JONATHAN COOK reports:
Saturday’s second and final day of the Husqvarna Skonk Nicholson Rugby Festival at Maritzburg College saw a number of schools make it two wins from two festival starts.In the U16 section, Westville, Maritzburg College and Kearsney won both their matches on Friday and Saturday, while in the U14 section it was Menlo Park and Westville who won both their matches.
This festival is the final leg of the Maritzburg College 150th Winter Sports Festival, which also incorporated the FNB Maritzburg College 150th Rugby Festival and the Nomads Hockey Festival.
Menlo Park U14 beat Hudson Park U14 by a healthy 43-0 after leading 17-0 at half-time.
Hudson started with promise but Menlo’s big pack rumbled the ball up before outstanding flyhalf Werner Nel shrugged off several tackles in the midfield to score under the posts and convert (7-0). Nel went on to add the extra two points for a number of other tries as well.
The heavier and taller Menlo lads, well coached by Wouter Burger, will give the best U14 sides a serious run for their money this year, but it was smallish fullback Arrie du Plessis, full of running, who sliced through the middle after fielding a stray kick and ultimately it was Nel who went over (12-0).
On the stroke of half-time Menlo won a Hudson lineout and penetrative second centre Dylan Nysschen cut through for the 17-0 half-time score.
Hudson’s hands let them down when in try-scoring positions but it was Menlo who again brushed off tackles for flank Ruben Meiring to go over. Then a classic backline move saw left wing Zian Potgieter dot down in the corner. Menlo number eight Hannes van Rensburg ran through and over several tackles before touching down over the whitewash and the last try went to Du Plessis in the corner after quick recycling.
The strong Westville U14 side looked to be well in control of their match against a spirited Trinityhouse U14 but the Westville boys had to withstand a determined surge from the Johannesburg lads before running out 36-15 winners.
A super-motivated Kearsney U16 did exceptionally well to come back from a 12-0 deficit to beat Alberton’s combative Marais Viljoen 14-12 on Goldstones.|
But possibly the story of Saturday’s action was how the gutsy Maritzburg College U14 team – thumped 64-0 by Menlo on Friday – did exceptionally well to draw 14-14 with Jeppe, who had been shaded 22-20 by the strong Westville side the day before despite scoring four tries to three.
College had a good start but Jeppe came back into the game, dangerous outside centre James Msimango a constant handful with his jinking runs and ability to step off both feet.
The exciting first half ended 0-0 despite the non-stop action.
In the second half College’s hands let them down, breaking several promising moves – and totally against the run of play Jeppe progressed upfield before opting to run a kickable penalty from under their opponents’ posts.
Under massive pressure, outstanding College scrumhalf Ross Williamson got in a clearance kick and with Jeppe up on attack it was pacy right winger Matthew Squires who followed up to gather the ball before running 50 metres to score under the posts. Flyhalf Ryan Spring converted and College were 7-0 up.
Jeppe went in search of parity and only brave College defence held them out until hooker Khaya Mangena burst over from a maul. Flyhalf Cameron van Tonder converted and the score was 7-7.
Then it was Jeppe’s turn to defend with everything they had until College exploited the extra player after a yellow card had been dealt – and red, black and white eighthman Dylan Jones scored out wide. Spring converted to put College 14-7 up.
Urged on by coaches Kgmotso Motlogeloa and Solly Moleko, Jeppe put everything into attack as the clock wound down and not surprisingly it was Msimango who forced his way over out wide on the right. Van Tonder kicked the pressure conversion and the final score was 14-14.
SATURDAY RESULTS
U14: Hudson Park 0 Menlo Park 43; Marais Viljoen 61 Voortrekker 7; Trinityhouse 15 Westville 36; Maritzburg College 14 Jeppe 14.
U16: Hudson Park 12 Westville 31; Trinityhouse 0 Hilton 41; Kearsney 14 Marais Viljoen 12; Maritzburg College 67 KZN Development XV 7.
FRIDAY RESULTS
U14: Trinityhouse 31 Voortrekker 0; Hudson Park 41 Marais Viljoen 5; Menlo Park 64 Maritzburg College 0; Westville 22 Jeppe 20.
U16: Kearsney 31 Trinityhouse 7; Marais Viljoen 24 Hilton 19; Westville 51 KZN Development XV 0; Maritzburg College 21 Hudson Park 5.
