If it wasn’t official before, it is now. Northwood will be coached by Sharks Academy coach Swys de Bruin. Malcolm Kennedy is the new Head of Rugby and fitness guru Simon Vickers shifts to the position of Conditioning Coach.
The school’s new rugby improvement initiative is “2013 and Beyond”, aimed at putting the Durban North school firmly back on the national rugby map.
From the Northwood website:
Northwood fields 16 teams and is a work in progress. This has bought in Swys de Bruin former Provincial Coach and National Selector to define the Northwood Rugby Strategy for 2013 and beyond. Northwood has appointed Mr. Malcolm Kennedy as Head of Rugby to handle all “off-the-field” matters via the newly established Northwood Rugby Board. (NRB). Northwood Rugby will be relying on three pillars for its success going forward:
- The improvement of coaching abilities throughout the school.
- Improving of skills and fitness of all its rugby playing boys
- Recruitment of key players in the first two years to kick-start the winning culture on the sports field
@star: well if you cant speak from the side , be part of the management ,
@Gungets Tuft: Northwood hasn’t changed , what you have just said , is in the article above, notice there is a conspicuous absence for a normal Northwood writer and supporter, ever considered why??
@nwood: there is more truth here , then you think, look at what you have said, it has evolved more and worsened , and you are 100% right
@star: and where is he next year??
@ Griffon- I think what Greenblooded is alluding to is that the parents are not allowed on the sidelines making comments and putting pressure on the coaches and boys. That is defintely the case at Westville.
@GreenBlooded:
No. No its not. My mate showed this to me earlier today hence me knowing about it…
@ GreenBlooded : I’m not sure if the parents arnt allowed near the practice, but the parents normally sit on the stand above the field and talk amongst each other, and the watch the end of practice
@Gungets Tuft: It certainly never happened, well at least openly, while I was at Glenwood. Interfering parents got put in their place pretty smartly. I’ve heard that Westville do not allow parents anywhere near a sports practice or the coaches. Good on them if it’s true.
Not quite sure what these parents hope to achieve by thrusting kids into teams which they aren’t good enough to make on merit. Must be tough on the kid to have to endure the sniggers when they know they aren’t good enough.
Between the rain and the drag racing it looks like you are having a busy night.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: Is that your twitter account? Horsefly?
@GreenBlooded:
go to @horsefly2016
also, if its true, you dont know who cancelled on who so no assumptions for now please
@nwood: Quite right, perhaps everywhere but very prevalent at NWood. Parents getting onto the governing body and then pretty shamlessly punting their kids. Was rife a few years back when I had an involvement at the school. Was a standing joke. I know a certain Durban girls school where it is open knowledge that if your daughter is to be a prefect, mommy neeeds to serve on the mothers committee. The prizegiving is a sniggerfest as the names get called out.
I started reading this column and I just couldnt stop.WOW! I have been schooled.Quite a fair amount of politics in KZN Schoolboy rugby circles neh!
@beet: Good. Hopefully that means Glenwood can find a replacement fixture from a GP school then. And make it a permanent fixture for the next 10 years. If schools don’t want to play us – so be it. We will find schools that do.
@GreenBlooded: I’ve tried KES a couple of times for fixtures without luck. :sad: I don’t think the Gauteng schools have finalised everything yet coz none of them came back to me
@beet: I would rather look up or down country for a fixture to replace this with if it turns out to be true. What is on KES’s calendar that weekend?
DHS vs Glenwood and Westville vs Port Natal both on 18-May-2013. Perhaps one shut door will give rise to the opportunity for another to open.
Lets see if rumour true first.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: Can you give us the twitter link where you heard this?
Won’t happen, the Old Boys in both schools hold plenty of power and would not allow it to happen. Can you just imagine their headmasters inboxes if they announced that…..no chance….Durban’s 2 biggest and oldest schools…..hmmm
@ZnCoach: @Grasshopper:
not saying it is about him but thats the only reason i can think of. guess we will just have to wait and see how it all unfolds
Surely not, Kershaw is a DHS Old Boy and would never allow that to happen for one kid…..must be grapevine stuff.
@All black @Horesfly no1 the same thing apparently happened with NW and DHS in 2009 when DHS accused NW of stealing there 1st team players. Funny thing was there wasn’t one DHS boy in the NW team in 2009,2010,2011 or this year, lets hope its only a rumor, would be very sad considering the two schools history
Just found this article on a potentially great Glenwood athlete, Horsie good mention of Gareth Brown from DHS in there too; http://saschoolsports.co.za/athletics/kwazulu-natal/athleticssensational-sonwabiso-skhosana.html
@All Black: \
i have no idea and i hope its false. i can only guess that its about the whole Van Zyl saga
@HORSEFLY NO.1: That is a serious rumour. Any idea why? If it is true then schoolboy rugby is heading down a slippery slope and the solution is very difficult to find.
@nwood: \
but not winning a game is not the kids fault. and yes this is wrong but looking at the kid with an evil eye means that you would be just as bad because it might just be the parent who did this all alone. sad though…
the one thing that has side tracked northwood rugby over the years is the over involvment of parents in the sport i mean if a parent feels their son deserves a chance in the A team they go straight to the coach or a mate whose either head of rugby or if not principal next thing the kid is playing A team the next week.Apperently there was a kid whose father sponsored the 16A this year and he was always automatically chosen throughout the season i dont think that team won a single game this year
hearing of some rumour which i hope is fake that DHS might not be playing Glenwood in anything next year including rugby!!
@nwood:
DHS and Glenwood put a couple of them at DPHS and Glenwood Prep respectively and they often make kzn u13. we dont put them in grade 11 bar Mbembe who turned out to be a disaster. and also, its giving them a chance to showcase their skills as they are almost all from diadvantaged areas! so, try again because that was just poor…
@GreenBlooded:
everybody was keen on the guy and from what ive heard he was coming to DHS before making a u-turn and going to Glenwood, wonder if Westville wouldve complained had he been at DHS ?
@Gungets Tuft:
most of them were but only 6 or 7 on rugby specific bursaries. one of the boys is even on an academic scholarship(i think hes no.1 in grade 8) and is A team rugby and KZN water polo.
@DNoldboy:
they tried doing so last year. they failed as the boy felt he was better off in the DHS B side than the Northwood A side..
@ZnCoach:
then it should make for a good game but ive been very impressed with the guy whos been coaching u14 at DHS since 2011 and he might just be the difference
@Nwood, the difference is the majority of the Xhosa players are brought in at primary school level eg Glenwood prep and DPHS…not in grade 11/12….anyway good luck to Northwood, I will say again it will just make them competitive not all conquering which will be good for Durban and KZN rugby…
its funny how people claim northwood are buying a whole 1st team when only one player has been recruited while year in and year out you go to DHS or Glenwood and forget if your in the Eastern Cape or Durban with the amount of Xhosa players they recruit its ridiculous
@star: I don’t recall the objections to Potgieter coming to Glenwood being based on competition with Makasi. I seem to remember it was more to do with alleged conflict of interests by Sean Erasmus – something that Swys seems to have everyone’s blessing on.
But glad to hear you have a personal yardstick and value accountability and transparency – let’s see how that pans out next time there is a lengthy spell of ‘rolled ankle’.
@ Greenblooded- I have to give a bit of context. There was a blog last year where it was revealed that Potgieter was coming to KZN( for whatever reason) and I instinctively thought that Westville would be a good bet based on the fact that he would tick a big box.With the benefit of hindsight I make no apologies (and if you had the ability to take off your green blinkers) you would see that.If Westville had a Makasi I would not have given it another thought.This is more than just about schools but where the kid will develop properly.The term ” placed” was in reference to when Andre T referred to the Blue Bulls set-up where kids are placed in a variety of schools.I bet a good flyhalf would not be put at a school with an established incumbent.The fact that this happened here raising questions about the involvement of school coaches who have links to the KZN union.(already debated in detail)My personal yardstick is transparency and accountability and I certainly would not start my statement with “word around the campfire”.
