Author: captainmorgan

In 2024, Durban High School‘s (DHS)  1^st XV was unbeaten in KwaZulu-Natal. DHS was also one of the best teams in the country, losing only two matches by a combined seven points.

It was a less successful season for Maritzburg College, who were somewhat inconsistent. They played some very good rugby, but also slipped to some defeats they would feel they shouldn’t have. One of those occurred when they hosted DHS on Goldstone’s on 20 April.

The Red, Black, and White produced a strong first half, building a deserved 18-6 lead at the break. In the second half, College dominated the early going, but School fought back and kept College from scoring any more points while scoring 15 of their own to claim a hard-fought, character-building 21-18 victory.

It was, for the DHS Director of Rugby and 1st XV coach, Peter Engeldow, a second win in as many visits to Goldstone’s, and that’s a rare feat. On Saturday, though, DHS will be defending their Van Heerden’s Field fortress in one of the first King Price Derby Series matches.

Catch the action LIVE on DStv Channel 216 or on SuperSport Schools

With heavy rain forecast for Durban, it could be a battle of attrition, fought mostly between the packs.

Both sets of forwards look vastly different from last year’s lineups but expect two abrasive outfits to go at it. Here’s a bit of trivia to consider when thinking about the packs: Between the two of them, they have produced four South African Schools’ front-rankers in the past two years – props Rambo Kubheka and Aiden Botha, of Maritzburg College, and prop Simphiwe Ngobese, and hooker Mahle Sithole, of DHS.

College has a new head coach, Nico Breedt, who takes over from Tim Orchard. A former provincial rugby player, with extensive coaching experience at school, club, and provincial level, Breedt also previously coached the Kearsney College 1st XV. He’ll have to get his charges ready for a physical battle.

Forwards’ coach Ronnie Uys has churned out one outstanding pack after another at DHS, and given the aforementioned weather conditions, just how the packs perform in the tight and the loose in the wet will take on even greater importance than usual.

It should be fascinating because both units bring a blue-collar approach to the game. They’re not afraid to get down and dirty.

Behind the packs, one name leaps off the team sheets: DHS inside centre Zingce Simka. He made the SA Schools A side in 2024 and will be representing the 1st XV for a third year. Simka is a load. He can just as easily run over a player as run around a defender, so his ability to get across the gain line could also come into play in a big way in the rain.

DHS goes into the game with the advantage of having played one match already. They were the winners by a handsome 63-8 margin in Bethlehem last weekend against Voortrekker.

Maritzburg College, meanwhile, has engaged in some pre-season sparring with Westville Boys’ High. They’ll need to adjust to full-on match action quickly.

TEAMS

Durban High School vs Maritzburg College, Van Heerden’s Field at 15:30

Maritzburg College

15 Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, 14 Ntsika Mkize, 13 Amahle Hadebe, 12 Owethu Kosani, 11 Adam Cahill, 10 Jordan Thackeray, 9 Rylan Armoed, 8 Wasi Vyambwera, 7 Rory Stanton, 6 David Colenbrander, 5 Connor Mountfort, 4 Willick de Klerk, 3 Alande Ngubane, 2 Theo Boshoff, 1 Indiphile Mlotshwa

Durban High School

15 Cilermo Carolus, 14 Amo Mataboge, 13 Zenkosi Mthiyane, 12 Zingce Simka, 11 Nathan Aneka, 10 Jordan van Wyk, 9 Marcwin Nero, 8 Inathinkosi Mkhencele, 7 Jose Lottering, 6 Daniel Ikotela, 5 Zion Smith, 4 Vimbiso Kasvosve, 3 Bobby Udo-Idung, 2 Okuhle Mbanjwa, 1 Elvino Witbooi

Kearsney College put together an extremely interesting season in 2024. They came out of the blocks well, winning their first three matches, including a 16-14 upset of Maritzburg College, but subsequently lost seven in succession. They, then, won three on the trot, including reversing an earlier loss to Michaelhouse, to finish off the season on an upward trajectory.

Add to that, three more wins at the Independent Schools Rugby Festival by the Kearsney Stayers XV, which took it to six in a row, and there is reason for optimism in the ranks of the One-Stripe in 2025.

