Here’s a good KZN quiz question:
Of the teams listed below, which starting XV contains the MOST players that enrolled at their current school in Grade 8?
a) Michaelhouse
b) Glenwood
c) Kearsney
d) Hilton
e) Northwood
f) Westville
g) Maritzburg College
h) DHS
Answer: h) DURBAN HIGH SCHOOL with all 15 players being at “School” since Grade-8.
MICHAELHOUSE VS GLENWOOD
For the third year out of four, Michaelhouse has Glenwood first game up. These haven’t quite worked out for House, as they have been close but no cigar on Dixon’s in years when they stood a chance of toppling the Green Machine. So as it now stands Michaelhouse has not beaten Glenwood since 2005. It’s not going to get any easier. A wounded Glenwood will be out to set the record straight with a convincing performance after letting themselves down against Kearsney.
The Judo wrestlers Bader Pretorius and Zander Prinsloo have been picked as House’s leaders for 2015, adding a bit of Afrikaans flavour in the process to a very experienced team. Amazingly 14 out of 15 players have represented the MHS 1st XV during 2014. Surprise selection Jaryd Kleynhans being the exception.
| MICHAELHOUSE | GLENWOOD | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anele Songca | 1 | Christopher Klopper |
| 2 | Matt Wiseman | 2 | Quinton Vorster |
| 3 | Lee-Marvin Mazibuko | 3 | Khatha Mchunu |
| 4 | Jaryd Kleynhans | 4 | Dylan Weideman |
| 5 | Jordan Sesink-Clee | 5 | Arno Venter |
| 6 | Zander Prinsloo (v/c) | 6 | Alex Brummer |
| 7 | Jack Walters | 7 | Nama Xaba |
| 8 | Mulalo Sadiki | 8 | Marco Palvie |
| 9 | Billy Dean | 9 | Sibonakaliso Dubazane |
| 10 | Bader Pretorius (c) | 10 | Jerome Bossr |
| 11 | Victor Foster | 11 | Lunga Mukendi |
| 12 | Ryan Anderson | 12 | Ruan van Rensburg |
| 13 | Luke Tomlinson | 13 | Donovan du Randt |
| 14 | Frank Goble | 14 | Gideon Lubbe |
| 15 | Liam Furniss | 15 | Jaydon Morgan |
KEARSNEY VS HILTON
With better prospects for their packs to get onto the front-foot this Saturday, both Kearsney and Hilton should relish the opportunity to be able to generate more attacking opportunities. Kearsney needs to scrum better, Hilton needs to be smarter in the lineout. Gamebreakers could have a big say. Kearsney captain Tristan Dixon has caused the pro rugby recruiters to stand up and pay attention, while the explosiveness of Sebastian Desvaux de Marigny can open up even the most well organised defence, particularly with his signature runs up the inside line. Other players are bound to have an influence as well. Both teams produced reasonably good defence last weekend.
| KEARSNEY | HILTON | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicholas Luyt | ►1 | Andrew Peverelle |
| 2 | Joshua van Vuuren | 2 | Matt MacKenzie |
| 3 | Greg van Noordwyk | 3 | Adam Holdcroft |
| 4 | Ryan Lewarne | 4 | Jean Nel |
| 5 | Jared Meyer | 5 | Matt Swan |
| 6 | Robert Polkinghorne | 6 | Nkanyiso Nzimande |
| 7 | Tristan Dixon | 7 | Nicholas Lello |
| 8 | James Miller | 8 | Sebastian Desvaux de Marigny |
| 9 | Warren Driver | 9 | Matt Dahl |
| 10 | James Tedder | 10 | Daniel Hirschowitz |
| 11 | Cian Waugh | 11 | Darren McGhee |
| 12 | Kyle Mertsch | 12 | Keaton Bottriell |
| 13 | Matthew Watts | 13 | Daniel Loftus |
| 14 | Nicholas Hoare | 14 | Nic Brown |
| 15 | Mitchell Nesbit | 15 | Cameron Badenhorst |
| OUT | |||
| 1 | Sakhile Nyembezi |
NORTHWOOD VS WESTVILLE
Northwood are bolstered by the return from injury of two key forward players. One of them is Nthutko Mthembu aka “Mr T” who’s positive aggression is bound to have an influence on a day when Westville are again expected to dominate preceedings up front . A mainly unchanged Northwood backline which was described as “superb” against George Campbell will hope to repeat their efforts. For Westville the worries are where will the points come from? In recent games when the defensive squeeze has come, they have found tries hard to come by. Coach Bell is trying to address this by restructuring the backline. Scrumhalf Bryce Kitching is the victim but the real surprise is last week’s flyhalf Craig Schlemmer doing duty at scrumhalf, with kicker Neil van Rooyen shifted to 10 and Brogan Boulle earning inclusion at centre after a good performance for the 2nds.
