Durban High School are the KZN 1st XV champions for 2024. They have gone through the domestic season unbeaten. However they did not have interschools fixtures against Glenwood or Hilton during 2024 and therefore could not complete the illusive KZN Great Grand Slam.
In recent times dating back to 2013 (the last 10 full seasons), although several 1st XVs have remained undefeated in local KZN interschools matches, only two teams have managed to complete the KZN Great Grand Slam by beating all seven other major high schools in the province. They are the Glenwood team of 2014 and the Hilton team of 2022. Interestingly although the undefeated Glenwood team of 2018 is still the most successful KZN team on a national ranking scale during this period beginning in 2013, they only played a few games against local opponents during that memorable season.
Criteria – unbeaten in KZN interschools in a minimum of 5 matches played
@Smallies (Comment #97)
Shylock would be a …tighthead…maybe hooker?
Romeo a yappy lovestruck scrumhalf
…
@Grasshopper (Comment #94)
Yes I think Franco Mostert is sinew, mongrel, and awesome never-say-die attitude …but also underestimated as an exceptionally skilful athlete, with extreme fitness and conditioning (engine) with ability to read the game. He hasn’t craved the limelight…but he’s got 2 RWC golds in that highly competitive Bok pack.#Bomb Squad Original.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #96)
Old Shylock the best Shakespeare character ever…
@Smallies (Comment #93)
Sir Pappie…
@Grasshopper (Comment #94)
Entirely depends on your attitude …Francois Uys was a damm fine enforcer yet only weighed 112 kg,its all about attitude….Atherton was 117 kg
@Smallies (Comment #92)
Sous is different though, he’s just sinew & mongrel. Those other locks you mention are more skilful. In the 2nd test vs Ireland losing Sous was massive, he is our engine. 110kg at 6ft6, is light. Athers must have been 125kg. Even Eben is quite light, no calves. I reckon a modern enforcer needs to be 120kg plus
@Kaya 85 (Comment #90)
IIf you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?
@Grasshopper (Comment #91)
I have to disagree Franco Mostert is 112 kg… Adolf Malan 110 kg 2.04 m Ian Jones 104 kg 1.98m John Eales 2.00m 119 kg and others would have fitted in perfectly in the Franco Mostert mould ,in fact Eales could easily play an enforcer role with his size ,Jones today would make a very good 7 Geldenhuis also
@Kaya 85 (Comment #87)
You are right, Steve was a gentle giant off the pitch. I reckon Andrew Blakeway was the epitome of hard as nails. Adri & Adolf Malan, the days of tall lightweight locks, probably not even 110kg. Ian Jones & John Eales too, would be broken in this era.
@Henkies (Comment #88)
Appreciate it Henkies,
Yeah I got lots of hidings from lots of Onnies but my senior English teacher liked that Kaya liked the novels and poems….mostly my unending stream of consciousness commentary.
But I still recall fondly, George Orwell, Ozymandias, Merchant of Venice…
@Smallies (Comment #85)
Lol…
‘Fortiter In Omne’ – Bravely Into All Things.
Reminds me of Jeppe’s ‘Forti Nihil Difficilius’ – For the Brave, Nothing is too Difficult. A green standard six, giddy after his first week of big boys school and new responsibilities was accosted by a stubble-chinned prefect,….”What is the meaning of our motto??” … Forty-Nine Difficulties…the rookie replied.
And so, 49D is still a tongue in cheek reference to the motto…
What. a. school.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #87)
Kaya you have a gift with words-you must have been your poetry teacher’s star pupil
@Grasshopper (Comment #86)
Atherton was a hard-as-nails tough rough man but I don’t recall him being a dirty rotten b@$tard, whereas Adri Geldenhuys was criminally psychopathic, sadistic thug…happy to jump on guy’s heads or barrage punch okes who had already fallen. Poor guy, just absolute scum. Got promoted in the old SAP.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #83)
Athers vs Adri G, that would have been fun to watch. Athers was a proper beast!
@Kaya 85 (Comment #83)
So the other day I was listening to Wackhead on the wireless,he speaks about being in Pinetown boys ,he then says what their motto is …some deep latin phrase meaning something deep no doubt….Sibbs asks him what the motto means ,Whackhead tunes her….40% will do
@Smallies (Comment #81)
no c’mon….
but I wish there was another SA gold for a swimmer called Gouws
@Old Walls (Comment #37)
Would be awesome to see Pinetown Boys re-emerge…ala Parktown or Springs Boys High.