Kearsney has also made a significant coaching change, bringing Grant Bashford on board as coach of the 1st XV.

“Bash” has a seriously impressive CV from working with The Sharks and in the school environment, including three stints with Northwood. Most recently, he served as the Director of Sport at Clifton College but has opted to return to his first love of coaching the game.

It’s a first for Kearsney to bring in a full-time dedicated 1st XV coach, and that signals their intent and that of the Director of Rugby, Keegan Daniel, to challenge the traditional KZN rugby powers.

Bashford takes over from Neil van Heerden, who has taken up a job in the private sector. However, he will still be coaching at Durban High School.

Kearsney hosts Clifton College on Saturday on Stott Field and the Durban school, too, has new leadership of their rugby programme. Jose dos Santos, who formerly headed up rugby at St Charles College and Glenwood High, replaces Grant Bell (who has returned to his alma mater, Westville Boys’ High) as the Director of Rugby. One senses that Dos Santos is a good fit at Clifton.

The Durban school has been grinding away in recent seasons, making incremental progress in its goal to not only take on but beat the top sides in KZN. There have been one or two noteworthy achievements, including a 24-17 win over Kearsney in 2022, but the One-Stripe charged to a 48-0 victory late last season.

Dos Santos has been joined at Clifton by another former Glenwood member of staff, Heinke van der Merwe. A Springbok front-ranker, Van der Merwe enjoyed successful stints with Leinster and Stade Francaise during his playing career and previously served as an assistant coach to Derek Heiberg with Glenwood’s Green Machine.

There is no tougher sport in which to take a step up to the top tier of competition than rugby. Clifton School celebrated its centenary last year, but the College (high school) is barely over two decades old, and it has been pushing hard to become a regular challenger against the established KZN powers.

Clifton is one of the smaller traditional all-boys’ schools in the province, which results in some of their multi-talented sportsmen taking on big workloads, but, with Dos Santos and Van der Merwe leading the way, they’ll keep improving.

Director of Sport Jaco Coetzer, also has an outstanding track record in sports management, especially in rugby development, so Clifton appears to have the right people in place to help them get to where they want to be.

Perhaps, the mist and rain of Botha’s Hill will work to Clifton’s advantage because a running game is unlikely given the forecast of temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees Celcius and rain throughout the day.

Stott Field was dug up and replanted after the 2024 rugby season. The surface is going to be well and truly tested on Saturday.

One other note of interest: Take a look through the Kearsney 1st XV and you’ll see three members of their outstanding 1st water polo team – Thomas Aylward, Oliver Ludwig, and Thomas Francke. Rugby and water polo have proven to be a good combination in the past, so it will be interesting to see how the water polo trio goes this season.

TEAMS

Kearsney College vs Clifton College, Stott Field at 15:15

Clifton College

15 Athabe Mathabela, 14 Troy Young, 13 Bradley Beeslaar, 12 Devan Schwartz, 11 Akhile Dube, 10 Adam Selikow, 9 Kyle Akal, 8 Andisa Mtembu, 7 Liam Stocks, 6 Chad Harris, 5 Lukhanyiso Nala, 4 Cole Nienhuser, 3 Trent Bam, 2 Asabonga Jiyane, 1 Jack Woollatt.

Kearsney College

15 Bukho Hlwatika (vc), 14 Thembelani Nzama, 13 Doan Nel (vc), 12 Keanu Williamson, 11 Lwandile Mkhize, 10, Thomas Aylward, 9 Fynn Verbaan, 8 Nhlanhla Ndlovu, 7 Oliver Ludwig, 6 Simanye Mlakalaka (c), 5 Joseph Royance, 4 Thomas Francke, 3 Azania Thela, 2 Micah van Wyk, 1 Luke Fauré.

Saints Christian School off-spinner Reabetswe Dithipe is buzzing with excitement ahead of the Schools SA20 National Finals, which starts on 13 March at the University of Pretoria, where she hopes to continue proving herself as a vital cog in coach Claudio Lucas‘s side.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The all-rounder has established herself as a reliable batter and consistent wicket-taker, contributing 18 wickets in seven matches, while also making regular contributions with the bat since the beginning of the year.