This string should read ” Northwood poaching structure confirmed ” – lol
@All Black: Word around the campfire is that Westville were very keen on Marne as well – even that offers were made and rejected. Sour grapes??
Just another example of the double standards I have come to expect from bloggers here. For once I’d like to see people select their own personal yardstick and make their judgements based on that – as opposed to adjusting the standard to suit whether or not the transgressor is a school they approve of or not.
@DNold boy, I agree with Hopper, the NW 1st teams since 2009 have been well drilled and more fit than ever before, it was plain and evident to see, especially in 2011 when the beat GW, they could easily have folded and lost that game, yes calls went there way but the point is with structure and fitness they would never have won and the same against MHS in 2010, so what if it wasn’t MHS strongest team.
@Horsefly no1, not to sure about buying a whole 1stXV as you state, apparently only 5 players I’m told and they to have recruited wisely in u14 like DHS have so will make for an interesting u14 clash, I look forward to watching those matches.
Guys lets not jump the gun here, when the NW team runs out in 2013 then we shall see what has and hasn’t been done. Lets also agree to disagree that it doesn’t matter what you call it, scholarships, bursaries, recruiting, poaching etc it is at the end of the day one in the same,
@star: You called for Potgieter to be placed at Westville? Is that not one of the reasons Wsetville were so unhappy about Glenwood? I recall posts slating Glenwood about their ‘late’ recruiting.
@ Old school- I think you are bang on the money. Defensive structures are far easier to implement when they are second nature. When Westville played College several MHS 1st team players were there and I heard their discussions re the lack of structure in the outside channels.They seemed well versed from a defensive perspective.
@ Griffon- a new player can add value provided the gap is there which he can exploit. When I heard that Potgieter was coming to KZN I called for him to be placed at Westville as there was a definite weakness there with regard to goal kicking and the ability to dictate play. I honestly believe he would have flourished and grown in confidence.By going to GW he came into conflict with Makasi who played a completely different game albeit very well.That created the conflict re strategy and neither player settled which resulted in the team lacking any direction.
@DNoldboy: i watched plenty of the Northwood games over the last year, starting back in Feb with the night series, , I personally know some of the boys in this team and they worked hard, so I don’t know what you are talking about , they worked hard in the gym and we actually had a debate in Jan of last year about the amount of hours per week they were putting in compared with other schools, they were 2nd to GW in this regard, MHS hadn’t even started,
maybe they might have been over cooked , maybe, but they only broke down in structure when they got desperate, and this is something they needs to learn in maturity , more game time, but I thought they played well
the agenda I talk about , I personally know about , so please don’t preach unless you know what you are talking about there are others here that know Exactly what and whom I am referring to
@oldschool: you have a few good point there
i like the reasons behind your logic , it makes good sense
@HORSEFLY NO 1: I have been reading the blogs on this site for a while now (without blogging myself). I read a while back about a number of Westville and George Campbell boys that were declined by Northwood and, while I really enjoy DHS rugby (after all, very often DHS boys and Nortwood boys are neighbors in Durban North), I would find it hard to believe that they offered any DHS “B” team boys bursaries. Was this in the past or currently?
@Green Hopper: Not sure which game you watched, but Northwood have not been “well drilled” or “fit” for a number of years. I would seriously doubt any hidden agenda (other than what appears to be your own).
I would find it hard to believe that either of the gentlemen involved would focus on 1st team only. Only time will tell.
On the subject of age group sides developing through the years to become a competitive 1st XV , the private schools seem to naturally do this due to many reasons , the first being a lack of depth , which often creates consistancy in selection , so , although the best 15 players may not be as skilled as say the 15 boys from a large school , they tend to keep there place in the side year in and year out , this forces the boy to grow and learn and the obvious playing bonds and styles are consistent …..secondly , the teams at private schools from u14 , are often spending more time defending and tackling when they take on the larger schools , this trend continues through the age group years , so the boys end up forming great defensive outfits , as they grow and develope as teams , defence becomes second nature , as they have had to tackle a lot more than attack ….hence the reasons , that even when the private school has an average 1st team , they are hardly ever smashed on the score board ……
just a theory of mine ….any thoughts….
@ Horsy : Sorry, I was not trying to imply its the schools fault. I think in this years u16 age group. The top 3 schools being, College,Westville, and Glenwood, have at most got 2 players over the 3 years. The teams have hardly changed much because the schools find the team is ‘complete’. You’ll find in some schools, that a marketing director or the person in charge of offering scholarships will just ‘buy’/’offer’ a kid who they think is good, with out consulting the coaches and asking them do we need any players, can we work with the one’s we have to improve the next year etc.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: Just as a matter of interest, how many of your 2012 U14’s were on scholarship, bursary or reduced fees. That is one thing that schools do not readily advertise, when boys get a 10, 20, 50% reduction in fees. I fully understand why it happens, and it can be to encourage local boys to attend, to get Old Boys to enrol their kids and also to boost the numbers of kids with good records (for attendance, sport, good financial history), all good reasons. I think it is part of that “well structured approach” (no tongue in cheek at all) and something that Northwood have been doing for about 4 years now. I think in 2011 it was their 3rd year that they were 100% subscribed with in-area” kids, which is a really good thing. Boys that live close to the school find it easy to do extra-mural like sport, instead of spending an hour each way on a bus every day – as they do to Westville, Crawford North Coast, even Epworth in PMB which has a daily bus (I believe – from Hillcrest, or Pavillion??)
Unless everyone knows exactly which kids are going to Northwood next year, from where, and into which grades, we might just be meeting a non-existant problem half way???
Clearly there is some bad blood here between personalities, becoming more clear by the moment, but all will be revealed by the end of January, then we can crouch, touch, pa … er .. set with real knowledge. Yes?
@Green Hopper:
I guess we will just have to wait and see what really happens next year…
For me, overall results are important, I’m not into the whole ‘1st team game is the only important one’thing. I believe they are all important and you only have to look at the faces of the boys playing in the U14 G side to see what I’m talking about. Northwood,IMHO will not get a consistent intake of good rugby players and will have to buy over and over again thus not gaining any friends and digging their own grave.
Should we all now stop playing Northwood because of what its doing?
@HORSEFLY NO.1: like you i am not against a well-structured approach, what they are doing , isn’t quiet the same as what the other schools are doing, \
you are right , the link is there , to say well not the 1st point of contact, well we don’t have ‘simple” written on our foreheads, there is way more to this, I just wish I could note it all
@Green Hopper:
I’m sure it’ll all be revealed in due course.
And also, I’m not against WHAT they are doing, I’m against HOW they are doing it.
Hopefully this doesn’t blow up in the faces of the NW faithful. I mean, it doesn’t make sense how a SA U16 prop would move to NW when B team players from DHS have declines bursaries there. Obviously a bit of abusing of the link between the sharks acadey and themselves.
Those who think Swys doesn’t directly have anything to do with the recruiting are either ignorant or really,really dumb!
@star: you are so right , this has been alluded to by me and others over the year, I know many of the MHS team and I have said from the start of the year that this team , had something , and more than anything the Coach is an honorable man with great ethics . it has been said that team building and years together have the effect of “buying a whole lot of players’ GW saw the fool hardiness of this approach . and if they continue in the vein they will suffer, I have no problem admitting this ,
what we must remember is that the purchasing of players only really started with Sean and more extensively over the last few years,, before this the approach of the u14 and tournaments at the school, like grasshopper notes, has been more beneficial in working it from bottom up , as house or building is only as strong as its foundation, so if your house of straw is a quick fix like NW it will get blown over
outs ide of schools, one needs to look at the Hillcrest Rugby Club as being an example of how bottom up has benefited them and the many schools the boys from here go to
@HORSEFLY NO.1:Like I have said there is more to this then you can see , scratch the surface and you will see there is more to it , it has to the fulfillment of individual and “family” needs
@HORSEFLY NO.1: you said it so well here, its about influence and behind teh scenes politics , have you ask Barry Wilosn, i am sure he will agree with you
@northdurban: my point to this is exact: what you had was two dedicated coaches , whom started to bring about change, I have high respect for both of these gentlemen , however there where figures on the outside , whom say and opportunity to benefit from this financially , and started calling for the resignation of Barry Wilson,
there is no doubt that alliances where made with Swys , never far from all of this is a certain party , names withheld, instrumental in the ousting of Mr. Wilson, as he saw that hard work had been done, whilst there are debates about certain issues, there was a certain and definite improvement in the culture of Rugby and quality of Rugby at Northwood, it’s on this upward trend that we see all these changes , why , because someone identified opportunity that assist with their social environmental needs , some one that had influence in the decisions and a back ground that could alter this.
