Glenwood “u17” exceed expectations at Kearsney Easter Rugby Fest ‘24

Durban’s Glenwood High, wearing Red to avoid a jersey colour clash, were convincing in a 14-6 victory against Marlow of Cradock on Day-1 at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival 2024.

What was remarkable is that the Glenwood 23-player squad included 15 u17’s, which is about three times the tier-one schoolboy rugby national average for a festival.

It was by no means a high scoring match but there was plenty for Glenwood supporters to be proud of in the structured play, ruck speed and variations produced for next phase offensives. This was coupled with a credible defensive awareness.

One has to go way back to the Durban High School 2010 1^st XV for the last time a KZN school had that many u17 starters.

Glenwood’s coffers have been under a bit of pressure ever since investor confidence was eroded by the discovery that a former headmaster had misappropriated funds.  That was always bound to have an impact on their rugby at some stage. They are now very much in the process of moving upwards and onwards again under the leadership of a top new head in Pierre Jacobs. All good things take time though.

As BHP has said in the past, a young first team is not so much something to have rebuilding year future optimism about as it is a reality check that something that has gone drastically wrong with the current matric group. Nevertheless if the positive response to the coaching and the improvement in this year’s young Green Machine team continues to be there, it will provide encouragement for 2025.

Ranking KERF Day 1 in terms of exceeding expectations:

1. Glenwood – a young team played a pleasing game in which they did many things right.
2. Worcester Gim – the way they started their season had “whipping boys” written all over it. But coach Jeff Fransman’s has worked the boys into form and their NZ-like expansive play paved the way for an exciting one-point win against Noordvaal Cup Premier League newcomers Rustenburg.
3. Marlow – the tiny Cradock agricultural school has 50 students per grade so have to work extremely hard to put together a competitive team with a degree of consistent to open the doors to participating at festivals like KERF. Never short of spirit, they went down 6-14.
4. Nico Malan – a small community based school from Humansdorp containing 13 u17 players and with a budget just a fraction of the size of their opponents, DHS, KZN’s number-1 ranked team, gave an excellent account of themselves, particularly in the second half when they secured a lot more attacking possession. A late try conceded pushed the score out to 0-21 when they deserved the 0-14 for the work put in.
5. Westville – the 10-31 against an excellent Rondebosch team isn’t going to tell the full story of the determination Ville showed throughout and that they are on the right track. They certainly would have toppled a number of other schools at this fest going on their Day-1 form.
6. Rustenburg – a rugby programme on the up and their setups showed plenty of evidence of good coaching going being put in by Naas and his coaching team. Still work to be done but plenty to be positives after the 25-26 loss to the Bosvarke.
7. Framesby and Kearsney – both in search of improvement in various aspects of their play and both finding answers, with the Gqeberha based day school coached by the experienced and successful Louis Gerber, edging out the hosts in an entertaining festival match.
8. Noord-Kaap – Deon Carney is a top coach and at past KERF events Northerns have always tried to play a brand of entertaining rugby and succeeded. There is however no getting around it that life is tough for the Kimberley school’s rugby and its important that they continue to receive support and opportunities like KERF because these same doors have been shut closer to home. They lost 59-7 to a stong Jansies team.
9. EG Jansen and Rondebosch – giving exactly what is expected from two teams who can set their sights on very high national rankings this year.
10. DHS – the team seemed to enjoy themselves and had plenty of ball so ticked all the boxes up front but with slowish continuity just didn’t seem able to hit their true potential against Nico Malan’s organised resistance.