Her knack of capturing wickets at crucial times has been on full display since the North West leg of the tournament. She continued her good run in the Central finals in January, which included a decisive 3/4 in Saints’ win over the Kuruman Hub team.

“I’m excited and ready to showcase my talent. I’m going to give my utmost best in the finals as an individual and will support and encourage my teammates to do the same,” she said.

Besides her wicket-taking contributions, Dithipe is a reliable opening batter and is known for her hard grafting at the crease and ability to absorb pressure up front to lay a solid foundation for her teammates.

The Saints’ vice-captain honed her skills playing against boys from the age of nine. That experience has undoubtedly moulded her into the tough player that she is, and it has also contributed to her growth and maturity in the game.

While her biggest takeaway thus far from the Schools SA20 is that “pressure can refine your talent”, Dithipe acknowledged that it’s going to be tough in the National Finals. She is, however, confident, knowing that she’s surrounded by teammates who can motivate her when the chips are down.

“One time, my morale was so low that it affected my performance but my teammates came through for me to such an extent that I became the player of the match,” she recalled.

It’s that camaraderie that has defined Dithipe and her teammates in the tournament. The North West u16 player hopes they will continue their good form in Pretoria.

“We always give our best. Our coaches are the best in the country,” she declared.

“For the finals, we have prepared thoroughly. We went as far as preparing ourselves emotionally and psychologically.”

Dithipe’s talent coincides with the rise of the women’s game and the youngster is eager to showcase her talent and hopefully end up donning the green and gold like her idol, Laura Wolvaardt, in the future.

When Saints challenge for the honour of being crowned the best schoolgirl T20 side in the country, cricket fans can expect Dithipe to be one of their standout performers in Pretoria, playing a leading role both bat and ball to inspire her teammates to glory.

“If we win, it will be so special because it would mean our hard work paid off and that your humble beginnings cannot stop you from reaching your goals if you don’t give up,” she said.

Pride, bragging rights, and a claim to being the best schoolgirl T20 side in the country will be on the line when the Dr John L Dube High girls take to the pitch for their Schools SA20 National Finals opening fixture against Nomandi Junior Secondary School, on Thursday, at 09:30.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Coach Mzwandile Sibiya‘s side will undoubtedly view themselves as title contenders after their dominance of the KZN leg of the country’s most prestigious schools’ cricket tournament.

The Umlazi school began their campaign with a clean sweep in the KZN coastal qualifiers, beating Zeph Dlomo, Fredville, and Kheswa, before defeating Bonginhlanhla High by eight wickets in the regional final in January, to be crowned the KZN champions.

They might not be as fancied as some of the other sides in the competition, but there’s absolutely no doubt that the team has what it takes to go all the way in Pretoria, given their depth of talent

Sibiya’s team has the requisite quality with the bat and ball to make a deep impact in the tournament.

The side has quality bowling resources, led by Anelisa Mhlongo and Zukiswa Ntombela, who have been crucial cogs in the team’s success. They claimed two scalps apiece in the regional final to help Dr John L Dube advance to the national finals.

The impact of opening batters Enhle Mkhalipha and Amahle Ndlazi should be noted as they have led the way with the bat.

Mkhalipha, in particular, will hope to continue her form after a good run in the regionals where she top-scored with an unbeaten 41 in the final against Bonginhlanhla to guide her team to victory.

The KZN u19 player’s positive approach at the top of the order has been a huge strength of the team, and she will be aiming to continue to lead the way with the willow when she opens the batting against the Border champions on Thursday.

TEAM

Omuhle Buthelezi, Hlengiwe Dlamini, Sthembile Dlamini, Olwethu Duma, Nokwazi Khumalo, Lethokuhle Mbili, Zama Mdunge, Anelisa Mhlongo, Enhle Mkhalipha, Lusanda Mkhize, Lungile Ngcobo, Zukiswa Ntombela and Ziyanda Xulu.

Saints Christian School, the Noordvaal Cup champions, begin their challenge at the Schools SA20 National Finals against Nkowankowa Hub, the team they beat in the final of the Noordvaal Cup.

