The Sharks have put a great deal of effort into preparing and marketing tonight’s first ever KZN Top Schools Rugby Festival at Kings Park. The Union deserves praise for is work. The timing of the event is however not great, to put it mildly. Michaelhouse’s absence is direct consequence of this event being out of sync with their preparations for the season ahead – House still has to conduct final trials. Of the schools attending Westville and Maritzburg College as well as Northwood and Kearsney meet in rugby fixtures this Saturday. To expect these schools to treat the King Park matches as anything other than practice sessions for those up and coming Saturday games might be unrealistic.
The College team selected is a clear indication that coach Ryan Strudwick intends giving game time to many players who were committed to playing summer sports while the recent Voortrekker Rugby Night Series was on. As a result, this will not be the strongest run-on College team. Glenwood don’t have a match scheduled for this Saturday and will field more or less the same proper 1st XV that did duty against Framesby over the weekend. Kearsney has named the best team available. Noticeably their SA Schools twins, the Du Preez’s are out and are expected to miss Saturday’s game against Northwood as well. The healthy competition for starting berths up front looks to still be playing itself out at Westville and it will be interesting to see how tonight’s combination of forwards fares. DHS is still minus a few expected starting players and have have named a side containing many Grade-11 players. Northwood appears to have selected their preferred starting XV for tonight’s match.
Results for Kings Park 06 March 2013:
16h30: Port Natal 17 Pionier 14
17h20: George Campbell 8 Clifton 3
18h10: Northwood 8 DHS 3
19h00: Kearsney 17 Westville 5
19h50: Glenwood 19 Maritzburg College 0
Teams playing after 18h00:
| M.COLLEGE | GLENWOOD | KEARSNEY | WESTVILLE | DHS | NORTHWOOD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Dlamini | 1. Percy Mngadi | 1. Tijde Visser | 1. Jonty Osborn | 1. Bobo Xoshombe | 1. Ngoni Chidoma |
| 2. Mazwi | 2. Kieran Van Vuuren | 2. Jordan Meaker | 2. Alex Voster | 2. Manga Mvambo | 2. Trevor Nkwamba |
| 3. Sithole | 3. Kobus Tredoux | 3. Mthunzi Moloi | 3. Mzamo Majola | 3. Kyle Phileratou | 3. Kabelo Motloung |
| 4. Weisener | 4. Seth vd Heever | 4. Alex Luyt | 4. Jordan Martin | 4. Werner Kotze | 4. Tanner Edmunds |
| 5. Van Selm | 5. Matthew Harmsworth | 5. Bevan Jackson | 5. Wiehan Prinsloo | 5. Matt Drew | 5. Shane Kennedy |
| 6. Le Roux | 6. Rupert Kay | 6. Zander Rossouw | 6. Andre De La Rey (c) | 6. Aza Thutsha | 6. Jonas Mikalcius |
| 7. Tharratt | 7. Mzwandile Mazibuko | 7. Jarred Hayes-Hill | 7. Nic Pentz | 7. Dan Kriedemann | 7. Calvin Silson |
| 8. Goodsen | 8. Jaco Coetzee | 8. Ayron Schramm (vc) | 8. Zane Weir | 8. Richard Thomas | 8. Gareth Murran |
| 9. Lane | 9. Kyle Gerhard | 9. Matt Reece-Edwards (c) | 9. Reece McHardy | 9. Ryan Killian | 9. Cameron Du Plessis |
| 10. Elder | 10. Jacques Dumas | 10. Jordan Gregory | 10. Matt Larkins | 10. Kurt Webster | 10. Davydos Taujanskas |
| 11. Ngcobo | 11. Sphamandla Ngcobo | 11. Alex Albertse | 11. Lindo Buthelezi | 11. Sandile Biyela | 11. Thabo Thabete |
| 12. Rattray | 12. Akhona Nela | 12. Tyler Smith | 12. Juan Anderson | 12. MJ Du Plessis | 12. Wallace De Lange |
| 13. Edwards | 13. Nkululeko Mcuma | 13. Blair Cremer | 13. Brad Ellse | 13. N Mabaso | 13. David Weersma |
| 14. Mkhize | 14. Derwent Stopforth | 14. Thuthu Ndlovu | 14. Kyle Lubbe | 14. Cowen Govender | 14. James Wittstock |