Remember the mighty Steve Atherton at the Battle of Tucuman, defending the honour of the Boks and nation in the dying years of the amateur era,…we needed those Pinetown tough okes…
@Henkies (Comment #77)
I have no idea ,the guys from Joburg would proparbly know
@Vleis (Comment #78)
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😆👊👊👊👊
Ek hoor n ou van Portugal het n silver medalje gewen blykbaar is sy van Da Silva
@Vleis (Comment #78)
lol
(applause…)
@Old Walls (Comment #59)
I would say the strongest Private (boys) schools in NV at the moment:
1. St John’s
2. St Alban’s Pta
3. St David’s Inanda
4. St Stithian’s
5. St Benedict’s (very bad few seasons, but they could turn it around in next 5 years)
…have I left anyone out?
6. eish…do CBC Boksburg still play? home of Conrad Jantjes, Duncan Fletcher and those unique eastranders.
other privates – co-eds (besides Helpies)
…
Midstream …Leeuwenhof …Trinityhouse … Southdowns …Cornwall Hill
@Old Walls (Comment #59)
As Smallies says, Helpies by a country mile. Of the rest, St John’s is probably the best now, as they still play KES, Jeppe and PBHS every year. The others now only play one of said three per annum. The Gauteng privates should be stronger, but they don’t take rugby anywhere near as seriously as the likes of KES, Jeppe, Affies, etc.
.
St John’s and St Stithian’s are quite large – 750 to 800 boys, while all the others probably range between 500 to 600. That said, most of them seem to only put out about 10 or 11 rugby teams…as many pupils choose other sports.
.
@Smallies (Comment #76)
Wat doen n ou van Brakpan as hy n goue medalje in die Olympics kry?
.
Hy chrome hom PAPPIE!
@Smallies (Comment #76)
Smallies Helpies is co-ed is it? They do really well for a co-ed private school. I wonder how many boys they have to choose from. I would think 400-500 max?
@Old Walls (Comment #59)
Strongest private in Gauteng by a mile is Helpmekaar….
@Deon (Comment #74)
They one and the same! IQ = 50
@Grasshopper
(Comment #73)
Zoloft is an antidepressant you idiot. A SSRI. SMFH, flip jy is dom. Sertraline is your baas.
@Deon (Comment #72)
Take more Zoloft my friend, you talking like me, myself & Irene…
@Grasshopper (Comment #70)
Lol, no, you have no idea what “chip on the shoulder” means. Maybe read some more Mark Twain. Reminds me of Mr Higgens in My fair Lady, :”Why don’t the English …..” google it. If we want to talk oppression on this site…..you will lose lol
@Grasshopper (Comment #69)
How many Currie Cups before the professional era? Come on man, Natal, the Lost Outpost, the one you flee from, was and is a beautiful Bok factory. Do not spoil it for everyone. What is right with you? If it is not a SA city you insult, it is a SA ethnicity…
@Deon (Comment #68)
Haha! Big chip on your shoulder buddy….
@Deon (Comment #67)
In 1964 Natal lost the final to Border, 9-11 & in 65 they won 22-11 vs Transvaal. They beat WP 12-9. Go dig a bit…..Dennis was the Natal kicker…Seven Glenwood boys made Natal Schools including Kevin Schlanders & Hylton Aylward, one of our best sides ever. Played 14, won 14. 283 points for & 50 against…..all fact!
@Grasshopper (Comment #64)
Dennis Morrissey was just a lying, divisive loser like you.
@Grasshopper (Comment #64)
AGAIN
Caught lying
@Grasshopper (Comment #65)
. Danie Craven on Syd Nomis , and Nomis’s own testimony reminds us why England is so loooooow down on the European IQ map, unlike the Netherlands (1) and Germany (2). 
it took them 100 years to win the Currie Cup in the non-professional era though
@Deon (Comment #63)
What is even sweeter is his soutie Natal side beat WP! Classic!
@Deon (Comment #63)
Fok jy is n doos!
@Grasshopper (Comment #62)
Again. Jy praat kak. A photo means nothing. I knew Doc very, very well, once we were neighbours in Jannasch Straat and Koloniesland. His daughter Joan was my one Maths prof and his grandson is to this day my close friend. I have photos of me and his dog Bliksem. Dennis Morrissey was simply not good enough to even be known, actually pathetic and a liar like you, not even in the era when it was almost impossible for Afrikaans people to have Afrikaans schools, companies, let alone play WP Cricket or rugby. Read Kepler Wessels’s autobiography. Fok jy is deurmekaar en super pateties.
Lmao, caught lying
@Deon (Comment #61)
Look up Dennis Morrissey, he lives in Sydney now, Glenwood & Natal Schools 1964 & 1965. I have the pics of him with the Doc, happy to send to Beet to post here…
@Grasshopper (Comment #60)
Bullshit, lmao, your inferiority complex/awareness/ sucked that out of your @zz. Danie Craven never said that. You are talking kak again. Gosh you are a bad liar.
