Hilton beat Maritzburg College 38-22 in an entertaining match played on Gilfillan. Right from the start both teams set out to play positive rugby resulting in 70-minutes worth of action. Although Hilton took the lead in the third minute and never looked back, the result was really only secured by the home team in the last five or so minutes when they scored 10 unanswered points. Up until then College were still in with a shout.
The cliché is “rugby was the winner on the day” but in this case it really was. The match could quite easily have been cancelled or postponed. A sickness bug started to spread through the College first team camp on Friday. By Saturday five programme listed starting players had to be withdrawn. This was sufficient grounds for the game not to go ahead but it did not cross College’s mind to terminate. They made the last minute changes and honoured the fixture. All credit to the school and the boys for rising to the challenge under the circumstances.
It was mentioned that Hilton finished strongly but they started strongly as well. Tactically they played a good game but didn’t quite manage to back it up with convincing set-piece work and it was left to individual brilliance rather than good team structured play to get them four of their five tries. Of the outstanding individuals on the field, once again no one came close to Hilton scrumhalf and captain Cameron Wright, who must surely be the best scrumhalf in SA schoolboy rugby this year. On attack, No.8 Nqobi Maseko did his best to steal some of the limelight away from Wright with a few memorable carries.
Overall College shaded Hilton in the forward exchanges and did well to find new avenues of attack, especially in the backline where four of the five changes were made. Cool flyhalf Jason Alexander continues to be one of the most underrated players in KZN and Kelvin Elder playing out of position at outside centre was the big surprise of the day.
There was a bit of wind mainly higher up to contend with but even still the lineout work by both teams left a lot to be desired. Tackling was also below the acceptable standard. Nevertheless the battle to overcome their weaknesses in these two areas of the contest, contributed to the enjoyment of the game.
It also has to be noted that part of the attraction was the good sportsmanship displayed by both teams.
Match breakdown:
|
Min |
Score |
Details |
|
3 |
5-0 |
College fullback Brandon Holder clears the danger with a relieving kick. The ball is however judged to have been carried back into the 22m, resulting in a very attacking lineout for Hilton. The hosts win clean ball and then set up a rolling maul that commits just about all players including backs to driving towards the try-line. Initially it makes good ground but eventually becomes static at which point Hilton fan out. Although there is an opportunity for scrumhalf Wright to throw one of his speciality bullet speed long passes to players on the overlap out right, Hilton instead takes advantage of a gap near the side of the maul and loosehead prop Andy Lee, who also happens to be 1 of 2 sets of twins playing for Hilton crashes over for the opening try. Wright fails with the conversion. |
|
5 |
10-0 |
In attempts to catch difficult highballs in the swirling wind, College did themselves few favours by using poor technique at times. The first of the knock-ons from dropped catches occurred when Wright cleared a ball from deep inside his own half. At the resulting scrum, Hilton no.8 Nqobi Maseko who proved to be one of the standout players on attack, broke rapidly off the back on the short left blindside, beat 3 tackles as part of a super long run that culminated in an excellent try. Wright missed the conversion out of the corner. |
|
10 |
10-0 |
College still trying to establish cohesion amongst a team that had been setback by late withdrawals of sick players found themselves under enormous pressure in these first 10 minutes. |
|
16 |
10-7 |
Kelvin Elder had shown good form against Glenwood a week earlier. This season he’s plied his trade as fullback, last season he was a scrumhalf. In both years he made KZN Academy Week team, thus proving what a versatile player he is. This flexibility received an SOS to move to outside centre on the match day. For the first 35 minutes he played just like the sort of forceful centre the KZN Craven Week team needs. It was performance reminiscent of those witnessed from College’s line-breaking-at-will Kriel twins over the past 2 seasons. In previous games Elder had always seemed like a player looking to play to into space and link with others. In this game he was just plain physically dominant in contact. Aided by a useful hand-off and powerful running style, any Hilton defender getting in his way was sent tumbling to the deck. An attacking move started at a scrum awarded inside the College 22m due to Hilton not throwing a lineout ball in straight. Elder knocked over a few would-be tacklers near his own 22m and once he reached the other 22m line he missed the chance to offload to a couple of players on his outside but his desperate pop inside found centre Simon Culverwell charging up on that support line to collect and carry it up to the try-line. A ruck ensued and Elder was on hand to act as scrumhalf and channel a ball right to the short side where flyhalf Jason Alexander, one of the best players to watch in a RBW jersey this season weaved through and over for a try he then converted. |
|
20 |
10-7 |
Elder impressed again with another good run. |
|
23 |
17-7 |
