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AS they celebrate their 150th anniversary, Durban High School are relishing the prospect of making an impact when they compete in the Standard Bank Grey Rugby Festival, supported by Powerade, on Saturday and Monday. (April 30 and May 2)

The KwaZulu-Natal city’s oldest school team have posted an impressive run of victories this season, suffering only two narrow defeats, while scoring notable wins over old rivals Hilton College, Northwood, Westville and Clifton.

Now they get a chance to demonstrate their talents in the Eastern Cape when they take on top PE township team Ithembelihle in their opening game, followed by the feature match on Monday as they draw the curtain on the festival against the hosts.

Coach Scott Mathie said they were excited about competing in the festival and realised they would be in for a tough challenge.

“We have two very interesting fixtures against Ithembelihle and then the main game against Grey,” he said. “Both will challenge the team in completely different ways and our biggest challenge is that we ensure that our attacking brand of rugby is on display.

“We are also extremely grateful in being given the main game on Monday versus Grey, which should be a cracker of a match.”

While Mathie said Ithembe were something of an unknown quantity, they would not make the mistake of taking any team lightly.

“We understand Ithembe like to play a free-running type of rugby so we will need to be on high alert throughout,” he said. “We have seen Grey at St Stithians and they have a fine team who can break open a game from anywhere.

“But as a team, we prefer to focus on what we bring to the party. It’s all about performance and if we can assure we deliver on all our accountables, then the rest remains out of our control.

“This approach has worked well for us this year and we are excited at trying to improve in each game we play.”
Mathie said DHS had benefited this season from an intensive pre-season programme.

“This year the school implemented a proper pre-season conditioning programme through the expertise of ex-Sharks and Springbok conditioner Mark Steele.

“The team took part in a gruelling pre-season camp that lasted five days at the Shongweni Dam, where field sessions were combined with various teambuilding activities. This laid a great foundation for teamwork ethic and culture,” Mathie said.

As in any school, academics is the priority but Mathie said rugby played an important role in the school’s rugby calendar.

“The DHS old boys are extremely proud of their rugby and, being such a significant year, the school has seen just how great their support base is with old boys from across the world connecting with their alma mater,” Mathie said.

“Rugby inspires belief in the school and the support on match day has seen an increasing interest given the turn in form for the oldest school in Durban.”

It’s an indication that DHS will definitely be one of the teams to watch at the festival and their final showdown with Grey High on Monday should provide a fitting and exciting climax to this school’s sporting extravaganza.

There were not of movement in our latest rankings with teams in our Top 20 like Affies, Oakdale Landbou, Ben Vorster and Diamantveld not playing over the weekend. Glenwood already left for Japan to take part in the annual Sanix International tournament. 

It will be interesting to see how this will affect their fourth position on School of Rugby’s Rankings. We don’t take into account any matches played against international opposition as it is difficult to rate other countries school’s teams strength. We believe that it won’t impact that much on their rankings. It might be positive for them not playing while other team’s are getting tested at Wildeklawer

With Wildeklawer in Kimberley this weekend there will be quite some movement in our next rankings and also teams settling in their positions. The match between Affies of Pretoria and Paarl Boys’ High will be a humdinger. Affies is our current number one ranked side. while Boishaai extended their unbeaten run to 27 matches on the trot since last year. The team from Paarl was our top team of 2015. 

With Grey College, Oakdale Landbou, Paarl Gimnasium, EG Jansen, Boland Landbou and Garsfontein in our Top Ten also attending Wildeklawer it promises to be one of the best Wildeklawer tournament’s since the tournament started in 2008.

The biggest upset over the weekend came in the semi-finals of the Tuks Series where the Nelspruit Rhinos knocked out the defending champions, EG Jansen of Boskburg, by 31-29 thanks to a last minute penalty by their flyhalf, Stephan van der Bank.

Wynberg Boys’ High, Grey High School and Oudtshoorn High also host school boy rugby festivals over the weekend. The finals of the NWU-Pukke Prestige Series will take place Wednesday in Potchefstroom. In the final Lichtenburg en Noordheuwel will face each other. Potchefstroom Volkskool and Zwartkop will face each other in the play-off match for the third and fourth place.

Something interesting that we will start this week is an extra ranking which we will publish on a monthly basis. It is a ranking for each province/region in South Africa.   

