Hilton College withstood an unrelenting challenge from Bishops to record a nine-point victory on Gilfillan Field. Photo: Martin Ashworth Sports Photography.
Hilton College was made to work hard on Gilfillan Field on Saturday, but they had enough in the tank to withstand the challenge of Bishops and score a 26-17 win, their fifth in succession to open the season.
The Capetonians made a strong start, spending most of the first 15 minutes in Hilton’s half, but the home side stood firm and gradually worked their way into Bishops’ territory, making good use of well-directed tactical kicks.
The visitors conceded a five-metre scrum when they carried a chip kick over their own try line, but Hilton lost the ball forward from the set piece, just as it appeared they would open the scoring.
Bishops, though, bungled their exit strategy and a loose pass was gratefully snaffled by Hilton flyhalf, John Grubb, who went over to the right of the posts. He also knocked over the conversion kick, and Hilton led 7-0 after 18 minutes.
Hilton continued to spend most of the first half in the Bishops’ half, while coach Sam Mofokeng‘s charges bravely tried to play their way into Hilton’s territory.
Eventually, after 30 minutes, Hilton’s territorial dominance paid off. From a lineout on the left touchline inside the Bishops’ 22, they flung the ball wide to the opposite flank, where right wing, Tomupeishe Gurupira, scored in the corner after good work from inside centre, Ruan Mulder. An accurate conversion kick from John Grubb put Hilton 14-0 ahead.
Just before the break, though, the contest received a boost when Bishops replied through outside centre Eljaron Geduld, who latched onto a loose Hilton pass and showed the defence a clean pair of heels, running in a try in the left-hand corner from 60 metres out.
A fantastic conversion kick by Caleb Clark from the touchline made it 14-7 at halftime.
Bishops pulled within four points in the second half when, with the breeze behind him, Clark landed a long-range penalty kick, from midway between the Hilton 10-metre and halfway line from dead in front.
Hilton surged onto the attack from the kickoff and used a penalty to set up a lineout in the visitors’ 22. From there, they forced their way over the try line, but were held up. From the subsequent scrum, Hilton was again over the try line. Bishops, though, ripped the ball away before it could be dotted down. Fortunately, for Hilton, it fell kindly for flank, Callan Kenmuir, who snatched it out of the air and fell to the ground next to the uprights.
Grubb had an easy conversion kick, but he missed it. Still, Hilton had breathing space again, up 19-10.
The home side continued to play the game in the right areas of the field, but they next added points from a move that began from inside their 22 after Bishops missed a penalty kick at touch. Grubb led the counter, linking up nicely with his backline, who shifted the ball quickly to Gurupira, wide on the right.
When he saw his way blocked, he grubbered between two defenders and regathered possession. Six phases later, all drives at the try line from the Hilton pack, the hosts were over under the uprights through their powerful no. 8, Zander Muller. Grubb’s simple conversion kick put Hilton 16 points clear.
With almost an hour played, Clark missed a penalty kick. However, the Bishops’ flyhalf immediately made amends from the drop-out, carving open a gap in the Hilton defence with a dummy before popping up a short pass, which took the Capetonians up to the Hilton try line. Through seven phases, Andrew Schell and company kept Bishops at bay, but the referee was playing advantage for a high tackle.
From the penalty, it took the dark blue-clad boys only two phases to break through next to the posts, with a neat inside pass from scrumhalf Jack Fleck sending Joe Lanning over for the visitors’ second try.
Clark added the extras to make it 26-17. That’s where the score stayed, with Hilton spilling a pass on the Bishops’ try line just before the final whistle.
Scorers
Hilton College 26 (14) – Tries: John Grubb, Tomupeishe Gurupira, Callan Kenmuir, Zander Muller Conversions: John Grubb (3) Bishops 17 (7) – Tries: Eljaron Geduld, Joe Lanning. Conversions: Caleb Clark (2). Penalty: Caleb Clark.
Kearsney College will put their perfect record in the Michaelhouse Hockey Tournament to the test against the event’s leading scorers, Northwood, when they meet in the final. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Northwood and KearsneyCollege will meet in the final of the Michaelhouse Hockey Tournament on Sunday evening after finishing top of Pool A and Pool B, respectively.
The Knights were the top scorers during the round-robin matches, netting 20 times while conceding only six goals, three of which came in their opening 3-3 draw with St Andrew’s College. They convincingly won the rest of their matches, beating Michaelhouse 4-1, St Charles 8-1, and, on Saturday, Affies 5-1.
Given that their game against the Pretoria school was a showdown between the teams that finished first and second in the group, it was an impressive performance.
While Northwood continued to roll in Pool A, Kearsney strung together a perfect record of four wins from four matches in Pool B. Coach Keegan Pearce‘s side made a mixed start to the season, so their success at Michaelhouse caught some off guard. Props to the Botha’s Hill boys, though. They’ve risen to the challenge.
They opened their account with a comfortable 3-0 win over Paarl Boys’ High on Thursday, then followed that up with a crucial 4-3 defeat of Hilton College in the group’s most consequential clash.
A 3-1 victory over Reddam House Constantia gave Kearsney their third victory on the trot, and they wrapped up first place in Pool B with the maximum 12 points after another 3-1 success, this time against Maritzburg College on Saturday.
Hilton College’s only loss was that aforementioned defeat to Kearsney, and they’ll take on Affies, who posted a record of two wins, a draw, and a defeat, for third place.
In Saturday’s other matches, Paarl Boys’ High edged out Reddam Constantia 1-0 in a Western Cape clash, while St Charles College, winless through their first three matches, stunned St Andrew’s College 3-1 to move above them to fourth place in the Pool A standings. Earlier in the day, Saints lost 1-3 against Michaelhouse.
Hilton boosted their goal difference in their last group game, overpowering Reddam 8-0, while Affies downed St Andrew’s College 3-2, and Maritzburg College beat Paarl Boys’ High 2-1.
RESULTS
1st XI
Pool A Affies 3-2 St Andrew’s College
Michaelhouse 3-1 St Charles
Northwood 5-1 Affies
St Charles 3-1 St Andrew’s College
Pool B Maritzburg College 2-1 Paarl Boys’ High
Hilton College 8-0 Reddam House Constantia
Kearsney College 3-1 Maritzburg College
Paarl Boys’ High 1-0 Reddam House Constantia
U16
St Andrew’s College 2-0 Clifton College
Rondebosch Boys’ High 5-0 Somerset College
Affies 7-0 St Charles College
Paarl Boys’ High 4-3 Hilton College
Somerset College 2-1 St Charles College
Hilton College 3-0 Clifton College
FIXTURES
Sunday, 26 April
Punchbowl
13:00 – Michaelhouse vs Maritzburg College, (5th/6th)
14:30 – Affies vs Hilton College, (3rd/4th)
19:00 – Northwood vs Kearsney (1st/2nd)
Aitkens
13:00 – St Andrew’s College vs Reddam House Constantia, (9th/10th)
14:30 – St Charles vs Paarl Boys’ High, Aitkens, (7th/8th)
Guy Fender is an experienced campaigner and a tough, physical presence at outside centre for Hilton College. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Hilton College hosts Bishops on Saturday. The Capetonians make the long trip from Cape Town, with 20 rugby teams set to take on their black-and-white clad opponents.
It’s an exciting new addition to the rugby calendar, and Hilton is set to return the favour in 2027 by heading to the Western Cape to tackle the 177-year-old school.
No doubt, the home supporters will expect their 1st XV to deliver a victory. With high-profile wins over Westville Boys’ High in March and over Nudgee College, two days after the Australians had beaten Grey College, Hilton boasts an impressive record. They’re one of the few remaining undefeated sides in a topsy-turvy season in which shock results have been common.
