas Salamousas (Michaelhouse), 2 Theo Boshoff (Maritzburg College), 1 Aphelele Chamane (Michaelhouse). Replacements: 16 Iglesias Bruiners (Durban High School), 17 Clement Makalele (Kearsney College), 18 Priden Sibiya (Durban High School), 19 Tristan Parkinson (Northwood), 20 Nhlanhla Ndlovu (Kearsney College), 21 Dominic du Toit (Maritzburg College), 22 Olwethu Kosani (Maritzburg College), 23 Lwazi Mbebe (Kearsney College).
5 Durban High School | 4 Northwood | 4 Kearsney College | 3 Michaelhouse | 3 Maritzburg College | 2 Westville Boys’ High | 2 Hilton College
Academy Week: 15 Rosco Williams (Glenwood), 14 Fabiano Fierro (Michaelhouse), 13 Sterling Padi (Durban High School), 12 Elgenio Oerson (Glenwood), 11 Lisa Sijadu (Westville Boys’ High), 10 Tanwil Onkers (Durban High School), 9 Richaard Kriel (Durban High School), 8 Jaydon Jubber (Michaelhouse), 7 Aobakwe Moeng (Durban High School), 6 Kevin van Volenstee (Northwood), 5 Lwango Ntantala (Hilton College), 4 Bulelani Cebane (Durban High School), 3 Tunga Griffiths (Kearsney College), 2 Rorke Stirk (Westville Boys’ High), 1 Aidan du Plooy (Hilton College). Replacements: 16 Matthew Wilson (Kearsney College), 17 Awande Mthethwa (Northwood), 18 Phokuhle Hlatshwayo (Durban High School), 19 Sean Jansen (Maritzburg College), 20 Nala Shabangu (Northwood), 21 Ben Hughes (Michaelhouse), 22 Sondelanai Sheleni (Northwood), 23 Ruan Mulder (Hilton College).
6 Durban High School | 4 Northwood | 3 Hilton College | 3 Michaelhouse | 2 Hilton College | 2 Glenwood High School | 2 Westville Boys’ High | 1 Maritzburg College
Beaten by six points at Westville, Northwood won by five against Westville on Hilton College’s Gilfillan Field on Saturday. Photo: Martin Ashworth Sports Photography.
Northwood vs Westville Boys’ High
It’s difficult to pick out standout players on the Northwood side after their 19-14 victory over Westville Boys’ High on Saturday at the Sharks Schools Rugby Day at Hilton College. That’s not a slight. It’s a compliment, acknowledging an outstandingly industrious and committed team performance.
Westville is blessed with speed and some seriously shifty backline customers, but, despite the Griffinsworking the boundaries, the Knightsallowed them little forward momentum until late in the contest.
Northwood’s defensive work was wonderful. They hustled, gang-tackled, and stymied a team that is extremely dangerous when given good quality ball.
Still, coach Jacques Deen, a satisfied man after his charges’ win, felt they had a bit more in them: “I think the boys took it a little bit too easy today. We should have applied a little bit more pressure.”
Nonetheless, they kept a dangerous counterattacking outfit quiet for most of the contest. Everything starts with playing good defence, Deen told SuperSport Schools News: “Naseeb [Abrahams] runs our defensive systems, and we try to get into the boys’ heads what they’re playing for.
“Defence comes first, and from that comes attack. It’s a straight transition.”
Assessing the game, Deen said: “We played well. We had more moments [than they did]. I think we had nine entries into the 22, and we scored only twice. We had more opportunities.
“The scoreboard could have been different, but we are happy with the 19-14 win, to be honest.
In a tight contest, it took until the 20th minute for Northwood to open the scoring, with Janco Visagie powering over to finish off a flowing attack from the Knights. Sondelani Sheleni knocked over the conversion.
After conceding, Westville dominated possession, with Northwood stubbornly resisting the Griffins’ probing. Eventually, though, that pressure told and left-wing Lisa Sijadu was put clear to score in the left corner. Jade-Will Koopman coolly slotted the touchline conversion to level the scores.
The teams turned at 7-7.
Tristan Parkinson’s try broke open a 7-7 stalemate in the second half. Photo: Brad Morgan.
About 10 minutes into the second stanza, a purple patch broke open a tight contest. A good, hard, and direct line from Tristan Parkinson pierced the Westville defensive line, and Sheleni turned it into a seven-point play with an assured conversion kick.
From the kickoff, the Knights launched a searing attack, sending the ball from left to right, out to wing Anesu Kuzonyei, where the big speedster brushed off two tackles before bursting clear to round off an attack that had begun almost 70 metres down the field.
Westville kept fighting, and they at last began to make some inroads, especially through right wing Avumile Lisa, who challenged Northwood on the right with his fast feet. He was the catalyst for the try of the day.
After receiving the ball just outside Westville’s 22, he cut inside and left six players clutching at air before linking up with and feeding left-wing Lisa Sijadu, who crossed for his second five-pointer. Koopman added the extras with just over 10 minutes to play.