| NORTHWOOD | WESTVILLE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gugu Nelani | 1 | Jordan Els |
| ►2 | Nthutko Mthembu | 2 | Hendrik Prinsloo |
| 3 | Ngoni Moyo | 3 | Shaun Stoltz |
| 4 | Craig Trollip | 4 | Zane Heyneke |
| 5 | Daniel Humphreys | 5 | JP Pelzer |
| 2►6 | Vic Hurman | 6 | Donovan Grant |
| ►7 | Keagan Sparks | 7 | Devon Muller |
| 8 | Zandre Griffin | 8 | Keegan Nicholson |
| ►9 | Jason Fuhri | 9 | Craig Schlemmer |
| 10 | Jasey van Kampen | 10 | Neil Van Rooyen |
| 11 | Jason Daniels | 11 | James Wheeler |
| 12 | Lars van Meijen | ►12 | Brogan Boulle |
| 13 | Pikho Sobhale | 13 | Mpilo Shange |
| 14 | Luyanda Mngadi | 14 | Tony Mahlangu |
| 15 | Jadon Stevens | 15 | Shane Ball (C) |
| OUT | OUT | ||
| 5 | Phillip Jansen | 9 | Bryce Kitching |
| 8 | Viwe Makhula | Inj | Fudge Qoma |
| 9 | Ryan Symmington |
MARITZBURG COLLEGE VS DHS
Coach Wilkinson has more or less identified his best XV and the DHS boys seem to get better with every game. College will bring a presence in the forward exchanges that DHS have to match on attack in order to give their useful backline decent ball. On defence the DHS team has really stood their ground well this year so far, thanks in large to their good technique used to turnover ball at the breakdowns. The College team contains a few surprise selections partly as a result of players considered to be first choices not performing on tour. Their backline should be hot but it will all eyes on the forwards to see how they go about trying to establish control and build meaningful platforms.
| MARITZBURG COLLEGE | DHS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Smith | 1 | Hero Mpanza |
| 2 | Sam Swanepoel | ►2 | Aza Tshutsha |
| 3 | Andrew Rietjes | 3 | Tiaan De Jager |
| 4 | Bjorn Olivier | 4 | Liam Whitfield |
| 5 | Nick Odendaal | 5 | Ryan Dafel |
| 6 | Kelton Thunder | 6 | Luyanda Ndabandaba |
| 7 | Phillip Immelman | 7 | Sibusiso Makhalipi |
| 8 | Craig Glover | 8 | Mthokozisi Ntuli |
| 9 | Kyle Bowman | 9 | Matthew Everitt |
| 10 | Corey Rattray | 10 | Matt Noot |
| 11 | Xolisa Guma | 11 | Joel Kidgell |
| 12 | Charl Frackers | 12 | Gert Coetzee |
| 13 | Matt Kriel | 13 | Mvumelei Mathenjwa |
| 14 | Kudzai Munangi | 14 | Phuzukuvela Sithole |
| 15 | Ruben van Blerk | 15 | Dillon Bryan |
| OUT | |||
| 2 | Justin Diedericks | ||
| Inj | Gareth Simpson |
@BiasedDHSDad: Is Mekuto not on the bench?
@Eric-Prin: Just because the 1st Fifteen has been there since Grade 8 does not mean they haven’t been on scholarship since Grade 8. I know for a fact that there were a great many partial scholarships being offered for the 2011 Grade 8 year. The boys in your 2012 and 2013 intake, the very strong U15 and U16 age groups, did not arrive at DHS because of the rugby promise of school, so all might not be quite as it seems. I’n not against scholarships, but it’s a different measure to the LATE recruitment. It’s a similar result, just less risky, because if you get them in Grade 10 or 11 you have a more known quantity (should that be known quality?).