Apart from their aforementioned wins, Hilton has recorded convincing victories over Hoërskool Middelburg (49-10), Heidelberg Volkskool (38-3), and Hoërskool Nelspruit (65-14).
Bishops, meanwhile, opened their season with four successive wins, beating Worcester Gimnasium (31-26), Hoërskool Strand (31-24), St Andrew’s College (28-24), and St John’s College (24-7). They’ve lost their last two, however, going down to Graeme College (26-39) and SACS (17-22).
Coach Brad Macleod-Henderson‘s charges will, thus, be favoured, but they have been out of action since Easter. They will want to avoid joining the list of teams that have suffered shock defeats.
They have the game plan to prevent such upsets. They’re exceptionally well drilled. What they bring is no secret. The question for their opposition is, can they stop it?
In their wins over Westville and Nudgee, Hilton’s forward power stood out in the set pieces and, most compellingly, in the cohesion of their pack when mauling and operating a hard-hitting pick-and-go approach. Behind them, the halfback pairing of Benoit Rey and John Grubb flourished.
Last season, Grubb was mostly used on the wing, with SA Schools’ flyhalf Liyema Nela pulling on the no. 10 jersey. Since taking over from Nela, Grubb has caught the eye, pulling the strings superbly to release a dangerous backline. He’s also shown he is willing to take it to the opposition himself, and he’s got a touch of pace about him.
James Peattie, at fullback, has a good eye for attacking opportunities, and he offers Hilton a further cutting edge.
In the Bishops’ backline, Boytjie Fyfer is a key player. He possesses a diverse all-round skill set, making him capable of unlocking tight defences, while Connor Clark, who represented Western Province u16 at the Grant Khomo Week last year, handles the flyhalf duties. His opposite number, John Grubb, turned out for the Sharks at the u17 AFGRI Week last year.
The touring side boasts plenty of experienced 1st XV players, but so, too, does Hilton. One of those is their captain, lock Andrew Schnell, a Sharks u17 representative last year, who has Zander Muller, a Sharks Craven Week player behind him, at 8th-man.
Bishops’ Alex Vintcent, who also wears no. 5, captains the visitors. While he and Schnell share the same number, they possess different skill sets away from the rugby field, both of which come in useful: Schnell is a standout water polo player, while Vintcent is a top cricketer.
The Capetonians are renowned for their 15-man game and their willingness to let the ball do the work. They also hail from a region where rain and heavy underfoot conditions are common, thus requiring a more conservative, forward-based approach. On Saturday, the conditions on Gilfillan Field should be dry and warm.
The big question Bishops will need to answer, though, is about their forwards. Will they be able to disrupt Hilton’s powerful pack and its ability to exert consistent heavy pressure?
Their coach, Sam Mofokeng, was previously on staff at Michaelhouse. He will know better than most what to expect from Hilton. It won’t be a surprise. Will his charges be able to douse Hilton’s firepower?
Kickoff on Saturday is at 13:00. The answer will soon become evident.
TEAMS
Hilton College vs Bishops at 13:00 on Gilfillan Field
Hilton College: 15 James Peattie, 14 Tomupeishe Gurupira, 13 Guy Fender, 12 Ruan Mulder, 11 Liyema Gasi, 10 John Grubb, 9 Bemoit Rey, 8 Zander Muller, 7 Ross Steyn, 6 Callan Kenmuir, 5 Andrew Schnell (c), 4 Hartman Fourie, 3 Mholi Khuzwayo, 2 Kyle-Reese Clements, 1 Aidan du Plooy
Bishops: 15 Christian Towell, 14 Danny Newton, 13 Eljaron Geduld, 12 Boytjie Fyfer, 11 Lulibo Nyawula, 10 Caleb Clark, 9 Jack Fleck, 8 Jack Venter, 7 James Gordon, 6 Connor Clark, 5 Alex Vintcent (c), 4 Dan Coetzee, 3 Jarred Kowen, 2 Joe Lanning, 1 Jack Hibling
Scrumhalf Dom du Toit scored two tries and slotted eight conversions in Maritzburg College’s big win over Pretoria Boys High. Photo: Justin Waldman Sports Photography.
Pretoria Boys High went into Saturday’s showdown with Maritzburg College on Goldstone’s with a mixed record of three wins and two losses. Still, surely no one foresaw a thorough domination of the Candies by the Red, Black, and White, who powered their way to an eye-popping 61-5 victory.
Boys High couldn’t find a foothold for one primary reason: College dominated the set pieces, especially the scrums. That domination opened up time and space for the home side to let their backs express themselves, and they revelled in those tasty opportunities, powering to a 40-5 halftime lead over the shellshocked visitors.
Unfortunately for PBHS, they were never in the contest. Their lone try came from a loose pass by College, which set up the speedy Ayabonga Mabuza for a sprint down the left-hand touchline and a five-pointer in the corner. Apart from that gift, though, they weren’t in the game.
They were unfortunate to be up against the boot of Dom du Toit, one of the most accurate kickers in the country, and he turned tries into seven-point plays with monotonous regularity. To cap an outstanding performance, the Maritzburg College scrumhalf also dotted down twice.
The home side made the kind of start that coaches dream about: the forwards controlling possession and denting the opposition’s defences through a series of pick and goes. Then, they sent the ball down the backline and stretched the defence, which allowed Du Toit to exploit a slight gap, and College led 5-0. Du Toit, unsurprisingly, made it 7-0 in the fourth minute of the game.
College’s tempo and clean ball had Pretoria Boys High on the run, scrambling to slow the onslaught, but it kept coming, and 8th-man Rory Stanton was the next across the line, running onto a flat pass and into space before wrongfooting the last defender with a sharp step off his right foot. It was 14-0 after only nine minutes.
Three minutes later, the Candies enjoyed their lone score of the contest through Mabuza, but that had come against the run of play. Traffic was heading one way.
Olwethu Kosani delivered one of the highlight plays of the match in the 20th minute, slipping past three defenders to go over from 40 metres out. Du Toit converted.
Facing a relentless bombardment of attacks, Boys High kept missing tackles, and once that happened, they were in trouble. College made big metres regularly.
Flyhalf Liyema Tsoko was the next to score, in under the posts, and Du Toit extended College’s lead to 23 points.
A massive drive off a lineout, with College’s back joining their forwards, earned hooker Theo Boshoff the home side’s next five-pointer, and Du Toit’s trusty right foot lifted the Red, Black, and White’s total to 35 points.
By the end of the first half, Maritzburg College was 40-5 to the good, with a counterattack from Sindiswa Hadebe and a beautiful offload setting up Caleb Scheepers another try. For once, Du Toit’s kick didn’t land. But it was literally that: for once.
Du Toit got the scoreboard moving again in the second stanza with his second try and another conversion. Brent Smith sliced through the Candies’ defences for College’s eighth try, just after the hour mark, and Lwanzo Vyambwera completed the try-scoring with four minutes to go.
Scrumhalf Dom du Toit added his eighth conversion, which brought his personal tally in the match to an impressive 26 points.
Jeppe High School for Boys vs Westville Boys’ High
Jeppe dug deep to snatch a one-point victory over Westville Boys’ High right at the death on Collard Field. Photo: Jeppe High School for Boys on Facebook.
High-flying Westville Boys’ High hit the road for a showdown with Jeppe High School for Boys on Collard Field on Saturday. Despite playing away from home and in the high altitude of Johannesburg, the Griffins headed into the clash favoured to win it, and it looked as if that would happen when they built up a 14-0 lead.