In the Northern Cape there were Griqua-trials with only Kathu playing a match on Thursday against Vryburg. Kathu’s 10-5 victory ended Vryburg unbeaten run this season. 

Please note that we don’t take matches against international opposition into consideration in our rankings. These games will however still be recorded and shown in our results. This rankings is not an official ranking as there is no official ranking on schoolboy level and this is only to get the discussion on school rugby on South Africa flowing. We however take our responsibilty on reporting school rugby very seriously.

To see each team’s results so far this season click on their name in the rankings. If you see any results missing please don’t hesitate to contact Hannes Nienaber via e-mail on hannes@schooolofrugby.co.za – and please feel free to discuss and differ from us in the comments section.

Rankings:

Louis Botha se eerste rugbyspan het Saterdag sake in die Vrystaatse A-liga behoorlik deurmekaar gekrap. Enige van die spanne staan na Louis Botha se sege van 35-25 oor Jim Fouché nog ’n kans om as kampioen gekroon te word.

JF het in die laaste drie minute kamp in Louis Botha se kwartgebied opgeslaan, maar ’n onderskepdrie deur die buitesenter, Mfezeko Moyo, was die finale spyker in die tuisspan se doodskis. Moyo het vroeër in die wedstryd ook JF se doellyn oorgesteek.

Dit was ’n behoorlike wipplankstryd wat se uitslag nog voor Moyo se tweede drie met die telling op 28-25 in Louis Botha se guns nog in die weegskaal was. Die wenspan se skrumskakel, Keaton Swarts, asook die losskakel, Kyle Kermis, het ook goed vertoon. Kermis en sy direkte teenstander, Henco Venter, het albei hul skopskoene by die huis vergeet. Venter en sy skakelmaat, Stefan Coetzer, het ook goeie wedstryde beleef.

JF het voorlangs in die vaste fasette die oorhand gehad met die stut Reino Coetzee en flank Ian Trollip wat goed vertoon het. Louis Botha se twee losvoorspelers Siya Luwaca en Jabulani Mtshatsheni was soos gewoontlik uitstaande.

Grey-kollege se buitesenter, David Kriel, het drie keer ’n draai agter die doellyn in sy span se drafstap-sege van 57-3 oor die Hoërskool Sentraal gemaak. Die wedstryd was slegs 36 minute lank.

Die Cherries moes hard werk om Fichardtpark met 31-19 onder te kry. Grey het wel heelwat spelers met ligte beserings ’n ruskans gegun.

Brandfort het teen President Steyn gewys dat hoewel hy ’n jongspan is dat hy lus is om rugby te speel. Brandfort was met 23-17 oor die Steyners baas.

Die beserings aan die agtsteman, Janco Nel, en die binnesenter, Luandré Nel, teen Sand du Plessis was ook duidelik ’n groot slag vir die Steyners.

Sand du Plessis het ’n broodnodige sege van 57-7 oor Hoërskool Bloemfontein behaal. Sannies se slot Michael Armstrong, flank Timothy Jones, senter Enrico Vermaak en die heelagter, Sheridan van Rooyen, het die vernaamste rolle in die sege vertolk.

Die Hoër Landbouskool Hendrik Potgieter van Reddersburg se groot agtsteman, Boeta Godbeer, het Sehunelo behoorlik laat bontstaan. Godbeer het twee van sy kraglopies in sy span se oorwinning van 29-12 afgerond.

St. Andrew het in Pietermaritzburg geskiedenis gemaak deur vir die eerste in sy gekiedenis daarin te slaag om St. Charles College te verslaan. Die span van die Rosestad was boonop oortuigend met 41-22 baas. Voorlangs het die slot Dillon de Jager goed vir Saints gespeel, terwyl die senterpaar, Michael Walsh en Peter Mafojane, agterlangs die kitaar geslaan het.

Puntemakers: 

Louis Botha 35 (20): Drieë: Mfezeko Moyo (2), Keaton Swarts (2), Christopher Rolomana, Dewald de Wet. Doelskop: Kyle Kermis. Strafdoel: Kermis. Jim Fouché 25 (10): Drieë: Werner Stofberg, Stefan Coetzer, Ulrich Stander, Francois Maree. Doelskop: Henco Venter. Strafdoel: Venter. 