| 15. Holder | 15. Morné Joubert | 15. Chris Lines | 15. Louis Snyman | 15. Mabutana Peter | 15. Lindo Makhanye |
| 16. Arntzen | 16. Robert Peacock | 16. Rory Bell | 16. James Erasmus | 16. Dean Roberts | 16. Scott Sullivan |
| 17. Zuma | 17. Dewald Van Tonder | 17. Biaggio Pelliccia | 17. Bren Kennedy | 17. T Mazibuko | 17. Pete Stravrinou |
| 18. Smith | 18. Kevin Du Randt | 18. Stephen Tedder | 18. Cody Thomas | 18. P Sithole | 18. Greg Slater |
| 19. Johnson | 19. Ntokozo Vidima | 19. James Hall | 19. Raymond Jardine | 19. Pablo Rees | 19. Jordan Beukes |
| 20. Vd Linde | 20. Curtis Jonas | 20. Tristan Tedder | 20. Yuric Thambiran | 20. Kwanda Ngidi | 20. Kuziva Kazembe |
| 21. Hillermann | 21. Kwanda Ntshangase | 21. Joshua Attenborough | 21. Tyrone Jackson | 21. Le Roux van Zyl | 21. Phiko Sobahle |
| 22. Alexander | 22. Cebolakhe Nkosi | 22. Ryan van der Waal | 22. Luke Schlemmer | 22. M Thembe | 22. Nathan Van Wyk |
| 23. Whiteman | 23. Kenny Van Niekerk | 23. Langa Hlongwane | 23. Kyan Braithwaite | 23. Kyne Innes | 23. Ross Marincowitz |
| 24. Michael Teichman | 24. Yorick Chetty | 24. S Khumalo | 24. Siya Sithole | ||
| 25. Ruben Fouché | 25. Keegan Paverd | 25. N Ndlovu | 25. Rhyce Padayachee | ||
| 26. Armand Duvenhage |
@Gungets Tuft: My two nephews and two sons at KC (yip all four of them) are fourth generation and its so cool. They are so pumped to be there and are living all those Christmas and braai stories about “when we were at school”….its classic and cannot be taken away. I do feel that sometimes parents with they could send their sons to their old school but unfortunately due to many circumstances cant. I fully understand. We are luck to have Kearsney close-by, and still a good institution so the we are very lucky indeed.
Good luck all for this weekends games….
@Gungets Tuft, I only saw the three later games. Of the six teams Northwood had several penalty attempts at poles with one converted. It was clear they were out to win the game as they kicked from the first half. DHS only took a shot in the second half when trailing 0 – 8 in order to give themselves a chance to win. I don’t recall Kearsney, Westville, Glenwood or College taking a shot at goal from penalties.
My perspective on last nights games that I saw:
Northwood had a narrow win gifted to them by DHS. The DHS coach must have a lot less hair this morning. The number of basic errors they made was alarming even for this time of the season. The ball dropped when over the try line proved significant.
Kearsney looked good, even without the twins. They gave Westville a bit of a lesson. Agree with stars comments on Westville. Defence was weak and too many tackles missed.
Glenwood were several classes above College last night. The first 10 minutes they were outstanding and again in patches thereafter as well. A bit of individual play did set in at times. College, like Westville, still have a lot of improving to do. Hopefully this weekends game will be close and help both to up their games and settle on combinations.
Kearsney vs Glenwood next week will be the game of the season based on last night, accepting that Michaelhouse and Hilton were not there.
@Gungets Tuft: Agree with you there cannot buy that type of history
@All Black: I didn’t want to sound like a woes but I got a real kick out of the march last Friday. The last time that happened was 1963 but you got a feeling it was well travelled ground. Then, standing on Goldstones, Old Boys in the middle, 1100 boys in a circle outside that, belting out Jimeloyo … eeeisch.
