{"id":70770,"date":"2025-04-25T12:54:40","date_gmt":"2025-04-25T10:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=70770"},"modified":"2025-04-25T12:54:40","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T10:54:40","slug":"dhs-vs-northwood-in-big-kzn-clash-surging-kearsney-tackles-glenwood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=70770","title":{"rendered":"DHS vs Northwood in big KZN clash, surging Kearsney tackles Glenwood"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"DHS
DHS showed, in a convincing win over Monument at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, that their pack stands back for no one. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Durban High School vs Northwood School<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last year’s two best teams in KwaZulu-Natal, highlight Saturday’s schedule in the province, with Durban High School (DHS)<\/strong> taking on Northwood<\/strong> on Van Heerden’s Field<\/strong> at 15:30, in Durban.<\/p>\n

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

It will be a down ‘n dirty scrap featuring two powerful and abrasive packs. They’re well-coached, structurally sound, and they hit hard.<\/p>\n

Northwood has lost only once in 2025, a narrow 14-16 defeat against Westville Boys’ High<\/strong>, who, together with DHS, are the lone unbeaten KZN teams. But the three teams just mentioned have shown that rugby in the province is in a healthy state this season.<\/p>\n

The Knights<\/strong> <\/em>visited Johannesburg for the KES Easter Rugby Festival<\/strong> and overran Pearson<\/strong> 61-14 before having their match against KES<\/strong> called off because of lightning when leading 12-7 in the second half.<\/p>\n

Coach Jacques Deen<\/strong>‘s team is relentless, which is what Pearson discovered, but so, too, is coach Peter Engledow<\/strong>‘s DHS side. Last season, they drew 7-7 at Northwood before DHS triumphed 18-11 in a tight tussle at home.<\/p>\n

It’s likely to be an arm wrestle again. Both sides play a similarly abrasive game up front and both boast backs with the potential to tear up the opposition.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most interesting battle to watch will be in the midfield where DHS wrecking ball Zingce Simka<\/strong>, alongside Nathan Aneke<\/strong>, will face the fleet-footed Bongane Khumalo<\/strong>, who partners Tristan Parkinson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Simka and Khumalo offer a fascinating contrast of styles. Simka, especially near the try line, is a hard-to-stop, try-scoring machine. Khumalo is a smaller player, but slippery as they come. His path over the whitewash is usually less direct, but he, too, is an excellent finisher.<\/p>\n

DHS went unbeaten at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival for a second season in succession, scoring three emphatic wins over Ho\u00ebrskool Rustenburg<\/strong> (41-7), Ho\u00ebrskool Monument<\/strong> (32-17), and Ho\u00ebrskool Durbanville<\/strong> 33-5.<\/p>\n

Last year, they had a legitimate claim to fielding the best defensive outfit in the country, conceding only 133 points in 15 matches, which is less than nine a game. While not quite up to that standard yet this season, there are signs that it’s becoming an ever-greater challenge to breach their defences. The Knights, though, will put that to the test.<\/p>\n

Expect more of a test match-style game than a typical schoolboy running game, but anything is possible when two quality outfits butt heads.<\/p>\n

Kearsney College vs Glenwood High School<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Lock
Lock Joseph Roylance impressed for Kearsney at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival with his high work rate and all-round game. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stott Field<\/strong> hosts Kearsney College<\/strong> against Glenwood<\/strong>. That clash has the look of a sneaky-good matchup.<\/p>\n

Playing on the same field at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, Glenwood drew 26-26 with Monument, edged out Milnerton<\/strong> 37-34 in a thriller, and handed Dale College<\/strong> a 33-12 loss.<\/p>\n

Kearsney opened with a 24-29 setback against Dr EG Jansen<\/strong>, coming alive in the second half of that match after starting slowly, to outscore the Boksburg boys 24-12 in the second stanza. They, then, beat Dale 34-13 before ending the festival with a 48-8 romp against Peterhouse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