Grey-kollege 57 (38): Drieë: David Kriel (3), Jandré de Beer, Henk Cilliers, Dian Schoonees, Juan Venter, Marnus Boshoff, Jaco de Beer. Doelskoppe: Christopher Schreuder (6). Sentraal 3 (0) – Strafdoel: Jaden Seekoei. 

Cherries 31: Drieë: Phillip Visser, Lehan Theron, Jaco Wessels, Michael de Winnaar. Doelskoppe: Rian Heyman (4). Strafdoel: Heyman. Fichardtpark 19: Drie: Myburgh van Zyl. Doelskop: Jevan Botes. Strafdoele: Botes (4). 

Sand du Plessis 57: Drieë: Nicky Hattingh (2), Enrico Vermaak (2), Michael Armstrong, Rudy Schroeder, Abonegho Ansah, Katleho Moletsane, Sheridan van Rooyen. Doelskoppe: William Bloem (6).Hoërskool Bloemfontein 7.

Brandfort 24 (14): Drieë: Quinton Fourie (2), Waldi Eksteen, Christiaan Botha. Doelskoppe: Francois Fourie (2). President Steyn 17 (3): Drieë: Phillip Jackson, Jeandré Atkinson. Doelskoppe: Gailin Neels (2). Strafdoel: Neels. 

Hoër Landbouskool Hendrik Potgieter 29: Drieë: Boeta Godbeer (2), Ruan Cloete, Danie Hattingh, Romario Rouls. Doelskoppe: Juandré Rautenbach (2). Sehunelo 12. 

St. Andrew 41: Drieë: Melgardt Minnaar (2), Kholeli Sekhibane, Jacques de Bruin, Peter Mafojane, Ryan Smith. Doelskoppe: Michael Maree (4). Strafdoel: Maree. St. Charles College 22.

Die eerste rugbyspan van die Hoërskool Kathu het verlede week met ’n sege van 10-5 oor Hoërskool Vryburg gewys dat hy vanjaar ook onder die gunstelinge in die Kovsiestreek-kompetisie se Irawa-liga (vir kleinskole) moet tel.

Voor die nederlaag teen Kathu het die span van Vryburg met ’n onoorwonne rekord gespog en is boonop verlede week as kampioen van die Pukke 16-reeks gekroon. Kathu spog nou met ’n onoorwonne rekord na agt wedstryd. Die jaarlikse interskole-kragmeting tussen Kathu en die Hoërskool Kalahari van Kuruman se Leeus beloof om vanjaar een van die hoogtepunte in skolerugby in die Noord-Kaap se sorg.

In die Sandveld-liga se A-afdeling is daar nie vanjaar veel tussen die spanne te kies nie. Wessel Maree van Odendaalsrus beklee egter na sy tweede sege van die liga teen Riebeeckstad (34-24) die boonste posisie op die puntelys.

Wessel Maree het met die omdraaislag ’n skrale voorsprong van 10-7 geniet. Riebies het met nog drie minute oor in die kragmeting voorgeloop, maar ’n oordeelsfout het die span duur gekos. Die verloorspan se uitblinkers was die stut Christo van Staden, die agtsteman Bernard Geyser, die losskakel Nathan Fourie en senter Docter Makhubu.

In Bothaville se oorwinning van 29-27 oor Hennenman vlei die telling die verloorspan ietwat. Hennenman het in die laaste beweing gaan druk om meer aansien aan hul vertoning te gee.

Die grondslag vir Bothaville se sege is voorlangs gelê met die haker, Hanco van Aswegen, wat hier aan die spits was. Agterlangs het die senter Carlo Kleynhans, vleuel Reinhardt Grobler, die skrumskakel Willem van der Merwe en die senter Casper Cordier goeie vertonings gelewer.

In die B-afdeling blyk dit of Sandveld van Wesselsbron en Hoopstad vanjaar die vroeë gunstelinge is om bo te eindig. Sandveld het Welkom High met 36-14 verslaan, terwyl Hoopstad vir Bultfontein met 38-26 geklop het. Sandveld het verlede week vir Bultfontein met 17-0 getroef.

