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It’s almost Autumn, but it is, most definitely, that time of the year when players dust off their togs ahead of the kick-off of the rugby season, with Hoër Landbouskool Marlow playing host to a formidable Hoërskool Duineveld on Saturday. 

The first XV match kicks off at 13:15, with all the matches on the Willie Meyer Field being covered live on the SuperSport Schools platform. 

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

It’s an away game for Duineveld, the Velties, who make the “groot trek’ of almost 700 kilometres from Upington to Cradock.

The visitors’ lineup includes some talented players to watch out for. In the pack, they have Wian Liebenberg, who will be wearing the all-important number 8 jersey. Supporting him in the loose trio is flanker Alec Andrianatos, will also be out to impress this weekend.

In the backline, Ethan van Zyl will be aiming to keep the game moving and will be taking on the kicking responsibilities for his side – with goalkicking maybe all that will separate two well-matched sides at the end of the game. Speedy fullback Gregan Jansen patrols in the last line of defence and he’ll be eager to show his ability on attack, too.

The stands are expected to be filled, and Marlow will be eager to impress their home supporters.

In 2023 the team had a mixed run of form but scored some fine victories over top Eastern Cape sides, including St Andrew’s College, Selborne College and Nico Malan.

When asked about the players to watch out for this season, Marlow’s coach Derik Olivier said: “This is one team united, no individual”, which echoes the “all for one, one for all” mantra. 

Last weekend, Marlow ran out 22-point winners in their first match of 2024, defeating Hoërskool Upington 34-12.  

Given that boost of confidence, and the backing of the home supporters, Marlow will be confident they could add win number two. Duineveld, however, has already played three games and they boast a 3 and 0 record, with victories over Kalahari, Kathu and Jim Fouché.  

With Saturday signalling the true start of the 2024 season, there’s going to be a serious buzz around the country when the first whistles sound. 

Teams 

Hoër Landbouskool Marlow

15 Kunga Venkile, 14 JJ Erasmus, 13 Theunis Botha, 12 Christiaan v/d Merwe, 11 Teagan Wiessener, 10 Gideon Jordaan, 9 Gian Steyl, 8 Jan-Hendrik Els, 7 IB van Heerden, 6 Robert van Zyl, 5 Danté Roux, 4 Wilco Nel, 3 Hermanus Steyn, Francois du Toit, 1 Zeiss Jordaan.

Coaches: Derik Olivier and Dale De Wet
Team Manager: Korsie

 Hoërskool Duineveld

15 Gregan Jansen, 14 Jaquin Jasson, 13 Henry Page, 12 PJ Smit, 11 AJ Burger, 10 Ethan van Zyl, 9 Franco Erasmus, 8 Wihan Liebenberg, 7 Jandries Potgieter, 6 Alek Andrianatos, 5 Jan-Carel Claasens, 4 Arno Luttig, 3 Ethan Prins, 2 Phillip van As, 1 Adriaan Botha.

Coaches: Stefan van Wyk and Ruan Venter
Team Manager: Etienne Havenga

Fixtures

u19A: 13:15 pm (Willie Meyer Field)
u16A: 12:00 pm (Willie Meyer Field)
u19B: 10:50 am (Willie Meyer Field)
u19C: 9:40 am (Willie Meyer Field)
u15A: 10:50 am (Willie Meyer Field)
u14A: 8:30 am (Kala Field)

Hoër Landbouskool Boland maak Saterdag gebruik van hul AFGRI-Rugbydag op die plaas om litte los te maak teen Milnerton High School, voordat beide spanne volgende naweek hul eerste toere van die seisoen onderneem.

Benewens die aksie wat die hoofwedstryd behoort op te dis, is daar boonop nog spanne van 13 ander skole deur die loop van dag in verkorte opwarmingswedstryde in aksie.

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Boland Landbou sal gretig wees om op te tel presies waar hulle verlede seisoen opgehou het, toe hulle vir Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale op Riversdal met 17-11 kon baas raak – danksy ‘n skitterende drie in die doodsnikke van die wedstryd.

Daarmee het Boland weer die bordjies verhang, nadat Oakdale in 2022 daarin geslaag het om, vir die eerste keer in 12 jaar, vir Boland in die Paarl te kon klop.

Dieselfde Boland-span het verlede jaar ook ‘n droogte van 14 jaar teen Hoër Jongenskool Paarl gebreek met ‘n sege van 26-22 in Brugstraat.