With time winding down, Westville put Northwood under severe pressure, spending significant time in the Knights’ 22. Their defence, so uncompromising throughout the match, bent but did not break, and they came away with a 19-14 victory.
“From beating DHS, and then going to Wildeklawer and doing well, losing by five points to Garsfontein and two points to Paarl Boys’ High, our confidence is there,” coach Deen said.
“We have the belief, and now, in the last three or four games, we’ve shown where we’re supposed to be. We have the belief. It’s just about execution now.”
The suffocating pressure exerted by Ross Steyn and the Hilton pack proved pivotal as the Sharks Schools Rugby Day hosts scored a comfortable victory over Glenwood High. Photo: Martin Ashworth Sports Photography.
Hilton College vs Glenwood High
Hilton College, meanwhile, cruised to a comfortable 42-7 win over Glenwood High in the following game.
The Green Machineshot out of the gates with intent, but Hilton calmly withstood the early pressure before taking charge and pulling away to win their eighth game on the trot without defeat.
“It was difficult to get the guys up after the highs of last week [a derby victory over Michaelhouse],” Hilton’s coach Brad Macleod-Henderson commented. “But we rolled up our sleeves and did enough to get over the line. There’s more performance left in us that we need to try and find before next week.
“They started well,” he admitted. “Their 12 and 13 punched some holes in our defence. They ran hard. They got over the gain-line.
“Maybe we were a little bit passive, but luckily we rectified that in the second half and we were able to get away to a fairly easy win.”
Macleod-Henderson said executing the basic well was the key to victory: “I thought our lineouts, scrums, and kickoffs were very good today. That laid the platform for us to play in the right areas.
“Nico Davel kicked very well after kicking that last-second penalty last week. Those factors got us over the line.”
Davel again took charge at flyhalf in place of John Grubb, who exited Hilton’s win over Michaelhouse with an injury. He should be back in action next week, Macleod-Henderson said.
Luke Grobbelaar scored a late try in the right corner, converted by Daniel Miskey, and Kearsney edged out Michaelhouse, winning by a single point on Gilfillan Field. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Kearsney College and Michaelhouse dished up a tasty treat on Gilfillan Field on Saturday. Unfortunately, for Michaelhouse, they were left with a bitter taste in the mouth after losing by a single point on Hilton College‘s home ground for a second week in succession.
The margin between victory and defeat was a matter of centimetres, but Alex Jankowitz‘s late conversion attempt struck the left upright and stayed out, leaving Kearsney with a 32-31 win.
As is so often the case in matches decided by a late kick, it wasn’t the fault of the player who didn’t make the kick. The Michaelhouse centre was, in many ways, one of the main reasons they had a chance to win it at the end.
Conditions could hardly have been better. Two thumbs up to the ground staff for producing a fantastic surface for a second successive busy weekend of all-out rugby.
Early on, Michaelhouse looked full of running, pressuring the Kearsney try line with their forwards before flinging the ball wide to the right, where flank Kumkani Dwenga found himself up against the touchline. He had just enough time to dive over before the covering defence reached him, and ‘Housetook the lead. Jankowitz added the conversion with a beautiful kick.
Flyhalf Dan Miskey scored Kearsney’s first points off the kicking tee, but Michaelhouse quickly responded with some snappy passing, left and right, stretching the One-Stripe before scrumhalf Ben Hughes put left-wing Barend de Bruyn over in the corner. A fantastic team try!
Kearsney’s calling card this season is their sharp counterattacking, but they took a more direct route to score their opening try, with their pack forcing their way over from a lineout in the 18th minute. The try-scorer was a familiar source, 8th-man and captain, Nhlanhla Ndlovu. Miskey nailed the conversion.
Ndlovu presents an interesting set of skills for the Sharks’ selectors to consider. As an 8th-man, he doesn’t have prototypical size. However, as a skilful and impactful loose forward, he’s top-notch – speedy, slick, and a consistent threat around the edges, thanks to his high rugby IQ.
Talking about rugby IQ, Kearsney centre Keanu Williamson reminds one of former Sharks and Springbok inside centre Dick Muir. There’s no exceptional quality that catches the eye – speed, power, or moves – yet, his decision-making is sound, his support play outstanding, and, crucially, he makes everyone around him better. He’s a consistent all-round package.
Jankowitz, Michaelhouse’s number 12, should be on the selectors’ radar. He’s versatile, capable of covering any position in the backline, and he also offers a good boot, too. His direct, hard running also frequently gets his side over the gain-line, and him over the try line.
Fullback Lwazi Mbebe’s creative counterattacking excellence was a constant source of consternation for Michaelhouse. Photo: Martin Ashworth Sports Photography.
A long-range Miskey penalty early in the second half gave Kearsney the lead for the first time in the contest at 13-12. Michaelhouse could have taken a kick at goal not long after that, but their decision to run the ball was rewarded when Jankowitz powered his way over from close range. He also landed the conversion kick to make it 19-13 to the Balgowan boys.