Hoopstad se losskakel, Jaco Burger, het 28 van sy span se punte in die oorwinning aangeteken. Hy het drie keer agter die doellyn gaan kuier, al vyf sy span se drieë verdoel en ook met ’n strafdoel geslaag.

In die Oos-Vrystaat het Vrede vir Ladybrand ’n loesing van 42-0 toegedien, terwyl Harrismith vir Paul Erasmus van Senekal met 26-13 die loef afgesteek het.

Puntemakers: 

Wessel Maree 34 (10): Drieë: Tian Potgieter, Antonio Masolodi, Ashley Swart, Tenoho Pani, Thabiso Mokhatla, Brandon Smit. Doelskoppe: Mpho Moretlo (2). Riebeeckstad 24 (7): Drieë: Christo van Staden, Nathan Fourie, Fenni Tlhakanelo, Johan Marais. Doelskoppe: Marais (2). 

Bothaville 29 (24): Drieë: Reynard Grobler, Willem van der Merwe, Casper Cordier, Carlo Kleynhans, Hanco van Aswegen. Doelskoppe: Kleynhans (2). Hennenman 27 (15): Drieë: Neels Pretorius, Thinus Claassens, Richard Badenhorst, Stefan Diniso. Doelskoppe: Albie Venter (2). Strafdoel: Venter. 

Sandveld (Wesselsbron) 36 (12): Drieë: Chris Marais (2), Christo Reynecke, Lucky Bob, Johan Rall, Francois van Heerden. Doelskoppe: Bob (3). Welkom High 14 (7): Drieë: Charles Masike, Keke Mohono. Doelskop: Mohono. 

Hoopstad 38: Drieë: Jaco Burger (3), Rènard van Jaarsveld, Raymond Erasmus. Doelskoppe: Burger (5). Strafdoel: Burger. Bultfontein 26. 

Vrede 42: Drieë: Stefan du Toit (2), Jurgens Olivier, Ruan van Zyl, Pieter Neethling, Arthur Languira. Doelskoppe: Pieter Neethling (6). Ladybrand 0. 

Harrismith 26: Drieë: Mankoe Mokonenyana, Nyakallo Masitha, Tobatsi Monareng, Karabo Dhlamini. Doelskoppe: Siza Mthembu (3). Paul Erasmus (Senekal) 13. 

Hoërskool Kathu 10: Drieë: Marko van Niekerk, Leon van Jaarsveld. Vryburg 5.

Daar sal vanjaar ’n nuwe kampioen in die Tuks-reeks gekroon word.

Die Nelspruit Rhinos het die verdedigende kampioen, EG Jansen, danksy ‘n strafdoel deur sy losskakel, Stephan van der Bank, met speeltyd reeds verstreke met 31-29 in die halfeindstryd in die LC de Villiers-stadion hier getroef.

Dit het in die laaste ses minute gelyk asof EG Jansen die wedstryd sou deurtrek na hy ’n agterstand van 15-28 in ’n voorsprong van 29-28 omgeskakel het danksy drieë deur sy losskakel, Ruben Beytell, en skrumskakel, Ginter Smuts, in die 64ste en 69ste minuut van die wedstryd.

Daar sal nog lank in Boksburg gepraat word of die strafdoel deur Van der Bank wel deur die pale was na die wind die bal se rigting laat in die skop verander het. Die twee lynregters wat in die beste posisie was om te oordeel het beslis dat dit die wenpunte was.

Die Rhinos se Riaz Adebayo het Jansies probleme op die verdediging besorg en twee keer ’n draai agter die doellyn gemaak. EG Jansen se losskakel, Ruben Beytell, ryg steeds die drieë in en het ook twee keer die doellyn oorgesteek.

Nelspruit sal in die eindstryd van die reeks teen Monument van Krugersdorp te staan kom. Monnas was in sy halfeindstryd met 29-11 teen Garsfontein baas.

Garsies het met die omdraaislag ’n voorsprong 11-7 geniet en was sonder twyfel die beste span op die veld in die eerste helfte.
Monnas se Wit Bulle het met die sege wraak geneem na hulle verlede jaar deur Garsies in die halfeindstryd van die Beeldtrofee met 36-37 uitgeskakel is. Die span van Krugersdorp het in die tweede helfte die regte spelpatroon gevolg om die Turkoois Bere tot oorgawe te dwing.