Wright detonates one of his bombs. A huge punt with plenty of hang-time gets caught by the swirling wind and is visibly seen to move about 4 to 5 metres off course while at its highest point. Inexperienced young fullback Holder was one of the players drafted into the visitors’ first team at the last moment. His valiant attempt to catch this kick was part of a nightmare afternoon he experienced at the hands of Wright’s world class aerial assault. From the scrum awarded as a result of the knock-on, Maseko breaks right. A ruck is set up at the tackled ball and relatively quickball is picked up by Hilton’s mobile lock Jason Gouws, who rushes by 2 tackles with ease and scores in the vicinity of the posts. Wright converts. |
|
22 |
17-7 |
A memorable moment when College no.8 Daryn Goodson, who seems to to get into a zone where seemingly no one can stop his progress, takes off on a 40 metre run, bashing over tacklers in the process. His effort earns College a penalty from which they set an attacking lineout but a bad throw-in, one of many by both teams on the day, in this case turns possession back to Hilton. |
|
29 |
17-7 |
As if the sickness enforced last minute changes was not enough bad luck for College, they lose their talismanic player Goodson to injury as well. |
|
30 |
17-7 |
This match won’t be noted for good solid defending but during this particular redzone drive by College, Hilton’s defence stood up well in the end. College proved against Glenwood that they have mastered their pick and drive game. Their patience, reorganisation, teamwork and body positions are very good in this facet of their play and the carries almost always result in ground being made. Every metre counts in the redzone and with the aid of about 6 pick and drives, College eventually got over the tryline but were held up by some focused Hilton defenders. |
|
31 |
17-14 |
One of the most unusual tries that is scored in the game of rugby. Following a good break by flank moved to no.8 Gavin Geach, in which he does really well to stay on his feet, College again pick and drive their way towards the line and score by placing the ball against the upright post. Alexander converts. |
|
35 |
24-14 |
Another woefully misdirected lineout by College gifts unmarked Hilton flank Rob Baldwin with an opportunity to catch and attack off the back in the College 22m. Hilton stays firmly in control from that point onwards. They work the ball around with a series of drives but College defends the channels very well until Wright does a swift 180 degree turn and then outpaces the defence on the outside to score in the left corner. He follows through on this bit of individualism with an excellent kick. |
|
Halftime |
24-14 |
What is interesting to note in this game is that local Midlands referee Mr K Rugbar is wired up and can receive communication from his two society assistant referees. Added to this, an assessor from Durban is present to give him some pointers during the break. The game does seem to flow a lot better. Many previous Midlands 1st team matches tended to be start-stop and end in high penalty counts. |
|
37 |
27-14 |
Maseko starts the second half in pretty much the same fashion he did the first, with a devastating carry from 22 to 22, showing good pace and beating 4 tackles. However he does err by not looking around and making a pass when the support was there to finish his good work. An infringement at the next ruck presents Wright with the chance to grow the lead by 3 points. |
|
40 |
27-14 |
It’s College flyhalf Alexander turn to go on a 50m run after he makes an excellent break. The combined missed tackle count in this game was very high. Maseko saves the day with an eventual tackle but College wins a penalty shortly thereafter. Despite their lineout not going to plan, they bravely opt to set up a redzone lineout which their best option Wian Jacobs takes well. College drives to the line but get held up for a second time in the game. |
|
42 |
27-14 |
A controversial decision of the game. College’s Gavin Geach breaks quickly off the 5m scrum. The attempt to tackle him is low but it does not look like arms are used. Geach’s momentum takes him over the tackler where he goes to ground near the try-line and he is definitely not held in the tackle. He therefore does not bother to release the ball, instead getting up to propel himself forward and over for what looks like a legit try. He is however penalised. No try. |
|
45 |
27-19 |
A bit of innovation that was nowhere to be found during College’s diabolical lineout performance against Paul Roos, is now worked to perfection. Having setup another lineout via penalty close to the Hilton line, College scrumhalf Lucas Booysen, takes up a position at the front of the lineout and receives a quick throw catching Hilton off guard. Booysen basketball passes it right back to his hooker Masikani Mazwi, who runs up the touchline. With no space and lots of attention on him, the obvious outcome seems to be that he’ll be forced over out but he defies the odds by dodging tackles and somehow scores a try he should never have been allowed to score. Alexander misses the kick. |
|
50 |
27-19 |
Hilton’s Andy Lee is perhaps fortune to escape with just a firm warning by the ref after an unintended low tip-tackle. The tackle itself did not look dangerous but it was Lee’s second talking to of the match following an incident of a different nature in the first half. |
|
53 |
27-22 |
College clawed their way back to within a converted try with Alexander’s successful shot at goal after Hilton, who had generally been under pressure at scrum-time conceded a penalty at the setpiece. At this stage the momentum of the game seemed to have shifted in College’s favour. They were looking more dangerous with ball in hand. |
|
54 |
27-22 |
It was again a bizarre game in that 60 points were scored but there were precious few opportunities for the wings on either side. Jaegar Richmond was a classic example of this. Having been so prominent on attack in the half that he played during Hilton’s big win against Michaelhouse, one would have expected the hosts to find ways to bring him into the game more often. Yet his first meaningful attacking touch came in the 54th minute and it was compliments of a College pass behind the player error as well. |