Barry never had a bad season , he did well with a Team that nearly beat many , they were well drilled , fit and had come a long way
Just remember what I am saying here , all will slowly come out
@Green Hopper:
As I said before, what NW is doing is way worse than what Glenwood has ever done.I was around in the early 2000’s when Glenwood were becoming a huge powerhouse and they never bought a whole 1st side. Instead they built from the bottom up, recruiting players from U14 and thus encouraging others to play from U14. Fastforward 4 years later and that same group was now winning 85 percent of their games at 1st team level and had 8 quality open sides. Glenwood climbed a ladder to get to where they are and it seems Northwood is just pushing the ladder aside and just jumping straight up to the top.
We are doing it a bit different to them and I think that in the long run we will benefit much more than they will.
@All Black: i agree , there is a base of good boys there and it exoists , its the hiden agendas of some that concerns me
There are some really fictitious statements made by some or a commentator on this blog, it was the intention of an individual with a few supporters to eject Barry Wilson, there were two parties to the , some driven by personal goals and then the more important one driven by team and school perspectives.
Make no error the management team is set up now to reflect the needs of some individuals, financially is one of the man reasons,
Swys will have influence of course he will to say he will not is rubbish, this coming form probably the biggest liar of statements on earth , he will have input in reviews and awarding on remuneration contracts ( when you are recruited you are paid
Definition: The process of finding and hiring the best-qualified candidate (from within or outside of an organization) for a job opening, in a timely and cost effective manner. The recruitment process includes analyzing the requirements of a job, attracting employees to that job, screening and selecting applicants, hiring, and integrating the new employee to the organization.
So are we paying students to play for us , Northward seem to be doing this , and with a Paid professional Coach and coming for an environment where this is the norm , we can
One needs to see the wider picture and the involvement of these characters outside of just the school environment and the association and links that spread far wider then this . This is just the incubator for a much bigger plan
What astounds me, is that NW have openly pointed fingers, and other people have shouted down actions by GW, but GW have never openly stated that they would “recruit players”, yes they have offered scholarships, there is a distinct difference between recruitment and awarding of scholarship or sport bursaries, this note implies direct action to “buy “and pay players, isn’t that what recruitment denotes
The mere ton of the statement smacks of openly defying all and sundry and looking, or head “ head hunting”
Isn’t this what this means
3.Recruitment of key players in the first two years to kick-start the winning culture on the sports field
I have said before ulterior motives in this management team ,
@griffon
Very unfortunate that this has happened but I don’t believe that it reflects on the school,as you said, the father did this with his son, not the school. Please don’t use DHS as a scapegoat.
@all
I think its a combo of all.kids getting smarter,teaching being better AND education going down. The new syllabus that the current grade 10s are using is apparently very bad in some areas. In others its improved the subject. Its also scrapped math paper 3!
@Grasshopper: Standards at the bottom or the top. Must also add that my daughter wrote the IEB exams, so not sure how the teachers rate those. Interesting though to hear teachers say that. Of course adding things like LO (which for the most part is stuff parents tell their kids when they are 12 years old) and Maths Lit to the mix is a joke – utter waste of time. As far as I am concerned any kid that takes Maths lit should not be allowed to be counted in the ranks of top students.
Take your word for it – my lighties starts Gr 10 next year so I will be better placed to judge the Govt school standards.
Apologies, I came 43rd just checked. Huge drop from when I came 10th in 2nd form, sport, girls and partying affected that….hahah
@Gungets & Greenblooded, I have 3 sisters and a mother in teaching, my mom has been at it for 43 years. They all say the standards have dropped immensely. However, two of those sisters taught in the UK and said our standard is still slightly better then there in certain subjects. I got an A, 3 B’s and 3 C’s (did Ad maths too) and I came I think 33rd in the standard. These days that result would put me 150th plus……far too easy. We were doing integration, matrices and differentiation in Ad Maths, not sure if kids these days even know what that is…
@Griffon: Nah – doesn’t reflect on the school at all – it could happen anywhere. Let’s just hope the little shite gets the book thrown at him and the eduction dept official is not too politically insulated to get away with it.
@GreenBlooded: Different world. Kids today are brighter than we were. I see it with my own eyes. Remember that us white kids had little to really work for in our day. All you needed was a matric exemption and you were guaranteed a varsity place. Not so any more. You need a hig C or at least a B aggregate for a top 6 Uni, A aggregate for top courses.
I involve myself with my daughters work, she is doing stuff I never saw, but I was far from a model student – I never let schoolwork interfere with my sport. I guess the fact that I got through varsity has just allowed me a better class of truck now, unlike Spook.
I think reports of easy matric are extremely exaggerated.
@Gungets Tuft: Dunno about that. If you look at the number of subject distinctions in a matric year today and 30 years ago in a given sample, there are far more today. I remember Kershaw giving a figure of something like 300 at the open day early this year? I don’t think there were even 80 in my year. I don’t think the quality of teaching has suddenly hit the gas or that we suddenly have a super bright bunch of kids. If anything I think the standards have been dumbed-down AND the work-ethic is not what it was. I got an A aggregate in matric and I wonder how many A students today would get those A’s in the papers I wrote?
On the side of academics, I see that a DHS pupil is being investigated for the leaking of a matric exam, after his father paid an education official for the paper. Bad publicity unfortunately for ‘School’
Honesty, Integrity, Courage, Self-discipline, Commitment, Respect.
@kcob: Glenwood have not become a good institution at all. They have always been a good institution. If you want to know how good a school is, ask the boys and the old boys and I guarantee you will seldom find a Glenwood boy or Old Boy who is not immensley proud of his school and what it has given him in life. The Glenwood haters are mostly uninformed outsiders who know bugger all about the school and often motivated by jealousy. Glenwood gentlemen have ALWAYS been well mannered – it is not a new thing. It goes back more than a hundred years.
I really like what you say in your 20:05 post about playing hard and fair an becoming an honourable man. To be called an ‘honourable man’ is the highest of accolades to me and if a school can turn boys into honourable men then they have served their purpose to my mind.
@Grasshopper: You are wrong. My daughter has just writtem matric and the work is harder than in our day if you want to do well. To pass, piss easy, they give you 40% in simple questions like “Does Christmas fall on 25th December” in Maths Lit this year. To get an A aggregate – not easy.
The private schools generally write a different exam – IEB – which is estimated to be 10% – 15% harder but does not count for any more at Varsity entrance time. Crawford write the NSC exam. IEB has the same pass criteria as the NSC but very few private schools rely on it.
It’s all I want from my boys; to have fun, be fair and make as many mates wherever he goes. We work on it with them, and they are growing up to be good boys.
By the way, had a good chat with a master from GW last night at the KZN Cricket Capping, and it was unanimous, GW have become a good institution, and the boys are well mannered etc. that’s such great news.
I think Glenwood Kearsney is going to be a humdinger this year.
@kcob, sounds like a quote from the movie ‘300’ but a very good one. Perspective is needed, at the end of the day these are just boys and humans, not pawns on a chess board. They all hurt when injured, so you right just play hard and do your best boys! ALL the schools boys!
Going with a simple, unchallenging quote here for all of you going berserk in here! You tell your boy to play hard and fair, to shake hands when he wins and to do the same if he loses, and that no one is better than the other because of what was left on the rugby field,but whether they are able to be honorable men afterwards!
@ Horsy : I think its a way to see where the boys are with those 2 subjects. The boys that fail these 2 or 1 of the two. Either take Business Studies or Math literacy.