Retagan van Rooi, wat die wendrie teen Oakdale verlede jaar verdoel het, is weer op sy pos in die nr. 10-trui, met nog van verlede jaar se staatmakers, soos Lyle Lewis (heelagter), Wehan Lume (senter), Enslin Claasen (vleuel) en hul kaptein, Ruan Viviers (slot), wat uitsien na die geleentheid om voort te bou op die sukses wat hulle reeds behaal het.

Claasen het verlede jaar sy skool by die Cravenweek verteenwoordig as deel van die WP XV.

Milnerton moet egter geensins onderskat word nie. Hul spelbreker, Frank Hitimana, het verlede jaar al gewys hoe giftig hy kan wees op binnesenter, en het ook by die Akademieweek vir die WP-span uitgeblink, saam met Van Rooi en Viviers.

Keenan Togni (slot) en Keagan Harding (haker) se ervaring in die besoekers se agttal behoort ook deurslaggewend te wees indien Milnerton daarin wil slaag om die groot Landbou-seuns te tem.

Die tuisskool se jonger spanne speel ook gedurende die dag teen Hugenote Kollege, terwyl laasgenoemde ook teen SACS se junior spanne sal uitdraf om voor te berei vir die seisoen.

Volgende naweek vertrek Boland Landou na George waar hulle vir Hoërskool Outeniqua sal aandurf, terwyl Milnerton hulself gaan meet teen St Charles College in Pietermaritzburg.

Boland Landbou t. Milnerton om 13:30

Hoër Landbouskool Boland: 15 Lyle Lewis, 14 Wehan Lume, 13 Xavier Vorster, 12 Juan Swart, 11 Enslin Claasen, 10 Retagan van Rooi, 9 Jayden Brits, 8 Karst Smits, 7 Blake de Kock, 6 Hans Verster, 5 Ruan Viviers, 4 Kody Nel, 3 Derico Messina, 2 Heinrich Bezuidenhout, 1 Henry Rudder.

Milnerton High School: 15 Chadlin Sellidon, 14 Rami Moatshe, 13 Morgan Lodewyk, 12 Frank Hitimana, 11 Jaydin Smit, 10 Chadwin Sellidon, 9 Devon Damons, 8 Briint Davids, 7 Dylan Peverett, 6 Jeremy Armstrong, 5 Mathew Gabriel, 4 Keenan Togni, 3 Chadley Davids, 2 Keagan Harding, 1 Sheldan Puma.

Ander bepalings:

Perdeberg
12:30 – o. 19 – HTS Bellville t. Monument Park
11:50 – o. 19 – Augsburg t. New Orleans
11:10 – o. 19 – Vredenburg t. Hoërskool Parow
10:30 – o. 19 – Paulus Joubert t. De Kuilen
09:50 – o. 19 – Curro Langebaan t. Hugenote
09:10 – o. 19 – Jan van Riebeeck t. Hottentots-Holland
08:30 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou II t. Hamiltons

Groenberg
12:30 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou III t. Curro Langebaan
11:50 – o. 19 – Hugenote t. Jan van Riebeeck
11:10 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou IV t. Hugenote II
10:30 – o. 19 – Hamiltons t. Hottentots-Holland
09:50 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou II t. New Orleans
09:10 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou V t. Vredenburg
08:30 – o. 19 – Augsburg t. De Kuilen

Tafelberg
12:30 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou V t. Stellenberg IV
11:50 – o. 16 – Boland Landbou t. Hugenote
11:10 – o. 15 – Boland Landbou t. Hugenote
10:30 – o. 14 – Boland Landbou t. Hugenote
09:50 – o. 19 – Stellenberg IV t. Parow
09:10 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou III t. Milnerton II
08:30 – o. 19 – Boland Landbou IV t. Paulus Joubert

Paarlberg
12:30 – o. 19 – Hugenote II t. Milnerton II
11:50 – o. 16 – SACS t. Milnerton
11:10 – o. 15 – SACS t. Milnerton
10:30 – o. 14 – SACS t. Milnerton
09:50 – o. 16 – Hugenote t. SACS
09:10 – o. 15 – Hugenote t. SACS
08:30 – o. 14 – Hugenote t. SACS

Alfons
09:50 – o. 16 – Boland Landbou C t. Milnerton
09:10 – o. 15 – Curro Langebaan t. Milnerton
08:30 – o. 14 – Hoërskool Parow t. Milnerton

Paarl Girls’ High het verlede jaar ‘n stewige reputasie in netbal opgebou.