|
57 |
27-22 |
The benefit of having association assistant refs and not schoolboy touch judges came to College’s defence. Cameron Wright’s boot haunted the College back three who had to try make catches while retreating and looking into the sun. Against a normal schoolboy punt kicker fullback Holder’s positional play would probably have been perfect at this level. Holder had to be cautious of not leaving too much ground in front of him otherwise this might have encouraged Hilton to chip into that vacuum. However in staying up, he left room in behind him, which Wright exploited with accurate kicks. These kicks always seemed to be helped along by the hardened surface on which the ball continued to rolling in the intended direction of the kick once they had bounced. On this particular occasion the referee’s initial decision was that a College player had touched the ball in his failed act of trying to catch it over his shoulder. Under duress College were then forced to dot it dead in-goal. It would have been a 5m scrum to Hilton according to the ref’s original decision. The input of the assistant changed that to a 22-drop out. |
|
60 |
27-22 |
Some constructive play by Hilton with ball in hand sees them getting well into the College 22. |
|
63 |
30-22 |
Another of Wright’s perfect kicks manages to land behind the College fullback and right wing Edwards. This Hilton closing in fast, these inexperienced players panic a bit near their own tryline and instead of consolidating with ball in hand, an ambitious attempt is made to clear the danger via a kick, this despite the kicker not having a firm footing. The ball trickles forward and presents a good chance for Hilton to collect it and score a 5-points but a retreating College player, clearly in front of the kicked ball interferes with it and is duly penalised. He is perhaps also a little fortunate not to be carded for a professional foul. Wright’s tactical box kicks were on the money and so was his penalty to extend the lead. |
|
68 |
33-22 |
College were left with little other choice but to run the ball from deep now. Due to Hilton’s tactical kicking game much of the play was now concentrated well inside the College half. Hilton wins a penalty for holding by College and Wright sends a difficult angled kick sailing over the crossbar. |
|
70 |
38-22 |
Another Wright high kick lays the territorial platform for Hilton’s 5th and final try. Geach collected the kick and charged upfield but is dispossessed by lock Christian Wiessing. From there Hilton drive it forward with purposeful carries, setting up a ruck on the right-hand side with their line in formation to the right. Flyhalf Justin Sacks, standing in for regular Simon Purdon, notices the quickly closing College backs and threads a well-weighted diagonal kick through a gap towards the left corner. Centre Alistair Rayner wins the chase to apply downward pressure and complete the scoring in this highly entertaining encounter. |
|
Fulltime |
38-22 |
Good game to watch. |
Gentlemen, having all played at a senior level and this I deduce from your empathetic posts…do you think the boys competing actually care? They just love playing the game no matter whoo rocks up or not!
Great to see all your passion, Beet a great expression session!
@Ruggersake: Ruggersake, nice banter. When are we going to do Bob Marley again? How’s the bike? The funny bit is, that GW 2nds should beat MOST 1st teams by good points, so my Maths says MC 2nds slotting into the 1st’s should be there or there abouts.
@Ruggersake: james wilson and co.
@Ruggersake: Had my sense of humour removed at birth, waste of time. I assume you were blessed with a great sense of humour but I wouldn’t see it, naturally.
So the Wynberg jersey …. and supporting KC .. but from College. I get it … are you related to a former Springbok player?
These games played with absentees are not unusual. College ended last season with 9 regulars out, no complaints. If College run out on Saturday there will 4 first choice 1st team player on the field. A little extreme, don’t you think?
Naturally KC would be content if the situation was reversed. Time will tell. With my lack of sense of humour I might have to remind you.
@Ruggersake: With all due respect we are not talking about 6 boys. There are close to 100 boys now affected. The logistics of finding front row players which are needed for any game to start is already a problem. If you are advocating that props be pushed up 3 or 4 teams to play at a level out of their expertise then we have a problem. There will no doubt be boys who feel they are ‘better’ and go against doctors orders in order to not let their team down. This is dangerous already. Believe me when I say the boys want to play and will be happy to omit some details to their coaches when asked if they are fit. Not sure if you are a parent? These risks are not to be taken lightly so cannot ‘go on regardless of absenteeism’ as you suggest.
@Gungets Tuft: I am sure the boys will be a very tight unit come CW. Remember, these posts are being made by parents and siblings – I would presume so anyway…
All games have been played with great spirit and in general, they all seem to know each other these days – I suppose Facebook and BBM are the reason’s for this.
@RuggerSake: I know you are just messing about and winding people up. Honestly speaking now, you surely can not want this game to go ahead? You are more than likely like me, you love SBR and are upset that yet another KC game is likely to be cancelled! I guess we will have to head down to Westville, although this is going to be a cake walk for Westville
@RBugger: I trust the boys themselves will be more circumspect than us then, with Glenwood, KC and College together we have 19 out of the 22 in the Craven Week side.