@Old Walls (Comment #58)
Your old man and uncles would have known my uncle Dennis Morrissey then, played in 64 and 65 1st team with Mike Maher as the coach, was told by Doc Craven, he was the best ‘soutie’ wing and kicker he has ever seen, but too ‘soutie’ to make the Boks….haha. He ended up being too small for Natal and emigrated to Aus anyway…
@Vleis (Comment #57): The festivals are magic for one-off fixtures against schools that one normally couldn’t hope to face, sometimes with unforeseen results! Who would you say is currently considered the strongest private school up Gauteng-way? Are the numbers of pupils similar for these schools?
@Grasshopper (Comment #52): Ha ha ha ha!… good memories man… PBH would turn out similar number of teams, with the heavy ous from our Tech Blocks making up the numbers in the lower teams – most of them talented/big enough to have played top level rugby if so willing, but just having no interest to attend practices – rather using the time to modify their bonies from 50cc to “some more”… and pissing on the batteries of the local traffic-cops, dicing up and down Fields Hill, Old Main Rd, Glenugie Rd or Stapleton Road… rugby practice would also play havoc with Styvie-lined lungs…
@Dixon’s & Grasshopper (Comments #53 & #54): Man! That’s great to hear – the Old Boys also reported similar, after attending a 1st Team home game this year… nothing like a bunch of old dudes to get the incumbents to “sharpen up”! PBH is big enough to compete at Tier 1 Rugby level, it’s to form THAT tradition that the century-old schools have. Maybe it’s just from my perspective but, out of all the sporting codes, the greatest tradition seems to be founded around rugby. Amazing how generations relocate and often end up attending rival schools to the previous generation. My old man and his boets (RIP) attended GW (late 50’s/early 60’s). You can picture the GW-ragging of MC grandsons over this past decade.
@Old Walls (Comment #38)
The following year (2016) was much better, with a massive win over Clifton and a narrow loss to Wynberg…and even better the next year (2017), with a narrow win over a highly touted DHS team and a narrow loss to Westville. Two of the top players were “rested” for the Westville game after getting into a punch up the night before!
@KES Oldboy (Comment #55)
You’re correct! I remember that a star u18 player from the EP side that won Craven Week in 2014 was 19 for Grey High in 2015. However, it was not Bosch, but rather, Keanu Vers. Of course, Bosch was Player of the 2014 Craven Week despite only being 17.
@Vleis (Comment #28)
Curwin Bosch could not have been 19 in 2015 as he played SA Schools in both 2014 & 15. An outstanding schoolboy player.
@Dixon’s (Comment #53)
Pinetown were like our brothers on the hill, pray they come back strong!
@Old Walls (Comment #37)
I recently did some work for my Dads company at PBHs. the Old Boys can be proud of that place, the place was immaculate. Not a speck of litter anywhere. the buildings where looking clean and well maintained. Every single boy was neatly turned out and each one greated me as i walked past. it was lovely to see. i played many a fixture against Pinetown in my years at Glenwood. was always a tough but enjoyable fixture. the headmaster seems to be getting the school going in the right direction!
@Old Walls (Comment #51)
Good points, Glenwood could do 30 teams about 10 years ago, DHS about 12 that’s how bad it got. For College, only really KES & Affies can match the team numbers. In my day before they introduced u16 & 5 points for a try we had 13 open teams, the Grasshopper 13th were all heavy ou Bluff & Town clown surfers, no clue in scrums & line outs but jeez some had pace & could tackle. College only have the depth because of the massive BE. Tours are expensive, I’ve paid for a few kids in the past, I reckon one is enough, maybe play two games on the trip. Glenwood need to aim for 25 teams again & get the best coaches in the D, E & F team…..Toppy, Hutch & Oros…
@Skywalker (Comment #47): Hilton is a great place to live, if you don not mind the “occasional” mist and the moisture which comes with it. The development of the area is great to see – all modern private infrastructure for sure. Just pray the municipal bulk infrastructure (which all current residents obviously rely on and is already under pressure) can accommodate all this densification-development. Don’t know too much about a school being constructed on the hill, but with the College BE having lads travelling in from all over KZN and further after open weekends, any families settling in an expanded-Hilton would be in prime position to certainly consider enrolling at MC, and little-brother Merchiston for that matter…
@Grasshopper (Comment #50): Not a bad suggestion at all – would certainly get a result for KZN Champions. Just some further considerations though: This can work well if you play top-team level from the getgo, however all lower teams also want game time and traditionally schools like MC can field 29/30 teams per year and need to find as suitable opposition as possible to cater for this. (Affies fixture was 25 games / PBHS was 24 games). In my long-past, barbaric days, rugby-trials were compulsory for all 250-odd enrolled STD 6s and you had to have a bloody good reason for not showing up and giving your all such an approach would filter out at least 130 capable, exuberant lads to make up 8 odd teams in those days of yore, but apparently doesn’t seem to apply these days.