A missed kick to touch, though, came back to haunt ‘House, and a Kearsney counter from their own 10-metre line brought the Botha’s Hill bunch seven points. It was all about Ndlovu, who ran a superb line to rip through the Michaelhouse defence before he put Lwandle Mkhize away for a try in the left corner.
Kearsney soon struck again when the mercurial Lwazi Mbebe saw a gap and sliced through it before setting up Oliver Ludwig for a try. Ludwig’s loose trio partnership with his fellow water polo star, James Whatmore, and Nhlanhla Ndlovu was a key component in the One-Stripe’s success.
Another Miskey conversion made it 25-19, but Michaelhouse soon hit back.
Jed Reilly scored a cracking try, the fourth of Michaelhouse’s five against Kearsney. Photo: Brad Morgan.
A stolen lineout and a line break by Barend de Bruyn put Michaelhouse on the front foot. He picked out the lanky flank Jed Reilly ranging up on his inside and, for the second weekend in succession, Reilly was over for a try. Jankowitz converted from in front to edge ‘House into a one-point lead after 59 minutes.
The see-saw continued only three minutes later when a blindside move featuring Ndlovu and Williamson put Luke Grobbelaar over in the right corner.
Just as Jankowitz had done for Michaelhouse earlier in the contest, Miskey nailed the touchline conversion, extending Kearsney’s advantage to 32-26. That difficult kick would prove to be the difference in the contest.
Michaelhouse is a never-say-die outfit. It almost brought them a win the previous weekend, when they outscored Hilton 21-10 in the second half, and it almost brought them a win when they added another try from Fabiano Ferro in the last minute.
That left the conversion attempt to come before the final whistle. It didn’t go ‘House’s way, and Kearsney escaped with a skin-of-the-teeth victory.
Unfortunately, for Michaelhouse, they were again without their captain and tighthead, Nicolas Salamousas, but Sphelo Mfazwe, in his stead, performed superbly. His work ethic was fantastic, and he regularly drove the ball up, emulating Salamousas.
Scorers
Kearsney 32 (10) – Tries: Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Lwandle Mkhize, James Whatmore, Luke Grobbelaar. Conversions: Dan Miskey (3). Penalties: Dan Miskey (2). Michaelhouse 31 (12) – Tries: Kumkani Dwenga, Barend de Bruyn, Alex Jankowitz, Jed Reilly, Fabiano Ferro. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (3).
Dom du Toit lines up a penalty kick with time up on the clock and Maritzburg College trailing DHS by two points. He made it, and College celebrated a gutsy 18-17 win. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton College‘s Gillfillan Field hosted some outstanding clashes on Saturday, Sharks Rugby Day, with the last of the lot, a traditional showdown between Maritzburg College and Durban High School (DHS), producing a test match-like intensity and a last-second 18-17 victory for the Red, Black, and White.
They had last beaten DHS in 2021, before the arrival of Director of Rugby, Hendré Marnitz, so it was his first time coming out on the right side of that result.
“We’ve had a bit of a drought against DHS, so this means a lot,” Marnitz told SuperSport Schools News. “We’ve been on the wrong side of a couple of tight results, so it was nice to get this one across the line. It was a good day out for us.”
DHS, coming off losses to Northwood, Monument, and Paarl Gim – all outstanding teams – brought a lot to the clash. They demonstrated the pride and physicality that has become a hallmark of their rugby programme, but they ran into an extremely motivated College side, who rabidly defended every centimetre of the Gilfillan Field turf.
“The boys really showed up today. There was a lot of heart. We had one soft moment where they got a breakaway try. I thought we were fairly well in control, except for the scoreboard. We just couldn’t get the scoreboard rolling,” Marnitz commented.
DHS tested College, but the defence of Rory Stanton and company was exceptional. “We want to hunt like a pack of wolves, and the boys care about their badge, and they care about their brotherhood. Those are the fundamentals that we try to get into them, week in and week out. I’m very pleased for them,” he added
Stanton, the 8th-man, gave the selectors every reason to consider selecting four players who occupy that position for their schools for a second year in succession, perhaps even more.
Northwood’s Jamie Wimble and Hilton College’s Zander Muller cracked the nod in 2025, while Kearsney‘s Nhlanhla Ndlovu, although a touch undersized, has been dynamic this season. He exhibits a fantastic rugby IQ, which often leads to him either setting up or scoring tries.
Ama Mataboge crashed over the ty line to give DHS the lead in the first half of an epic battle against Marritzburg College. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Despite Maritzburg College’s massive effort, DHS hung tough. They scored a fantastic try in the first half on the counterattack. Their scrumhalf, Richaad Kriel, showed his greatest asset, serious wheels, before feeding Ama Mataboge, who was into space, but needed to drag a defender across the line with him to score.