The Glenwood vs College match was played in a great spirit, not a hint of personal aggro, just good hard rugby. Didn’t see the GW vs KC match, but if it was similar, and College KC can avoid the handbags shown here, then we are 75% of the way to a good Craven Week.
Should find out when Wynberg was at school, perhaps he bumped into Chris Luman, they can renew old acquaintance… he can help Chris with some pointers on giving the College boys a bit of spine ….
@Gungets Tuft: I truly love evoking such patriotic emotion which is evident from the numerous comments!
For the record I am not advocating that sick/injured players should play, but the fixture should go on regardless of absenteeism.
MH played KC with 6 players out KC have in the earlier part of the season played without various players.
Your assumptions regarding what I am purported to have insinuated in my post lead me to believe you realy have a dull sense of humour….albeit the banter I hope tosee you at the game on Saturday, it should be a cracker, if it is not cancelled. NB: I didnt go to Wynberg, I am actually a MC class of 1985
@Pedantic: Thank you for your wishes. Weird virus that has resulted in some boys being on drips in hospital. Seemed to come at the right time for many boys. Only thing College boys are terrified of is exams.
Oh come on now – no one is dying, we are not talking anything serious here! It is a bit of flu that will be overcome. Yes, the rugga will have to be cancelled/ postponed, but there are just a few jokes flying around, that’s all.
RuggerSake is just sparking a bit of fire and messing around, it is clear he is a KC supporter – it should be taken into context as a bit of a joke! Seems people are walking right into it, perhaps there is a generation gap in some cases on this particular blog.
@All Black: Comments made in bad taste expected? I think both schools have enough common respect to ignore the isolated childish remarks.
Banter is welcomed under normal circumstances … these seem to be extreme circumstances and we can only wish the boys all get well soon.
Some comments made in poor taste. Is to be expected. College will honor the fixtures at the earliest possible date should the games be postponed.
@Buffel: Wed 19th the Gr12’s are writing Maths, the Gr11’s Afrik, Gr10’s English. The annual College Cross-Country is scheduled for the 19th in the afternoon. The Thursday is a possibility.
Trust me on one thing, College want this to go ahead but most of the boys have been booked off by doctors for 10 days, most of them from Saturday and Sunday last week. That means no training, no matches. If they could, they would run out with a composite team, like they did last week, except that this time it would include 3rd team boys as well. The Kearsney okes I know would not want that because they also want to test themselves.
@therealrbugger: It’s only a joke if it’s funny. Ruggersake has been picking away for 2 days.
“Come on now, if youve been watching Kearsney these are not big games”
“This is only a challenge to the uninformed, both these games even with full sides are going to be a walk in the park”
“have you ever seen Grey College or Paarl Gym cry off a fixture due to injuries… English schools get with the programme”
The only thing he has not commented on is where his own school is involved. His point of view might even be interesting.
No one takes a game against College lightly, regardless of results or form. Hilton are claiming that it is one of their best results in the past 20 years. Lets be real. A full strength College team would have run Hilton close and probably beaten them.
Of Prime importance is the boys health. We all want this fixture to go ahead so why not do it in the last week of term. There might be a problem with the CW and Acadamy boys being given the green light but it is not just about the 1ST XV game.
Imagine if we did it on the Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th. All fixtures can be played culminating in the final fixture for Kearsney 1ST XV the day before break up day.
@Gungets Tuft: He surely never played against College – anyone who has will know they are just as physical as any other team in SA SBR!!!
In fact, it is not the physicality that makes the Afrikaans schools better rugga schools than the English, to me, it is the commitment!
When I played against Grey Bloem and Affies, it was never the physicality that was the problem, it was their fitness levels.
We would compete well and match them upfront, then we would simply run out of gas as where they seemed to be able to step up a gear!
I can promise you one thing, College will always rank as one of the most physical teams out there
@Gungets Tuft: I understand that the boys are sick but that whole KC fever thing was a ‘joke’. Lets be a bit more mature about this and calm down.
Fierce rivalry between MC and KC. This is a game that has to be played at some stage or another if not this weekend.
@RBugger: I can deal with banter (sometimes engage, sometimes just ignore) but when kids like Ruggersake ignore the festering boil on their doorstep and start invoking the names of Paarl Gim and GCB to make a point, they need to be called out, not applauded like 3 year olds who cr#pped a particularly nice shade of yellow.
He has called “English” schools soft, he has called College boys cowards. If you allow children to act any way they like they age (lest we make the mistake of calling them grown-up) into internet trolls spoiling for a fight they never have to justify or finish.
Wow, this site is becoming very volatile indeed.
@Flyparent: I am sure it is just tongue in cheek – a bit of winding up if you like…
@Gungets Tuft: Surelt they are just playing about, School Boy rivalry etc… I am for one have nothing but respect for College! As I have said, I never managed to beat them in my days at school.
The players health comes first and foremost – it is just a SBR Game after all
We should keep in the spirit of SBR!
@ RuggerSake: Having read through many posts, it would appear the Cape supporters are a bit crazy!!!?