There’s more at stake when the action gets underway on Thursday, but the Potchefstroom school will head into the game full of confidence.

Catch Saints Christian School and all the School SA20 National Finals action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

They’re a formidable outfit, as coach Claudio Lucas explained: “Our team plays as a club team in the North West senior women’s league. We won the T20 and 50-over titles with these school girls, which is exceptional.”

Headlining their challenge is a player to whom the “exceptional” tag, applies, captain Tshegofatso Monyela.

She began playing cricket in grade four. By the time she was 13, she made her debut for the North West Dragons ladies’ team. “She was playing with the likes of Tasmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, and Masabata Klaas, when the North West Dragons were still in the A-League, and they still had a good system running,” Lucas recalled.

Monyela’s cricket developed quickly in her younger years when she started out playing in boys’ teams for Saints Christian School, which included playing in the primary school’s first team for three years.

“She is very good technically. She also opened the batting for the North West u19 team that won the nationals last year,” Lucas said, a touch of pride in his voice.

“Her strength is she is very good through the V. She plays traditional cricket shots. Anything on her legs is going to go. She’s very strong on her drives – cover drive, straight drive, on drive. If you bowl it short, she’s good with pick-up shots, as well.

“She’s a well-rounded batter, and that’s why she has been able to score so freely.”

For the past two years, Monyela has been selected for the South African Schools team. That recognition has motivated Monyela and it has also created opportunities for her beyond cricket, Lucas explained.

“She’s working really hard because she wants to go to a good university, and to a province where they play in the A-Division. She is looking at going to Western Province or the Lions, and we have been in communication with them. They are interested in having her. Now, it is more about education. We are trying to look after that.”

While she captains Saints, Monyela is not a loud leader. She’s an introvert, Lucas said, but “when she does speak, everyone listens.

“She has a very calming presence about her. Everyone takes her seriously because she works so hard.

“Every single day, she is in the nets, either batting or bowling, or she’ll organise a fielding session, not just for herself but for the team. She puts in the work, so everybody respects her because of that.

“When she does have something to say, she will always make sense. She doesn’t speak for the sake of speaking, and she’s very firm with the ladies. She speaks once and they listen. We have a highly disciplined team. We emphasise discipline a lot.”

Tshego Monyela’s batting is her forte, and her captaincy astute, but her off-spin bowling should not be underestimated either, coach Lucas shared.

In the senior women’s league, her economy rate is around three-and-a-half runs per over, and she’s picked up six wickets in Saints’ last three matches. Monyela will likely come on as a first-change or second-change bowler, Lucas said, and she will bowl her full complement of four overs.

Monyela will have a big role to play for Saints, but she’s backed by a strongly disciplined unit that understands how to win, with many of the players having been tested in senior women’s cricket and by playing against boys, which was how the team warmed up on Tuesday, with an outing against a solid Saints’ u13 boys’ team.

Most would tab Steyn City School as the favourites, but Saints Christian School, with Tshego Monyela leading their challenge, will be eager to challenge Steyn City and the rest of their opposition for the national crown.

The champion of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr John L Dube High School, is excited about an opportunity to play for the national title at the Schools SA20 National Finals in Pretoria from Thursday.

“They’re very happy. They’re looking forward to it,” coach Mzwandile Sibiya told SuperSport Schools Plus on Tuesday.

Catch Dr John L Dube and the Schools SA20 finalists in action, LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

“They’re nervous but they want to be there. Most of them, about 80 percent, play for provincial teams. Only two or three girls haven’t played for provincial teams.”

Spearheading the Umlazi school’s challenge will be their captain, Enthle Mkhalipa. Sibiya has been her coach for pretty much her entire cricket career.

“I’ve been coaching her since she was 10 years old,” he shared. “She’s an expert batter. She always does well. She’s almost always there at the end to finish the game.”

Indeed, at the KZN regional final of the Schools SA20, Mkhalipa caught the eye with her solid technique and flowing drives in her side’s eight-wicket win over Bonginhlanhla, which clinched the title of provincial champions. And she was there at the end, unbeaten on 41 as Dr John L Dube chased down their opponent’s 79/8 to win.