@ Grasshopper:True, but the education department changed the syllabus this year, the current grade 10’s being the ‘guinea pigs’ of it. It seems they’re making the work harder as to get a higher standard of education.
@Griffon:
Haha trust the Westville guy to come and tell us what we already know.lol! But Griff I really don’t like how the boys at WBHS are forced to do pure maths and Physics in grade 10. Why is this done because there will be some failures!
@GreenBlooded:
Sorry… But hey I thought Westville boys was second with Glenwood third and DHS fourth. Sorry,guess I was way off huh?
@Gungets Tuft:
What do you nees to pass at private schools?surely must be more?
@Griffon, but it seems these days anybody with half a brain cell can get an A, in my day a school was ripping it up if they got 15 A aggregates, these days more like 100 or half the standard. Glenwood got about 15 boys with 6A’s or more, I stand to be corrected. Remember the demographic of Westville, it should be producing the best academics….
On terms of Academics both the Westville’s have led from the front with College having a year or two near the top. Westville Boys have been 2 or 3 weeks in to next years work/sylabuss,pardon my speeling, so very much pushing their boys. I think they got about 30 odd boys with A’s for math ans physics last year, and they push boys to participate in atleast one sport a term. So very well balanced.
@Grasshopper: Yeah. I thyink that the 100% pass thing is highly over-rated. To pass matric now you need :
Home Language: Level 3 (minimum 40%)
First Additional Language: Level 2 (minimum 30%)
Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy: Level 2 (minimum 30%)
Life Orientation: Level 3 (minimum 40%)
2 Subjects (Electives): Level 3 (minimum 40%)
Remaining Subject (Elective): Level 2 (minimum 30%)
If there is a school that cannot produce that, and sadly there are many – the staff and learners need to be beaten with the Stupid Stick.
Beer time.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I think they were second to Westville Girls High in academics – their best performance in years. I’d call that pretty great.
@Gungets Tuft:
im sorry i must have missed it but where exactly did College top last year? they had a good year but not a great one!
@Grasshopper:
yes that is true but the point i was trying to make was that rather do what we are doing and build from the bottom. from what NW is doing they will have that one good side and no depth at all. what people want to see is continuity.
if i was a primary school rugby player i would go to the school with great u14,u15 and u16A rugby sides rather that one with shit sides and a good 1st side. wont help much winning 65 percent of your 1st team games if most of your other sides cant win against any of the top 7 sides in KZN.
U14 teams are the way to go, build confidence from the bottom upward, have the boys building good friendships with each other and have them wanting to play for the badge. that doesnt happen overnight!
@Gungets, of course mate all the schools get credit for doing their primary job, which is educate the boys. Westville have led the charge on this front, especially the girls high where my sister went, followed by the others. College had a strong year last year, but have been about average the years prior. Remember the Maths/Science research done a few years back, College did ok. The Westville’s were streaks ahead. Glenwood did pretty well too, probably on par with College. I will check Northwood too. Tony maybe good but his boet at Glenwood was not great hey. You Glenwood have another Rhodes scholar; http://www.glenwoodhighschool.co.za/glenwoods-latest-rhodes-scholar-chats-assembly
@Grasshopper: By which I don’t mean that Glenwood and DHS don’t deserve credit – just that Westville have been top for year and College topped last year. No disrespect to the others.
@Grasshopper: Naaa, it’s not that, don’t overestimate how much the people in the area earn and can afford. Tony Jordan is a good educator (I am going to say it – many think he has other weak areas but education is not one of them) and, certainly when I was associated with the school, they had a fine dedicated staff complement. They had one of the best IT setups around, and are one of the few governement schools that still offers a package that includes Computer Studies through to Matric.
Just give them some credit – and give Westville and College some credit for what they have achieved in the past in the realm of academics. It does not happen by accident
@Gungets, you would hope they do well in academics considering the area is considered pretty wealthy. Parents can afford extra lessons etc. I have not seen the campus for years, but they were always lucky to have pretty large flat grounds.
@northdurban: Northwood have had a single failure in about 25 years in matric – and that was 3 years ago. As it turns out the kid was more interested in music and is apparentlyone of the most sought after DJs in the UK – apparently knocks down GBP30k a night and is booked solid??
For that sort of wonga my lightie can fail too :-)
Northdurban – I have had a long association with the school, my wife was on staff there for 7 years, I like the place and it is going to take very little for them to be styling. Good luck, I am watching from over the road .. well, 2 roads back.
northdurban – fair enough and best of luck to Northwood – I remebmebr when Northlands 1st beat Glenwood @ Glenwood ’79 or ’80 – ranks as one of the best SBR games I ever saw – Lemarque vs
Reece Edwards –GWD lost by a point or 2 – I welcome back those days & look forward to some titanic matches between the Knights and the Green machine in the future 2/3 years and as a greenblooded animal I can’t point fingers at your recruitment strategey – must comment on your campus – very impressive -went there for the 1st time afew weeks ago
@Grasshopper: Will be at College 150th.
@ All Black- I hope it was not my comment about chopping down to size. Old School has mentioned that he is hung like a horse and so we would all have to do some chopping to compete.He also travels by chopper… oh well I tried.My sense of humour is obviously misplaced.
@All, some serious handbags going on here. Let’s all meet up at the beer tent at Kearsney Fest, have a good debate and then sink a few……come on guys we all adults here, I hope….
@Horsie, at the end of the day no one really cares how strong the Under14’s are as this changes considerably, it’s 1st team that counts. Now I’m not saying forget them, it’s just in 20 years time people will remember the 1st team wins, close losses and draws…..
@NorthDurban, good post but some audacious claims there, best in KZN, no1 etc…..hmmm, not according to history. Maybe going forward if you recruit a provincial side for every intake then in about 5 years you will be the best in rugby. I am assuming that is exactly what Northwood are doing, so good luck there. Glenwood is competitive against the big boys Grey Bloem, Paarl Gim, Paarl Boys, Paul Roos, Affies, Monnas etc so the best they could become is that level, but I just don’t think so as that takes years to achieve. Northwood will obviously be strong with this sort of investment, but competitive rather than blowing sides away..
@NW_Knight:
And the future is… Nah I’m sorry juss can’t see Northwood having a good day of rugby against us in the near future.maybe 1st side but nothing else and thaat will be proven next year.what we have coming at U14. Level will leave you in awe!!!
and the fun suddenly ends. Out of here. Enjoy all.
@ Greenblooded- Unless he can track his bloodline back to the 1861 Methodist Synod( as any true Kearsney boy should be able to do)then no
@ Old school- be careful. He might try and “chop” you down in size.
@star: Is oldschool one of your 169 cousins?
@ Horsy- Your statement that MHS must have recruited is cr…p. They were the best team because they had forged such strong links from grade 8 and played as a team.(Something NW should consider and GW learnt the hard way) And I agree with Old School re throw away statements. You just lose credibility.There are enough informed people on this blog to dig out any disinformation.
@All Black: ahh humour , thats much better , thought for a moment we were on a hockey blog !!
@oldschool: Is that a private school thing? Now I am really nervous.
@All Black: Don’t know about that (wouldn’t be a bad idea though). :grin:
@Horsey: I’m looking to the future (not living in the past). We’ll settle it on the field :smile:
Hmmm. Somebody sat on a cactus this morning.
Knight: I heard NW were trying to get more land etc for increasing boarding house? Any truth in this? Maybe you guys can take out the Checkers next door and relieve us of some shady characters outside the bottle store? Dreadful place.
@All Black: sorry i didnt realise you were sensitive !!….we can meet anytime …what school do you represent , and when will the mighty one stripe be ripping you guys to threads in 2013 …. we can meet and size each other up and pull them out and have a contest if you like …..
The double standards from some of you okes is astounding!!!!
@NW_Knight:
Lol.can only think of one or two hey? The past 2 U16. Sides from Northwood. Haven’t caused any troubles. For us so unless you are buying a 1st side your statement is incorrect. In fact I can think of at least 8 of them from the top of my head.get off your high horse. Mate!