Die hand van die meesterbrein van Monnas se afrigter, Hans Coetzee, was duidelik in die tweede helfte te sien. Monnas se losskakel, Luke Rossouw, die vleuel Arno van der Westhuizen en die slot Ruan Vermaak het sleutelrolle in die oorwinning vertolk.

Vir Garsfontein was sy heelagter, Abner van Reenen, uitmuntend.

Paarl Gimnasium moes sweet om SACS met 17-14 te troef. Gimmies het gesukkel om aan die gang te kom. Die span se losskakel, Theo Boshoff, en die agtsteman, Muller Uys, het puik vertonings gelewer. Uys behoort indien hy op sy goeie vertonings kan voortbou naby daaraan te kom om ’n plek in die SA Skole-span te verdien.

Boland Landbou het in sy kragmeting teen die Hoërskool Strand in die tweede helfte tot ’n hoër rat oorgeskakel om uiteindelik oortuigend met 71-12 as oorwinnaars van die veld te stap. Die span van die Agter-Paarl se lostrio van kaptein, Heinrich Brendel, Kevin Reed en Henro Meyer was aan die voorpunt van die sege.

Die Hoër Jongenskool Paarl het sy 27ste agtereenvolgende sege behaal deur Wynberg Boys’ High met 48-7 kaf te draf. Boishaai se skrumskalkel, Michael Visser, en twee slotte, Salmaan Moerat en Ewie Loubser, het goeie spel vir hul span gelewer.

In Worcester het Outeniqua se Kwaggas ’n klipharde stryd teen HTS Drostdy se Donkies met 17-8 gewen. Die Donkies het met die omdraaislag ’n voorsprong van 8-7 geniet. Drostdy het soos verlede week teen Oakdale Landbou nie sy kanse gebruik nie.

Junior Springbok coach Dawie Theron was confident on Friday that the plans for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in June were falling into place, as his provisional training squad continues to put in the hard yards at their training base in Stellenbosch.

Theron’s training squad has been in Stellenbosch since the beginning of the month, where the focus has been on familiarising themselves with the game plan, and improving their conditioning and fitness.

The Junior Springboks, who secured the bronze medal at the 2015 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy, will kick off their 2016 campaign in Manchester, England, against Japan on 7 June at the Academy Stadium, before taking on Argentina on 11 June at the AJ Bell Stadium, and France on 15 June back at the Academy Stadium in the pool stages.

“The players have been working very hard in the last few weeks, and their commitment has certainly impressed me,” said Theron.

“Some of the players were involved in Varsity Cup matches, while others have been called on for provincial duty over the last few weekends, but despite this, the tempo and intensity of our training sessions have been inspiring and I have to commend the players for that.

“We are now reaching a stage where our structures and systems are falling into place, and we simply need to continue building on this base as the World Championship approaches.”

The Junior Bok training squad had their first contact session against the Western Province Rugby Institute last Friday, and they will have two more contact sessions against the Western Province Academy and the Western Province Rugby Institute respectively before participating in their official warm-up matches.

The side will face the Xerox Golden Lions Under-19 and Under-21 teams in Johannesburg on 13 May in their first warm-up match, which will be followed by clashes against Maties in Stellenbosch on 17 May and the SWD Eagles in Oudtshoorn on 21 May.

“I was satisfied with our contact session against the Western Province Institute, but there is hard work ahead to reach the level of rugby where we could compete against the best teams in the world,” said Theron.

“We have two more contact sessions before we begin with our warm-up games, and I would like to see the players raise their game in those sessions and make a steady improvement in all areas, as we will have to be at our best for the international showpiece.”

Theron’s final 28-man World Championship squad’s capping ceremony is scheduled for 1 June and departure for Manchester the following day.

The semi-finals of the World Championship will be contested on Monday, 20 June, while the last round of matches, which includes with the eagerly-anticipated final, will be played on Saturday, 25 June.

Junior Springboks pool fixtures, World Rugby U20 Championship (SA Time):

Tuesday, 7 June: 16h15 – South Africa vs Japan (Academy Stadium)
Saturday, 11 June: 19h00 – South Africa vs Argentina (AJ Bell Stadium)
Wednesday, 15 June: 20h45 – South Africa vs France (Academy Stadium).

Issued by SA Rugby Corporate Affairs