“She played for the KZN u19 side last year,” Sibiya said. “The year before that, she played for the u16 side. She’s represented KZN since the age of 11.”

He also lauded Mkhalipa’s captaincy, explaining: “She was the captain of her club at the age of 13! She has been a captain for many years. She always leads by example.

“She doesn’t talk that much, but she always calms the team when there is a problem. She is always encouraging the bowlers and the fielders.”

Mkhalipa has a good understanding of cricket, he added, saying she has learnt a lot in her six-plus years in the game.

She’s the player that others in the experienced Dr John L Dube side look to, to set the example and to take the game to the opposition. And, as coach Mazwandile Sibiya said, they’re not cowed by the task that lies ahead. They’re excited and eager to attack the challenge, with their captain, Enthle Mkhalipa, leading the way.

Northwood School will fly the flag for KwaZulu-Natal at the Schools SA20 National Finals in Pretoria. The Knights were an unlikely provincial representative when the competition began in late 2024, but they earned their place with a string of strong performances.

Catch Northwood School in action in the Schools SA20 National Finals LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The Durban school went through a bit of a slump midway through the fourth term, when they looked like anything but contenders. All credit to the stayers’ line-up, their coaches, and management, however. They pulled off a remarkable turnaround by working on the team culture.

It brought them victory in the KZN Coastal final and they were joined by the runner-up, Glenwood High, at the KZN regional final in Pietermaritzburg. There, the two Durban sides faced Maritzburg College and Tuskers’ champions, Hilton College.

In their opening match, Northwood scored a closely-contested five-wicket win over Hilton, showing BMT when the contest became tight towards the end. They fell to Maritzburg College by just 12 runs in their second outing, but comfortably beat Glenwood by six wickets to secure a place in the title game.

Once again, it was a hard-fought contest, but Northwood batted with impressive focus to win with three balls to spare for the second time in two days against Hilton. The second time around, though, they won by seven wickets.

Within their victory in the final were the elements that have driven much of their success since the last term of 2024, beginning with the top four in their batting order – David de Bruyn, Tuswa Phetha, Ross McGlashan, and captain, Kyle White – who all made runs with the title on the line.

De Bruyn is solid up front and able to play an aggressive game. Phetha keeps it simple, but that is what makes him so effective. Often, he takes care of one end and enables his partners to play their shots.

McGlashan is a dashing left-hander who likes to go after the bowling. Once he gets going, he’s a dangerous customer. The captain, White, is a technically sound batsman. He tends to treat good balls with respect and go hard at poor balls, playing the game how it should be played.

Because of the many successes of the Northwood top-order, the batsmen to follow have, at times, been a little fragile, but the return of the big-hitting all-rounder Jamie Wimble from injury is a huge boost for the Knights.

While Northwood leans on their top four to steer them to success, others, like Alistair Duncan, Connor Leclezio, and Ben Cilliers, have also made useful contributions along the way. They, too, are capable of producing vital knocks.

The return of Wimble to take the new ball is fantastic news for Northwood. He doesn’t deal in express speed. Rather, he is accurate and consistently challenges batsmen at a lively enough pace.

Northwood’s bowling and fielding are, if anything, more reliable than their batting. The Knights won’t blast out any team, but they’ll always be at their opposition with accurate bowling and a strong effort in the field, which is aided by the astute captaincy of Kyle White.

They possess good variety in their attack, but the key to their success has often been their spin bowling, led by the left-armer Jordan Matthews, who has enjoyed an outstanding season. He’s a regular wicket-taker but often also extremely economical.

Ben Cilliers, an off-spinner, provides a good foil to Matthews and helps to tie down opposing batsmen, and he is usually good for a wicket or two or three.

Luke Allen, Thabiso Mtambo, Aiden Bauristhene, and Connor Leclezio will join Jamie Wimble as seam options, while David de Bruyn and Kyle White, maybe Hamza Amla and Tuswa Phetha, too, will supplement the frontline spinners.