@star: My selective memory has erased last year’s match vs Hilton but I remember them winning … it wasn’t pretty 8)
@ Pedantic- I think rankings are unfortunately a human condition( a bit like prostitution
). I think it is important how we as parents/supporters deal/control it. We need to constantly re-inforce the correct pesrspective.On a general note I feel that your game with Hilton will be an interesting one as from what I saw they are 2 welll matched sides.What happened last year?
@HORSEFLY NO.1: They’re only U14 champs when Rugby 15 rank them there ;)
Their rankings should be outlawed – way too much pressure on the kids.
@Pedantic: Rugby 15 is clueless with their rankings. Agree. Hate these things. Now they are ranking U15’s? Surely this only puts more pressure on young kids. No matter what anyone says, you still look at the rankings and are influenced by them.
@Pedantic:
Lol in a continuation of that DHS U14 beat Ben Voster 38-17 which is by 21 points. The same Ben Voster team beat Northwood 54-0 making DHS potentially 75 points better and Kearsney beat NW by 44 making DHS 31 points better than Kearsney and ultimately 16 points bettter than Glenwood!
Therefore, DHS U14A are now crowned KZN U14 champs !
@GreenBlooded: The link is http://www.rugby15.co.za/2013/04/south-africa-u16-school-rugby-rankings-6-april-2013/
It really is way too early to put together a ranking in this age group and I must say much of it has me scratching my head in disbelief
The interesting thing here is that on SNRF form, Jeppe / Westville / M. College U14’s all appear to be similair strength, yet Kearsney U14 beat Jeppe 41-0 at the Parktown festival.
Glenwood beat Kearsney 15 -0 which makes Glenwood U14’s potentially 50 points better than Westville and College
Well done College U14s – glad to see the 8th man having a score in a festival match
http://smugshots.co.za/maritzburg-college-150th-festivals-29-march-6-april/
Some great photos of all the rugby and hockey action at Maritzburg College over the past 2 weeks.
@BWS: I can’t seem to find these rankings anywhere on that site. Do you have an exact URL? I was trying to find how on earth these were calculated from so few results. It seems with a lot of these ranking systems, Grey College, Paarl Gym, Paul Roos and Affies simply get pencilled in the top spots by default at the beginning of the season and it works from there. It is far too early for Westville to start crowing about being top U16 team in KZN. Anyone who watched the Glenwood / Kearsney U16 encounter would have their doubts too.
The Bellville u/16 group of this year beat Boland Landbou, Tygerberg, Brackenfell and Stellenberg on this list and big names like SACS, Drostdy and Wynberg in the preceding age groups. They will do well again this year and should have been invited to the Gim Week in the first place. I hope this “unfashionable” school will get a mention as the season goes on.
South Africa U16 School Rugby Rankings:
1 Grey College
2 Paul Roos Gymnasium
3 Paarl Gimnasium
4 Affies (Pta)
5 Oakdale
6 Daniel Pienaar
7 Kempton Park
8 Grey High (PE)
9 Nelspruit
10 Paarl Boys High
11 Rondebosch Boys High
12 Boland Landbou
13 Westville Boys High
14 Dr EG Jansen
15 Garsfontein
16 Glenwood High
17 Kearsney College
18 Monument (Monnas)
19 Menlopark
20 Wonderboom
21 Selborne College
22 Potchefstroom Gimnasium
23 Maritzburg College
24 HTS Middelburg
25 Marais Viljoen
26 Tygerberg
27 Outeniqua
28 Middelburg
29 KES
30 Michaelhouse
31 Linden
32 Diamantveld
33 Marlow
34 Bishops
35 Framesby
36 Jim Fouche
37 Eldoraigne
38 Durban High School
39 Ben Vorster
40 Brackenfell
41 Northwood
42 Stellenberg
43 Centurion
44 Waterkloof
45 Overkruin
46 Hilton College
47 Oudtshoorn
48 Helpmekaar
49 Witteberg
50 Noord-Kaap
compiled by SchoolRugbyScores.co.za (desmond@schoolrugbyscores.co.za)
Some Interesting rankings !! Westville leading the KZN schools ……. so far !!
It shows huge character for a team to come back like that from a heavy loss. To be fair, the Menlo boys were HUGE and far more skilled than anyone else in that age-group and would have cleaned up any side. It was the nature of the College defeat that was distressing – the boys simply ‘gave up’ and didn’t put up a fight – not very ‘College’. The game on Saturday was a different story. I would imagine a serious lecture about courage, heart and pride took place and the boys came back fighting against a pretty good Jeppe team.