My son is following on after his great-grandfather, grandfather and I. It’s a big deal for me, and he has told me how much it encourages him when times are tough that he is following 100 years of his family at College. We had some 5th generation families there on Friday I am told. Can’t buy that …
The honour of pulling on a jersey that 27 years previously was worn and cherished by your father. To sing the same songs, shout the same war cries and to feel the the same thrill as you run on to your famous ground. I cannot hope to ever feel the same pride or sense of fullfillment after experiencing that. I now look forward to watching my grandsons do the same. This is tradition. I feel sorry for people who have been forced by society to not experience such pride. I once asked a group of mates/fathers from junior school if they had finally learnt all the shouts and songs of their new schools. All I got was a few mumbles. Shame.
@Queenian: College vs Queens over the years has been close and he win/loss ratio is quite even, cannae have the time to look it up.
College will keep on keeping on, there will be good years and some not so good but life’s like that. Not wanting to harp on too much about 150 years (Mark Twain said “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel!!”), but the odd 1,2,3 year period is just the blink of an eye, it needs to be seen in perspective.
I hope the school continues making values a priority over sporting success. Sport will follow if you keep on doing the right thing. If it doesn’t, there is still no right way to do the wrong thing …
@GreenBlooded: See you in Wartburg.
@Gungets Tuft: Well i do know that MC has been afected like Queens but still not to the same degree, everytime i go and watch a school boy match and see a Queens Old Boy kid playing for another schools 1st team something dies inside me.
I suppose you can say that MC and Queens have come through the last 20 years still intacked and going pretty well but the challeges are very big.
Just think of this if MC/Queens had not lost so much the final game this year at MC 150 festival which is between MC and Queens would have been billed as a top 1-5 position game were now maybe the winner will be maybe a Top 20 team.
Some things are sad but i believe dont give up hope our schools need all the support they can get.
Good luck for the MC/Queens games i would say MC should be out right favourites to win so lets see what happens.
Imagine if a school entry prerequisite was that you had to have a dad or family member as an Old Boy, now that would retain the traditions/ethos of a school. In that case my options would have only been 3 schools, Glenwood, DHS and KES….not a bad option list :-)
@rugbyfan: The parents are the whole problem. The boy is not entitled to move without his parents permission and the schools mostly do not contact the kids, they go after the parents. Perhaps the parents think they are doing right by the boy (but mostly for themselves – saving a bit of wonga, or able to have a few free lagers talking about his superstar) – but at which stage do they start ttalkiong about the values that will sustain his boy long after the Jimeloyo has faded ..??
Jimeloyo used with licence because every school has stolen it from College
@GreenBlooded: Ye i agree with you parents are part and parcel of the problem.
@rugbyfan: For all of these school transfers we often overlook the responsibility of the two people who can stop it. The boy’s parents!! They need to sign off on these transfer deal so more than anyone they need to hang their heads for prostituting their sons to the highest bidder.
@Queenian: Here is true story involving a boy who,s name i will not mention who was at Dale Junior play Border Under 13 in Grade 8 went to Hudson Park Grade 9 went to Newton Tech in PE Grade 11 went to Muir College that was last year played EP Craven Week, first day of this year did not arrive back and turns up playing hooker for Noord Kaap a week ago now wants to go back to Muir buts gets turned down and wonders why.
This is today school boy there are maybe a few schools that are on top of the pile were this is not happing but it happens at 80% of the schools.
Now work it out school A who is not a well known rugby school historically wants to become a rugby power house it becomes simple buy players.
@GreenBlooded: Just do a random check through your KZN schools how many boys are playing 1st rugby for a school and see if he,s father went to that school. And you will see who the culprits are.
@GreenBlooded: You are correct there but i think the way school boy rugby is moving loyalty and honour are going out the window slowly but surely when i was at school you could look at your under 10 team and say in 7 years time you will have a good 1st team now you lucky if half those boys are still there.