They struck first after 15 minutes, with the speedy Jadrian Afrikaner making a clean break to run in a try that had begun from a lineout around the halfway line. Their second came from just inside their half, with the slick Westville backs punching a hole in the Jeppe backline before Avu Lisa sent Bukho Sotaka away for a try in the right corner.
Flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman, captaining the side in the absence of Westville’s injured SA Schools’ lock, Lwandile Mlaba, landed both conversions. What was worth noting about the visitors’ tries, though, was that they had to score them from range. Jeppe was not making it easy for them by allowing them close to their try line.
Then, Jeppe replied in the 25th minute by driving flank Hayden Venter over from a five-metre lineout, and flyhalf Mbhalati Ndzalama nailed a challenging conversion kick to half the deficit.
Soft conditions underfoot favoured a grind-it-out, pick-and-go approach from the forwards, and Jeppe executed that well to score their second just before halftime, with Venter again forcing his way over from close range and Ndzalama adding the extras to level the scores.
Jeppe’s third, though, came from inside their 22, thanks to their fullback Dalitso Milanzi, who called a mark on a high kick, then quickly took a tap. He ripped a big hole in Westville’s disorganised defence, making it up to halfway before finding support on his outside. Just one more pass and left-wing Lethabo Mashao was in the clear. Ndzalama nailed the conversion, and Jeppe led for the first time at 19-14.
Westville turned to Jeppe’s recipe for their third, forcing their way up the field and deep into the Zebras’ 22, where lock Hayden Weihman provided the finish, and flyhalf Koopman knocked over the easy conversion to make it 21-21 with just over 10 minutes to go.
The Griffins took the lead again with five to go when Jadrian Afrikaner showed why he represented SA Schools in 2025. Receiving the ball with play rather static, he side-stepped the nearest defender, cut inside, then hit the gas back outside again to score his second try of the contest. Koopman made it 28-21.
As the New York Yankees’ legendary catcher Yogi Berra famously said, “It ain’t over till it’s over”, and that, very much, reflects Jeppe’s never-say-die spirit. They finished strongly, fighting until the final whistle.
They kicked off with four minutes remaining and quickly drove their way down into Westville’s 22. Driving hard around the edges of rucks, they closed in on the visitors’ try line before swiftly moving the ball out wide, where flyhalf Mbhalati Ndzalama finished in the left corner. That left him with a very difficult conversion kick. He missed it.
Still, Jeppe kept pressing. They had the bit between their teeth and were finishing on the front foot. Then, with time also up, Westville was pinged for a high tackle, and Ndzalama nailed his penalty kick attempt from just outside the visitors’ 22 and a little left of the uprights to make it 29-28 to the home team.
When the home side retained possession from the kick off, they took the little time that remained off the clock by driving up through two phases before Ndzalama was able to kick the ball high and handsome over Jeppe’s deadball line to secure the victory.
It was a big scalp for the Zebras, one to add to that of Hoërskool Garsfontein, which looks better and better now that Garsies’ record includes wins over Noordheuwel, Stellenberg, Paarl Boys’ High, and Affies.
Scorers
Maritzburg College 61 (40) – Tries: Dom du Toit (2), Rory Stanton, Olwethu Kosani, Liyema Tsoko, Theo Boshoff, Caleb Scheepers, Brent Smith, Lwazo Vyambwera. Conversions: Dom du Toit (8). Pretoria Boys High 5 (5) – Try: Ayabonga Mabuza.
Played: 26| Maritzburg College won: 22 | Pretoria Boys High won: 3 | Drawn: 1
Maritzburg College vs Pretoria Boys High
u19
Maritzburg College II 55, PBHS II 8
Maritzburg College III 34, PBHS III 0
Maritzburg College IV 40, PBHS IV 5
Maritzburg College V 26, PBHS V 7
Maritzburg College VI 15, PBHS VI 12
Maritzburg College VII 19, PBHS VII 10
Maritzburg College VIII 29, PBHS VIII 19
Maritzburg College IX 44 PBHS 7
u16
A: PBHS 17 Maritzburg College 13. B: Maritzburg College 20, PBHS 20. C: Maritzburg College 10, PBHS 0. D: Maritzburg College 20, PBHS 15. E: Maritzburg College 25 PBHS 5 F: Maritzburg College 17 PBHS 5
u15
A: Maritzburg College 28, PBHS 19. B: Maritzburg College 27, PBHS 10. C: Maritzburg College 17, PBHS 5. D: Maritzburg College 50, PBHS 7. E: Maritzburg College 15, PBHS 0.
u14
A: PBHS 21 Maritzburg College 12 B: Maritzburg College 10 PBHS 3 C: Maritzburg College 17 PBHS 7 D: Maritzburg College 38 PBHS 3 E: Maritzburg College 33 PBHS 10 F: PBHS 36 Maritzburg College 8
Jeppe vs Westville Boys’ High
Played: 22 | Jeppe won: 12 | Westville won: 10
Jeppe II 35 Westville II 17
Jeppe III 22 Westville III 0
Jeppe IV 29 Westville IV 12
Jeppe V 17 Westville V 12
Jeppe VI 18 Westville VI 8
Westville VII 22 Jeppe VII 19
Dale College scored their first win over Queen’s College since 2019 on Saturday in Komani. Photo: Dale College on Facebook.
Dale College poured cold water on the 168th Reunion of their old rivals, Queen’s College, by holding on for a narrow 31-29 win in a game of two halves at the Rec Ground in Komani on Saturday.
Playing into the wind in the first half, Queen’s made too many errors. Dale capitalised. Their forwards built strong momentum through good carries, creating the sort of pressure which their dangerous backs turned into overlaps, and they ran up a 24-5 lead at halftime.
The second half saw Queen’s pull themselves together, bringing aggression to their forward drives and defending with greater commitment, which enabled them to fight their way back into the match.
However, despite scoring five tries through Bongo Nyakaza (2), Ethan Oosthuizen, Ncutu Kepe, and Luhlumile Njokweni, they were unable to cross the gap as Dale scored once more to hold on for a hard-fought victory, which will give them renewed motivation for the season ahead.
Dale also crossed for five tries, scored by Lukho Mzingaye, Caleb Smith, Azole Sodlaka, Sonwabise Dyani, and Okuhle Fihla, while Dyani added three conversions.
Selborne College rose to the occasion and handed Graeme College a first loss of the season in East London on Saturday. Photo: Selborne College on Facebook.
In East London, Selborne College rose to the occasion where it mattered most – on the field of play – to register a notable win over the previously unbeaten Graeme College in a cracking encounter.
It was a game typical of the outstanding schools’ derbies in the Eastern Cape, with each side enjoying their moments. The contest was level at 19-19 with 20 minutes to go, but Selborne finally pulled away to win 34-26.
With lock Travis Enslin and centre Iviwe Kabale the standout players for Selborne, the home side put Graeme under sustained pressure from the start, and this allowed them to build a handy 12-0 lead through two tries.
But Graeme showed why they are so highly rated this season, particularly when they are on the attack. With no. 9 Luke Doyle calling the shots from the base of the scrum, and fullback Lucritia Magau a constant menace at the back, they bounced back with three tries to go ahead 19-12.
Trailing, Selborne showed their character by levelling the score and, although Graeme scored once more, the East London school capitalised on their chances to kick a penalty and score a fifth try.
Selborne’s dotted down through Sabelo Vuso (2), Enslin, Kabale and Reece Rasmussen, with Riley Hansel kicking three conversions and a penalty.
Tries for Graeme came from Doyle (2), Asakhe Ranuga, and Lucritia Magau, while Erin Nelson kicked three conversions.
With centre Matthew Lieberum outstanding in midfield, Marlow Agricultural was able to secure a solid 26-15 win over a competitive Hudson Park team in their clash at Marlow.