Hulle was naaswenners by die Absa Wildeklawer-sporttoernooi; derde in die SA Topskole-netbaltoernooi; wenners van die Interskole-kompetisie en onoorwonne in al hul plaaslike ligawedstryde.

Vanjaar se span wil hierop voortbou, en bestaan uit Sophia Wium, Anke Stofberg, Cara Els, Kyla Sabbagha, Isabella Cook, Angeline Cook, Elzahn Nel, Jenna Haywood, Mine van der Walt, Janie Visser en Keisha September, wat reeds die SA o. 16-oefengroep gehaal het.

Afrigter, Marli Visagie, beklemtoon dat hul primêre doelwit vir hierdie seisoen is om as ‘n eenheid te ontwikkel en hul volle potensiaal te bereik.

Die meisies van die Paarl se aspirasies sluit in om onder die top-4 by die Absa Wildklawer-toernooi te eindig, om vir die Nasionale Topskole-toernooi te kwalifiseer en om goed te presteer in al hul ligawedstryde.

Hul vernaamste teenstanders sluit in Paarl Gimnasium, in die Interskole-wedstryd, asook die Hoër Meisieskole, La Rochelle en Bloemhof, in die liga.

Die spanbestuur bestaan verder uit Janke Visagie, en fisioterapeute Hanke Storm en Christille Blom.

Hoërskool Sentraal het ‘n uiters gedugte netbalspan vir die komende seisoen aangekondig.

Met ‘n hele rits talentvolle spelers, insluitende Chené de Villiers, Nicola van der Wath, Elbé van der Merwe, Keevy-Ann Fourie, Marli van der Merwe, Izanne van Aswegen, Ceinwin Lindeque, Caitlyn Maddocks en Anri Kachelhoffer, is die Tralies slaggereed om vanjaar hul merk te maak.

Onder leiding van hoofafrigter, Sune Grobler, het die span ambisieuse doelwitte gestel vir die seisoen wat voorlê. Benewens daarvan om soveel as moontlik oorwinnings te behaal, is hul primêre doel om elke speler se potensiaal tot sy volle te help ontwikkel en ‘n samehorige spandinamiek te bevorder.

Grobler beklemtoon die belangrikheid van eenheid op die baan, wat ‘n gevoel van kameraadskap en passie vir die spel by die spelers kweek.

Hoewel elke stryd teen ‘n mededingende skool ‘n opwindende vooruitsig bied, is Sentraal se visier gestel op die Stadsliga, waar hulle hulself kan voorberei op intense kragmetings met formidabele teenstanders.

Die Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria (Affies) en Hoërskool Diamantveld gaan hierdie naweek vir die eerste keer vanjaar kragte meet by Diamantveld se sportdag in Kimberley.

Die wedstryd vind Vrydag, 8 Maart, om 17:40 plaas.

Hoewel Affies verlede jaar oortuigend ‘n telling van 37-15 oor Diamantveld geseëvier het, waarborg vorige prestasies hoegenaamd nie toekomstige uitslae nie, en is albei spanne oorgehaal om alles in die stryd te werp vir ‘n oorwinning.

Beide spanne beskik oor heelwat talent. Affies spog byvoorbeeld met Izelle Grabe, wat Suid-Afrika reeds op sowel o. 16- as o. 17-vlak verteenwoordig het, terwyl Diamantveld ook ‘n SA-speler, Mari du Raan, in hul geledere het.

Toeskouers kan hulself regskuif vir ‘n opwindende sportdag, met spanne van Hoërskool Upington, Wildeklawer, Kimberley Boys’ High School, HTS Kimberley, Hoërskool Duineveld, Eunice High School, Hoërskool Kalahari en Christian Brothers College (CBC), wat almal saam met Affies en Diamantveld in aksie sal wees.

Spanne:

Hoërskool Diamantveld: Mari du Raan, Johandri de Wet, Izeldi Jacobs, Valmari Faber, Carmen Louw, Lara van Niekerk, Klarissa Taljaard, Brithe Honiball, Zandri Starke, Timney Greyling.

Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool: Izelle Grabe, Jaime Matfield, Bianca Lubbe, Anouk Janse van Rensburg, Kristi Koekemoer, Emma Strydom, Nina Hay, Arette Burger, Amia Roux, Liane van Lochem.

 

 

Na ‘n indrukwekkende vertoning in hul eerste wedstryd van die seisoen, is Hoërskool Diamantveld oorgehaal vir hierdie naweek se reuse uitdaging waneer die Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool besoek in die Diamantstad aflê.

