By Ryan Victor.
Kingswood College 1st XV kicked off their season with a match against Winterberg Agricultural School. The game was called a pre-season fixture, but both sides didn’t think this was the case.
Kingswood started the brighter of the teams, as a couple of phases saw the Kingswood inside centre, Reece Collet cross the line for the first try of the year. Cameron Hertz with the conversion.
Kingswood carried on their momentum with some good forward play crossing the advantage line continuously, before prop, Shane Liebenberg picked and drove over the line for Kingswood’s second try. The try easily converted by Kingswood’s goal kicker, Cameron Hertz.
The game became scrappy with both sides throwing loose passes and continuous errors causing no real momentum to build. It didn’t allow any of the sides the chance to create some space or threaten the opposition.
Then some fine rucking caused a turnover in the middle of the park for Kingswood. The ball was swung out nicely through the hands of the backline before Davron Cameron handed the ball to Jonathan Amadi, who had too much pace for the Winterberg backline and rounded the defence to score a well worked try.
The game continued in Kingswood’s favour, as Winterberg struggled to gain possession and create chances of their own. Kingswood again strung some nice passes together before getting the ball wide and allowing Anelisa Mteto to cross over for Kingswood’s fourth try.
At half time numerous changes were made to the Kingswod side. Zuko Zote came on for Cameron Hertz at fly half, Ruan Pagel came on at wing for James Chungu and Yalusa Nododa came on at 9 for Cuan Junkin.
Both sides seemed to struggle to get back into the pace of the game after half time and no chances were created early on. From a set scrum inside Kingswood’s half and slightly to the right of the field. Number 8, Adrian Donian picked up from the base of the scrum as he broke down the right side of the field. Some great support play from number 9, Yalusa Nododa, allowed Donian to feed the ball inside to him as Nododa’s quick feet took him past a Winterberg defender, before a great pass back outside to Donian allowed Kingswood to score one of the best tries seen in awhile. For such moves to be completed so early in the season, things are looking bright for this Kingswood side.
Kingswood playing some really good flowing rugby were halted by two injuries in the space of 2 minutes. First Bradley Schwedhelm collided in contact with Sinekhaya Joseph and was stretchered from the field. A minute later Mvelo Khumalo was injured in a ruck situation. This stopped the flow from the Kingswood game as both of these players were having storming games. Kingswood struggled to gain momentum after this, as they allowed Winterberg to cross the line for the first time in the game.
Captain Jack Denton called the team together and you could see that after that, Kingswood were back in their zone and soon picked up the momentum they had earlier on in the game.
An up and under was collected in the air by Davron Cameron, as he wriggled and stepped his way through a group of Winterberg defenders, scoring an excellent solo try.
The game was the capped off with some aggressive forward play as Joe de Beer crossed the line for Kingswoods final try. As the game ended 43-5 to Kingswood College. A promising start for the men in Red and Black as they gear up for their match against Grey High School on Friday night.
@BoishaaiPa: @kcman: I wish I could give you my sons names- very Afrikaans. But he was born in the UK, has attended Eng medium schools all his life, speaks Afr with a huge accent and lives in the UK. On top of that, he is old Lizzies subject. But the pommies are impressed- they think that he has “exotic”names. Which reminds me of the occasion Koos VD Merwe was introduced to prince Phillip, they said- Koos, this is Your Highness and Koos responded-” What a coincidence- Im also Johannes”
@BoishaaiPa: Lol, from good farming stock in the Eastern Cape, been at Kingswood since he was a little boy.
@kcman: Fanie vd Westhuizen…thats a very posh sounding soutie name!…lol..
@ kcman-soften them up for us. We will need it.
@Mike: I am sure Grey are very well prepared for Friday Evening’s match, they always are and they are a very big side. Our boys might be a bit light and we did pick up 2 concussions in yesterday’s game to key players.
Mvelo Khumalo and Bradley Schwedhelm will be missing out due to concussion. Josh Shelley, outside centre is also missing due to a broken thumb sustained during a cricket match and Fanie VD Westhuizen, 8th man is also out with a knee injury.
With our numbers, injuries can play havoc with a first choice team but I am sure the boys are going to be well up for the game. Hopefully this fixture will resurrect an annual fixture against Grey High as well.
There’s always cause to be a bit nervous when kcman is quiet before a match. But I can guarantee that the Grey boys are not treating this at all like a pre-season fixture. They are fully prepared.
Oh and watch out Grey!
I’ll say it again….the dark horse in the EC in 2013 will be Kingswood.Nevermind that this was against Winterberg, but a big score against any opposition in the first game of the season says a lot.Watch out Queens, watch out Dale!
http://www.qcardtelevision.co.za/channel/channels-104-latest-news
Link to interviews with John Mitchell, Pieter Serfontein, Gareth Shaw and Jack Denton.
Great win things are looking good for Kingswood
Well written by young Mr Victor. Kingswood will be in for a good season, really promising start for them. Ideal for them to get some time ahead of the much anticipated match against the highly rated Grey side
Mvelo Khumalo was the Maritzburg College and KZN Schools prop last year.
Jack Denton is David Denton, the Scottish international’s younger brother.
Pity about the injuries but Kingswood might still surprise a few teams in the competitive Eastern Cape schools region.