@Ruggersake: I sincerely hope your comment is made tongue in cheek. There is no place in SBR for stupidity regarding the safety of school boy rugby players. Perhaps people have forgotten already that at the beginning of the season DHS lost a rugby player and although still not confirmed this could have been related to playing rugby whilst unwell. It will be very unfortunate if the fixtures have to be cancelled but there is only one consideration and that is whether or not it is in the best interest of the boys and their health.
@therealrbugger: I debated long and hard about dignifying this with a reply, and against my better judgement, I will.
College lost in the last 3 minutes to Glenwood with 14 men on the pitch. Kearsney beat Glenwood in the last few minutes. They might have been missing the Doops, but anyone who says that Kearsney needs the Doops to win is probably a troll from Wynberg.
WTF makes you think that College is afraid of the match. Is there something about Wynberg people that they feel they just have to stir nonsense when there is nothing to be gained. 3 of those boys have been @^$%^$% hospitalised, let’s just call it extreme shamming.
Off you go bud, you have k#k on your own doorstep that needs cleaning up, suggest you get to it, take Ruggersake with you.
@rbugger: The goodson/ schramm battle should be a good one!
@RuggerSake: Although I do agree that KC would beat College, I would certainly not call it a walk in the park!!!!!
College have 4 of their own going to CW and have deadly wings – in the pack, they have a strong front row and a very good back row…
You starting to sound like the Glenwood supporters
@TheRealBugger: KC fever hahahahahha – I was really looking forward to this weekends game! I have been rating Schramm all season and have heard his battle with Goodsen was going to be immense!!!! Really hope the game goes ahead, but with both teams capable of fielding their top players
@therealrbugger: This is only a challenge to the uninformed, both these games even with full sides are going to be a walk in the park otherwise there is no justification for the 6 Craven week selections….
Knowing high school boys I think they are taking advantage of the situation. If you had to go to the san at college and say that you are feeling a bit ill they will send you home without even thinking. I think that this is a case of KC fever
@RBugger: The Westville fixtures for this weekend against GC are already out so Kearsney does not look like it will happen.
Plenty of fillers needed though – 5ths, 6ths, U16B, U16D, U16E, U15A, U15C, U15F, U14A, U14C and U14F – 11 in total.
Fixtures for Saturday – if they happen
http://www.kearsney.co.za/files/Fixtures/Winter2013/College08JuneFix.pdf
@RuggerSake: hahahahaha – fair enough, but come now, u want to see the boys play and beat the best 15 in the school…
What about organising Westville???
@TheRealBugger: Have a feeling I know you
@Westers: They aren’t like they used to be.
@GreenBlooded: GREENMOM ????
What do you get when you combine Klipdrift, Coke and a rugby blog?
Is there a full moon tonight?
@Rugger fan: AGREE no wonder these savages think they are special. Seems at certain schools they are all they have as ” attack” machines. He should be out of rugby for 2 months if red carded. Lost last 2 games regardless of uncontrolled aggressive behaviour by some team members. Rewarded for a RED another chance to injure an innocent player?Unacceptable.
@RBugger: Stop being so diplomatic…… Maybe we should call of the Springbok inbound tour due ti injury and the outbound tour due to lack of preparation. Remember your first team is only as good as your third team…… have you ever seen Grey College or Paarl Gym cry off a fixture due to injuries… English schools get with the programme!
@therealrbugger: Come on now, if youve been watching Kearsney these are not big games……Lets give them some credit, they are by a long way the best team in KZN ……. every dog has its day!
I was thinking about it during the drive home. Actually a no-brainer under the circumstances. Cancel the matches with the hope of rescheduling. As much as we’ll be disappointed not to see the game and there might be a bit of dented pride, it’s not worth taking any risks. The school has a responsibility to fulfil as well – the health and well-being of the boys. Players won’t have adequate time to train as a team anyway, not to mention that many will still be recovering from their illness.
@Buffel: It is Thursday evening at the Greyhound. I am sure there will be a lot of entertaining banter. For those that don’t know about it College and Kearsney Old Boys gather on the Thursday evening before the Kearsney v College game every year to share a light refreshment or two.
@Buffel: On another point- I believe that this would be Mat Reece-Edwards’s 50th game for the school. An honour indeed and it would be appropriate that it is against College.
@RBugger: I agree- it must be on an even keel, So i suppose a braai is in order to watch the boks. Damn- was looking forward to this one. Just hope that the schools can make it up in the last week as it is a must for the boys this year. I still have next year but that is on the hallowed Goldstones and College are going to be a different proposition. Our boys will be up for it and should be a cracker.
My father was going to brave the Bothas Hill weather as he has not been well of late and seeing that he is a College Old Boy would have made it that more special. Anyway,time will tell but not looking good for the weekend.