@All Black: Wouldn’t stress too much about College. A lot of those guys are fresh out of the swimming pool and cricket nets – first run on a rugby field this season probably. The real McCoy will happen on Saturday in Wartburg. Still deciding if it’s worth a trip into the country or if I’m going to slum it north of the Umgeni to watch Northwood take a thrashing from Kearsney.
@kcob: I agree with you and thanks for not making it about one school which it isn’t. I am on record here as saying that this sort of thing needs to stop forthwith – it is not cool as you say and also teaches the boys some very negative life skills in terms of instant gratification (if you want something just go and buy it). I would much prefer that things go back to how they were when I was at school – you played for your badge no matter what. If you had a bad year – so be it. There will always be ways and means of circumventing an agreement, as we are seeing now, so if there is to be an agreement it needs buy-in from all parties IN SPIRIT or else it is not worth the paper it’s written on.
@Amalekite: I really enjoyed watching Jaco Coetzee. I think as he develops more confidence he will become a more and more prominent player.
Kearsney looking very good, even without the Doops.
Glenwood were excellent. Morne Joubert is a class act. Jaco Coetzee had a very good game too. So far, these are the 2 sides to look out for.
Still need to see House and Hilton. They should also be up there in my opinion.
College and Westville still have a lot to work on.
DHS looked the better side on the day against Nothwood. Pity that their wing decided to show off afer crossing the try line and knock the ball on when trying to dot down. I don’t think that he will make that mistake again. Webster a great asset for DHS.
Clifton came close to causing an upset – gutsy performance.
Pioneer and Porties – lots of errors from 2 sides that have already played a few fiull games. Entertaining nontheless.
I know it was a festival but I was a little concerned from a Westville perspective. I was hoping for a more settled core and that the defensive alignment and commitment issues from last year would be improved upon.( lessons learnt ect). The defensive line was repeatly broken by individualistic forays and tackles slipped. Still no real clarity on flyhalf,8th man and lock where leadership and control begin. Maybe it is just as well we are not playing GW this year.
@beet: Sounds like College might have been a little cynical about the purpose of last night’s little exercise then. Damn. The Sharks wallahs might have to put some petrol in their cars and drive then, or have they already made up their minds and done their stealth recruiting?
For the rest, a few letters to draw fodder to the Academy should do it.
@All Black: We have to agree. It was hardly the College 1st XV. If fact it looked like it more closely resembled their 2nd XV for 2013.
Gumede, Khatide, Conradie, Booysen, Coetzee, Ngwenya amongst the inactive players who are expected to start on Sat.
@KCOB, in our day those heavy oversized jersey’s slowed us down, imagine how many more tackles we could have slipped. I was not there last night but glad the Glenwood team are looking decent, we have a very very tough season ahead starting with you guys up on Botha’s Hill next weekend. I don’t know too many of this Glenwood side, just know once the backs are unleashed they could cause mahem. I think every player can run the 100m in 11 flat or less…..a couple around 10.6…..
Guys I was really impressed with Glenwood last night; very slick! Thank goodness back in the 90’s those skin tight strips were not around, I (we) would have like malnourished kids vs all these guys! I thought the Northwood no 8 was good; Morne Joubert was hot; mcCardy looked strong (until a heavy yellow card); Schramm was looking good. Geez blokes, there is going to be some really tight rugby this year. The the guys are looking seriously conditioned. The Glenwood, NW looked the cream of the conditioning I reckon.
Kearsney and Glenwood the best sides on the day.
@kcob: Agreed. Same school/s again. Northwood looked the biggest side, along with Glenwood, but they looked disorganised for a team that has played quite a fe games already. Wont even comment on College.
@beet: A good indicator of the objectives of the team is how many penalties were kicked for posts.
Wasn’t there so can’t comment, but if trying combinations and tactics was the objective then you would see scrums, line-outs, quick taps, etc, not 3-pointers.
Beet can fill us in there.
@kcob: That is a very delicate subject my friend.