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Affies wil die geleentheid in Kimberley aanwend om hul seisoen van stapel te stuur en hul staal te toets voor die jaarlikse Noord/Suid-toernooi, wat hulle teen die einde van Maart weer in Pretoria aanbied.

Vanjaar gaan Affies kragte meet met Hoërskool Stellenberg en Paul Roos Gimnasium, maar hul fokus is vir eers op die Diamantvelders wat eerskomende Saterdag in Kimberley op hulle wag.

Die Wit Bulle het verlede jaar vir die Diamonds met mening getref om 27 punte sonder antwoord aan te teken. Vir Diamantveld bied 2024 egter ‘n splinternuwe blad, met ‘n aantal van hul spelers wat in verlede jaar se nederlaag betrokke was en hul lippe sal aflek vir ‘n geleentheid om die bordjies te verhang.

Kyle Taute het in hul vorige ontmoeting op senter begin, maar moes die veld met ‘n besering verlaat. Saterdag is Taute op heelagter in aksie, waar hy verlede naweek ‘n veilige laaste vesting was in die sege van 18-6 oor Voortrekker Hoërskool waarmee Diamonds hul seisoen kon afskop.

Marno Greeff (losskakel) en Simon Liversage (senter) was ook lede van verlede jaar se span  en het die afgelope naweek uitgeblink teen die Trekkers.

Affies se Cravenweek-senter, Janco Purchase, en sy Wit Bul-makkers bied egter ‘n totaal ander uitdaging .

Die losskakel, Ruben Pienaar, was verlede jaar ook ‘n doring in Diamantveld se vlees, derhalwe rus daar ‘n enorme verantwoordelikheid op die skouers van die tuisspan se lostrio, bestaande uit Enrique Boshoff, Jayden de Klerk en Stiaan van Loggerenberg, om te probeer verhoed dat Pienaar en kie die krane oopdraai.

Die spanne:

Diamantveld t. Affies om 16:10:

Hoërskool Diamantveld: 15 Kyle Taute, 14 Carel Viljoen, 13 Lehan van der Westhuizen, 12 Simon Liversage, 11 Driaan Jacobs, 10 Marno Greeff, 9 Ethan Manus, 8 Enrique Boshoff, 7 Jayden de Klerk, 6 Stiaan van Loggerenberg, 5 Zuan Rautenbach, 4 Daniël Kuhn, 3 Dian Ellis, 2 De Wet du Plooy, 1 FJ de Vries.

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool: 15 Ruben Groenewald, 14 Hugo Snyman, 13 Theuns Maritz, 12 Janco Purchase, 11 Nic Grobler, 10 Ruben Pienaar, 9 Hendré Schoeman, 8 Ruan Lippold, 7 Albert Smit, 6 Lohan Potgieter, 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Muntingh Hamman, 3 Ruan Smuts, 2 Ethan van Dyk, 1 Werner Vrey.

 

The annual Grens Festival, hosted by Hoërskool Grens, takes place in East London over the course of two days, Friday and Saturday, with teams from the region getting an early-season opportunity to test themselves against one another.

The event brings together 10 of the region’s strongest hockey-playing schools to battle it out on the Cambridge High School Astroturf.

Cambridge, Clarendon Girls and Stirling High School were the leading teams in the East London region last season, while Clarendon also took on many of the country’s top sides at the Greg Belling and St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festivals last year.

They also impressed during their in-season derbies, picking up wins against Gqeberha’s Collegiate Girls, Hudson Park, and King Williams Town’s Kingsridge Girls High.

Playing under a new head coach, Luaan Sedras, Clarendon will use the festival as an opportunity to gel and bond as a team, ahead of the Greg Belling Festival next weekend.

Cambridge and Stirling High, on the other hand, will be aiming to close the gap on Clarendon this year, and that all starts this weekend.

Cambridge faces Aliwal North on the opening day, followed by outings against Merrifield College and Stirling on Saturday.

Hudson Park will have their work cut out for them, with clashes against Merrifield College, Kingsridge and Clarendon.

Hangklip High School makes the drive from Komani to face Hoërskool Grens, Lilyfontein, Green Point, and Hudson Park’s u16 side.