Perhaps the strength of the Northwood team is that they are more than the sum of their parts. That word, “team”, is very much who they are and teamwork, especially in the cauldron of T20 cricket is vital. It is often the difference between winning and losing. That’s something the Knights proved by reversing their fortunes, with the Schools SA20 the stage on which they have done that.

They hope to continue to make their mark in the competition in Pretoria.

Northwood School will fly the flag for the KZN region at the Schools SA20 final in Pretoria. If they’re to be successful, one of the primary reasons will be because their captain Kyle White has exerted his influence on their matches.

White is the spark from which the Knights derive their energy.

He brings intensity to their challenge, an urgency, which permeates through their ranks.

He’s analytical and vocal, usually to be found on the boundary, from where he has a wide view of the entire field.

He is Northwood’s leader. Of that, there is no doubt.

After the Knight’s victory over Hilton College in the final of the KZN region’s Schools SA20 competition, he told SuperSport Schools Plus: “We’re looking to make a big statement this year.”

Saying that was a big statement. Then again, making the national final was a big statement, too.

Most would have tabbed either Durban High School (DHS) or Westville Boys’ High to win through to the national final – DHS won the Clifton T20 Tournament and Westville won the W100, with those teams meeting in the final of both competitions – but Northwood won through. Why?

One of the main reasons was their top-order batting. When they have won, their top order has delivered. Much depends on how the top four batsmen fare. That includes White, who is adept at accelerating the scoring or setting up shop and grafting for his runs.

Technically sound, his season has included a top score of 135 against Potchefstoom Volkskool at the Grey Cricket Festival in Bloemfontein, in January.

More in line with the demands that lie ahead at the Schools SA20 National Final, White’s ability to turn the tide of a match was wonderfully encompassed in a match-winning innings when the Knights scored a last-ball six-wicket win over Clifton College in the W100 competition in February.

It was, very much, a leader’s innings. When he took to the crease, there was a noticeable intensity about his approach, focused but not reckless.

He kept his cool, dragging his side to the brink of victory. Then, with the scores level, he struck the final ball over the ring of fielders to deliver victory to his team. White had faced 41 balls, cracked two sixes and five fours, and led his side across the line by playing the shots that each delivery offered.

White is a useful bowler, too. He, perhaps, doesn’t bowl as much as he could because of the demands placed on his batting. But he’s capable of match-altering spells.

Northwood, in the field, is usually a tidy outfit, with a bowling attack that offers variety, especially in the spin department, which has shut down a number of opponents’ run-scoring this season. The skipper, meanwhile, is one of those players the Knights look to when a wicket is needed to disrupt an opposing team’s batting effort.

He’s a multi-talented player able to make decisive contributions in all three aspects of the game, and, also, with his astute leadership. That makes Kyle White one to watch in Pretoria.

Westville Boys’ High hosted Clifton College on Friday for both schools’ first matches of the 2025 hockey season.

While the Griffin won the age group games, it was Clifton that came away with a 2-1 victory in the clash of the 1^st XIs.

After a goalless first chukka, the deadlock was broken early in the second quarter by a turnover high up the field, which put Byron Ward in the clear and he finished from close range to put the visitors in front.

Then, with only seven seconds remaining in the first half, Westville won a penalty corner and Declan Boynton struck to make it 1-1 at the break.

Early in the second half, Clifton went ahead again, with vice-captain Jason Adams supplying the finish.

He and the skipper, Zach Williamson, helped Clifton control the midfield, which went a long way towards securing the win for coach Calvin Price‘s charges.

They also worked hard and effectively on defence, which made it a tough slog for Westville to break through and create clear-cut scoring chances.

Reflecting on that aspect of his team’s performance, Price told SuperSport Schools Plus after the contest: “We have worked a lot on our recoveries. That’s the most important thing, the hard yards off the ball. All in all, it was a very good performance by all of them.”

Clifton went into the contest without their best player, SA u17 star Ryde Brissett, who is set to undergo shoulder surgery and has, unfortunately, been ruled out for the season. Still, they have lost only four players from last year’s team that was good enough to score wins over Durban High School (DHS) and Northwood, teams that enjoyed very strong seasons.

Westville, by contrast, is a younger side, and that showed as they took a while to settle.