Tanwil Onkers, who started the counter, knocked over the conversion to put DHS 7-3 ahead at halftime.
In the second half, College captain Rory Stanton twice breached the DHS defence, both times going over wide on the left. Dom du Toit converted the first, but not the second, which was from the touchline.
An Onkers penalty in the 45th minute had levelled the scores before Stanton’s second. Then, with only two minutes remaining, DHS forced their way over from a five-metre lineout, with Okhule Mbanjwa crashing over to the left of the uprights.
The simple conversion put the Horseflies two points up, with only two minutes to play. But Maritzburg College found a way to snatch victory.
“We had a plan to kick a good restart and try to get the ball back,” Marnitz explained. “Then, we had a plan about what we wanted to do from the scrum.
“The boys stuck to that plan, we stayed in the fight, and we got the opportunity [to win it]. If there is one guy I would back to make the kick, it’s Dom du Toit. He’s a super kicker. I’m really happy for him. He’s special.”
Dom du Toit roars with delight after nailing the game-winning penalty kick for Maritzburg College. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The kick, from 32 metres out, on the 15-metre line, on the right, was true. Du Toit pumped his fists before it bisected the uprights, and the final whistle blew.
Indeed, in the midst of a bruising encounter, Du Toit stood out, not only for his kicking but also for his calm and consistent service from behind the industrious College pack.
“If you look at the last bit – the guts of the boys, the composure, and how they fight – it’s a special group of boys who have worked very hard for the last six to eight months. I’m just happy for them,” Marnitz said.
Maritzburg College 18 (3) – Tries: Rory Stanton (2). Conversions: Dom du Toit (1). Penalties: Dom du Toit (2). DHS 17 (7) – Tries: Ama Mataboge, Okuhle Mbanjwa. Conversions: Tanwil Onkers (2). Penalty: Tanwil Onkers.
Hilton College’s Gilfillan Field will play host to the Sharks Schools Rugby Day for a second successive year on Saturday. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton College hosts the Sharks School Rugby Day on Saturday. The top teams in the province meet at u14, u15, u16 and 1st XI levels, providing the Sharks’ selectors with an opportunity to see all the top players in action in one place.
Gilfillan Field hosts the 1st XV matches, starting from 08:00. Weightman-Smith will play host to the u16A clashes, Etheridge is home to the u15A games, and the u14A matches take place on Lombard.
St Charles College vs Clifton College
St Charles College and Clifton College get the ball rolling on Gilfillan. When they met earlier in the season in Durban, it was tight at halftime, with Saints leading only 12-7. They broke clear in the second half to claim a convincing 38-7 victory.
Clifton has returned to some of their traditional rivalries this season in a bid to build their rugby programme. Unfortunately, for the Durban school, their efforts have been undermined by a devastating number of injuries, which have shorn their 1st XV of as many as 10 starting players. They’re missing five players for Saturday’s match. That’s a problem for any school, which is compounded by the fact that Clifton is a smaller school compared to the others.
If there’s one player on whom to keep an eye, it’s Clifton’s vice-captain, Cole Nienhuser, their 8th-man, who has been consistently good throughout the season, leading from the front.
St Charles has endured a challenging season, but a 5-45 loss to Maritzburg Collegelast time out does little to point to a potential outcome on Saturday; College is playing good rugby, and they hurt St Charles with strong rolling mauls. Both Saints and Clifton will be aware of that, and they’ll have worked to counter and make use of them, respectively.
A long list of injuries has impacted Clifton’s season, but they’ll be hoping for some try-scoring successes against St Charles. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Coach Craig Dwyer‘s boys are usually good for a sparkling try or two, with scrumhalf Agape Nyawo, the conductor from the base of the scrum. Clifton will need to close down space quickly to prevent St Charles from exploiting their creativity.
Following the Clifton versus St Charles clash, a Tier 2 Urban side takes on a Tier 2 Country Districts side on Gilfillan Field at 09:30. That’s followed by an 11:00 showdown between KearsneyCollege and Michaelhouse.
Kearsney is a dangerous outfit, with an exciting attacking core of 8th-man Nhlanhla Ndlovu, flyhalf Daniel Miskey, and fullback Lwazi Mbebe. All three have shown numerous times this season their ability to rip apart opposing defences, especially on the counterattack.
In their most recent outing, a 14-14 draw with Westville Boys’ High, they showed a feisty defence, too. Limiting Westville’s dangerous backline on Bowden’s Field was no mean feat. The Griffinswere unable to score on the counterattack – a source of many tries this season – but they did force two turnovers and turned them into five-pointers.
Michaelhouse is a never-say-die outfit. They’ve lost three times this season. In two of those, against Durban High School(DHS) and Hilton College, the result could have gone the other way. They took the lead against Hilton with only three minutes remaining last weekend after a stirring second-half fightback. Against DHS, playing on Van Heerden’s Field, where very few win against the Horseflies, they were camped on the home side’s try line just before the final whistle blew.