@Eric-Prin: nice dig there, but DHS have been buying players from the Eastern Cape for years….remember Payi and co. Glad DHS seem to be getting things back into shape, good for rugby in KZN…
It seems like School have sorted their coaching structure out. It has in the past been a problem with the head coaches in age groups changing every season. Mr Wilkenson and Trompie seems to have brought back the basic discipline of rugby and this bodes well for them. Hope they shrug the underdog status this season and again become a force in KZN school rugby.
As a parent of two recent ‘Old Boys’ from DHS, I applaud DHS for showing the way. This is the honest way that Schoolboy Rugby should be played. It should not depend on the size of a school’s Rugby Scholarship budget. It will also force provincial selectors to look at all school talent and not just focus on the schools where the majority of pupils have been ‘bought’ into their 1st XV.
And DHS full bench and injured players allfrom Gr 8 as well.
@Grasshopper: Just having Simmo and Matt Noot fit at 9 and 10 will make them a handful. I’ll certainly be making the odd trip to Essenwood Road if the College schedule provides a gap
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Flys beat the Hoppers this year!
@umbiloburger: Thanks
@Grasshopper: I think there have been one or two changes in the 2nd’s.
@Grasshopper: du Randt started in Grade 9. @beet: Don’t think there are any changes from last week.
@beet: I don’t, sorry!
@Grasshopper: Have you got the Glenwood team for tomorrow? I used last week’s team above
Wow, not one change for Glenwood from Kearsney. Maybe it’s because the 2nd’s got pommeled too….I thought the 2nd team scrummie deserved a start…
@Rugger fan:Okay cool. Thanks. Updated.
Hilton published this teamsheet – change at #1:
1 Looseheadprop Peverelle Andrew
http://www.saschoolsports.co.za/rugby/kwazulu-natal/rugby-team-sheet-for-hilton-college-vs-kearsney-college.html
My wild guess would be College.
@beet: Can only be DHS then ? Yes, that must be it. Sad thing is, they have lost so many good players since G8 too
Okay here’s a clue: had I not been informed of which school it is, I would also have guessed Michaelhouse and would also have been close but NOT right.
Glenwood’s whole tight 5 are newbies! Really weird that, over the past 100 years Glenwood have never battled to get big abrasive packs, Rof okes from the Bluff, Queensburgh, Toti & Scumbilo!
@Grasshopper: Tedder came to K from St Charles in grade 9. When Pau and Vorster( also in grade 9) make the 1st team that will throw them out of the equation. I think House has only got Bader who came in grade 10.
Must be MHS, I’m sure only Bader joined after Gr8.
Kearsney have Miller(G10), Hoare(G9), Nesbit(G10) and Tedder(G9) as late entries.
@Grasshopper: As I said, I’m sure that they can handle it!
@Far Meadows: well after being flogged non stop for about 4 years re recruiting I’m sure the Glenwood staff, OB’s and supporters are numb to any more jibes…
I would say Kearsney, last year I think 100% was from grade 8. Glenwood is probably only 50%, with Palvie, Brummer, Xaba, Morgan, Mukendi, Du Randt & Dubizane….
@star: I think it’s pretty fair to have a bit of a dig at Glenwood ,I think they can handle it, after all I’m sure some of the Glenwood folks will be very quick to remind me of ‘House’s history with the post-matrics…we weren’t known as the Grey College ‘finishing school’ for nothing !
I’ll say House. But if you are offering 500:1 odds I’ll put an outside bet on Glenwood….
I’ll take the bait and go with House regarding the Gr8’s
@Far Meadows: I would not poke the bear until after I had played them
I have suddenly remembered that de Marigny came from St Charles in grade 10 and Holdcroft( his first cousin) was at Kearsney for a bit. A bit more trivia is that Lello and Dahl are also first cousins and so the Hilton team is very much a family affair.
@Far Meadows:
@Far Meadows:
@star: I thought it was Glenwood , isn’t their philosophy to nurture their talent from early on and rely on their great coaching structures and programmes to get them to the top of the pile ?
It has got to be Hilton