“We don’t have the most experienced team this year, so it’s a little bit of a trickier one,” Westville coach Cam Mackay said. “We’ve usually got dominant centre-backs, and we’ve got two new centre-backs. That’s a tricky one to start with.”

That was not a criticism of the performance of the Westville centre-backs. Rather, it was a tip of the hat to last year’s pair, Owen Slack and Nicolas Ackerman, who were experienced and very effective at controlling the ball movement and distribution from the back.

The inexperience of the Westville team showed itself, though, as Mackay pointed out: “I think we lacked a little bit of confidence at times. And our passing in the midfield was not great.

“We let ourselves down in small moments. We missed traps here and there. We were getting turned over in the midfield way too much. Then, when we did get the chances up front, our execution at penalty corner (PC) time [wasn’t there]. That’s one of our big positives this year. We’ve got good flickers.”

In the first match of the season, though, the Westville penalty corner strikers were unable to make their mark on the contest. “We have a good PC team. If we scored a PC and we ended at 2-2, it would have been easier to take.

“It’s not the end of the world at all. Small moments make a big difference,” Mackay said philosophically.

Clifton coach Calvin Price, understandably, had more reasons to feel optimistic about his team’s performance: “I don’t mind a victory first game in,” he said with a smile.

“We’re a bit rusty. Overall, though, the idea was to be simple, effective, and basic. The first chukka wasn’t our greatest, but we got better as we got into the game. Nerves showed. We had four debutants, but they showed their worth.

“I’m very happy with the first game, I hope we now take it further.”

One of the most impressive aspects of Clifton’s win was their work rate, which stayed strong from the first whistle to the last.

“We’ve worked hard on our fitness.” Price said. “They’ve had three sessions a week from January right through [until now], and we have a new pod system we’re using, so we’re putting a lot of emphasis on conditioning.”

With different levels of experience, the sides carry different expectations further into the season.

“I said to them in the beginning, we have set high expectations for ourselves this year. We want to be one of the best around, and to win like that was a good start for us. I think we can only get better,” Price shared.

“We’re looking forward to this season. That’s why we put a lot into the off-season, to make sure we’re good to go.”

Mackay’s aspirations were more measured. “We know we’re not going to be challenging everyone this year,” he said, “but we’re trying to be the hardest working team, and we’re trying to be a good team on the counter.

“We’ve tried to not put too much of an expectation on the side. We know it is going to be a bit of a rebuild this season, which is important.”

Over the past two seasons, in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban High School (DHS) has produced a must-watch 1^st XV.

In 2023, they were the most exciting offensive outfit in the province. In 2024, they were, arguably, the best defensive unit out of any top-tier team in the country, and they were KZN’s best team.

Only once, in their very last game against Jeppe, did an opponent reach 20 points, and Jeppe made that number exactly.

DHS won, though, 24-20, which kept intact an incredible record established by the players in matric in 2024. They finished their careers unbeaten on Van Heerden’s Field through every age group they played.

The 2025 1^st XV will look very different, with only two players remaining from last year’s outfit, but there is no panic in the ranks. Head coach Peter Engeldow and forwards’ coach Ronnie Uys have shown they know how to get the best out of their players and, unusually, for most schools, they’ll be promoting large numbers from last year’s 2^nd XV to the 1^st XV.

That’s good news for School. Why? The DHS 2^nd XV of 2024 went unbeaten for the first time since 1939.

A major highlight was a win on Goldstone’s over their great rivals, Maritzburg College, for the first time since 1986. Not only did DHS win, but they also recorded their biggest 2nd XV victory yet over the Red, Black, and White, winning 45-10. “That was a day when it all clicked,” 2nd XV coach Lyle Matthysen told SuperSport Schools Plus.

In their season-opener against Kearsney College, the DHS 2nd XV topped 50 points at Kearsney for the first time, in another memorable win.

The team revealed its never-say-die character when they played at Northwood. Matthysen recalled: “A couple of games, we had quite a disadvantage with our 2nd XV because I couldn’t play with our flyhalf, Jordan van Wyk, who was our general. He would get called up to the 1st XV. With all the players we had in our 1st XV, 2nd XV, and 3rd XV, we didn’t really have another flyhalf.