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I dont need to ask boys from other schools , my cousins son played the entire season for the MHS 1st team and made KZN schools (and im not a fan of MHS at all ) …..I was just checking your credibility , and was proven right , you , like many others here throw around statements and faulsified stats that cant be backed up to try and justify your own schools shortcomings or un ethical behaviour.
@NW_Knight: Nah, I think what Northwood are doing is long overdue and Durban/KZN needs it. No names on this blog and there is no need. The point is, every school is out there doing their stuff to be competitive. Just do it. Not to use your coaches etc to help recruit is, in my humble opinion, crazy. You have the resources so use them. If you say certain people are not allowed to do something and they happen to speak to a parent or boy who is genuinely interested in the school then it is just opening the poor guy up to abuse. Why deny your marketing strengths the ability to market? Be open and proud of it. Does this make sense?
@northdurban: Well said !!! Spoken like a true gentlemen , you are an ambassador for Northwood and have gained a supporter , i will be sitting on your side of the field when you guys start to tear apart the umbilo warriors !!!
(just dont beat kearsney !!!)
As a avid northwood supporter through good and bad times i would just like to leave my opinion for all. I witnessed northwood go through stages where as soon as they produced a top rugby player or swimmer etc they were snatched up by the ‘bigger schools’, those of which now seem to be first to complain about it. As far as im concerned Northwood always prided themselves on not needing to go ‘hunting’ for talent. Unfortunately it could not rely on this method any longer and losing local boys to the bigger schools was leaving us in a situation where we could become just another school of the past soon to be forgotten. I dont think any hopper, horsefly, collegian etc can tell me that they have had to sit through a first team rugby game where the grade 8’s and 9’s were in tears because of a humiliating scoreline as hard as there seniors were trying to defend thier schools pride. When Mr Barry wilson and Mr Simon Vickers took over in 2009 and started to get Northwood on the right track and even gave some previously disadvantaged boys a chance to a brighter future rugby finally became something the boys were excited about and im sure for all of us thats great news no matter where your loyalties lie. My best wishes to this school with the most potential in the province with thier new rugby program. It is nice to know it is in the hands of a man like Mr Swys de Bruyn who is always willing to share his knowledge not only to Northwood but any rugby coach in country and im confident to say would never abuse his status to recruit players. It is now Northwoods turn to conform to the unfortunate proffesionalism of high schools rugby. In the end it can only put northwood back on the map and hopefully keep their large pool of local juniors coming through instead of heading elsewhere and helping other schools claim the status they now have. If Northwood were able to do this from day one they would undoubtably be number 1 in KZN. 2 years back Northwood were the academic leaders of the semi goverment KZN male high schools with 100% matric pass rate. There are no questions that they have beautiful facilities and with knew structures in place both sports and academically northwood is only going one place and thats to the top. All the best to those involved.
@Gungets: Didn’t say he wasn’t involved, but was not a 1st point of contact.
@All Black: Name of this DHS player would be good – would be exceptionally surprised if it were even mildly true. Can think of only 1 or 2 that would be good enough to make the NW first team next year (and 1 is going to GW).
@oldschool: Try and keep it clean with the language. I wont take the insult personally considering who I am talking to and I wont get into a slanging match. No names on this blog as boys read the comments. Please accept my offer to meet in person and discuss your points face to face. Maybe there will be some interesting information shared??????
@oldschool:
i wont post names but if you want to hear from people who will tell you more than ask the boys from other schools who played against them at u14 level and they will tell you how different the team is from then!
also, ask yourself why their team was so shit this year and good this year! doesnt take a brain surgeon to figure it out..
@GreenBlooded:
being smart in our advertising.LOL
Recruit
Attract
Poach
Buy
Offer the chance of a world class education.
Bwahahahahahahaha.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: who did they buy ?? please name the late recruits …as i cant find more than 2 that were not there from grade 8…..i may be wrong though….
@PlayFlair: 2012…private school team would have cleaned !!!!
@PlayFlair: Good question!! That is worth a whole new thread on it’s own. I’d say Government by 30.
@All Black: of course they have more than that in the 1st team squad as the 1st team is made up of 2 age groups , however , only 5/6 will have been on rugby specific scholarships , many more of our players may be on other scholarships for being multi talented or acedemic and have developed into first choice players over the years …..
While you are threatening to get specific by naming boys , you are a bullshitter , as unless you are on the Board of Kearsney , very few people know the specifics of these scholarships …
And assuming you know so much about Kearsney scholarships , please enlighten us in where we get all this money from to pay for all these talented boys…..
Remember that Kearsney costs upward of 150K for full board and the school breaks even , as do the other private schools , however , Hilton and House sit on tons of trust money , where as Kearsney does not !!
I didnt say that House dont recruit , of course they do , only 90% of there recruiting is done for grade 8 intake…..
And your choice of words saying we buy players ….untrue again , the scholarship system is in place to offer talented boys from grade 7 the chance of a world class education , these boys are selected on achieving high standards in variuos sports , culture or acedemics in there prep school years , and unlike the govt schools , if these boys stop achieving at those levels , WE STILL KEEP THEM ON THE SAME SCHOLARSHIP , so our system is ethical and fair to the family and kid …and we still require the kids folks to contribute what they can afford ….only on very rare cases are boys on 100% scholarship , and these are normally paid for by financial institutions like investec whom have corporate scholarships and THEY select the school where they will like to spend there money …..
Goverment XV vs Private School XV. Who will win?
@GreenBlooded: After the drag racing here on the M4 all I need is a broom and dustpan, vaccuum cleaner for the leftover Lambos and black bin bags. M17 is covered by Lenny “Spook” Padayachee, and his curry is in the Mafia form. :cool:
Stephen Saad is a big funder at DHS yes but. That will in no way be mixed with. His role at the Sharks.
@All Black
How do you have all these names of boys on scholarships? Hmmm…
@Gungets Tuft: Bunny and 6 pack on a Friday night? I thought the drag racing up the M17 would keep the tow-truck busy or does it only pick up later?
@Gungets Tuft: Good point. Why get a top coach in and then not allow him to be used in recruiting his future players? Sounds like the Bok teams of old that were selected by outsiders and then given to a coach who had no say whatsoever. Hmmm, we used to win a lot more tests in those days? Maybe they have a point.
@beet: Ha ha. No, nothing secret. You got me worried. I went back searching for the ‘we’. ‘We’ is a group of unrelated people with a huge amount of shared information. You know how people talk.
To be honest, I think it is about time that Northwood got their act together. I see their boys everyday walking around Durban North neatly dressed and good mannered. The base is there and they seem to have the passion. Go for it but dont try and be politically correct etc. If you have big names attached to the school then use them openly and as much as possible. Why not?
@Gungets Tuft: I think one of the reasons Ryan took on the College job is coz it is full-time. Something he did not have at the Sharks.
@Grasshopper: Hopper. It’s not the same. The Kearsney masters Barend and Dean are fulltime teachers. The get appointed by the KZNRU. Yes the coach has a say in the selection of the CW team but this is not the Sharks. Coaches like Sean, Brad, Ryan get contracted by the Sharks. They have a working relationship with the likes of Rudolph etc for the duration of their contract terms. Guys like Swys are full-time Sharks employees. He/they interact with the top brass all day every day.
@ZnCoach: Not any more though?
It’s not as if anyone could get the wrong impression about his influence. Much rather head for Glenwood – academy coach, Northwood – Academy coach and vice chairman of DRSUYCA on staff, or DHS with the main funder of their revival and Old Boy now chairman of the Sharks Board.
Look, it makes no never mind, you would expect passionate rugby people who are willing to get involved to appear at all levels of the sport, and you would also expect parents of promising kids to note this when choosing schools. How the parents react, and how the various coaches and “influencers” react is the most important. To say that Swys stayed out of the recruitment process is patently nonsense. He is going to coach the team – is he going to not add anything in the recruitment. If that is the case, don’t waste his and your time.
If you think Saad is not going to influence rugby in Durban, also just dreaming. Of course he is, and at best he will just level the playing fields a bit.
At best Strudwick will be able to phone his mates at the Sharks and the Academy and tell them about promising boys that they should be keeping and eye on, and then praying that they don’t suddenly decide to “take up that bursary offer they got 2 years ago” and get attracted to Durban.