While hooker Herman le Roux and lock JG de Lange led the way up front, Lieberum kept the Hudson Park defence busy with his attacking runs and ability to break through a gap.
He was rewarded with a try, while other five-pointers came from Ockert du Preez, Le Roux and De Lange. Cole Hurter kicked two conversions and Jan-Louw du Plessis one.
Hudson, for whom fullback Zearan Booysen was outstanding, will be disappointed with the final result after trailing only 10-12 at the break.
They were let down by their discipline, which resulted in them being pinned down in their own territory and unable to capitalise on their chances.
This allowed Marlow to seize the initiative to pull away for another significant victory.
Scorers
Queen’s College 29 (7) – Tries: Ethan Oosthuizen, Bongo Nyakaza (2), Ncutu Kepe, Luhlumile Njokweni. Conversions: Inga Mnunu (2). Dale College 31 (24) – Tries: Lukho Mzingaye, Caleb Smith, Azole Sodlaka, Sonwabise Dyani and Okuhle Fihla. Conversions: Dyani (3).
Selborne College 34 (12) – Tries: Sabelo Vuso (2), Enslin, Kabale and Reece Rasmussen. Penalty: Riley Hansel. Conversions: Hansel (3). Graeme College 26 (5) – Tries – Luke Doyle (2), Asakhe Ranuga, Lucritia Magau. Conversions: Erin Nelson (3).
With the final whistle having just blown, Northwood’s Knights celebrated a memorable victory over DHS. Photo: Brad Morgan.
Some of the most physical and tightest battles in KwaZulu-Natal in recent seasons have been between Northwood and Durban High School (DHS), with DHS, apart from a 7-7 draw at Northwood in 2024, claiming the edge. On Saturday, the Knightsturned the tables, scoring a heart-stopping 17-14 win on Reece-Edwards Field.
“We’ve been waiting for that one for a while. The last three years, it has been tight, including a 7-7 draw here,” Northwood’s coach, Jacques Deen, said after the game, in between shaking the hands of beaming supporters of the home team.
“Today, the boys stuck to what they needed to do. We said from the beginning that we’re going to put pressure on them, and keep the ball away from them, and we did a good job of that, either from a tackle or defensive point of view. All systems worked nicely.”
Northwood started strongly, forcing a string of penalties out of DHS, which they used to kick to the corners. Eventually, that brought them a reward in the 13th minute when Kevin van Volenstee was driven over the line in the left-hand corner. Ludi van der Walt added a tough conversion to put the Knights 7-0 ahead.
Once Northwood had scored, though, DHS was able to loosen the shackles. Much like Northwood’s pressure had brought them a flurry of penalties, so did DHS’s pressure deliver a similar result. Yet, when the Horseflieshad an opportunity to kick to the corner, they instead opted for a kick at the posts, and Tanwil Onkers made it 7-3 in the 18th minute with a successful penalty from inside the home side’s 22.
Again, when DHS won a penalty inside the Knights’ 22 in the 26th minute, Onkers kicked for goal. They could have set up a five-metre lineout, but, in a change from their norm, they opted for the kick, and Onkers reduced the deficit to one point.
Northwood responded with a Ludi van der Walt penalty a couple of minutes later, but Onkers landed his third penalty kick right on the halftime whistle, and the Knights led 10-9 at the break.
Questioned about his side’s decisions to kick for touch and DHS opting for kicking penalties, Northwood coach Jacques Deen commented: “Maybe it was a technical thing. For us, it was more about playing with the wind. We’ll go for the corners and back our lineouts, and we scored two tries [from them].”
Northwood scrumhalf Ludi van der Walt played a pivotal role in his side’s win over DHS, kicking well tactically and, crucially, landing all three of his kicks. Photo: Brad Morgan.
In the second half, errors, forced and unforced, stymied the flow of the game.
DHS seemed strangely lifeless; their performance echoed their 7-7 draw with Northwood two years earlier. Then again, teams can play only as well as their opponents allow them to play.
From the sideline, DHS forwards’ coach Ronnie Uys exhorted the Horseflies to lift their energy. That got a response, with right-wing Richard Gyamfi going over in the corner from a chip and chase after 20 minutes.
It appeared that School, who had been on the back foot for much of the game, might snatch a win. But Northwood wasn’t done.
They drove into DHS territory, won a couple of penalties, and turned those into lineouts, from which they could attack. With only two minutes to play, they forced their way over, with Kevin van Volenstee again providing the finish.
The game was far from over, however.
As time wound down, the Knights found themselves camped on their own try line. Despite doing so much right, the result came down to a try line stand, with DHS threatening a smash-and-grab.
Coach Deen shared what was going through his mind watching his charges defending as if their lives depended on it: “I asked them a simple thing: put your bodies on the line. Do everything that you can do.
“I said to them at halftime, you’re not just representing yourself. You’re also representing your families and your school. You’re representing that one important person in your life. Let’s go. We have nothing to lose. They showed it today.”
A desperate tackle jarred the ball loose from Sterling Padi to prevent DHS from snatching a last-gasp win at Northwood. Photo: Brad Morgan.
There were only centimetres in it at the end. DHS substitute Sterling Padi raced into a gap, which quickly closed. He stretched out to ground the ball but lost it forward in a tackle. Knock on.
The final whistle blew, and Northwood’s supporters rushed the field as their exhausted players raised their arms in triumph.
It was a momentous win, a victory in which Northwood had, at last, removed a pesky monkey from their back.
“The good thing is that we had a lot of grade 11s on the field,” coach Jacques Deen said. “We brought [regular starters] Tristan Parkinson and Jamie Wimble onto the field only later in the game.
“Those boys became men today. It’s not every day you beat DHS. They’re a powerhouse. Peter Engledow and Ronnie Uys do a great job.”
Scores
Northwood 17 (10) – Tries: Kevin van Volenstee (2). Conversions: Ludi van der Walt (2). Penalty: Ludi van der Walt. Durban High School – Try: Richard Gyamfi. Penalties: Tanwil Onkers (3).
Results
u19
Northwood I 17 DHS I 14
Northwood II 12 DHS II 40
Northwood III 21 DHS III 49
Northwood IV 10 DHS IV 28
Northwood V 24 DHS V 10
Northwood VI 34 DHS VI 15
Northwood VII 26 DHS VII 31
Clifton and Glenwood started lowly but finished strongly as they shared a back-and-forth 3-3 draw. Photo: Brad Morgan.
With their scheduled clash with St Andrew’s School this weekend called off, Clifton College instead continued their preparation for the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield with an outing against Glenwood High School on Thursday evening at the Riverside Sports Club.
Clifton carried strong form into the match, having won four and drawn one at the Saint Stithians Easter Festival, where their victims included Falcon College, St Stithians, Reddam House Constantia, and Affies.
Glenwood, meanwhile, won one, drew one, and lost two at the KES Easter Festival, defeating Eldoraigne and drawing with Waterkloof, while going down to Grey College and Pearson, with the Gqeberha boys, who were unbeaten in Johannesburg, squeezing out a 1-0 win.
More recently, though, Glenwood demonstrated a strong team spirit by coming back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 with Maritzburg College.
On Thursday, they gave high-flying Clifton everything they had and, when the final whistle blew, Clifton had snatched a 3-3 draw with a penalty stroke only two-and-a-half minutes from time.
The boys are fighting. This is a different Glenwood,” the school’s Director of Hockey, Braydon Naidoo, told SuperSport Schools Plus. “They’re digging deep. The body language is good, there’s good energy, and they’re in the fight, and they’re expecting to get results from that.”
The match was a personal triumph for Daniel Ruiters. Left out of Glenwood’s squad for the KES Easter Festival, he delivered the kind of response that makes coaches happy by netting his first 1st XI hat-trick.
