Hilton compounded home team DHS’s misery by handing the Berea high school their fourth heavy defeat in five starts. The Midlands private school ran in 6 tries as part of a 41-10 victory in a night game on Van Heerden’s field.
The first half was very competitive. DHS had a sufficient supply of ball and several good field positions. Amongst others captain Mthokozisi Ntuli was influential. These opportunities allowed DHS to grow their score to 10 points via a try by fullback Matthew Everitt in between a penalty and conversion by scrumhalf Simmo Simpson.
Hilton’s skilful captain and scrumhalf was one of several standouts for the visitors and accounted for his team’s two opening tries, which along with a conversion and penalty by fullback Daniel Hirschowitz made it a tight affair at 15-10 to Hilton by the halftime break.
The second half produced a complete about turn in DHS fortunes. They were unable to construct meaningful phases and seemed to lose decision-making confidence as Hilton upped the tempo on both attack and defence. Furthermore School was once again plagued by a lack of commitment to making first time tackles and struggled to organise their secondary defensive lines quickly enough to give themselves a chance to regroup from initial breaches. They lost this half 26-0 in the end.
The Hilton players’ upperbody strength superiority came to the fore in most of the physical challenges, with lock Jean Nel in particular, impressing with his ability to dominate in contact. It was a half characterised more by Hilton’s ability to win the one-on-one challenges rather than them playing flowing ball through the hands rugby. They must also be complimented for staying focussed throughout the half and never once looked complacent.
Strong centre Daniel Loftus opened the second half scoring with a try after Hilton had secured a 5m scrum thanks to an over the top kick which forced DHS to carry the ball over the line and dot it dead. Hirschowitz’s successful conversion made it 22-10.
Devastating wing Darren McGhee was right up there with Nel in terms of noticeable physical attributes, with pace to add to his arsenal. His first try came when he fielded a kick inside his own half, backed himself to carry it back up by running between two defenders to break the D-line and then cracked on the pace to finish the solo effort, which with the conversion made it 29-10.
Hilton right wing Cameron Badenhorst produced one of his team’s only genuine playmaker passes to set McGhee off on his next charge down the left flank which got Hilton into the redzone. It seemingly wouldn’t be Hilton rugby if Dahl didn’t at least once per game use a well-timed behind the back flick pass to his favourite go-to player on the inside line – no.8 Seb de Marigny. This time the storming eighthman collected and crossed the try-line but was held up. Continued pressure near that left-hand corner of the field finally paid off as the powerful de Marigny was not to be denied a second time from close range shortly after a lineout. This try took the score up to 34-10.
Just reward for all his hard work came Nel’s way when he crashed over the last try of the match, soon after a ground gaining rolling maul which surprisingly but not for the only time in the game had scrumhalf Dahl as it’s rudder. Hirschowitz’s place-kicking was of a good standard and made the difficult look easy from a wide right position, taking his match tally up to 11 points out of his teams 41.
It was a comprehensive 41-10 victory to Hilton in the end and a confidence boosting one ahead of their big home game against College next Saturday, with the only real concern being the same one-dimensionalism surrounding some of their attacking play that made them so susceptible against Michaelhouse earlier in the season. For DHS who started the season so well with encouraging performances at the Port Natal Night Series, on Goldstones, at the KES Rugby Festival and the Jeppe 125th, it’s hard to understand where or why things have so badly wrong during the month of May for a team with potential. Next week they host Westville, their last chance for a KZN Top 6 school scalp in 2015.
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