Their only other loss, a 19-28 defeat to Grey High, was a disappointing result, especially since coach Marco Engelbrecht‘s boys led 19-15 at halftime.
Countering those defeats, though, are some eye-catching victories – including 28-14 over Northwood, 29-27 over Affies, and 40-36 over Jeppe. ‘Houseis never out of it and, it appears, they’re often at their most dangerous when they’re down.
Michaelhouse might be without their captain, tighthead prop Nicolas Salamousas, who has been dealing with a hamstring problem. That’s unfortunate. He’s a fantastic player and a rock in the front row, but the boys in the red and white hoops have knuckled down in his absence and done well. Their loose trio, led by Oliver Guy, functions superbly as a unit.
Versatile Alex Jankowitz has made the inside centre position his own. He can run through players or sidestep them, and he owns an excellent boot, too. He possesses the all-round skill-set that selectors tend to like.
Westville Boys’ High vs Northwood
At 12:30, Westville Boys’ High and Northwood go at it. Their heavyweight showdowns have delivered some thrilling encounters in recent seasons. Westville’s 16-14 win at Northwood last year was a pivotal result in an unbeaten season. In 2024, the Knightsupset the applecart, scoring a thrilling 30-27 win at Westville.
If Westville can gain parity up front, they’ll fancy their chances. Their outside centre, Jadrian Afrikaner, a South African Schools’ selection in 2025, has been one of the best backline players in the country beyond a doubt this season. Other teams understand the danger he poses, but understanding and stopping it are two different things.
8th-man Jamie Wimble is the engine that drives the Northwood pack. He was named the Player of the Tournament at the ABSA Wildeklawer Festival, which was no mean feat at an event that brings together most of South Africa’s best teams. He’s a multi-skilled load, a factor on attack and defence, but don’t look past his opposite number, Lwandle Makhanya. He, too, is a large-sized problem for opposing defences.
Northwood scrumhalf Ludi van der Walt has provided a tidy service to set the Knights’ attack in motion in 2026. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Ludi van der Walt, previously seen in a variety of positions for the Northwood 1st XV, has taken control of scrumhalf this season, and he’s been an outstanding performer. He possesses a good all-round game, which he can adapt to meet the demands of the opposition, the situation, and the weather.
Northwood is an interesting side – a side greater than the sum of its parts. Westville has more recognisable stars, including flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman, a Craven Week selection last year, but no match against the Knights is comfortable. Like every other KZN side, they lost twice at the ABSA Wildeklawer Tournament, but an 18-21 loss to Paarl Boys’ High and a 28-33 defeat to Garsfontein proved that Northwood is a team to be reckoned with.
Hilton College vs Glenwood High
At 14:00, Hilton College faces Glenwood. At last season’s Sharks Schools Day, they overpowered the Green Machine, roaring to a 53-15 victory. They head into Saturday’s showdown with seven wins under their belt, and they remain unbeaten. Glenwood has two wins from nine outings. Based on those facts, Hilton goes into the game heavily favoured.
Their focus will be on producing a complete game. They were superb in the first half against Michaelhouse last weekend, but ‘House dominated the second half, winning it 21-10, with Hilton’s winning penalty coming right on the final whistle.
One of Hilton’s strengths, which was at the core of their win last year, is their pick-and-go game. They’re patient, compact, and very effective. If they’re able to recycle the ball quickly, they’re all but unstoppable. Glenwood will need to slow down Hilton at the rucks. If not, they’re in for another tough outing.
Will Glenwood’s Sambesiwe Ndamase oppose Andrew Schnell directly in the lineout? That would be an interesting match-up. Ndamase, at 1.96m tall and weighing 110 kilograms, is a big unit, but Schnell is no small man either, and he’s a force in the set-piece. As much as any member of Hilton’s side, he was responsible for last weekend’s win over Michaelhouse because of his lineout excellence.
The men who throw the ball in, Tyler Leon (Glenwood) and Kyle-Rees Clements (Hilton), offer a lot more than contributions to the set pieces. Leon, especially, has put together an entertaining highlight reel of powerful runs.
If Glenwood is to challenge Hilton, they’ll need to bring the exciting Rosco Williams into the game more. The Glenwood fullback is a surgeon when it comes to slicing through defences on the counterattack. Hilton, though, is usually good at closing down space. Their halfback combo of Benoit Rey and John Grubb both possess good kicking games, and Grubb is also effective as a runner.
Someone else worth mentioning is Hilton no.8, Zander Muller. He was a member of the Craven Week team in 2025, along with Northwood’s Jamie Wimble. The selectors didn’t stop there with 8th-men, also including Westville’s Lwamdile Simelane and Maritzburg College’s Wasi Vyambwera.
Muller and Wimble are both outstanding performers at the back of the pack. So, too, is Kearsney College’s captain, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, a smaller player, but dynamic, athletic, and a difference-maker if he finds space. One suspects the selectors will lean towards choosing more than two no. 8s again.