Early on, the contest lacked intensity, and it appeared as if it might be business as usual for Clifton when they turned their early territorial dominance into an eighth-minute lead, thanks to a calm reverse stick finish from Luke Carolan after a scramble in the Glenwood circle.
Through the first chukka, they appeared to be on cruise control, but Ruiters stunned the home side in the first minute of the second half by levelling the scores.
Clifton came close to taking the lead again from a penalty corner, but Ithani Doyi pulled off a magnificent goal-line save, rejecting Clifton captain Ryde Brisset‘s sizzling high shot. Almost immediately, Glenwood hit back, going the length of the field before Ruiters provided the finish to make it 2-1.
Given another penalty corner opportunity, Brisset changed his plan and fired a drag flick low and hard past the goalkeeper’s right to make it 2-2.
Stung by having fallen behind, Clifton picked up their intensity, but Glenwood matched them.
Deep into the fourth chukka, Clifton defender Tye Milne led an attack deep into Glenwood’s half, but when he was dispossessed, he slipped as he attempted to recover, and the visitors launched another scything counterattack. They opened up a one-man advantage, forcing Clifton goalkeeper Georg Wolhuter to come off his line, and a neat pass set up Ruiters for a tap-in.
Glenwood led 3-2 with little time remaining in the game. Credit to Clifton, they hungrily chased an equaliser, and they got it, courtesy of Milne, who was handed the responsibility of converting the penalty stroke after a Clifton attacker was taken out in the Glenwood circle.
Clifton’s coach, Calvin Price, was none too pleased with his side after the game. They hadn’t switched on until they found themselves trailing 1-2 in the second half. At the Hibbert Shield, not being switched on will cost them dearly.
On a positive note, it was a needed and timely reminder to Clifton that they need to be on song from the first whistle. that nothing is a given. They’ve been caught cold early on in a couple of matches this season, and will need to guard against that.
Glenwood’s players didn’t appear that happy with the draw either, which spoke volumes about the strides the school has made since Braydon Naidoo took charge of their programme two seasons ago. Go back three years, and Glenwood would have considered a draw a victory, but their disappointment in Thursday’s results revealed the standard to which the players now hold themselves.
“It was a cynical foul at the end there to give away the penalty stroke,” Naidoo admitted candidly. “That’s a disappointment, but I also think we’ve been close in the past two games against two teams we shouldn’t be close to, with those teams, Maritzburg College and Clifton, ranked among the top 15 in the country, and both are having cracker seasons.
“In the past five days, the boys have put in two big shifts. It shows character to come from behind in both games to get the draws. Props to the boys, they’re digging deep and giving everything. They’re well-conditioned.”
Naidoo revealed the talent that lies in the Glenwood ranks, explaining: “It’s a very young side, with four matrics. A couple of the guys are in grade 9 and grade 10, so there’s a lot to look forward to in the future.”
Good leadership has also helped Glenwood make up ground on other teams, he added: “We’ve got good leaders. Our Deputy Head Boy [Murray Wicks] leads the side, and there are good prefects around him as well.”
He concluded: “There is good energy around the programme at the moment. There’s a nice vibe and atmosphere. The future is bright. The boys can see that, and they’re hungry for it.”
DHS will put their clean record to the test at Northwood on Saturday. Photo: Gabby Swanepoel.
Durban High School (DHS), unbeaten thus far in 2026 – which is something that not many teams can claim – visits Northwood on Saturday for a showdown on Reece-Edwards Field. A demanding test awaits the Horseflies.
The Knightshave played DHS as well as any other team in School‘s recent highly successful seasons. They’ve made each meeting a down-and-dirty battle, limiting DHS’s opportunities to bring their backline into the game.
Last year, DHS won only 22-19 at home before firing on all cylinders in a 38-5 win at Northwood late in the season.
In 2024, when coach Peter Engledow‘s charges boasted the best defensive record in the country – they conceded 20 points only once, and that was 20 exactly in a 24-20 win over Jeppe – they were held to a 7-7 draw at Northwood and won 18-11 on Van Heerden’s Field.
DHS was last in action during the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, where they beat a feisty Hoërskool Zwartkop 31-14, Hoërskool Rustenburg 38-7, and HelpmekaarKollege 39-27. Northwood, meanwhile, thumped Marlow Landbou 47-7 and St Andrew’s College 52-21 at the KES Easter Festival.
Last weekend, the only thing separating the Knights from high-flying Westville Boys’ High on Bowden’s Field was the accurate boot of Westville flyhalf, Jade-Will Koopman. Both teams scored five tries, but Koopman converted all five for Westville to give his side a hard-fought 35-29 win.
Northwood is a rugged outfit, strong in the set pieces, which is a reflection of their coach, Jacques Deen. Typically, they make life difficult for their opposition at lineout time, and they contest everything on the ground.
That recipe has slowed down DHS in some of the recent meetings of the Durban rivals. It’s what they’ll need to focus on again on Saturday. If they don’t, DHS scrumhalf Richard Kriel will test them around the fringes of rucks and mauls. He showed against Helpmekaar that he can be a match-winner.
Accurate tactical kicking will be crucial, too. Last year, in a narrow 14-16 loss to Westville Boys’ High, one loose kick led to the Griffins‘ outstanding SA Schools’ fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya running in a stunning try. While Cilermo Carolus is not in Siyaya’s class, he’s a superb player in his own right, and he instigates many DHS counterattacks.
DHS also has excellent finishers, and their centre combination is outstanding. Byron Klaasin, at inside centre, delivers a physical onslaught, much like his predecessor, Zingce Simke, while outside of him, SA Schools’ centre Nathan Aneke is a smooth operator, who regularly slices through opposing defences.
Northwood’s backs, coached by Jeremy McLaren, showed at KES that they’re an exciting bunch. They turned cross-kicks and high kicks into devastating weapons in their win over St Andrew’s College. That was made possible by their pack, under the guidance of former Springbok prop Heinke van der Merwe, giving their backline good ball.
While Northwood has had to make do without their captain and Sharks no. 8, Jamie Wimble, they have in Kevin van Volenstee, a member of the Sharks’ Grant Khomo-winning team of 2026, a very capable replacement. One of the big questions about Saturday’s game is whether or not the inspirational Wimble will be available.
Reece-Edwards Field provides an impressive backdrop to the fixture. With the Indian Ocean in the background, and high stands on three sides of the field, it paints a pretty picture, but that peaceful venue will find itself enveloped by a wall of sound on Saturday.
Maritzburg College vs Pretoria Boys’ High
Maritzburg College hosts Pretoria Boys High on Goldstone’s on Saturday. Recent history favours the Red, Black, and White.
In 2025, they won 25-28 in Pretoria and 36-5 at home. In 2024, College triumphed 42-15 on Goldstone’s and 19-18 at Boys High. Going a little further back, College won by only five points and one point in 2019. But it was in 2017 that Pretoria Boys High last beat Maritzburg College. The good news is that they achieved that 17-10 win on Goldstone’s.
The home side’s recent form is good, however. They’ve won three in a row, conceding no more than 13 points in those games – beating Jeppe 35-12, SACS 24-7, and Glenwood 33-13 – and that’s something that will take a side a long way.
The Candies have been involved in higher-scoring clashes, winning three – 31-24 vs St Stithians, 35-34 vs SACS, and 14-3 vs Parktown Boys’ High – and losing two – 14-45 to Paul Roos and 20-43 to Rondebosch.
The key to victory lies in those aggregates. College would like to keep the game tighter, and Boys High would like to open it up. They have plenty of pace in their backline and have scored some thrilling tries this season.