@RBugger: The bigger danger is not that they lose, that can be dealt with, but that the boys will front up and play despite being ill and put their health in greater danger. One of my mates from 1 year behind me at College got sick in the army and played too soon and did permanent damage to his heart. He died of heart failure 3 years later after a relatively gentle day windsurfing at Midmar dam. Me, I say err on the side of caution. Anyway, out of our hands, lets see what the Numzaan’s say later this week.
@Buffel: In my day too, College were always the English School Boy Team to beat! I always remember them for being tough as all hell… We loved the train trips down from Pretoria for those derbies – but unlike you, I never played in a team that beat College
It will be very sad if this game is cancelled altogether. But to beat College like Hilton did, with all the ill-ness, to me, that will just not count
@Buffel: Every team is heavily affected, just in my sons dorm there are U16A, B, D and F out. Lets just see how it goes this week, but I wouldn’t hold out much hope. 90 out of 360 have been sent home, not counting the people who are in the SAN, and those in the dorms on anti-biotics. Seriously, Victoria hall started as a hospital back in 1890, we might need to do that again.
Lets see how it goes, but snot looking good John.
@RBugger: unfortunately, a date was put forward and Westville declined as they write exams up to the last day and they felt that it would be too much of a disruption if played mid-week. So that leaves it open for College to fulfill the fixture if the boys are better. I would hate to have my College mates telling me that the only reason we won was because they had 10 boys out.
I still think that the balance of the games must go on if there is not too much illness around as this is also a benchmark for the lower teams. When I was there, college was always the team to beat- getting it right on one occassion-u15.Drawing a year later on Goldstones was also a highlight which we should have won but that is History. I will never forget it. So let the games begin. Friday evening at the Greyhound.
@Buffel: the gods have intervened and will prevent Kearsney from having a chance to make it 3 in a row.
I don’t need any more gloating from my Kearsney mates thank you very much. last year was painful!
@Buffel: Agreed, the game has got to be played at some point, including the Westville game!
In order for KC to be considered the top team in KZN, they have got to play and beat both these top schools ( at full fitness )
What they should do is play the bulk of the fixtures on Saturday and the 1st team game on say Tuesday. That will give them enough time to recover for the weekend fixture against Hilton and Westville repectively. The other option is to play the 1st team fixture on the Thursday before break up day- 20th. This is an eagerly awaited fixture and it must go on. We have lost 2 games to bad weather so the powers must make a plan.
If college can’t put out their full first team, the game should be postponed. It is not fair to MC to field a weaker team as they had to do against Hilton.
I personally feel with 10 players missing, College will get demolished and will certainly not be a true reflection.
@GreenBlooded: It’s more than the fixture as well. The boys are all in the middle of exams. For the lower forms it is OK’ish, they get year averages and so on. For the 6th Formers it can be a huge issue – their trials marks are submitted on Varsity applications, so issues right now have a huge knock on effect. For all but a few boys education is the point of being at school.
I am sure calm heads will prevail and testosterone loaded boys will not be left with the decision.
The other possible dates .. well .. that is something for the DoS and team to decide.
@GreenBlooded: I mean they should definitely be played at some point – perhaps not this weekend. My bad.
@Gungets Tuft: The say that the line between bravery and stupidity is very blurred, but I think trying to play these matches under these circumstances would be very clearly on the studpid side. They should definitely be played though – the KC vs MC match is an epic one this season. To say nothing of the dilema it will prevent for me – I can now dust off those season tickets for Saturday without feeling pangs of remorse…..
@SPD1: Brogan, Raw, Timlin and Zaca away. That is something that schools now have to deal with. Towards the end of last year the SA selectors requested that all SA Schools representatives were withdrawn from school matches, so we lost Jesse Kriel for 2 games. Not sure if Glenwood or Kearsney withdrew their reps. No different to franschise rugby where our provinces lose their Springboks during the Currie Cup. 4 we can deal with, playing Kearsney on Saturday with a side cobbled together from what is left of the 2nds and 3rds is just insane. All the players have been medically booked off for 10 days, they cannot/should not play ….
Will leave it up to the school.
@Gungets Tuft & @CRC: Interestingly enough when College lost to Hilton the last time, in 1999, we also had 4 first choice 1st XV players missing on the day. Not trying to make excuses but they were all away with KZN U18 Craven Week side at a practice match prior to Craven Week.
There are 2 huge games left for kearsney, I hear that KC and MC have quite a big rivalry and they will want to get Hilton back for last years result. 2 very big challenges for the KC team.
@Gungets Tuft: I agree it would be a fascinating exercise to try and measure the impact that Skonk had on College rugby. What a legend.
@gungets tuft I have watched most of the college matches this year. I agree the tackling has been worse the last 2 games, but it hasn’t been great all season. The high ball and kickoffs have also been poor the whole year. I am not taking anything away from the boys, it is nothing that can’t be fixed.
One thing that worries me is the inconsistency of the line outs. By this time of the season you would expect basics to be fixed and running smoothly.
The wind was a factor on Sat, but I still think the box kicks would’ve worked regardless.