Oh well, at least the Durban derby matches are going to develop some vooma .. hopefully some Friday evening matches at Northwood where I can grab a bunny and a 6-pack and walk home afterwards.
@All Black: Interesting use of the word “WE” there All Black. Something you not telling us :grin:
@sharkie: Ask the Kearsney guys. They will know. Not sure if they advertise bursaries?
all black who are the 5/6 kearsney boys on bursary in the first team?
@Gungets, Strudders was on the Sharks payroll a season ago as a forwards coach I think with the CC team, before that he was with the u19? I may have the 2 swooped around but he was definitely part of the Sharks setup
Boy is staying at DHS.
Spot on All Black! @ZNCoach, does Barend from Kearsney also have influence considering he is the KZN Schools coach, also Kearsney have a KZN Schools administrator, forgot his name.?
@All Black: Please clarify – is the DHS boy going to Northwood or staying at DHS? Either way – I guess this fit’s the textbook definition of ‘poaching from an opposition school’.
@Andre T: my son is going to concentrate on golf!
Sorry chaps but there is a fair amount of incorrect stuff being said here.
Old school: KC have a lot more than 5/6 bursary boys in their 1st team squad. Want me to name them?
NW Knight: Why did a certain new coach at Northwood talk to a DHS boy who will play 1st team next year about going to Northwood if he is not part of the recruiting? If you want the proof we can give it to you. I dont have a problem with it but then dont deny it.
Old school: Michaelhouse dont recruit? Come on man, do we have to give you names?
Gentlemen, it is all well and good to be passionate about your schools etc but please dont be blinkered.
Old school: having 1200 boys at a govt school but only having 700 who play sport evens things out. You also only need 15 players on a field so if you buy those players and then say other schools have double the amount of boys and thus have an advantage just does not hold water.
@ZnCoach: What role does Ryan Strudwick play at the Sharks or the Academy?
@GreenBlooded: Eeeisch. Sorry .. tjaas. Too early, too many late breakdowns last night for me to be making sense this morning. Bwahahha .. the Beachwood okes will be on CPR right now .. and the Northlands okes are wetting their pants .. :-)
@Roger: I think I have to admit, if I was still at school now, I also would have done it.
@Grasshopper: sickening how freely these drugs are available really. I was at school with a chap who was 195 and weighed 95 kgs. He made TVL schools lock two years in a row and played TVL u20. He and the Monnas lock were two of the bigger locks at Craven Week – these days, small loose forwards!
@Old School I was waiting for someone to jump down my neck, I agree don’t lump all the schools into one basket but if you have been around SBR meetings the private schools try very hard to flex there expensive muscles that’s all I’m saying, I know Kearsney has a great GR8 recruitment policy and always do well to attract some of the best boys but I know Hilton is spending big and MHS this year had a great team would be intrested to know how many of them started at MHS in Gr8?
@Gungers it was Beachwood not Brettenwood that merged with Northlands, very tough for the Beachwood Boys to identify with the new school as this was a campus/ground they grew up opposing in all sports, it would be the same if DHS and GW merged and moved to school to GW campus, the DHS boys wouldn’t identify with the school. Give NW 10more years and it will have a decent NW Old Boy sector that have come through NW. Also lead to believe that College are also looking far afield to bring boys in as they no longer get all the best boys any longer.
@Beet. I agree that there could be an assumption that Swys will flex his influence in the Union, but I’m quite sure he can’t have that much influences in CW selections as there is a panel of selectors that select and as far as I’m aware he’s not on it.
As far as I see it the following schools have Sharks links one way or another
NW, Swys de Bruin
GW, Sean Erasmus
Hilton, Brad Mcloed Henderson
College, Ryan Strudwick
@Andre T: Jeez Andre – isn’t that what you and everyone else has been giving Glenwood kak about for the last 2 years? And we only had one or two players. Now you are talking about buying in an entire 1st team?
@GreenBlooded: Eeek! I changed it. Sorry GB.
@Gungets Tuft: Brettonwood. Eeeeeessshhhh. Hahahaha.
@Gungets Tuft:
i agree on the old boy thing. DHS has recently done this and is getting the rewards. i never understood why we werent doing well with the largest old boy foundation in the country. thats exactly why Mike Fennell has been brought to Durban. old boys are important, get them supporting and half the job is done
@oldschool: I’d like to be clear on this. Because I support the Sharks and their junior teams coaches like Swys, Sean and Brad are invaluable in IMO. Juniors go onto become good senior pros and some Boks partly coz of the input of these coaches and others like them. So I really appreciate what they do and realize that without them the Sharks and SA rugby would be weaker. BUT its the overlap with SBR that is becoming more of a concern that needs to be highlighted.
In Brad’s case, I don’t see a problem. He isn’t the current Sharks u19 coach. He isn’t on the Sharks fulltime payroll. Hilton are not a Sharks favoured school.
@oldschool:
LOL. michaelhouse bought like half their 2012 side. why do you think from being so shit to being good?
@NW_Knight:
why this way though? this is exactly what everyone has been condemning Glenwood for! so why do you have to do exactly that? good luck on your ventures though. hope it doesnt backfire!
@beet: My first loyalty is clear, with the school. Without that rugby nursery then all rugby is screwed. College are between a rock and a hard place, they are drawing from a shrinking area, socio-politically PMB is a patient on life-support, and we are also not on the Sharks radar – evidence being the 3 boys on contract to the Bulls this year with not so much as a whimper from the puppies at Kings Park. They will not place prospective U19 players at College as it is too far from the academy, and then the “recruiters” from the Academy drop broad hints about how kids should ensure that they enhance the possibility of a rugby career after school. You and I have had this discussion, snot one I actually feel like having again, except to say that players coming to College with rugby in mind as a career will not be waiting for a call from Kings Park, it seems that the Stormers and Bulls are way ahead of them.
Good luck to Northwood – I hope they do well, it is important to me as a Durban North resident. I do however think that it is not a healthy thing to have 2 influencial Sharks and Academy so involved. Whether said or unsaid, there are going to be parents that note the possible inside track and make decisions based on that. There is the thin end of the wedge you talk about.
And turning to Northwood – here’s my suggestion to the hierarchy there. Fix your Old Boys. When they merged Northlands and Brettenwood they did not focus on creating a common mindset among the Old Boys of the two old enemies. Even now you have guys from the last years of the separate school refusing to acknowledge each other and refusing to support the school because of it. Fix that and you will have made a giant leap.
I think Northwood have an excellent strategy in buying a decent 1st team for the next couple of years and become competitive in order for promising primary school players to start enrolling there in the future. It’s no rocket science to understand that rugby loving kids want to go to a high school that has a winning culture.
I give Northwood a big ‘hooh hah’ and will offer my support to them at a small price……..country membership at Mount Edgecombe.
@NW_Knight, yes the two other points are relevant but are to sugar coat it. Northwood want to start winning and to do so need to bring in foreign talent which may bump home grown talent downwards. Glenwood did exactly this and it backfired….just saying, learn from others mistakes. I like the College mentality of grow them up through the ranks and build loyalty and trust in the boys, a team of decent players is better than a team of greats, Michaelhouse in 2012 proved this…
@oldschool: What is your opinion of recruiting (poaching) Gr8 players who have already signed with other schools? Cool or not cool?
@Andre T: Eish – those are scary predictions on the drugs thing. I fear you could be correct. It’s something I think needs to be taken much more seriously – a t least equal if not worse than the overage debacle. And ALL SCHOOLS will have the problem.
@oldschool: Geez, some interesting comments about KZN coaches directly involved with schools. How long will it take for KZN coaches to be desicion makers at Schools. Do they use their ‘influance’ to attract players? In my next live I want to be a pro schoolboy coach as it seems they get paid quite a bit to be involved with schools; more than at the Union?
@all: Apologies for not posting earlier, but only read it now (contrary to what some idiots think!). @ZN Coach is absolutely correct – recruitment done in most age groups – with limited funds. More than 60% of the match day team will be “home grown” boys – ie. have been at the school since GR8.