Maritzburg College will aim to grind down the visitors. They have a solid pack, which is good in the set pieces, and strong when mauling. College possesses one of the best goal-kickers in the game in scrumhalf Dom du Toit, so PBHS will have to be disciplined when put under pressure by the College forwards.
Typically, matches between the schools have been entertaining affairs played in good spirits, so expect more of the same on Saturday.
After a win over KES last time out, Jeppe will be confident ahead of their clash against Westville Boys’ High, Photo: Jeppe High School for Boys on Facebook.
Jeppe High School for Boys vs Westville Boys’ High
Westville Boys’ High‘s unbeaten season in 2025 did not include a win over Jeppe High School for Boys. Heavy rains put paid to that clash on Bowden’s Field, so Saturday’s match on Collard Field will be a first meeting between the sides since 2024. That day, they dished up a delicious feast, with Jeppe scoring an exciting 31-24 win.
They also won 43-31 on Bowden’s Field in 2023, so Westville’s last win over the Kensington school dates back to 2022, when they blanked the Zebras in Johannesburg and won 15-0.
The visitors will be without their captain and South African Schools’ lock Lwandile Mlaba, and that’s a big blow. In his absence, Jade-Will Koopman captains the side. Mlaba has a wrist injury and will be undergoing a scan on Monday. It could rule him out of the Absa Wildeklawer tournament, where Westville faces Oakdale Landbou and Waterkloof.
Based on their current form, Westville should be favoured against Jeppe, but the 2026 season has been anything but predictable. While Jeppe has made an average start, winning four and drawing three, their record includes a 29-26 victory over Garsfontein. Garsiesis the only team to have beaten Stellenberg High thus far, and Stellies have already accounted for Paarl Gimnasium, Grey College, and Paul Roos Gimnasium.
Last weekend, Jeppe scored a morale-boosting 31-24 home victory over King Edward VII (KES). They were, however, beaten in their two matches against KwaZulu-Natal opposition at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Rugby Festival, going down 12-35 to Maritzburg College and 36-40 to Michaelhouse.
They were 12-33 down to ‘House before a late burst made it a tight game, and that’s something that one can take to the bank: Jeppe will fight to the final whistle.
They’re recognised as a side with fantastic flair when playing with quality ball, but Westville, given the same service, possesses one of the fastest, most skilled backlines in the game. They’re well-directed by flyhalf Koopman, and they possess in outside centre, Jadrian Afrikaner, a complete backline player, who has demonstrated time after time in 2026 why he was included in the South African Schools side last year.
Westville could consider themselves unfortunate to have lost their season-opener at Hilton College by four points, going down 35-29, but Hilton, who are unbeaten, are an impressive unit. They beat Australia’s Nudgee College 17-12 after Nudgee had handed Grey College a 29-26 loss.
Since that setback, Westville has been on a roll, racking up five wins on the trot, including winning a slugfest against Northwood last weekend 35-29. The Knights are a hard-nosed outfit, and they matched the Griffins with five tries apiece.
The question to be answered is how much did that win take out of Westville? Not only do they have to deal with Jeppe’s onslaught, but they’ll also have to contend with the high altitude of Johannesburg.
TEAMS
Northwood vs DHS at Northwood at 14:00.
DHS: 15 Cilermo Carolus, 14 Ama Mataboge, 13 Nathan Aneke, 12 Byron Klaasin, 11 Richard Gyamfi, 10 Tanwil Onkers, 9 Richard Kriel, 8 Daniel Kazambo, 7 Zion Smith, 6 Okhule Mbanjwa, 5 Bulla Cebani, 4 Ambiswe Sipanga, 3 Priden Sibiya, Iglisias Bruiners, 1 Likho Konza
Northwood N/A
Maritzburg College vs Pretoria Boys High in Pietermaritzburg at 15:30
Northwood and Westville scored five tries each, but Westville converted all of theirs to record a six-point win. Photo: Northwood School on Facebook.
After teams from KwaZulu-Natal lit up Easter rugby festivals, interest in the game in the province is at an all-time high, and there are a good number of sides in the running to claim the status of top dogs.
Just down the road, at the KES Easter Festival, Northwood ripped through Marlow Landbou, cruising to a 47-7 win, before dismantling St Andrew’s College 52-21.
Three KZN sides went unbeaten at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF). Westville Boys’ High thumped Framesby 83-0and followed up that extraordinary performance with a 33-17 win over Helpmekaar Kollege and a 41-3 defeat of Milnerton High.
In local matches played before the festivals, Hilton edged out Westville 39-35on Gilfillan Field, while Michaelhouse pushed DHS all the way on Van Heerden’s Field but fell 21-26. They won against Northwood on Baileys, in Balgowan, though, coming away with a 28-14 victory.
All of the above is a roundabout way of saying that KZN boasts many well-matched top-level teams in 2026. They’ve demonstrated their competitiveness against the country’s traditional powers and other leading sides, and they will improve as the season progresses.
In a season already filled with eye-opening upsets, Hilton College, Kearsney College, and DHS are unbeaten thus far. Paul Roos, Grey College, Paarl Gimnasium, Paarl Boys’ High, and Stellenberg High, who have already beaten the first three, have all lost. That makes it the most interesting and unpredictable season in ages.
Both headed into the clash high in confidence. They understood, though, that it was likely to be a tight contest.
In early 2025, Westville won a bruising showdown 16-14 on Reece-Edwards Field, before going on to achieve the first unbeaten season in the school’s history. On Saturday, it was tight again, but once more the contest tilted Westville’s way, with the home side claiming an entertaining 35-29 victory.
“It’s always tough playing them,” Westville coach Zander Erasmus told SuperSport Schools Plus. “We started really well, going 14-0 up. I thought our forwards laid a very good platform.
“But they clawed their way back, scoring two tries of their own. It was 14-10 at one stage, and then we scored again.” By halftime, the Griffinsled 28-15, but Northwood had plenty of fight left in them.
“We kicked a lot on them, making them turn, testing them under the high balls. In the second half, they tried to do the same to us. They kicked on us, and they backed their forwards. They scored a nice maul try,” Erasmus recalled.
Up front, he said, matters didn’t go smoothly for either team. “The scrums were not as good as they could have been. There were a lot of scrum penalties. That made it a stop/start affair.
“But there were signs that both wanted to attack and be physical and dominant through their pack.
The contest was decided only when the final whistle blew, as Erasmus explained. “I thought we did well, right at the end, when we picked up a yellow card in the last 10 minutes. They had a penalty kick for touch. They wanted to maul, but we counter-mauled, pushing them back about eight metres. We won a scrum, and the final whistle was blown.”
He described the goal-kicking of flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman as “sensational”. The Westville pivot converted each of his side’s five tries. Northwood converted only two of their five, and those six points were the difference in the end.
“All in all, it was a lekker game for the neutral fan because it was end-to-end stuff. The game was played in a really good spirit. It was high-tempo rugby and a classic local derby,” Erasmus concluded.
The Griffins’ hooker, Rorke Stirk, produced an outstanding performance and was rewarded with the second try of the contest, slipping a tackle with a big handoff before charging through to score from 20 metres out.
He was joined on the scoresheet by Ezra Karosilin, who switched from playing wing at KERF to flank on Saturday. Ngcali-Ka-Reve Nonxuba went over after a 50-22 from the impressive Lux Sonkononkono. Levi Allan scored, too, and Landle Makhanya, the 8th-man, scored the try of the day, handing off two players before bashing his way through two more to score.
The Knights showed just how physical they could be, also crossing for five tries against a very physical defensive unit, with four of them coming from Northwood’s forwards: hooker Zak Vrey, flank Tinayeishe Ruwana, prop Sphe Mlongo, and lock Nala Shabangu.