Thanks for the stats by the way.
@Boom: Shoo, making me work for it today. Don’t quote me here, my numbers are only accurate till a few years ago, I am adding up out of memory which is a bit stukkend.
Number are Played, Won, Drawn, Lost
DHS 187, 117, 13, 57
Glenwood 163, 109, 13, 42
Hilton above
House 162, 103, 14, 44
Tackling and high balls in the last 2 games been a bit more suspect than normal, against Glenwood due to being a man down – full back at that, and then Hilton because the whole backline was cobbled together at 8:00am that morning. Mr Beet will tell you there is a technique issue, he is correct, but on Saturday there was a nasty wind and the bombs were coming down with blood on them, there was literally up to 3-4m deviation on the way down. Anybody would have had an issue with them.
Right about the kick offs, it cost us the match against Glenwood. With 3 minutes on the clock all they had to do was control the kick off and grind it up, they couldn’t and the rest is history.
Lineouts are improving but still lots to be done.
How many schools have college beaten 100 times? That’s the second school I have seen that has lost to College more than 100 times. Glenwood was the other.
I see that tackling and high balls are not Colleges strong point this year! It runs into the second team too. I have watched lots of matches this year and college seems to miss lots of ball from kick offs as well as up and unders/box kicks. The line outs have been Abysmal in most matches as well as first time tackling.
Hilton made sure of the win in the last quarter by using the high ball well and making sure the kicks were chased down. Great game though. They did well to keep the scoreline tight.
@Gungets Tuft: I suppose similarly for Mike Bechet with hockey. I don’t think College even played the game seriously until then?
One man can have a huge impact on a school. I have seen it at our current Jnr school where the honours board is pretty bleak until the current Sports head arrived and now there are about 10 names (boys and girls) on the hockey side for KZN at 12 & 13 age group. And all because of 1 man’s vision and drive.
Skonk was something special in SBR.
@CRC: Correct. From 1875 till 1952 it was College 26, Hilton 28 with 6 draws. I think the arrival of Skonk in 1948 did Hilton in because in 1948 College won for the first time since 1943, then lost only 2 in the 48 – 52 games and only 3 times since then.
It would be a fascinating exercise to do, to see how many other schools were competitive until Skonk arrived and then found themselves on the back foot. It would outline just how much influence he had on College rugby. I don’t have the time now, perhaps by the end of the July holidays, when I have had 2 weeks in the middle of the Kalahari when I don’t even have to pretend to work.
@Gungets Tuft: Thanks Gungets. There is some history there between the 2 oldest schools in KZN. Those stats indicate that the rugby games between the two schools must have been very competitive before the 1950s.
@CRC: Hilton last beat College in 1999 (16-15) and before that in 1953.
Overall stats are :
First played in 1875, played 163, College won 110, Hilton won 42, drawn 11
@Gungets Tuft: thanks Gungets – as mentioned earlier – not so much about the specific incident (as a MCOB I also thought the card bordered on harsh at the time – but I was 50m from the incident).
Good to hear about the Woldeklawer case too. And yes, I remember the entire school getting a dressing down on a Monday morning assembly by the head (Keith Olivier) for clapping when a penalty was awarded to College due to a transgression by the opposition. We were not to cheer bad play – only to cheer if the kick was good from the penalty.
@Rugger fan: My information about it is this – and please understand I do NOT speak on behalf of the school.
The new way of handling incidents of cards on the field follows Union guidelines and the person is subject to a disciplinary hearing. The severity of the offence is judged, not based soly on the sanction during the match (remember that this swings both ways, in some cases the offence might be more severe than the sanction), including whether this was malicious (foul play) or simple poor execution of play (illegal). Then the “time served” is taken into account as well as the players disciplinary record.
In this case the actual offence (and my stance on this is clear, and I have said this in person to a number of people on this blog, and others, I am not criticising the ref, CJ did not have the benefit of TV and replays etc, plus he had the pressure of being seen as a “home town ref”) does not appear as severe on the video. The player is not through the 90 degrees, he lands with one leg up off the ground). The player has never had a card, not yellow or red, in all his years at College, an impeccable record. He has therefore picked up a “suspended” suspension and will miss a match as a result if he picks up another card (or for any instance of internal discipline problems this year) – obviously in addition to whatever sanction the new card brings with it. That internal discipline is not just rugby, it goes to any form, including schoolwork – where College denied a 1st team player a run-on start at Wildeklawer due to not attending detention for incomplete schoolwork.
I come from the College days where we got suspended if we were seen on the field with our socks down, so for me it is a long way from there. My information was that the outcome of the disciplinary was not unanimous, so perhaps a little struggle between the due process and the old school principle. The bottom line is that is looks like the time served plus a suspended sentence is seen as adequate in this case. I spoke to the boy after the game, I can confirm that the penalty of not being able to complete the match, and (utterly wrongly) blaming himself for the loss will live with him for a long, long time, certainly long after the yearbook has started gathering dust.