As for the tours, the lads also really enjoy the trips to Gauteng and “touring” should not be restricted just to the A teams… for day boys in the lower forms, these are really the only school-based opportunities for a bit of freedom, independence and “away from home” living – just surely not bunched together on consecutive weekends(whinge!) Don’t know how Grey manages all of the long-distance travelling.
@Skywalker (Comment #48)
Just my opinion, 16 games is about right. 12 locally & 4 on tour or Easter break, in KZN Northwood, College, Westville & Glenwood can put out 20 teams, they should play each other twice, so that is 6 games, then Kearsney, Hilton, House, DHS, St Charles & Clifton, to make 12. Easter festivals should be 2 games in 6 days then 2 games at WK or a tour to Joburg. That’s it. Every KZN school in the top 10 should play each other, clear winner of local league. Only A teams tour, then maybe a season ending game vs a touring UK school…simples
@Skywalker (Comment #47)
Definitely, my cousin works at the Hilton private hospital & lives in the estate there. College is just a drop off down the hill, although if you can live there maybe Hilton & House are the preferred option…
@Old Walls (Comment #45)
Next year should i think be another competitive season in KZN. Agree on the College fixture list. On one hand keeping those fixtures shows their aspiration to remain a national force, and probably helps to keep the foot on the gas in terms of the rugby programme, but on the other hand it could probably be trimmed slightly and perhaps allow for stronger/more consistent domestic success. Hilton, Mhouse have done this well over the last few years (although Hilton in particular I feel should have done more with the teams they had to challenge outside of KZN), as they stayed fresh and didnt overstretch themselves.
Just referring to the comments about MBC and Maritzburg itself as a city facing some struggles – one thing i have noticed is that Hilton as an area is exploding with development and has been over the last 8-10 years. New hoursing estates, shopping malls, the hospital, coffee shops, offices etc. Things are being built as we speak, along with a new school I even saw. I know a few people who have moved there in fact from Durbs. I would think this would do well for MBC to allow people to still live in ‘maritzburg’ and even draw in new families, who can quite easily drop kids at school at College or have them board if need be. Any views on this?
@Grasshopper (Comment #44)
Great to hear, hope they put the valuable experience to good use next year. Their early-season scheduling will go a long way in putting their 2024 1st team experiences behind them, so lets hope for a couple of early wins to get the momentum going. I wish them all the best, SA SBR without a strong GW is just not the same.
@Henkies (Comment #39): Man! We were excited to host DHS this year, and even more excited as the score developed. DHS second half performance is the reason you guys are ranked just outside the Top 5 Nationwide this year. The decision to play the National No 1 & No 2 at Wideklawer was gutsy but crazy… give that up to College ‘Nards! The decision to schedule Affies and then travel two weekends in a row to PBHS and KES blows my mind. The fact that there werent any really bad College injuries leading into the GW game is testament to the lads themselves – proud of them (Guttered for Aiden Botha and James Slevin who missed their final game on Goldstones as well as the Form 5 Goldstones send-off).
@Grasshopper (Comment #41): Man, the time spent doing those terrace-banks… yup! Best forgotten… although we killed them with gravity on cardboard boxes! 😊. Looking forward to 2025 KZN rugby – DHS are back! Glenwood never ever goes away, Kearsney remain our outlier and Northwood/Westville (Congrats to Northwood for their Top 20 ranking!)are more than in it. See Hilton & House are ranked well above College in the season-ending rankings… this doesn’t sit well in Sleepy Hollow and will have to be addressed come next year! College @ Wildeklawer 2024 was just crazy (fullstop). Got to say that although the 44-40 score is the wrong way (especially on Goldstones), this game ranks second only to the College win against Grey in1985.
@agter_die_pale_pa (Comment #43)
A season of just being a bit short, probably 20%. It probably could have been a 50% win season with some luck. I hear 16 of the squad of 30 in 1st/2nds. Under16s we’re ok, it’s u15 & u14 where the positive results & depth is building. Those guys must stick together. I think going forward Glenwood should always aim for top5 in KZN & top 30 in SA, that will be good & reflect where we are based on the past 115 years of playing. A great side every decade! 5 in KZN schools every year & an SA schools player every 3 years. 2000 to 2020 was abnormally good produced because of buying in talent in grade 8, recruiting in grade 10 & 3 or 4 great coaches, Erasmus, Dames, McClaren etc. We now need to settle somewhere in the middle…
@Grasshopper (Comment #41)
Yes it must have been a very frustrating season for all involved at GW, just couldn’t close out games. As they say, losing can quickly become a habit, very difficult for a group a get over that mental barrier mid-season. How many grade 11’s played 1st/2nd team this year, and how are the u16s looking?