Wing Andile Thwala added their other try, and they did it all without their sidelined skipper, Sharks no. 8, Jamie Wimble, whose place was very well filled by Kevin van Volenstee.
While Westville came away with the win, Northwood served notice that they remain among the province’s top teams, well capable of challenging and beating any of KZN’s leading teams.
Maritzburg College scored 21 points without reply in the second half to turn a one-point deficit at halftime into a 33-13 win. Photo: Maritzburg College on Facebook.
Glenwood High vs Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College made the short trip to Durban on Saturday for a showdown with Glenwood High on Dixon’s Field.
After a strong showing at the Pretoria Boys’ High 125th Festival, where they beat Jeppe 35-12 and SACS 24-7, College carried confidence into the clash.
Glenwood spent the Easter long weekend at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, where they fell 5-24 to Helpmekaar Kollege and 14-15 to Framesby. However, they ended with a hard-fought 14-12 win over Dr EG Jansen.
In recent seasons, the pendulum has swung College’s way in their rivalry with the Green Machine, but Dixon’s has been a tough hunting ground for the Pietermaritzburg school. They won 14-10 there in 2025 after a 37-25 win at Goldstone’s earlier in the season. In 2024, they completed their first double over Glenwood since 2005, winning 39-20 on Goldstone’s and 18-7 on Dixon’s.
The danger that awaited them on Glenwood’s home field was revealed in 2023, though, when a College side that had enjoyed a strong season, which included a convincing 42-15 win over the Green Machine at home, ended with a 24-27 defeat on Dixon’s. That same College team had put 51 points on Affies in a 21-point victory in Pretoria.
On Saturday in Durban, though, the Red, Black, and Whiteruled the roost, turning a tight 12-13 halftime deficit into a 33-13 victory.
For Glenwood, their challenge thus far in 2026 has been putting together a complete game, and that was again the case.
Scrumhalf Vincenzo Loutz, one of their leading performers at KERF, gave the hosts the lead with an early penalty, but College turned a try line siege into five points to take the lead and added a converted try to make it 12-3.
Glenwood’s response was outstanding. They gained momentum and forced College back into their territory. Then, just before halftime, they struck twice. Outside centre Cade Isaacs bounced off a couple of tacklers before crashing over for a try, and Loutz added the extras. Another penalty from Loutz edged the Green Machine ahead.
College seized the initiative early in the second half, driving Glenwood back towards the Green Machine’s try line, and the visitors’ big tighthead Alanda Ngubane corkscrewed his way over to put them back in front. They never trailed again. A successful conversion from the reliable right boot of Dom du Toit made it 19-12.
A favourable bounce of the ball, after a well-directed box kick from Du Toit, got College onto the front foot in the 51st minute after a back-and-forth arm wrestle to start the second half. Lock Sean Jansen took play up to the hosts’ 22, and College built momentum through phase after phase. Only a knock-on right on the try line stopped them from adding to their total.
Glenwood, though, was unable to exit their 22, and College turned a subsequent lineout into a rolling maul, which brought them a try from their feisty hooker Theo Boshoff from 15 metres out. Another accurate conversion kick from Du Toit took them 13 points clear.
The last points of the game came with seven minutes to go. College, with the bit between their teeth, were back inside the Glenwood 22, and, after no. 8 Rory Stanton dented the Glenwood defensive line with a snipe, Boshoff was the first to the loose ball, snatching it off the ground before spinning his way over for a second five-pointer.
Dom du Toit nailed the simple conversion, and Maritzburg College went on to a 33-13 victory.
Scorers
Westville 35 (28) – Tries: Ezra Karosilin, Rorke Stirk, Ngcali-Ka-Reve Nonxuba, Levi Allan, Lwandle Makhanya. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (5). Northwood 29 (15) – Tries: Zak Vrey, Andile Thwala, Tinayeishe Rowana, Sphe Mlongo, Nala Shabangu. Conversions: Ludi van der Walt (2).
Glenwood 13 (13) – Try; Cade Isaacs. Conversion: Vincenzo Loutz. Penalties: Vincenzo Loutz (2) Maritzburg College 33 (13) – Tries: Theo Boshoff (2), Alanda Ngubane. N/A. Conversions: Dom du Toit.
Glenwood vs Maritzburg College Played: 21 | Glenwood won: 0 | Maritzburg College won: 21
u19
Westville II 26 Northwood II 5; Glenwood II 12 Maritzburg College 22
Westville III 17 Northwood III 17; Glenwood III 5 Maritzburg College III 41
Westville IV 5 Northwood IV 35; Glenwood IV 0 Maritzburg College IV 52
Westville V 12 Northwood V 22; Glenwood V 5 Maritzburg College V 38
Westville VI 14 Northwood VI 7; Glenwood VI 5 Maritzburg College VI 29
Westville VII 50 Northwood VII 0; Glenwood VII 7 Maritzburg College VII 40
u16
A: Westville 24 Northwood 0; Glenwood 15 Maritzburg College 25 B: Westville 39 Northwood 7; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 36 C: Westville 21 Northwood 0; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 50 D: Westville 45 Northwood 0; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 50
u15
A: Westville 20 Northwood 7; Glenwood 3 Maritzburg College 66 B: Westville 33 Northwood 0; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 25 C: Westville 41 Northwood 6; Glenwood 7 Maritzburg College 50 D: Westville 55 Northwood 5; Glenwood 15 Maritzburg College 48 E: Glenwood 3 Maritzburg College 69 u14
A: Westville 17 Northwood 12; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 22 B: Westville 52 Northwood 5; Glenwood 19 Maritzburg College 24 C: Westville 24 Northwood 0; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 66 D: Westville 36 Northwood 10; Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 55 E: Glenwood 0 Maritzburg College 50
DHS wing Richard Gyamfi scored two tries in the Horseflies’ thrilling 39-27 win over Helpmekaar Kollege. Photo: Gabby Swanepoel.
Durban High School (DHS), Westville Boys’ High, and Kearsney College finished the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival(KERF) with three wins from three matches each as the annual event concluded with some outstanding clashes on Monday in Botha’s Hill.
DHS recorded their third successive year with an unbeaten record, beating Hoërskool Zwartkop 31-14, Hoërskool Rustenburg 38-7, and Helpmekaar Kollege 39-27. Credit to all three of those teams, though. They were in action at KERF after playing twice at the Noord/Suid tournament, and they impressed with their conditioning and fighting spirit.
Monday’s showdown between DHS and Helpmekaar Kollege crackled with electricity and quality. Apart from the goal kicking – and almost every team struggled in the cool breeze on a grey day – the match was loaded with highlights.
Early on, it appeared as if DHS was going to blow Helpies out of the water. They ran in three tries within the first 12 minutes, first driving hooker Iglisias Bruiners over in the third minute before SA Schools’ centre Nathan Aneke scored with an outside break, which he followed with the scoring pass to wing Richard Gyamfi for School‘s third. Their pace, precision, and intensity meant Helpmekaar barely tasted possession.
When, at last, they did, winning a free kick on the DHS 22, they turned it into a try for Zuan Krige in the left-hand corner. Xander Jackson then crossed for a try from a five-metre lineout, and the one-way traffic had suddenly evaporated.
Both teams moved the ball smoothly along their backlines, with Helpmekaar scrumhalf, Shaye Lourens, providing an excellent service. He was named the Backline Player of the Festival and included in KERF Festival XV, along with tighthead prop Karlo Steenkamp.
It was, however, his opposite number, Richard Kriel, who lit up the contest. A searing break just before halftime led to a second try for Richard Gyamfi, and Kriel later, deservedly, added one of his own.