First things first, Glenwood is a far better, more cohesive unit than last year’s 1st<\/sup> XV. They played some excellent rugby at Kearsney, especially in the first half of their match against Milnerton, which they led 29-0, thanks to their clinical ball movement and finishing. The concern for the Green Machine<\/strong><\/em> will be the fact that they allowed Millies<\/strong> <\/em>back into the contest, which was tied 34-34 before Joshua Kopp<\/strong> landed a late penalty to win it.<\/p>\n

Led by Tylo Madaat<\/strong>, Glenwood’s lineout looks like a strength of the side, and another big unit, captain Lizwe Mtetwa<\/strong>, brings solidity and power to their midfield.<\/p>\n

Between the backline and the forwards, scrumhalf Lian Lochner<\/strong> is a livewire and a try-scoring threat. He performed impressively at the Easter Festival.<\/p>\n

Kearsney, after a deflating showing in a big defeat against Hilton College<\/strong>, has won four out of five since (and they will surely feel they should have beaten EG Jansen), and those wins include victories over Pretoria Boys High<\/strong> and Hudson Park<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Under the guidance of coach Grant Bashford<\/strong>, they appear to be going from strength to strength, and they played an enterprising 15-man game at the Easter Festival, with both the back and forwards making big contributions to the points’ scoring.<\/p>\n

Looking at their standouts, an obvious one would be their eighthman, Nhlanhla Ndlovu<\/strong>, who was named to the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival. He led the way for an energetic and industrious pack.<\/p>\n

At the back, Doan Nel<\/strong>, at centre, caught the eye with his excellent all-round game – physical and hard-hitting on defence, while also consistently denting opposing defences and setting up his support players for scores on the attack.<\/p>\n

Last year, Kearsney won on Dixon’s Field<\/strong> for the first time since 2013, scraping a 25-22 victory over Glenwood.<\/p>\n

TEAMS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Durban High School vs Northwood School, Van Heerden’s Field, at 15:30<\/strong><\/p>\n

Durban High School:<\/strong>\u00a015 Cilermo Carolus, 14 Richard Gyamfi,13 Nathan Aneke,12 Zingce Simka, 11 Zenkosi Mthiyane, 10 Jordan van Wyk, 9 Jaydon Roberts 8 Bradley La Grange, 7 Zion Smith, 6 Daniel Ikotela, 5 Ambesiwe Sipango, 4 Vimbiso Kasvosve, 3 Bobby Udo-Idung, 2 Okuhle Bmanjwa, 1 Likho Khonza.<\/p>\n

Northwood School:<\/strong> 15 Trevor van Volenstee, 14 Abenati Ntsele, 13 Bongane Khumalo, 12 Tristan Parkinson, 11 Aphiwe Buthelezi, 10 Savio Stevens, 9 Jed Mun-Gavin, 8 Jamie Wimble, 7 Lusanda Mabizela, 6 Mpendulo Hleleni, 5 Chad Howe, 4 Lian Terblanche, 3 Rowana Tanaya Mumberai, 2 Ayavuyu Makula, 1 Sphephelo Ntshangase.<\/p>\n

Kearsney College vs Glenwood High School, Stott Field, at 15:00<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kearsney College:<\/strong> 15 Lwazi Mbebe, 14 Valentino Lenge, 13 Doan Nel, 12 Keanu Williamson, 11 Lwandle Mkhize, 10 Jayden Jonsson, 9 Fynn Verbaan, 8 Nhlenhla Ndlovu, 7 Ndabenhle Mkhize 6 Simanye Mlakalaka, 5 Joseph Roylance, 4 Mark van der Merwe, 3 Azania Thela, 2 Micah van Wyk, 1 Luke Faur\u00e9<\/p>\n

Glenwood High School:<\/strong> TBA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Durban High School vs Northwood School Last year’s two best teams in KwaZulu-Natal, highlight Saturday’s schedule in the province, with Durban High School (DHS) taking on Northwood on Van Heerden’s Field at 15:30, in Durban. Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools! It will be a down ‘n dirty scrap featuring two powerful and abrasive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":70717,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70770"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70770\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}