Iam flummoxed! I really understood the HMA to be one that prevented the premature dawn of a a professional error. Certain schools are blatantly abiding by the rule book in they can import players in Grade 11 and grade 12 and then say what a great side we had or have. Not cool! I thought you we not allowed to move to a new school after grade 10 unless you we validated a being genuine, I.e bullying, parents relocated etc. the fact that some schools are actively going outside of the province to procure the services of rugby specific players to enhance their kzN standings is just not cool! I mean, it’s just not cool. It professionalism, right their. It’s like Kearsney saying, “We missing a prop for this year, so let’s go an get some more from elsewhere to bolster the team” that professionalism right there! Grrrrr.i really hope the kids could remain at their schools , not be shifted simply because a scout has decided it to be so, and rewards offered for it to be so!it really makes for a non home grown School vs School contest, doesn’t it? I know the Sharks do it and the books don’t, buts it’s now really here amongst the schools, so it’s really business vs business, isn’t it? Good luck all !
@GreenBlooded: Could not agree more. Teams came here with different agendas. Winning was not the objective. An entertaining evening nonetheless.
@GreenBlooded:
Westville and College will have proper rugby laws and rules but it seems as if the two schools have kinda agreed to count it as part of pre-season. N’Wood and Kearsney is the Real Mccoy. Every team playing each other barring Kearsney U16D and 7th side whom will be playing fillers against another school.
Will be looking forward to U14A,U16A and 1st XV results. I’m afraid U15A will be one way traffic for Kearsney.
DHS play KZN Development this weekend in matches that’ll also be used to check out combinations again. I prefer this as you are more likely than not to have the best team possible come the College 150th fest
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I don’t read anything into this. You are correct – the proper season starts on Saturday. Other than the Glenwood Framesby match I think all the other ‘matches’ so far are pretty meaningless as far as contests and form go – mostly been used to test combinations and to give boys on the fringes a chance to get noticed.
Are the Northwood/Kearsney and Westville/College matches this weekend going to be the real McCoy – i.e. full strength teams, 70 mins, proper sub laws? When is DHS’s first match?
Some close games but some of these will change around come PROPER rugby season.
N’Wood just aren’t living up to the hype IMO…
Complete Results as I have them:
Port Natal 17 Pionier 14
George Campbell 8 Clifton 3
Northwood 8 DHS 3
Kearsney 17 Westville 5
Glenwood 19 College 0
N’Wood just held on to an 8-3 victory with DHS attacking madly in the last couple of minutes.
Don’t mind this as DHS is missing a few key players and N’Wood played their full starting line-up
N’Wood lead DHS 3-0 at HT
Northwoos fullback converts a 45m penalty . NW lead 3-0
Northwood and DHS still scoreless…
GC beat Clifton 8-3
DHS and Northwood up next
port natal beat pioneer 17-14.
GC and Clifton at 3-3 right now
@beet: I think the bigger stronger packs will dominate and we will see a lot more tighthead wins. The major difference is that before, the attacking team controlled when the ball was fed whereas now the referee controls the feed. In concept this is no different at any age group where Crouch-Bind-Scrum is used other than uncontested scrums of course.
@star, I think Jackson has been injured. I noticed him sitting out of training recently. I know he had a shoulder injury a couple of weeks ago.
@beet, thanks for getting the team lists.
@GreenBlooded: I wonder how scrums will turn out at lower age-group levels?
@star: New scrum laws are not what I thought them to be initially. If you don’t go for a strong heavy pack that can scrum properly you will lose a lot of ball at the scrum. Big solid props are here to stay.
It seems that with the new scrum laws Westville is looking for a more mobile front row. It does not bode well for Westville’s 2nd team opposition who might have to face M. Jackson and Majozi who must average close to 120kgs.
@Greenwood: I thought Dumas also got injured coz Mcuma finished the Framesby game at 10 but he too is fit again.
@Greenwood: Sensible thing to do. Obviously he was not concussed or he would not even be on the bench. Good idea to give him a rest – not much riding on this horse and pony show.
I see Curtis Jonas GWD 20 is on the list – he took a bad knock in the 1st 5 minutes in Framesby game – I was told he was out cold for a while and he went for a Concussion test
The boys are saying that’s why the Glenwood backs were out of sorts on Saturday – he must be ok then if he’s listed