DHS will come out firing against Maritzburg College after a disappointing last outing against Paarl Gimnasium. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Maritzburg College vs Durban High School
The day ends on a high note, with Maritzburg College facing Durban High School (DHS) at 15:30. It should be a very interesting game.
After opening the season with five wins on the trot, DHS have lost two in a row, going down to Monument and Paarl Gimnasium at the ABSA Wildeklawer Tournament.
Forget those results for a moment, the fact that the Horseflieswere put up against Monnasand Gimmiesspeaks volumes about the high regard that School has earned in recent seasons. Now, coming back to the results, their 7-47 loss to Gim will have hurt their pride. No doubt, they will feel they let themselves down. Maritzburg College will have to deal with the backlash.
College dropped their first two matches of the season, then won four in a row. At the ABSA Wildeklawer tournament, they, too, lost two, but the Red, Black, and White came away from the event in Kimberley with their reputation enhanced.
They gave Stellenberg – the number one team in the country in most people’s books this season – a huge battle, eventually succumbing 19-24. They also fell to Outeniqua, with the Kwaggaslanding a last-second penalty to snatch a 30-29 win. Last weekend, College outplayed St Charles 45-5.
They’re playing good rugby. The battle up front against DHS is going to be extremely physical. Hooker Theo Boshoff, the scorer of four tries against Saints, will be at the forefront of their challenge.
Again, some of the focus will be taken by the no. 8s. Zion Smith, the DHS captain, has an incredible engine, and he’s a stellar lineout performer. Rory Stanton, his opposite number, brings a typical College lunch-pail mentality to the position – substance over flash.
In the backline, DHS boasts SA Schools’ centre, Nathan Aneke. He’s such a smooth operator, gliding through holes, rather than forcing his way through. College will need to ensure their defensive line is aligned to contain him.
DHS will have to be disciplined, too. Scrumhalf Dom du Toit is a fantastic goal kicker, and anything within 40 metres is usually a sure-fire three points for College. He also does a good job of getting the College backline moving.
DHS scrumhalf Richaard Kriel presents a different challenge. He’s always on the lookout for gaps around the fringes, and he possesses serious pace, the type of searing speed that keeps defenders honest and hurts them if they aren’t.
Maritzburg College ran out comfortable winners over St Charles College on Goldstone’s. Photo: Maritzburg College on Facebook.
Maritzburg College vs St Charles College
Maritzburg College welcomed their Pietermaritzburg rivals, St Charles College, to Goldstone’s on Saturday, feeling confident despite being beaten twice at the Absa Wildeklawer Rugby Tournament. They had good reason to feel ready to face the challenge.
In Kimberley, College stretched Stellenberg High – already winners over Paarl Gimnasium, Grey College, and Paul Roos Gimnasium this year – going down 19-24, but showing the diehard blue collar attitude and spirit that are hallmarks of College’s better sides. They also fell to Outeniqua, another school that is enjoying a strong season, beaten 30-29 by a last-kick-of-the-game penalty.
In those games, the Red, Black, and White had demonstrated that they’re a top-tier team. Saints, meanwhile, had been in action at the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival over the same weekend. They also returned a record of two matches and two losses, but there were some good things to take out of their games – primarily their ability to conjure up exciting tries.
Kingswood beat St Charles 22-19 in the Pietermaritzburg boys’ first outing, then Graeme College, clearly one of the better teams in the Eastern Cape in 2026, rolled to a 43-17 win.
Perhaps it was the heavier challenge that College had faced in Kimberley that was the difference in Saturday’s contest. Nonetheless, they did what was expected and delivered a comfortable 45-5 victory, scoring seven tries to one.
Something that opposition teams have learned against Maritzburg College is that conceding a try usually means surrendering seven points, with scrumhalf Dom du Toit one of the deadliest kickers in the game. He slotted five conversions in succession before missing his last two.
The highlight of the clash, arguably, belonged to Saints, though. Their lone try was memorable.
It began from a scrum midway into their 22, on the left of the field. Scrumhalf Agape Nyawo fed the ball down the backline. When it reached outside centre, Njabulo Nala, he angled a deft kick pass out wide to Raheem Wheatley. Challenged by a defender, he chipped over the top. The bounce of the ball beat the right wing and a covering College defender, but St Charles’ fullback PJ Dlamini sped onto the ball and jetted away to score in the right-hand corner.
It was unorthodox, exciting, yet not unexpected from coach Craig Dwyer‘s boys. They’re not afraid to express themselves.
College, though, had too much in the tank for St Charles. Their approach was more orthodox, made good use of their forwards, and brought plentiful rewards.
Tighthead prop Alanda Ngubane got the scoreboard moving in the seventh minute, bashing and cork-screwing his way over to give his side the lead. His powerful runs remind one of former College captain and front-ranker, Phiwayinkosi “Rambo” Khubeka, who is currently doing duty for South Africa in the U20 Rugby Championship.