@Henkies (Comment #40)
Agreed on the Monnas match & Kearsney at Kings Park, by 50 odd. Men vs boys. DHS in the 90s were insane, de Bruin brothers etc. Our win in 96 at DHS was a miracle, like walking on water. That is why derbies are so good, form means nothing. I do really hope Pinheiro & co bury the hatchet, it’s a special fixture that must return.
@Old Walls (Comment #37)
Ah nice, good to hear re Pinetown! Also great athletics teams, Glenwood vs them in the 90s for D&D champs. Produced the best schoolboy flank I’ve ever seen, Malcolm Aireighton, jeez he was good. Went to Glenwood for post matric when we did that for 4 years to try compete with Hilton & House. Ricus Bothma was close to him. Also Mark Allen (Monkie) in waterpolo. Bank training at Pinetown must have been bad, just banks everywhere! Glenwood only had one complete blowout this year, to Noordheuwel, the rest were all within 20 points some closer & the side got better in the 2nd half generally. Very slow starters, so with like 12 or 13 back next year I hope hard lessons learnt. College had two blowouts Paul Roos & Grey Bloem, just shows even top 30 sides are still 40 to 50 points off the top 5. The 150th at College was my best schoolboy match ever!
@Grasshopper (Comment #23)
Grassy I would say the most impressive performances I saw Glenwood play were the win against Paarl Boys at Wildeklawer at PMB College. I think it was 2013 and I think Thomas Du Toit was playing for Paarl. I could be wrong on the specifics. Perhaps that was when Paarl Boys sat up and took notice of Sean Erasmus’s capabilities and brought him down to the Cape. The 2nd was Glenwood v Monnas in Krugersdorp in 2018. They were clinical. I am sure there have been others. I know Glenwood have also won away at Affies but I can’t find any footage of that match – same as the draw against Grey Bloem in 2018 I can’t find any coverage.
@Old Walls (Comment #8)
Yes Old Walls that College DHS game really was a game of 2 halves. Overcoming a big deficit at Goldstones is a very rare feat. College put up some gutsy performances this season and were so close to a win against a great Affies side. I do think College is travelling too much and playing too many games though. I know its a great experience for the boys but those trips up and down the country must be gruelling.
@Vleis (Comment #28): the records show that, although St Albans lost, it wasn’t a terrible result for you guys at all… held a strong College team to 34-16… great going for a pvt school! (especially if the result from the following Schoonspruit Invitational game is anything to go by…)
@Grasshopper (Comment #30): Hey you mentioned and remember Pinetown Boys High School?! (Although my lads attended MC and is the reason why I found this Rugby Blog – at College rugby is life)- I’m a Pinetown Boys High OB. The School is going through some lean decades but there is movement from the Royals OBs and current school management/leadership to continue to delevop PBH to past levels of excellence, even on the rugby map. With similar pupil numbers to College @ around1200 kids, although no BE facilities, there is definitely untapped talent at Balfour Road. Currently, there are a number of standout rugby players like Linda Shangase & Sandile Soni making names for themselves in Wildebeest/KZN rugby and hopefully the school continues to build on this!
Pinetown definitely contributed in the past to a great KZN rugby season especially throughout the Tony Visser Years (Absolute legend headmaster/1st Team coach!). Had great derbies vs DHS, Glenwood, Northlands, Beachwood, George Campbell, Gelofte, etc. Those names you mention bring back long memories from the 80’s – Steve Atherton, Matthew Quinn, Massimo and Marcello Cuttitta are PBHS legends man! (oh! And lets not forget Radio’s Darren Simpson on the entertainment front).
@Grasshopper (Comment #32): MC is indeed waiting with anticipation to see who will be taking over the reigns from Dr Luman – big tam to fill.
@Smallies (Comment #35)
Can you the worry in my eye 😂….trying to debate with a Brakkie is like farting against thunder…the lift doesn’t go all the way up…
@Grasshopper (Comment #34)
Always mate ,you always turn the conversation to that ….anyways I said Im done with you so I’d better keep my promise…
@Smallies (Comment #33)
No it doesn’t….you better than that
@TJ (Comment #31)
Mate conversations with this dude always turns to this ….
@TJ (Comment #31)
Not sure, I’m on a Greek island. Just lame protests against a one off nutter & it’s gone racial/muslim, it happens. PMB is a mess, I was there in Oct, don’t shoot the messenger. College as a school isn’t, credit where credit is due, Mr Luman has done well. I hear he is retiring this year, hoping you get a good replacement..