“One of the games he didn’t play was against Northwood, away, where we struggled. Up until there were six-and-a-half minutes left, we were 6-21 down. In the last six minutes, we scored four converted tries [and won 33-27].” It’s victories like that which become the building blocks of future successes, and that could stretch into the 2025 season.

Matthysen revealed one of the reasons for his side’s outstanding season, which is sure to stand the 2025 1^st XV in good stead. He explained: “The biggest contributor to the success of the 2nd XV, and I know other schools don’t do it, is we align our training like the Boks, where the firsts and seconds do everything together, so every single session the firsts and seconds are having a proper go. I put that down to the vision of Peter and Ronnie. The results showed how well it has worked.”

Focusing on the playing personnel, he said: “From a playing perspective, we had one to 15 guys who have a strong rugby IQ, and an extremely physical pack and centres, which paved the way for our nine and 10, who had superb seasons. It’s down to what the pack and the centres could do for us.”

Based on the experiences of the 2nd XV in 2024, team chemistry should not be an issue. Powerful team chemistry was also very evident in the success of their 1st XV, whose stubborn defence was powered by a pack mentality of hunting together.

Those players who were exposed to training with the 1st XV in 2024 will be joined by players promoted from the u16 ranks, where DHS also enjoyed a good year.

Their pre-season has included team building, without any talk of rugby. That’s a primary focus of the Director of Rugby, Peter Engeldow. Man management and providing players with the best support possible, including in the classroom and their social lives, is imperative, and producing good men is his goal.

Matthysen lauded Engeldow’s impact, which has permeated through the age groups and expressed his admiration for Engeldow’s rugby knowledge: “If you think you know anything about analysis, you know absolutely nothing until you’ve met Peter. His analysis is second to none. It is of international standard,” Matthysen enthused.

“It’s not only that. He’s so driven and he is so focused. On top of that, he is also a people’s person. When it comes to rugby, it’s the complete package.”

Beyond Peter Engeldow, Matthysen said the top leadership of School – Headmaster Tony Pinheiro and Director of Sport, Nathan Pillay – have played an immense role in demanding a high standard from the boys and their coaches.

Matthysen, a DHS old boy, who has been on staff for 14 years, said: “Everyone knows, when they arrived, the school, in all facets, not just rugby, was in a very dark place. Everything has stemmed from their leadership, especially the type of boy. It is because of the type of boy that now comes to DHS [that we are successful]. They are so much more coachable than they were before.”

Where exactly the coaches take the DHS 1st XV in 2025 will depend on the boys that Peter Engeldow and Ronnie Uys are working with. They produced two very different but outstanding teams over the past two years by working to enhance the strengths of the side.

Last year, DHS provided a record nine players to the Sharks’ Craven Week team. Hooker Mahle Sithole and fullback Aka Boqwana made the South African Schools side, while centre Zingce Simka was selected for the South African Schools A team.

This year, it’s unlikely those numbers will be matched, but DHS will surely be a load to deal with again. They open their season in Bethlehem on Saturday against Voortrekker.

It’s a big game and it will set the table for an even bigger clash on Saturday, 15 March, when DHS hosts their traditional rivals, Maritzburg College, in Durban.

DHS 1ST XV FIXTURES

March
8 March: vs Voortrekker, away
15 March vs Maritzburg College, home
22: March vs Michaelhouse, away
31 March – 2 April – Grey High School Rugby Festival, Gqeberha

April
12 April vs KZN Development, home
17 April vs vs Hoërskool Rustenburg, Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
19 April vs Hoërskool Monument, Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
21 April vs Hoërskool Durbanville, Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
26 April vs Northwood, home

May
1 May vs Stellenberg, Absa Wildeklawer, Kimberley
3 May vs Paarl Gimnasium, Absa Wildklawer, Kimberley
17 May vs Kearsney College, home
24 May vs Westville Boys’ High, away
31 May vs Hilton College, home|

July
26 July vs Jeppe Boys, away

August
2 August vs Northwood, away
9 August vs King Edward VII, home