Swys was purposefully kept out of the direct recruitment process to avoid any conflict. What has been accomplished so far in the last 4 months is nothing short of amazing. @Beet – I hear what you’re saying, but if the question was “Does Sean have more influence than Barend or Rudi or Deon”, I tend to think the answer would be yes. Someone will always have more influence than someone else.
I think everyone focuses on the last point and forget the first 2 points –
1) The improvement of coaching abilities throughout the school.
2) Improving of skills and fitness of all its rugby playing boys
These are the important points, in addition to getting the boys to participate and believe that they can win.
@beet: lets also not forget that Brad Macloed-Henderson , the highly Paid hilton Coach also coaches the KZN u19 side !!! i am sure this could also sway some school boys into believing they will be at an advantage come selection time !!!if they make the move to the mink and manure set !!
@Roger and Andre T, agreed the kids these days are so big and push huge weights it can only be down to drugs. When I was at school, which was not that long ago, a boy would be considered huge if 100kg and benching 100kg, these days that is average. Human nutrition has not improved that much and creatine/glutamine/weigh protein was all available then, so yes it can only be deca/steroids/growth hormone and 90% at A team or 1st team level are on it..
@ZnCoach: please dont lump all the private schools in the same basket….Hilton have been on a buying spree over the last 2 years and yes , they have over stepped the line by recruiting Glenwood and westville talent from grades 10/11 …..however both MHS and KC do not actively recruit older boys , we keep it at grade 8 and hope that the boys develope in line with there junior school talent ….
And your statement of the government schools needing to take a stand against the private schools ….what a load of crap …..private schools are 500 to 600 boys as compared to the 1200 plus at the top tier rugger govt schools ….and at any one time in a private school 1st XV there are only 5/6 rugby scholarship boys ….the rest are fee paying lads whom would have chosen the private school anyway !!!
@Roger: If I was in the Sharks set-up I would have gone to a Afrikaans school and start a recruitment drive to get promising afrikaans players from Northern Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Southern and Eastern Free State and the Northwest Platteland. I tell you I’ll build a team that will be unstoppable.
@Roger, agreed but the population of these sorts of kids is bigger in Gauteng. There are a few Afrikaans schools like Gelofte, Port Natal, Voortrekker, Suid Natal and others, but they are small these days and co-ed. Most of the best Afrikaans sportsman are now at the big English schools because they get more exposure there. Glenwood luckily has gained from this and has a big Afrikaans first language group of rugga players, probably the main reason Marne Coetzee chose Glenwood.
@Andre T: Andre T – I agree, it is a serious problem/ Jon Patricios says it is rife and he would know. Needs to be stamped out and quickly – btw – I think your estimates are conservative. If you tested right now at the top 30 rugby schools at Open and U16 level and tested for masking agents as well – I reckon 80% plus
@Grasshopper: hmmm – not really, you have all your traditonal boys schools and private schools plus a plethora of “new age” schools like Trinty, Crawford, Redham, Herronbridge etc etc. Also, many JHB boys go to Hilton, Michaelhouse, St Andrews etc. I suppose there is more to go around in JHB. Are there no decent Afrikaans schools in KZN?
I’ll make a bold statement and say if all 1st team prospects for 2013 get tested right now on this very moment, 75% of them will be tested positive. I’ll go further and say if all u/16A prospects get tested now, 65% will be positive.
@star: Yes it is like the Marne issue going forward. Differences are 1. Sean is only a contracted part-time coach at the Sharks – I can’t imagine he has that kind of influence over the Sharks decision-makers as Swys would have. 2. Sean was employed by Glenwood to be their coach first and foremost. Swys’ is employed by the Academy.
We might be heading to a situation in which those of us that support our schools and the Sharks have to have a serious rethink about where our primary loyalty lies. If it’s with one’s school, then perhaps its better not to buy a Sharks season ticket or merchanise, understanding that some of that money might be going towards helping a Sharks favoured school beat the one you support. Rather stay home and watch rugby on your HD wearing a no name brand black T
@Roger: You have no idea, believe me, its getting out of hand and science can hide almost any proof these days.
@Beet, Shaun Adendorff is another, not picked for Craven Week but doing pretty well. Hopefully his lack of size does not jeopardise his chances…
@Grasshopper: Schools rugby will end up like CC rugby where players move around from season to season. Where are the days when a player played for one union his whole career. It was almost like a cardinal sin when a player moved provinces. With all the money involved now schoolboys will also follow that trend.
@Roger, both drug ans age testing maybe sponsored by a drugs company (Glaxo, Merck etc). it would get them good coverage too…
@Andre T: You have to be on the receiving end to appreciate that it is not right. Next year like every other year boys will start out with the ambition of making CW and will work extremely hard towards achieving that goal. No one can tell me that because a boy in the wrong school he shouldn’t qualify. Professionalism is not a reason to overlook fairness.
But I agree with you that school is just the beginning of the road, not the end. Marcell is an excellent example of this.
@Roger, sorry yes Warren was pretty good. Glenwood has about 1200 (200 boarders), Westville (1,150 ish), DHS (1100ish), Northwood (over 1000) and Kearsney (550). Number are not exact but you are right, it’s a very diluted talent pool and there is a huge fight on for the best, especially now that DHS & Northwood have finally woken up. You can throw College & Clifton into the mix too as they are also good choices. In JHB it seems if you good at anything you go KES, simple as….
@Andre T: it is inevitable – the only thing I would like to see at schoolboy level is mandatory drug testing from U14 level. I know it is expensive and (some) schools do their utmost but really, SARU should step up here and test all boy at all festivals, Craven Week, Grant Khomo and at all age groups. I believe steroid abuse is rife.
It is great to see this move to bring in more ‘home grown’ competition. I also know of some great NW players who will benefit. I’m not made about the conflict of interest ito Sharks Academy as I have seen what happens when the 1st team coach is not on hand to deal with the team. IMHO a 1st team should have a coach dedicated to them and them only.
@Grasshopper: don’t forget Warren Brosnihan – I played against him and he was a bladdy good loosie!
can the KZN bloggers spell it out for me – Northwood, Westville, DHS and Glenwood all within 10km radius of each other? Seems as though there is not enough to go around? These are 4 big boys schools fighting for a slice of the pie? What are the pupil sizes etc – when you thrown Kearsney into the mix it dilutes the talent pool even further?
@HORSEFLY NO.1: there is good reason NW Knight is answering?? you worked it out yet???????? read the artical , he wont speak here
Good Stuff Northwood – got to start the road to recovery somehow – will be great to see Durban having some stronger 1st tier Rugby teams in the mix – Next one must be the Flies but I have a feeling give them a year or 2 & they will be back
@ Beet- Was this concern not evidenced in the Marne incident where Erasmus also had an unhealthy connection to the Sharks set-up.We all saw what happened there.
@Andre, you hit the nail on the head there. Schools rugby is professional now so may the best poacher, recruiter, who ever win as their is no one setting any rules or standards, a complete free for all which will degrade any sort of traditions, passions or allegiances us Old Boys had. It’s going to become a very boring USA college league with lack of passion, loyalty or pride….where will I get the best deal will be the attitude…
@beet: Ag Beet, that happens in every province and will never be stopped. The sooner we realize that schools rugby is totally professional now, the better. Unions have a huge say and appoint agents/coaches/admin at schools to draw players to the union. Good on those schools who become parners in the joint ventures with the Unions. Its a jungle out there and beast eats beast. I do feel sorry for the boys who are at the wrong school but if you’re good enough you’ll make it when it counts……..Marcell Coetzee.
@ Andre T- I am still waiting for the cousins to get back to me.But I think the wording” firmly back on the rugby map” is inaccurate.When they beat a very weak MHS team last year it must have been the first time in their history.In the last 10 years you could count the total number of wins against Westville on one hand.And this has been the trend for decades( as opposed to DHS who definitely were a rugby powerhouse in KZN)The move is not to get back to “where they were” but rather to try and level the playing fields by adopting the same marketing strategy as the other macro schools.(although slightly more intense as the turn around time is shorter) I am a great believer that competition is actually healthy so let us see where this all goes.