@Grasshopper (Comment #30)
Grassy you just keep on trying to justify your world view. First you slander Umbilo and now you take aim at the Sleepy Hollow and with this you have gone to far. We have our issues but at least we here in KZN’s capital are not trying to burn Hotels with innocent women and children inside like what is occurring on Mud Isle at the moment.
@Old Walls (Comment #26)
Not sure, a surname like Thunder stands out. The other was Brandon Staples, a talent lost to the UK & then caught for drugs, sad story. College had some great individuals from 2010 to 2020 but never clicked as a team. College OBs got fed up of losing to Glenwood & have been building the talent for the past 5 years, upgrading BE’s & more subtle tweaks. College is slap bang in one of the worst cities in SA but can lock the gates & keep all the good stuff inside. 10 years ago College lost by 25 goals to Glenwood at waterpolo, not now. The College OB group are tight & obviously feeding in cash quietly but at scale. GOBs need to do the same to keep up or I’m afraid Glenwood will become 2nd tier like Pinetown! Pinetown were once a great sports school, Cuttitas, Atherton, Matt Quinn etc…the royal blue blazer & lumo badge are missed in KZN…..too the dogs! Parktown in Jozi feels like on a similar trajectory…..Jeppe felt that way 10 years ago, done well to turn it around. KES too not in a great area…
@Grasshopper (Comment #25)
@Vleis (Comment #27)
du Randt is actually coaching at Parktown as well. Not sure which teams but I gather he is involved with the u16s and 1st XV.
@Old Walls (Comment #26)
A good friend of mine, who played for Hillcrest Villages back in the day, is good mates with the Thunders. I remember that the 2015 MC team was pretty good – other than the blip against GW and Affies, they has many great results, including nearly beating GCB. My son’s school; however, had a terrible year in 2015…so I was not too charmed when they got to play a MC team who had just defeated Grey High (with a 19 year old Bosch) on the Saturday at Saints!
@Grasshopper (Comment #25)
I think that du Randt is playing for Pirates now. I think that he captained Wits in his last year there – probably 2022.
@Vlies (Comment #22): Thank you for the correction… and the hard reminder… the 2018 GW 1st Team was a stonking team… think Goldstones was dubbed Greenstones that year by the bloody surfers 🤢…(probably not the first time…)
@Grasshopper (Comment #25): Are you maybe referring to the younger of the Thunder brothers? (Corbin, capt College in 2021 – think he is plying his trade further down Stellenbosch-way). His older brother Kelton was also capt of College in 2015…
@Vleis (Comment #24)
The captain Kevin du Randt is still playing I think, Wits or am I thinking of Henk Gouws, not sure. James Venter & Tristan Tedder are the only two who really made it, Curtis Jonas maybe now too…shows how many actually make a living from it. I remember a Thunder kid at College
@Grasshopper (Comment #23)
My son played at Wits with a few Glenwood guys from 2018 and earlier – good guys. The one chap, who was in the 2018 team, said that he had been recruited in Gr10, but got injured early in 2018 so missed most of the season. His dad said that the school nevertheless looked after him and paid for all his medical and recovery expenses despite the fact that he would never play for them again…so the recruiting was not quite as ruthless as some might suggest.
@Vleis (Comment #22)
Correct, 2018 best season in history based in the level of competition, 1979, 1964 & 1965 other great years. My uncle played in 64 & 65 in the first two Craven Weeks. 1965 went unbeaten in 1965, I think one loss on tour to Dale, he said it was mainly a 2nd string side. The 80s had some decent sides that pushed College close, probably in their best decade. I think from 2000 to 2020 had their best era ever, the semi professional & recruitment era, they led the innovation. Other schools got fed up & joined the ranks. Glenwood unfortunately lost investment & engagement from OBs due to the Kershaw debacle & then Mrs Barnes era, she was passionate, but lacked the gravitas to get OBs involved. I think now is a rebuilding phase with Mr Jacob’s, aiming for 2027 as a come back period. These things are cyclical but Glenwood are challenged by the degrading surrounds & area. Hoping we can return to our rightful 5th in KZN spot mixing it with the best.
@Old Walls (Comment #21)
Glenwood went unbeaten in 2018, with big wins over all KZN opposition and notable wins over Affies, Monnas, Outeniqua, Stellenberg, Klofies, etc…and a draw against Grey College as the only “blemish”.
@Grasshopper (Comment #18&20): apologies, my error… it was the Kings Park disaster… and history corrects me by indicating that GW did not have an unbeaten season that year… but had a couple of massive wins…
@ Grasshopper (Comment #18): 2014 was the start, but it was your 2015 team which secured the largest win over College – 57-12 on Dixons… i stand to be corrected but that 2015 GW team went undefeated, even v Grey hey?