GB might be able to tell us what normally happens at Society matches, but I have seen many instances where an on-field red is seen as adequate punishment and no further sanction is applied. It’s all I have, will nae be discussing it further, buy a donkey.
@Rugger Fan: I believe it’s left up to each school to deal with. I know Northwood (and I’m sure all schools) take it seriously. NW convene a hearing which includes the Headmaster and it is run on similar lines to the KZNRU disciplinaries.
Remember that there is no automatic suspension for a red card. The purpose of the disciplinary enquiry is to determine whether the red card was justifiable and whether offence merits any further sentence.
Perhaps, in this case, the offence may not have merited further punishment.
Does anybody know when Hilton last beat College? There were various options being bandied around on Saturday.
@Rugger fan: He was brilliant. Managed the game to perfection and as you say, gave each player the platform to play a 200% game.
@GreenBlooded: On Craig Joubert – I believe he still managed the game to pull out the best in the players – the red card will be one of the last things I remmeber about the game!
And all told – perhaps College would not have dug so deep if they had all 15 players on the park?
so great to hear my alma mater has been involved in two epic SBR games in 2 weeks. Memorable for all who watched.
@GreenBlooded: I admit the incident in the Glenwood game may have been not pre-meditated, and they may have felt his 35 min off the park were sanction enough. But my feeling is that foul play (no matter what the circumstances) needs to have some sanction. Most school boys do not fall under the Sub-Union (or Union) disciplinary committees, so one would assume something along the lines of the Headmasters agreement on the issue.
Given the attrition in the College team this weekend – perhaps we was not in the original squad, and an exception was made?
But as I mentioned earlier – it is more on the “process” rather than this specific incident. The only other case I know of was very public with a boy given an 80 week ban (after the match). But on this forum we have heard about a racial case in the Cape, handbags galore last season, etc. Apart from schools doing the “right” thing – is there any recommended guidelines?
@Rugger fan: Yup – I had a big head scratch about the same thing – specifically when I know College to have such a strict policy with this. I hope Craig Joubert doesn’t take it as a middle finger from his old school and we see him reffing there again. I’d feel pretty grim about it I must admit.
@GreenBlooded: Quite right, it was House not Glenwood. Wonder if you can put your shorts into a scrum in a lower game, let then ruck them around for a while …..
@Gungets Tuft: No too familiar with all the bye-laws and verbal agreements between the schools – the 22 Laws in the book are enough of a challenge. I think the ancedote you refer to was against Michaelhouse – not Glenwood. They objected to a pair of clean shorts on the bench – so the player trotted out for the 2nds after halftime. Whether College did this to keep the peace or in conforming to a bye-law or agreement – not sure.
@McCulleys Workshop: Bog will have to answer that.
Beet or Greenblooded can correct me but I am under the impression that 1st teams in KZN are not allowed to have pure substitutes, anyone benching must already have played that day. Pretty sure that was the case against Glenwood when College wanted to re-introduce a player coming back from injury?
I believe two of the kids that started for College 1sts on Saturday had already played either a full match, or close to it. I remember at least 2 substitutions in the 2nds match with about 10 minutes to play, probably to get them sorted out to start the 1sts. I chatted to the 1sts coaching staff briefly afterwards, they were like stunned mullets, not an easy day for them. Heat and kitchen stuff hey, if it was easy everyone would be doing it. All of them players from the Old School, not going to let a bit of headwind get them down (much).
@Gungets Tuft: Yes was reliably informed that Goodson was sick 20 minutes prior to kickoff but managed to play almost 30 minutes before leaving the field.
@McCulleys Workshop: Its commonly referred to as the squad system and only Grey College seem to employ it.
@Gungets Tuft: don’t GC have a 22 man first squad, who don’t play for the Cherries?
One small correction, I don’t believe Goodsen wasn’t injured, he was also sick, was taken off and spent some time shouting at the big white telephone. Koekemoer was also out of it all night Saturday and Tharrat spent time in hospital on Saturday night with drips up to get rehydrated.
Perhaps we should take a leaf out of Glenwood’s book, their first team was isolated before College last week, spent the night in PMB in a B&B. Not sure it would have helped in this case, might have ended up testing Green*.*’s theory of 2nd teams beating 1st teams.
I wonder if this should lead to giving thought to tactical training, where the top 3 backline players and top 3 forwards in the 2nds regularly practice in the 1st side so that “acclimatising” when they are suddenly called up is easier?
Beet, typical MC spirit. They should have bailed, and protected their SBR ranking!
Just a question. Not wanting to bring up any personal issues to the player involved, but rather asking at a “national process” level.
A College player got a straight RED card last week and was dismissed from the field of play (Glenwood match). This week is is back on the park without any sanction for the Red. In club and senior rugby this is normally a disciplinary and missing a match.
Again – please do not focus on the specific incident – but are (or should there be) any sanctions at SBR level in this regard?