After the fantastic high of the 2015 tournament which featured DHS and produced a number of memorable games including a nail-biting finish to the final between after the final hooter winners Glenwood and Westville, the Port Natal Night Series 2016 sponsored by Kenfield Tyres has been characterised by the withdrawal of all three KZN Tier-1 rugby teams’ 1st XV squads.
DHS, Glenwood and Westville withdraw:
Glenwood 1st XV has the six games in eight days SANIX in Japan during April, so they are looking to pace themselves ahead of that event – a lengthy preseason will not serve them any good. Good news is that the usually competitive Glenwood 2nd XV/3rd XV squad will still be taking part in the Night Series.Westville has opted to return to the Voortrekker Night Series in Pietermaritzburg which usually starts a month after the Porties event and provides opportunity for the Ville 2nd XV as well, making it more beneficial for the schools preseason preparations in terms of timing and scope.
DHS has given preference to preparing for 1sts for their 150th Rugby Day on 17 March and although not on the record, one has to doubt that School would have agreed to playing their 1st XV squad players against a Glenwood 2nd/3rd XV squad at Port Natal.
The Night Series has been in existence since 2000 and the organisers remain pleased about its achievements and optimistic about its future.
Fixtures:
*PBHS = Pinetown
Round 1 – Friday 05 February 2016
16:30 – 17:25: Port Natal 2nd XV vs PBHS 2nd XV
17:30: Official Opening
18:00 – 18:55: G/Campbell 2nd XV vs Development Inv B
19:00 – 19:55: Glenwood Inv B vs Development Inv A
20:00 – 20:55: Port Natal 1st XV vs G/Campbell 1st XV
Round 2 – Friday 12 February 2016
17:00 – 17:55: Port Natal 2nd XV vs G/Campbell 2nd XV
18:00 – 18:55: PBHS 2nd XV vs Development Inv B
19:00 – 19:55: G/Campbell 1st XV vs Development Inv A
20:00 – 20:55: Port Natal 1st XV vs Glenwood Inv B
Round 3 – Friday 19 February 2016
17:00 – 17:55: PBHS 2nd XV vs G/Campbell 2nd XV
18:00 – 18:55: Port Natal 2nd XV vs Development Inv B
19:00 – 19:55: Port Natal 1st XV vs Development Inv A
20:00 – 20:55: Glenwood Inv A vs G/Campbell 1st XV
Finals – 27 February 2016
17:00 – 17:55: Pool B: 3rd / 4th
18:00 – 18:55: Pool A: 3rd / 4th
19:00 – 19:55: Pool B: Final
20:00 – 20:55: Pool A: Final
21:00: Price giving
@Rugger fan: Kuswag, Kingsway, Suid Natal and Port Shepstone are all playing in a coastal night series hosted by Amanzimtoti club. All were at the Gelofte night series in 2015. Just a word on Gelofte #8 if he was in tier 1 school he would have been a very strong contender for kzn. Tall almost 2m and very quick….
Glenwood Inv 32 Porties 8 (according to Glenwood)…
Gelofte 17 – Kloof 10
Durban north 10 – PBHS 0 – as per Mercury (although they refer to Sheppie not Pinetown)?
I believe Hillcrest High had a win against development on Friday – only result I got
Here are the rest of the Gelofte Night Series matches:
Friday 12 Feb
U/18 RUGBY
17:00 KZN DEVELOPMENT TEAM VS HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL
18:00 PBHS VS DURBAN NOORD KOLLEGE
19:00 GELOFTE SKOOL VS KLOOF HIGH SCHOOL
Friday 19 Feb
U/18 RUGBY
17:00 DURBAN NOORD KOLLEGE VS KLOOF HIGH SCHOOL
18:00 PBHS VS HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL
19:00 GELOFTE SKOOL VS KZN DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Friday 26 Feb
16:00 U/18 RUGBY: THIRD/FOURTH PLAYOFF
19:00 U/18 RUGBY FINAL
@RUGBYMAD: Sorry I don’t have the results.
I was given the results of Gelofte NS tho:
Durban North College 7-7 Development
Hillcrest 7-3 Kloof
Gelofte 24-0 Pinetown
@beet: HI BEET CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE
US SCORES OF THE GAMES ON – 5/02/2016.
I heard that Port Natal kicked a last minute penalty to beat George Campbell 16-14 in a good game for preseason. Wayne Ngubane (9) and Njabulo Nkosi (8) starred for Campbell accd to a source.
@Rugger fan: I wouldn’t say that. Hillcrest have one of their best teams in years. McLaren might be gone, but all the groundwork was done last year and Donald Ngwenya is coaching them – so they should be fine.
OOppps – mistake above – I meant the Geelofte night series.
Well Hillcrest got off to a winning start with a 7 – 3 victory over Kloof last night. Didn’t get any other scores. Is this the McLaren era over at Kloof I wonder?
Seems like Helpmekaar pre-season series may be stronger this year?
been a while, but I always preferred the 2nd teams at this event , why?? well I think it gives or gave these boys a chance to show themselves as most 1st teams are preselected before the end of the last year, and some boys work hard over the of season, they also mature and there are diamonds in the rough , and this event gives then the right opportunity at the right time, to show what they could possibly deliver in the season ahead
Still a good opportunity for 2nd tier schools and Glenwood 2nd/3rd to prepare for the season.