@ Grasshopper (Comment #16): It is what it is man… College has a great historical record in KZN, however over these last 10 years (since 2014, even 2013) the red/black/white has definitely found it harder for wins in KZN, with GW leading the way – played 17, only won 4 (24W% – incl an 11 straight loss Green Machine blitz from 2013 to 2019!) 👀❗. Settled down a bit now with 4 wins each since COVID…
DHS has had College’s number with 3 straight wins… really would be great if the hopper/fly fixture became a reality (what are the chances?)…
2014 Glenwood had 3x SA schools players, Morne Joubert, Jaco Coetzee (Captain) & Kenny Van Niekerk. Side had power, pace, skill & size. Jaco was immense! Morne Joubert definitely the best school level fullback Glenwood has produced. Oh the good old days…
@Grasshopper: Huge history between the KZN Schools man!! We might not be the best school rugby playing province but we certainly up there with the quantity of attempts 🤣
College vs Current Tier 1 KZN schools (Total No. of Games played):
Durban High School 197
Glenwood 178
Hilton College 173
Michaelhouse 171
St Charles 84
Kearsney 73
Northwood 50
Westville 36
Clifton 2
That 2014 Glenwood side was something else, the year Hilton stopped fixtures concerned of injury & Glenwood were too professional. That have them time to go out and recruit players from Gauteng & further then ‘switch-on’ fixtures again when they were ready, protecting their record. 10 years later & things have flipped around & recruitment etc is all fine…..farsical & hypocritical!
@Old Walls (Comment #14)
Glenwood vs College, 178 times! Surely that must be close to the most played between two schools in SA, maybe just the EC has more. Sevens is gaining traction & the smaller privates can compete which is good. Glenwood losing to St Charles was a bit embarrassing, first time since 1952! College will always be the depth kings in KZN…
@Grasshopper (Comment #13): As you say the midlands have some healthy looking lads… Hell you guys have the surf so it must have been pretty gnarly to hit the waves with Goldstones roasties on the Sunday mornings… such a rich historical rivalry across KZN over a century…
One aspect which seemingly goes unhyped at the moment is 7’s! Interest is developing fast with schools like St Charles and Clifton hitting the ground running and putting up more than competitive teams… would hope that this would filter into the 15-man game down the line… St Charles had a decent team this year but was discounted as the bigger schools go for like-on-like depth-fixtures… and big credit to Clifton for playing College and the like over the past two years. (There is always a bigger fish in the ocean and College stays very well-grounded due to the annual Affies fixture… now those lads are NOT small and definitely come with the thickest legs…) 😬
@Old Walls (Comment #12)
Nice to have a mature & friendly blogger again. Agreed, I’ve always said put the best coaches at the E, F & G team level, build the depth & basics. I lived in the past how at College all the teams had the same gameplan, same scrum, backline & lineout calls, just bloody good basics. I stood behind the posts for 50 against us every year vs College, clueless surfer boys. It helps when you have injuries, players below just slot in perfectly. Glenwood for 100 years plus have always had good hard packs, lacked it recently. If they were small they still had mongrel. College for me never had massive packs just thick legged as we called it! Guys like Richard Kelly & Pieter Dixon. A strong top8 league in KZN is needed, Glenwood just a little short of that this year, based on the past we slot in 5th best in KZN
@Grasshopper #11: That’s where you guys would probably need to start… The Horseflies are certainly gaining strength and confidence and rightly so… (great to see competitive rugby has returned to Musgrave Road, although not so great as College has been on the wrong side of the 1st Team score for the past three years now)… I would wager that the DHS lads would have loved to play the Green Machine (and Hilton) this year to try and secure complete KZN bragging rights…
A resurgent equally strong GW would certainly add that final spark to the KZN schools rugby calendar… just to get the DBN Classic derby on the go again… (from what I saw on Saturday, surely next year would be about right?!…by the way i’m referring to full school depth not just A-team level…)
@Old Walls (Comment #10)
True & much more competition from soccer, Basketball & other sports. College’s strength has always been because of the BE & attracting farmer boys from across KZN to the BE. I think the GOBs have to put there money where their mouths are now, even if it’s a monthly amount of R500 each. From 500 OBs that’s R3m, enough to upgrade the BE a bit etc. We need Mr Aspen levels though to compete with the lot across the road..