College’s next try was a long-range effort that began midway between their 10-metre line and halfway. Flyhalf Liyema Tsoka made the all-important break by selling a dummy, which left the Saints’ defence at sixes and sevens, and that soon meant it was seven for the hosts, with Theo Boshoff barrelling over. That was the first of four tries on a magical day for the powerful hooker.
After St Charles had pulled it back to 5-14, Maritzburg College responded on the half-hour, with Boshoff crashing over from a well-executed rolling maul.
Before halftime, College had another try – wash, rinse, repeat – with Boshoff coming up beaming after following his pack over the whitewash. That made it 28-5 at the break.
St Charles, to their credit, kept testing College, but the Red, Black, and White held the edge, and they added another Boshoff try in the 44th minute before Caleb Scheepers finished a fantastic counterattack to extend the advantage to 35 points.
The right wing completed the scoring five minutes before the end of the contest, benefitting from a quick tap and an overlap to trot over in the corner again.
Westville Boys’ High vs Kearsney College
There would have been very few takers if it were suggested that Westville Boys’ High and Kearsney College would share a low-scoring draw on Bowden’s Field on Saturday. That was an unlikely outcome, with two of the slickest and most creative backlines in the game taking to the field. Yet, it ended only 14-14.
As always, Bowden’s was bouncing with energy. Unusually, though, the output on the field failed to match the enthusiasm alongside it.
While the output wasn’t great, the opening try was. It went Kearsney’s way.
After securing a 22-metre drop out, the One-Stripe were twice driven way back as they attempted to move the ball down their backline, with players hit by double-tackles. Kearsney recycled the ball, though, and a long, flat pass from Lwazi Mbebe put Tom Aylward into space, around halfway, on the left.
He made it deep into Westville’s 22 with a cunning show-and-go before finding Luke Grobbelaar on his inside. The right wing was scragged but not held, and he scrambled back to his feet before diving over the try line.
From the touchline, Dan Miskey nailed the conversion attempt to make it 7-0 to the visitors.
Just before the half-hour, Kearsney left-wing, Lwandle Mkhize, was almost over from long-range, but Bukho Sotaka brought him down only metres from the try line.
Westville’s Jadrian Afrikaner continued his outstanding try-scoring record with another five-pointer against Kearsney. Photo: Kearsney College on Facebook.
From there, the One-Stripe attacked from a penalty, but Westville centre Jadrian Afrikaner read their backline move and intercepted to race away and strike from 95 metres out. The conversion from directly in front was no problem for Jade-Will Koopman.
Having, at last, got themselves onto the scoreboard, Westville struck quickly again, with their second try coming before halftime.
It began when Kearsney fullback Lwazi Mbebe made a bit of a hash of a clearance kick. But he recovered well and left defenders grasping at a ghost as he weaved through them, making 15 metres up the field. He, however, had his pocket picked by Avu Lisa, who snatched the ball out of Mbebe’s grasp and set off in the opposite direction. Blessed with searing pace, he showed Kearsney a clean pair of heels and was over beneath the uprights.
Another Jade-Will Koopman conversion made it 14-7 to the Griffins at the break.
The second half produced only one scoring sequence, and it came from Kearsney. This time, the route across the try line was more conventional. It began with a Kearsney throw-in on the Westville 22.
A powerful drive from the visiting pack quickly gained them eight metres. From there, it took only two thrusts around the maul, and the One-Stripe had their second. As so many good things do, it began with their dynamic 8th-man and captain, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, slicing through the hosts’ defence. Then, when he was brought down, flank James Whatmore was the first to the ball. He picked up and drove towards the line. With support arriving and giving him a boost from behind, he powered over for five.
Miskey slotted the all-important conversion kick, 15 metres in from the right touchline, and it was 14-14.
Another 22 minutes failed to separate the sides. Westville had a chance to win it on the final whistle, but Koopman, uncharacteristically, sliced a kick he would have expected to make. That, perhaps, would have been a little unkind to Kearsney, and a draw was a fair reflection of the game.
Scorers
Maritzburg College 45 (28) – Tries: Theo Boshoff 94), Caleb Scheepers (2), Alande Ngubane. Conversions: Dom du Toit (5). St Charles College 5 (5) – Try: PJ Dlamini.
Westville 14 (14) – Tries: Jadrian Afrikaner, Avu Lisa. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (2). Kearsney 14 (7) – Tries: Luke Grobbelaar, James Whatmore. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (2).
Guy Fender is dragged down just metres short of the Michaelhouse try line in the last minute of the game. Photo: Brad Morgan.
The latest Hilton College vs Michaelhouse rugby clash was more of the same, if by that one means next-to-nothing in the contest and a clash that was decided only in the last seconds.
On Saturday, on Gilfillan Field, Hilton had control of those last seconds and a successful penalty kick from substitute Nico Davel, which was followed by the final whistle, resulted in a 23-21 Hilton victory.