@ZnCoach: Northwood improvement aside, coz I’m happy to see them up the standard and become very competitive, even become the MHS of the 2013 season. That would be great.
I have a real concern with Swys being there. Not in a coaching capacity coz he is technically top drawer but because he is an employee of the Sharks with Union contacts. There are no assurances that he doesn’t go up to a kid and say hey let me introduce you to my buddies Rudolph and Gavin or meet my pal Garth the Craven Week team convener hint hint. That’s my worry. Undue influence in the process, to the detriment of boys who choose to attend other schools. Worst case scenario: it could potentially end up with a boy being be guaranteed a CW spot and an elite squad place at the Academy.
It’s great that a coach of Swys’ calibre is involved in coaching at SBR level but being so closely connected to the Sharks is a worry.
@Beast, at least you spelt it right…..I get all sorts of versions….
@The Beast: What is your connection with Monnas?
Good on Hilton, Michaelhouse and Kearsney……steal all the kids.
i would like to hear what NW_Knight thinks about this
once again. well done Northwood. but i dont think the way they are doing it is right. why, cant they attract anybody at grade 8 level? also, Glenwood might always be critisized but theyve never bought half a first side before, maybe four players at most! Northwood will need much more than a above average 1st side to start attracting some Durban North boys though. nobody likes a school that bought its way to success.
i think they should have built by consistently getting good u14A sides like what we are currently doing. i know for a fact that this is what parents prefer.
Northwood doing it all the wrong way im afraid.
i think they only won 3 games against us this year , all of which came from the u15 age group so a looooong way to go. hope they realize that the way their doing it isnt cool!
just my 2 cents
@Hopper, I’m lead to believe that Hilton are spending huge money on players, wish the government schools had budgets like that to spend. The government schools need to take a stand against the private schools and there thinking they are above the government schools.
Howzit Alan….
@Beast, howzit Gerhard! Hope you well, looking forward to playing Monnas on our old boys day…
Hopper I would be happy to meet youy and Green Blooded and we can slug it out like a heap of thugs from Glenwood choose to do or you can take your abuse on the chin.
Whenever another school makes a positive step for themselves which does not benefit Glenwood you whine like a little baby, get over it, Glenwood will never ever be a true great rugby school. Read my lips. NEVER!!!!
@Beast, always had a job, running my own global company…..plenty of time to blog as I have staff to do the admin…
@ZNCoach, spot on! I agree with you totally, with openess and transparency comes trust. I also agree on not poaching from local schools, but that must be for all schools including the privates who are going on a few spree’s…
@ Grasshopper…..love you to Grassy….glad you finally got a job, now go do some work.
@Greenblooded, agreed. It would be great if bottom feeders like him would actually meet in person and say these things…..what a laugh….
@Hopper, I know that NW didn’t win one game and there were all staggers expect at A Team level, but like Beet stated its a starting block, and I can assure you that with NW winning last year at 1stXV it has made boys believe that GW are beatable.
I can assure you to I am not a GW hater in fact I have complete respect for the rugby program they have and the way it is run.
As far as I know NW has a handful of players coming in, I’m told more the 60% of the potential team will been home grown boys.
Lets be honest here the buying, poaching, recruiting whatever you want to call it is never going to stop, so as long as its done openly and with honesty then great, poaching from a fellow school with whom you have relationships with is offside in my book, going out of province and deeper into ones province is fine, makes for a better sharks setup to, seems our boys are being poached outside of KZN by the Bulls etc so why not keep our stocks high.
@The Beast, happy to disclose my identity, no worries about that. You are probably too poop scared to because you are actually a sad kid living his life out on blogs. You sound a lot like Gerhard. No Movember this year, I have a proper job to do that requires looking decent and clean shaven. Good luck to Northwood and may the best team win on the day…
The big thing is Northwood beat an “over aged” side in 2011….did they not?
Andre T…….I support anybody and everybody against Glenwood. They are pests and need extermination.
@Grasshopper: I’ve found the best way to handle bottom feeders like Beast is to ignore them. They eventually can’t stand the lack of attention and move on.
Hopper, did you do the Movember thing again?
Time for another pic maybe?
Hopper stop hopping around cos another school wants to do what you been doing for years, good on Northwood and I wish them well in their endeavors of dethroning the “Locusts”.
Good luck to Northwood – they must do what they must do. The only problem I have is the way their supporters are always the first to point fingers at Glenwood and other when they are opening doing exactly the same thing. I was told by a prominent Northwood supporter earlier this year when Glenwood klapped them that “it is difficult for a community school to compete against a school of imports”. What a joke.
But hey – I hope they do well. Besides the reffing debacle 2 years ago where they snatched a controvesial win, it’s been boring dishing it out to them year in and year out. It will be nice to get some decent local competition.
@Beet, agreed but at what level is the recruitment, whole teams or a handful of players? This would help clarify things. Glenwood brought in 3 players for 2012, Marne, Warren and Mike. Mike prospered and the other two failed to impress and disrupted the team. Marne should probably have played club rugby instead to avoid the whole PR stunts from Westville and others, poor kid. Northwood will soon find out if this policy works or blows up in their face. I do hope Northwood improve they were always a good school with average sports teams obviously with the occasional genius in Mat Bowman, Hugh Reece-Edwards, Robin Smith and Shaun Pollock…Let’s just say when we played Northwood we expected to win…
I’d like to ask if there is another way to go about this. IMO Northwood needs to do its best to catch up to the likes of Glenwood and Westville in rugby. Once they do this they should have generated enough positive spinoffs along the way to see improvement in their younger teams that will eventually go on to become first team. So it’s catch up followed by sustainability. If the other schools are recruiting and Nwood are not the goal of getting back on level terms might become impossible.
I wonder what Star and his 169 cousins will say about this stance.
@Andre T, he supports anybody against Glenwood and only pipes up once in a blue moon to cause trouble. A rabble rouser, but does it in a sinister way rather then tongue and cheek like you. I like your humour, it’s mature and without malice…
@TheBeast, not whining just doing the exact thing that all you Glenwood haters have been doing for the past decade, whinge and moan…….it’s a two way street buddy, you can’t give out if you can’t take it. Go ahead take those players, we only want boys who want to be Glenwood boys and who put tradition and ethos as a priority. My father in-law is a Northlands Old Boy and he is not liking this stance at all…
@The Beast: Who do you support?
Hopper, I dunno what you whining about, all Glenwood have ever done is poach players, they produce none of their own.
You guys are poachers so give Northwood a chance of poaching as well. I hope they pick up a heap of your u/14 and u/15 players to start with.
@ZNcoach, I don’t think Northwood won one game against Glenwood this year and I believe there were staggers, long way to go….
@Greenhopper, what ulterior motives do you think there are? Well done to NW and taking the step which every major boys school in this province have taken, GW, Westville, College all do it now its NW’s turn.
There’s no guarantee of success as GW know .
@horsefly no1. Who says they only recruiting at the top?
Just remember guys NW beat GW and DHS last year and it was one of GW better teams, don’t blame refs etc,so slowly they have been rebuilding since 2009, got one over MHS in 2010
I look forward to what lies ahead for SBR
Jeez, that calling a spade a spade! Translated, we will do anything to stop losing so will buy a 1st team in the 1st two years so that winning culture attracts the primary school boys to the school and we have recruited Sharks administrators to recruit players outside of KZN to do so. They might as well give those players shopping, entertainment and car allowances too.
‘Recruitment of key players in the first two years to kick-start the winning culture on the sports field’
Are you serious?? No shame at all! Should be building from the bottom up but have instead tried to start all from the top? Not the greatest of ideas but we will just have to wait and see.
But hey, I can see that NW NOW really realize how much of a factor sport plays in the best kids decisions as far as high schools go. I’m sure they are tired of all the Durban North kids going to DHS,Kearsney,WBHS and even College.
as i predicted , there are ulterior motives in this set up , when all this began, I told this blog that there where people working their way into this system for personal gaols and no other , and it’s all official now