@Grasshopper (Comment 9: A strong BE is only a part of the battle… keeping Gen Z lads (both boarding and day boys) interested in rugby and the strong tradition, loyalty and passion of these old schools is a challenge… in this respect you certainly hit the nail on the head… the strength of any school relies on the strength of the Old Boys… Good to see GW is well on the way to once again overcoming this challenge…
@Old Walls (Comment #8)
The A team results were a little disappointing, under 14As are quite good. If only Glenwood had the same BE capacity of College, 500+ boys living on campus give the required depth. Grey Bloem prove that too. Glenwood need 300+ boarders to compete with the privates, College & Westville. Northwood wealthy families live in Ballito. GOBs will be happy with 5th in KZN @ Top 40 in SA
@ Grasshopper #6: Not everyone… I would rather think that College will readily acknowledge a great DHS team this year… and are introspective about letting an 18-6 lead slip on Goldstones (granted the wingers broken ankle didn’t help…) As for this past weekend’s final match against the hoppers on Goldstones – this was certainly anything but a walkover… very impressed by the GW “youngsters”… sheer grit and determination, a fantastic kicking game and a beast of a hooker… going to be right up there at the pointy end in 2025…
Northwood definitely benefiting from the old Glenwood coaches, both in rugby & waterpolo. Glenwood have lost the depth in coaching. Northwood for me are on the up due to location. They’ve had a great 2 or 3 seasons. I see the Knights emails as my father-in-law was a Northlands OB, definitely more engaged with OBs. Glenwood are upping their game there, over 500 OBs connected & growing. Time to boost the school again, can’t have upstarts taking our position 😉
Well done DHS, proving recruiting well from grade 8 pays off. Glenwood did it for 20 years, hard to maintain without OB suppprt. 2025 is our 115th year, it will be the year of the return of the locust swarm. GOBs are coming together to go be the school a revival! Watch this space in the coming 5 years. DHS would do well to grow up & get the Durban derby fixture running again. We will forgive you for the Teddy scoop…..need underdogs beating the top dogs again, better to savour than whipping the horseflies every year…..College are loving rubbing salt into the Glenwood wounds…
Yes Skywalker I thought this year’s Knights team looked comfortable in those wins. They did let some teams back into games but you always felt with that big forward pack they would be able to close those narrow wins out.
DHS will have an almost entirely new 1st team next year. I think there was only 1 or 2 u17s this year so it will be all change. The 2nd team however has a lot of u17s and they had a good season to go along with the u16A side. In the Jeppe match the first team had a new lock playing which I had not seen before. He is u17 and has come from Zim. They moved Mglangu out to flank him to lock and he really stood up well against the bruising Jeppe pack and got around the park. Hard to tell on the screen but he must be 6’6 and could be an exciting prospect for next year.
@Henkies (Comment #2)
I had posted on another article, but looking at the current rankings across all age groups, DHS are showing amazing strength across the board – all were top 10, 2 of which were top 5 if I recall. I know rankings are not an exact science, but that is a very impressive pipeline! If Engledow stays, DHS could be holding top spot for a number of years.
@Henkies (Comment #2)
Thanks, yes very happy for them. Absolutely, Jacques did an amazing job. Their brand of rugby was a pleasure to watch.
The 2019 team I think was on par. They did not play Glenwood in 2019, but they also ended 2nd in KZN behind Hilton. That year they only lost to Hilton, beating MB College, Westville, DHS, Michaelhouse, St Charles and Kearsney. But something about this team felt even superior to that somehow.
In terms of next year I feel they should have a good team again, but maybe not as strong. This years 1st team Matrics were a very good age group team since Grade 8, and the Grade 11 who played were great additions. There will be a nice group back next year, but the mix in terms of positions is key. eg you could have 4/5 great wingers to choose from next year perhaps, but suddenly no clear hooker or prop etc. I dont know the players well to know the mix and who exactly is in the 2nd or u16A team who will step into what positions. Sometimes it works out better then other years, unless you strategically recruit to ensure quality in all positions.
Our u16A’s also were rather disappointing this year I thought. As an u15A team 2 years ago they did really well i thought, and this year they suffered a few big losses to the likes of Hilton, DHS and others. They hardly won a game. Was it coaching? Have other schools added players? I think there are some good players still, so hoping that under Jacques they reach their potential again.
Well done to Northwood on a great season Skywalker. Jacques Deen must also get a lot of kudos for such a good season in only his first year in charge. Would you say it’s been the Knight’s best every team I would think with wins against College, Hilton, Glenwood, Westville, Kearsney it would be a contender surely? How are things looking for next year in terms of 1st team players returning, this years 2nd team and the u16As?
Well done to DHS, they had a great season and deserved the no.1 spot in the end. Very proud of the NW team who came 2nd in KZN, and played DHS twice, one ending in a draw and the other in a 7 point defeat.
So does that mean since NW did actually play and beat Hilton and Glenwood (twice), that they should be honorary KZN champs :wink
The end of a great KZN season. Hope for another good one next year