The win was a milestone 100th for Hilton over their great rivals, bringing the remarkably close overall record between them to 101 victories for Michaelhouse, 100 for Hilton, and 10 draws.
While the home side celebrated a win that kept their record clean – seven wins out of seven in 2026 – Michaelhouse was left deflated after a superb fightback in the second half. Down 0-13 at halftime, they snatched a late 21-20 lead, but Hilton struck back with a sucker punch and seized a last-gasp win.
Michaelhouse enjoyed the better of the first 15 minutes of the game, camping inside Hilton’s half and won a penalty, but Alex Jankowitz was wide with his kick at goal. That was later evened out when John Grubb mishit a kick from a similar distance for Hilton.
After that let-off, Hilton ground their way up the field, and Grubb knocked over two penalties as Michaelhouse kept the home side at bay with ferocious defence inside their 22.
The first try of the match came five minutes before halftime, and it was a corker, scored by one of the smallest men on the field, Tom Gurupira, who delivered one of the contest’s biggest performances.
He ran it in from 40 metres out, with his searing run beginning on the right touchline before he weaved inside to slice open a path between four Michaelhouse defenders and finish beneath the uprights.
Grubb’s conversion kick gave Hilton a decent lead at the interval, but one that could be overhauled with two converted tries. It wasn’t safe.
Early in the second half, ‘Houseinjected life into the clash when Jankowitz, running a hard and direct line, crashed through two tacklers and fended off a third before diving over to the left of the uprights. He converted his own try to reduce the deficit to only six points.
Michaelhouse quickly returned to Hilton’s 22 and set up a lineout only five metres out when they won a penalty. Hilton captain Andrew Schnell, however, rose high and claimed the throw-in. He was a force in the set piece throughout the contest, coming up with some critical steals.
“We’re lucky we’ve got Andrew Schnell. Our captain is probably one of the best in the business. He did a great job for us,” coach Brad Macleod-Henderson commented.
Had Michaelhouse won that throw-in, a good rolling maul would have taken them across the line mere minutes after their first try, and momentum would have been firmly on their side. Instead, it was Hilton who scored the next five-pointer and, again, it was Tom Gurupira who provided the finish, making the dive for five in the right-hand corner after Schnell stole a Michaelhouse lineout deep inside the visitors’ 22.
With flyhalf John Grubb off with an injury, fullback James Peattie took the conversion kick from wide on the right and nailed it. That proved to be a vital contribution to Hilton’s win.
Trailing by 13, Michaelhouse roared back. Within three minutes, they crossed Hilton’s try line for a second time, with scrumhalf Ben Hughes cleverly playing Jed Reilly into space with an inside pass, which put the big flank over just right of the poles. Jankowitz slotted the easy conversion, and Hilton’s comfortable lead was no more.
Michaelhouse had the bit between their teeth, and they powered their way back into Hilton’s 22. The Hilton defence, which had kept ‘House at bay in the first half, was now creaking, and hooker Max Oliva breached it with six minutes to go, crashing over after a sustained forward assault on the home team’s try line.
Jankowitz nailed the pressure conversion kick, and the red and white hoops hit the front for the first time.
Oliver Guy led Michaelhouse by example and almost helped to lift them to a spectacular comeback victory. Photo: Brad Morgan.
With just over a minute remaining, Hilton attacked down the left through Liyema Gazi. Closed in, around the halfway line, he launched a kick infield. A nasty bounce put ‘House fullback Reece Cole under pressure, and as he attempted to gather the ball, Gazi hit him hard, jarring the ball loose.
In a flash, outside centre Guy Fender grabbed it and drove hard towards the try line. After nine drives at the Michaelhouse line, the referee stopped the action and raised his right arm, signalling a penalty against Michaelhouse for not rolling away.
Nico Davel nailed the kick.
“Luckily, the boys stuck with it until the last minute,” Hilton coach, Macleod-Henderson, said.
He praised Michaelhouse, too, saying: “We knew they would keep coming at us. They’re a great side. They’ve had some big wins this year. They’re a very gutsy side, and luckily today we just got over the line.”
“In the second half, it was all Michaelhouse,” he added candidly. “Fortunately, we found two points’ scoring opportunities in the second half, and that just got us over the line. I’m very relieved.”
Reflecting on the winning sequence, he said it was one of many key moments in the game. “We had a penalty 40 metres out, with a couple of minutes to go, and that was turned around. Luckily, we put some pressure on their lineout and got the ball back. We kicked for the corner, found a little bit of space on the edge and put the ball through. We had a lucky bounce. We got the ball back.”
Hilton will have an opportunity to level the wins record when they go for number 101 at Michaelhouse, on Meadows, on 20 June.
Scorers
Hilton College 21 (13) – Tries: Tom Gurupira (2). Conversions: John Grubb, James Peattie. Penalties: John Grubb (2), Nico Davel. Michaelhouse 21 (21) – Tries: Alex Jankowitz, Jed Reilly, Max Oliva. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (3).