Fixtures

Friday, 8 March 2024

12:00 – Hangklip High vs Hoerskool Grens
12:40 – Stirling High vs Clarendon Girls High
13:20 – Hudson Park vs Merrifield College
14:00 – Lilyfontein vs Hangklip High
14:40 –Aliwal North vs Stirling High
15:20 – Kingsridge Girls High vs Hudson Park
16:00 – Merrifield College vs Lilyfontein
16:40 – Green Point vs Hudson Park u16
17:20 – Clarendon Girls High vs Kingsridge Girls High
18:00 – Cambridge High vs Aliwal North
18:40 –Hoerskool Grens vs Green Point

Saturday, 9 March 2024

08:00 – Hudson Park vs Clarendon Girls High
08:40 – Lilyfontein vs Aliwal North
09:20 – Stirling High vs Hudson Park
10:00 – Hoerskool Grens vs Lilyfontein
10:40 – Merrifield vs Cambridge High
11:20 – Aliwal North vs Hoerskool Grens
12:00 – Hangklip High vs Hudson u16
12:40 – Cambridge High vs Stirling High
13:20 – Green Point vs Hangklip
14:00 – Clarendon Girls High vs Merrifield College
14:40 – Hoerskool Grens vs Hudson u16
15:20 – Green Point vs Cambridge High

Trio High School will be confident of a winning start when they kick off their WesGrow Series campaign against Hoërskool Sentraal in Kroonstad on Friday.

The meeting of the sides follows the start of the series last weekend, when Bethlehem Voortrekker got the better of Hoerskool Diamantveld in hot conditions in the Northern Cape.

Trio enjoyed their first action of the season when they took on EG Jansen at their sports day last week.

They dominated that encounter, scoring five goals, through Christian van der Ross, Zian Saunderson, and a hattrick by youngster, Jandré Spies, to cruise to a comfortable 5-0 win.

Trio, playing at home for a second week running, will be eager to make it back-to-back wins.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools ahead of the clash, head coach Morné van Zyl said he was satisfied with his team’s performances during their pre-season, but there is still room for improvement.

“We have played a few pre-season games, so we are ready for the first WesGrow match, and looking forward to playing good hockey,” he said.

“Last year, we did well in the Wesgrow Series and ended in third spot, just behind Jim Fouché and Fichardtpark.

“We had a great game last year against Sentraal and won 7-1. Playing against Sentraal is always a pleasure. It is clean and hard hockey, in good spirit.”

The teams enter the clash in contrasting form, with the hosts on a high and the visitors coming off defeats against Upington and Noord-Kaap at the Hoërskool Fichardtpark Sports Day.

Van Zyl’s side will seek to build further momentum while also aiming to rectify some of the errors they identified during the pre-season.

“Last weekend’s win was a good boost for the team and our team played excellent hockey. I was proud to be their coach,” Van Zyl said.

“We were pleased. We identified a few areas we could work on, and we have been busy improving on some mistakes we picked up.

“We would like to improve our communication in the circle a bit more and see how that can help us improve.”

This year, the Trio 1st XI, a balanced mix of experience and youth, will be captained by Zian Saunderson.

Amo Dumane, in defence, is one of the players to look out for, while Vusi Kumalo and Ivan de Bruyn will lead the attack from the midfield.

Up front, Jandré Spies will, no doubt, be determined to further boost his goal tally, following his hattrick last weekend.

TRIO 1ST SQUAD

Christopher Lues, JJ Verster, Stefan Esterhuizen, Amo Dumane, Orefile Tiro, Ivan De Bruyn, Vusi Kumalo, Christian van der Ross, Gift Kechane, Zian Saunderson, Katleho Mohomane, Jandre Spies, Caswell Mokoena, Jaco Kleingeld, Lesedi Matseliso, Xian Victor.

Fixtures

13:30 – Trio vs Sentraal (Boys u19B)
14:30 –Trio vs Sentraal (Boys u19A)
15:45 –Trio vs Sentraal (Boys u14)
16:45 – Trio vs Sentraal (Boys u16)

Met ‘n reeks oorwinnings op hul kerfstok, het Hoërskool Eunice, van Bloemfontein, in 2023 aangedui dat hulle nie ‘n span is om ligtelik op te neem nie.

Eunice het met die louere weggestap by die nasionale All Girls Festival, ‘n tweede plek behaal by die Vrystaat-kampioenskappe en aan die DStv-skolenetbaluitdaging deelgeneem, wat hul reputasie as een van die topspanne in die land onderstreep het aangesien hulle op die hoogste vlak met die beste spanne van regoor Suid-Afrika meegeding het.

Ané Retief, afrigter van die span, sê dat instede daarvan om op hul teenstanders te fokus, bly Eunice na binne gefokus, en prioritiseer hulle die voortdurende verbetering en ontwikkeling van hul eie span.