It was 22-10 at halftime, and DHS extended their advantage to 34-10, with Kriel’s try and a second from Nathan Aneke, but Helpmekaar, with unrelenting will, hit back quickly through Zuan Krige, his second, before DHS captain Zion Smith ran back a clearing kick from the halfway to make it 39-17.
The inspirational DHS leader was included in the Festival XV, along with DHS loosehead prop Likho Konza, their powerful inside centre Byron Klaasin, and right wing Ama Mataboge.
It was all over bar the shouting, but Helpies, impressively, kept fighting and added further unconverted tries from Daniël van der Linden and Daylan Ferreira to finish the game with a flourish.
Westville Boys’ High vs Milnerton High
Westville Boys’ High completed a clean run at Kearsney for a second successive year, dispatching a game Milnerton High 41-3.
It was a comfortable win, but Millies, although outgunned, showed a strong team spirit to cause a few flutters in the Westville ranks. When their captain Chadlin Sellidon landed a late penalty to get them onto the scoreboard, it felt right that they weren’t blanked.
Westville boasts some searing pace in their backline, and it was left-wing Lisa Sijadu who stole the spotlight on Saturday, crossing for a hat-trick. However, the unquestionable class of a classy unit was South African Schools’ wing, Jadrian Afrikaner, who filled the outside centre role for the Griffins.
A devastating finisher, blessed with power, pace, and vision, he was an easy choice for the Festival XV, which also included SA Schools’ lock Lwandile Mlaba and utility back, Lux Sonkononkono, who cracked the nod on the left wing.
Much like DHS, Westville’s success was built upon a solid foundation laid by their pack, with their tight five performing strongly in the set scrums, their lineouts functioning efficiently, and their loose forwards putting in dominant shifts. Both sides enjoyed outstanding performances from their powerful no. 8s, with Daniel Kazambo doing the job for DHS, and Lwandile Makhanya catching the eye for Westville.
Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Zwartkop
Kearsney College captain Nhlanhla Ndlovu puts Lwandle Mkhize in for the One-Stripe’s third try against Hoërskool Zwartkop. Photo: Gabby Swanepoel.
Kearsney College closed the festival with a battling 24-21 victory over HoërskoolZwartkop, leaving the local lads with an unbeaten run. Zwarries, a late replacement for the Italian outfit, Verona, won themselves many admirers for their outstanding play and never-say-die spirit. Their inclusion proved to be a big boost for the event.
They stunned the One-Stripe on Saturday by crossing for two early tries, the first from a rolling maul, with loosehead prop Matthew Smith crashing over in the third minute, and the second after nine minutes, from left-wing Stiaan Botha, whose mazy run left three would-be tacklers grasping at a ghost.
Zwartkop’s general at no. 10, Tilon Baron, slotted the conversions to put Kearsney into a 0-14 hole, which was something they hadn’t yet had to deal with this season.
The home side’s inspirational captain, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, got them onto the scoreboard with a try from a maul, converted by flyhalf Daniel Miskey, which left Kearsney 7-14 down at the interval.
Ndlovu, who was named the Forward of the Festival, struck again early in the second half, and Miskey’s conversion hit the left-hand upright before bouncing over the crossbar, which levelled the scores.
The Kearsney skipper could have easily scored a third try, but he, unselfishly, put left-wing Lwandle Mkhize in for a try.
At 19-14, coach Grant Bashford‘s side was not safe, and they squandered some good scoring opportunities, which also had plenty to do with Zwarries’ desperate and stubborn defence.
Miskey was wide left with an attempted drop from about 27 metres. Undeterred, he landed a drop from 45 metres to take his side more than a converted try clear. It wasn’t a reflection of his or Kearsney’s desperation against Zwartkop’s ferocious defence. Rather, it spoke volumes about the hours of practice Miskey must have put into executing the skill in a pressure situation.
Down but not out, Zwarries had the final say, with Jurie Janse van Rensburg, with the backing of his fellow forwards and a group of backs, being shoved over the try line in the last movement of the match.
Their captain, David van Jaarsveld, was an impressive performer in the midfield, a physical presence on both attack and defence, who set the standard and the tone for the Pretoria school. His all-out, put your body on the line effort was inspiring
Miskey joined Ndlovu in the Festival XV, which also featured Kearsney fullback, Lwazi Mbebe, whose unpredictable counterattacking tore opposition defences to shreds. Zwartkop, meanwhile, placed hooker Regan Blignaut in the Festival XV.
Labuschagne, scored a hat-trick against a game Peterhouse side. Photo: Gabby Swanepoel.
Peterhouse vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
In the day’s other matches, Zimbabwe’s Peterhouse had Hoërskool Rustenburg reeling, with their high-tempo approach setting Rusties on the back foot.
Lock Thian Labuschagne was having none of it, however, and he delivered a fiery performance, setting a superb example, which brought him three tries as Rustenburg turned a 7-10 halftime deficit into a battling 26-17 victory.
He was the contest’s standout performer, but it was Peterhouse’s powerhouse no. 8, Prosper Zimbango, who cracked the nod for the Festival XV. His inclusion meant Kearsney skipper, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, was selected at no. 6 flank.
Glenwood High vs Dr EG Jansen
After back-to-back losses to Helpmekaar and Framesby, Glenwood High gave their local supporters something to cheer by outlasting Dr EG Jansen 14-12.
Their number eight, Makhaya Mbaile, had himself a game, dotting down twice, while Vincenzo Loutz, who shone at scrumhalf, added the all-important conversion kicks.
Jansies played some good rugby, but were undone by unforced errors, which plagued them throughout the festival. They didn’t lack effort.
While Mbaile picked up two tries, Glenwood’s hooker, Tyler Leon, made his presence felt with a couple of barnstorming runs. He was strong, too, at the breakdowns, contesting possession.
The Green Machine‘s captain, Sambesiwe Ndamase, all 1.98m and 110 kilograms of him, was named in the Festival XV. He produced a lead-by-example, solid performance.
A last-minute penalty conversion by flyhalf Miles Feltham lifted Hoërskool Framesby to victory over Hoërskool Transvalia. Photo: Gabby Swanepoel.
Hoërskool Framesby vs Hoërskool Transvalia
The final word, though, goes to Hoërskool Framesby. Thrashed 83-0 by Westville on the opening day, they demonstrated huge heart, beating Glenwood in their second outing before finishing with a 10-7 win over Hoërskool Transvalia.
In a physical sport, like rugby, there are few places to hide, and the Gqeberha school, admirably, used their big defeat as motivation to outlast their next two opponents in matches that went down to the wire.
Their wins were a triumph of the spirit, and Framesby’s players will benefit from the life lessons they taught themselves in those gripping victories.
Transvalia finished with a record of one win and two losses, with their other defeat coming against Kearsney on Saturday. Ironically, their second half in the loss to the One-Stripe was, arguably, the best rugby they played. In fact, they shaded it 10-7, outscoring the hosts by two tries to one in the second stanza.
With three KZN sides going unbeaten, and others, including Hilton College and Michaelhouse, scoring headline-stealing wins over the Easter weekend, enthusiasm for the forthcoming derbies in the province is at an all-time high. A mouthwatering season awaits.
Scores
Transvalia 7 (0) – Tries: Lorenzo Flynn. Conversion: Chester MacCammel. Framesby 10 (7) – Tries: Josh Potgieter. Conversion: Miles Feltham. Penalty: Miles Feltham.
Glenwood 14 (14) – Tries: Makhaya Mbaile (2). Conversions: Vincenzo Loutz (2). EG Jansen 12 (0) – Tries: Christopher van Rooyen, Elshaan Duminy. Conversions: AJ Oeschiger.
