{"id":78611,"date":"2025-08-01T10:45:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T08:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=78611"},"modified":"2025-08-01T10:45:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T08:45:02","slug":"northwood-tackles-dhs-under-friday-night-lights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=78611","title":{"rendered":"Northwood tackles DHS under Friday night lights"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"When
When they met on Van Heerden’s Field on 26 April, DHS scored a hard-fought three-point win over Northwood after a tough, physical battle. Photo: Brad Morgan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Friday evenings are usually the domain of Hyundai Friday <\/strong><\/span>Nite<\/span><\/strong> Lights<\/strong> hockey matches, but on Friday the Northwood<\/strong> and Durban High School (DHS)<\/strong> 1st XVs will clash under lights on Reece-Edwards Field<\/strong>. Kick-off is at 18:30.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

While DHS has enjoyed the advantage in recent meetings, their showdowns with the Knights<\/strong> have been among their most physical and challenging outings.<\/p>\n

They met earlier in the season, in late April, on Van Heerden’s Field<\/strong>, and it took a gritty come-from-behind performance for School<\/strong><\/em> to score a narrow 22-19 victory<\/strong> <\/a>over the visitors. Northwood led 12-0 at halftime.<\/span><\/p>\n

They’ve made it tough on DHS in recent seasons by taking the contest down into the gutter – mauling, hitting the ball up on the fringes, contesting every ball – and that has restricted the Horseflies<\/strong><\/em>‘ opportunities.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Saturday, in Johannesburg, DHS ran in four tries in an impressive 24-10 victory over Jeppe<\/strong><\/a>, with three of those four coming from long range, and because Daniel <\/strong><\/span>Ikotela<\/span><\/strong> and his side moved the ball quickly wide. That’s where the Knights enjoyed success against DHS in their meeting in May, so there could be an interesting mirror image approach to attacking from both outfits on Friday evening.<\/span><\/p>\n

It all starts up front, however, as any South African rugby fan will tell you, and both sides have rugged, powerful packs. Both went down to Paarl <\/strong><\/span>Gim<\/span><\/strong> at the Absa <\/strong><\/span>Wildeklawer<\/span><\/strong> Festival<\/strong> in Kimberley, but both had the <\/span>Gim<\/span> pack in reverse on a number of occasions at scrum time. Both packs add up to more than the sum of their parts with their cohesive contestation of the ball.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last weekend, though, Northwood struggled at lineout time during their patchy 19-11 win over Glenwood<\/strong><\/a>. Usually, lineouts are one of the Knights’ strengths, both on their own ball and on the opposition’s throw-in – coach Jacques <\/strong><\/span>Deen<\/span><\/strong> is an outstanding mentor at the set piece – but did the match reveal something that DHS might target on Friday evening?<\/span><\/p>\n

When one thinks of game breakers, it’s the midfield of both teams that catches the eye, except, though, that DHS will be without their powerful inside centre, <\/span>Zingce<\/span> Simka<\/span><\/strong>, a huge try-scoring threat, especially from close range. He’s out of the contest, with <\/span>Peleneo<\/span> Shakwane<\/span><\/strong> tasked with filling <\/span>Simka’s<\/span> big boots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Outside of him, SA Schools’ centre Nathan <\/strong>Aneke<\/span><\/strong> is a thrill waiting to happen with his electric pace and eye for a gap. He’s silky skilled.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the Northwood side, <\/span>Bongane<\/span><\/strong> Khumalo<\/strong> is usually at the heart of the Northwood’s attacking forays. He’s fast footed, with a sharp sidestep, and also is adept at creating overlaps. Besides him, Tristan Parkinson<\/strong> is more physical and an effective foil to Khumalo’s playmaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

If it’s playmaking one’s discussing, then Northwood and Sharks’ 8th-man, Jamie Wimble<\/strong>, is a player that has to be part of the conversation. A top all-rounder on the cricket field, he brings those ball skills to his game. He’s a physical defender and a dangerous runner, often breaking the gain-line<\/span> by running well considered lines.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the DHS side of things, their captain Daniel <\/span>Ikotela<\/span> is an all-out lead-by-example type – not the biggest flank, but a powerful ball carrier and a hard-hitting defender.<\/span><\/p>\n

One player missing from Northwood’s win over Glenwood was SA Schools A<\/strong> loose forward\/lock Lian Terblanche<\/strong>. His return to the Knights’ ranks is a big boost for the home team, and his addition could be what they need to solve their lineout issues.<\/p>\n

Friday’s teams are, in many ways, similar. They’ve had some tremendous battles in recent seasons, and, for that reason, a deep respect resides in the players for one another. At the same time, that makes them all the more determined to take the win.<\/span><\/p>\n

The last time DHS visited Northwood, in 2024, the Knights frustrated the Horseflies and held them to a 7-7 draw. Later in the season, DHS scored a hard-fought 18-11 win<\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The last time they met under lights at Northwood was in July 2023, when DHS won 27-5. It’s been nothing but tough sledding for School against the Knights since, and Northwood would like nothing more than to get one over DHS in front of their home supporters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Teams:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Northwood vs DHS at Reece Edwards Field, Durban, at 18:30 on Friday evening<\/strong><\/p>\n

Northwood\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

15 Trevor von Volenstee, 14 Anesu <\/span>Kuzonyei<\/span>, 13 Bongane Khumalo, 12 Tristan Parkinson, 11 Aphiwe Maphisa, 10 Savio Stevens, 9 Jed Mun-Gavin, 8 Jamie Wimble, 7 <\/span>Ayavuya<\/span> Makula<\/span>, 6 Omari Mabuza, 5 Chad Howe, 4 Lian Terblanche, 3 Janco Visagie, 2 7 Chulumanco Kholisa<\/span>, 1 Sphe Ntshangase.<\/p>\n

DHS<\/strong><\/p>\n

15 <\/span>Cilermo<\/span> Carolus, 14 Amo <\/span>Mataboge<\/span>, 13 Nathan <\/span>Aneke<\/span>, 12 <\/span>Peleneo<\/span> Shakwane<\/span>, 11 <\/span>Zenkosi<\/span> Mthiyane<\/span>, 10 Jordan van <\/span>Wyk<\/span>, 9 <\/span>Marcwin<\/span> Nero, 8 Bradley la Grange, 7 Jose Lottering, 6 Daniel <\/span>Ikotela<\/span>, 5 Zion Smith, 4 Vimbiso <\/span>Kasvosve<\/span>, 3 Omphiwe Kola, 2 <\/span>Okhule<\/span> Mbanjwa<\/span>, 1 <\/span>Elvino<\/span> Witbooi.<\/span><\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Friday evenings are usually the domain of Hyundai Friday Nite Lights hockey matches, but on Friday the Northwood and Durban High School (DHS) 1st XVs will clash under lights on Reece-Edwards Field. Kick-off is at 18:30. Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools While DHS has enjoyed the advantage in recent meetings, their showdowns with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":78690,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78611","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\/78611","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=78611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/78690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=78611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=78611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=78611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}