Die span bevat ‘n aantal talentvolle individue, insluitende Lee-Ann Usher, Tarien van der Linde, Keren Usher, Busisiwe Zulu, Amy Pastor, Anike van der Merwe, Caitlyn Visser, Carné Stapelberg, Nikita Kaleba en Daniella Ngeleka.

Van der Linde het verlede jaar reeds erkenning verwerf deur vir sowel die SASN as Vrystaatse o. 17-spanne gekies te word.

Usher en Kaleba het ook die Vrystaatse o. 17- en o. 14-spanne verteenwoordig.

Maritzburg College‘s exciting counterattacking fullback Luyanda Kunene revealed something surprising when SuperSport Schools sat down for a chat with him ahead of the 2024 rugby season. Asked who had been the greatest influence on his rugby, he didn’t hesitate, replying: “Mr Marnitz”, as in Hendré Marnitz, College’s Director of Rugby.

It wasn’t his answer that was surprising. The reason behind it was.

After what he considered to be a disappointing 2022, the SA Schools flyer was demotivated and considered stopping playing the sport. Marnitz, though, persuaded him to keep going. “He told me that days aren’t the same, and I must just keep on playing and I’ll make it far. Yeah, I guess that helped me.”

It did more than help Kunene. He proved himself to be one of the most dynamic players with the ball in hand in South Africa.

If you have seen him play, then you would not be surprised to learn that his favourite player is Cheslin Kolbe. When he is counterattacking, you see flashes of the Springbok dynamo in Kunene, and anything is possible.

Rugby fans throughout South Africa learnt that during the North-South Tournament, when Maritzburg College ran out against Grey College. The Bloemfontein powerhouse hadn’t been tested until that evening, but they had to battle to record a 37-24 victory.

That margin did not do justice to Maritzburg’s efforts. A loose five minutes before and after halftime cost them. In the rest of the game, they had Grey College scrambling and one of the biggest causes of that was Kunene, who crossed for a hattrick of tries.

He had showcased his abilities against South Africa’s top team of 2023, and he didn’t slow down for the rest of the season. He shone in a 47-15 pounding of Pretoria Boys High in Pretoria and was again to the fore in the South African capital when College outplayed Affies 50-31 in a hugely impressive performance.

That game included one of his favourite tries of the year. It wasn’t his most spectacular effort, but its timing was crucial, and it gave College confidence. They had fallen 6-14 behind, with Affies scoring two converted tries to the KZN boys’ two penalties.

Then, in the 13^th minute, from a scrum on the Affies’ 22, College moved the ball right, down the backline. Kunene, having summed up the situation well, told Swelithle Mbatha to grubber in behind the home side’s backs.

Makhatini stabbed the kick through. Like a flash, Kunene outstripped the turning defenders and, when the ball sat up nicely, he gathered and dived over in the right-hand corner. A successful conversion kick from Luc du Toit made it College 13-14 Affies and the visitors’ belief had been given a massive boost.

Kunene said he watches the opposition’s games before College plays them, but he doesn’t get too technical in his analysis.

He shared a simple secret. It’s one thing knowing it. It’s another thing stopping it. It is this: when he counterattacks, he tries to identify forwards and take them on. His success rate is exceptional.

Maritzburg College has brought out the best in him, he said, and the tradition of the school, which has produced more South African internationals across all sports than any other, has motivated him.

“College is a different school. The traditions [are important], like back then, when I was in second form, I used to be keen to play on Goldstone’s because we weren’t allowed onto Goldstone’s, so it gave me the hunger to make the first team.

Candidly, he admitted, he wasn’t at his best when representing South African Schools at the end of 2023, in the Under-18 International Series, which also featured France, England and the SA Schools A team. But that’s in the past.

This year, he won’t be up for SA Schools selection, because he falls outside the age limit, but that means all of his focus will be on helping Maritzburg College follow up on a strong 2023 season.

Kunene said one of his favourite games of last year was College’s clash with Westville Boys’ High on Reunion Weekend, and it was his brothers, the 1^st XV, who helped him through a personal situation at home that had been plaguing him during the week in the lead-up to the game.

“I was struggling. I didn’t talk to the coaches, but my teammates knew that I was struggling. As the game went on, I don’t know, I just turned. I forgot everything at home, so that game is one of the games that sits in my heart.”

Now, in 2024, Luyanda Kunene wants to do right by his Maritzburg College brothers. His goal, simply stated, is “to leave the jersey in a better place”.

If that’s to be the case, he’ll have had plenty to do with it.