Westville & DHS in the KZN Championship Match 2025

At long last, the most eagerly anticipated match of the KZN local interschools season has arrived.

Westville will host Durban High School on Bowden’s Field in their first home game of the season and quite possibly the biggest game of the province’s domestic league season. The winners are likely to be crowned as KZN champions for 2025.

From the start, both DHS and Westville were tipped for big things in 2025 — and neither has disappointed.

Under the guidance of new head coach Zander Erasmus, Westville are unbeaten. It’s been a superb effort, especially considering the pressure to perform, the quality of opposition, and the inconsistency that has often haunted Ville rugby in the past. That said, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing — two interschools fixtures were cancelled along the way, through no fault of their own.

DHS, by contrast, have been the model of consistency over the past two seasons. They’re a patient, disciplined team, who stick to the plan better than most — with excellent structures and on-field chemistry. Their only loss this year came against Paarl Gim, the current number-one ranked 1st XV in the country.

This matchup promises intriguing battles across the field, both in the team strategies and in the 1v1 contests. Up front, Westville’s 800kg pack pride themselves on never backing down. They’ve got serious size — players who take some stopping — though it feels like they still haven’t quite unleashed their full potential as dominators. Their lineout, however, is the best it’s been in years and has become a real weapon.

DHS, on the other hand, hunts as a unit. Some of the biggest Dragonflies you’ll ever see — and there’s every chance they’ll outweigh Ville’s pack. Their forwards often go unnoticed, but their work always shows on the scoreboard. Depth is another strength, and with the 12-substitute rule in play, they’re well-positioned to make that count.

As for individual talent, one name that stands out is Jordan van Wyk, the DHS flyback slash fullhalf — or maybe just call him a flexback. He’s caught the eye this season with his booming punts, which DHS are using effectively to control territory.

At the back, Westville will look to Zekhethelo Siyaya, a genuine u18 superstar and one of the most exciting players in the country. DHS can’t afford to give him space — with his speed and rugby IQ, he only needs a small opening to turn a game.

In the midfield, Westville’s Sean McGough is a big presence at inside centre — standing 1.88m tall and weighing over 90kg. He’ll need to bring every ounce of that size to stop his direct opponent, “Iron Mike” Zingce Simka. At 104kg, Simka has been delivering knockout punches in midfield all season. He’s direct, destructive, and one of the most reliable players in schoolboy rugby this year and possibly the KZN player of the year.

On the wings, both sides have real firepower. DHS’s Zenkosi Mthiyane is strong, determined, and has a solid left boot. Westville’s Avu Lisa is a jetshoes sensation who loves nothing more than finishing behind the opposition tryline.

DHS come into this one off a subdued yet comfortable 47–20 win over Kearsney. There’s no doubt they’re capable of playing with greater intensity. Westville, meanwhile, were given a bit of a wake-up call by Maritzburg College — in a game that started according to plan but ended up being settled by a long-range Siyaya penalty to clinch a come from behind 22-21 victory.

The cup-half-full view for both camps after those performances: any hints of complacency have likely been dealt with — just in time for the biggest clash of the season.

Recent head-to-head

DATE					VENUE
27 Apr 2013	Westville	42	03	Durban HS	Durban HS
12 Apr 2014	Westville	33	09	Durban HS	Westville
06 Jun 2015	Westville	20	12	Durban HS	Durban HS
16 Apr 2016	Westville	24	25	Durban HS	Westville
03 Jun 2017	Westville	25	24	Durban HS	Durban HS
12 May 2018	Westville	10	60	Durban HS	Westville
02 Jun 2018	Westville	14	24	Durban HS	Durban HS
06 Apr 2019	Westville	26	27	Durban HS	Westville
28 May 2022	Westville	23	33	Durban HS	Durban HS
15 Apr 2023	Westville	20	24	Durban HS	Durban HS
20 May 2023	Westville	19	43	Durban HS	Westville
06 Apr 2024	Westville	09	19	Durban HS	Durban HS

KZN Table (using the SS4 bonus-point system)

#	SCHOOL	REG	AVG	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TTL	AVG	LOCAL MATCHES
1	Durban HS	KZN	5.50	4	4	0	0	121	74	47	22.0	5.50	KEA	NW	MHS	MC
													42-20	22-19	28-22	29-13
2	Westville	KZN	5.00	3	3	0	0	61	50	11	15.0	5.00	MC	NW	HIL
													22-21	16-14	23-15
3	Hilton	KZN	4.80	5	4	0	1	222	82	140	24.0	4.80	GLE	MHS	STC	KEA	WVL
													55-15	25-20	74-14	53-10	15-23
4	Northwood	KZN	3.80	5	3	0	2	115	101	14	19.0	3.80	MHS	DHS	WVL	MC	MHS
													43-29	19-22	14-16	24-21	15-13
5	Maritzburg College	KZN	2.80	5	2	0	3	118	116	2	14.0	2.80	WVL	STC	GLE	NW	DHS
													21-22	26-16	37-25	21-24	13-29
6	Michaelhouse	KZN	2.60	5	1	0	4	134	128	6	13.0	2.60	NW	KEA	HIL	DHS	NW
													29-43	50-17	20-25	22-28	13-15
7	Glenwood	KZN	2.25	4	1	0	3	109	124	-15	9.0	2.25	HIL	KEA	MC	STC
													15-55	31-32	25-37	38-00
8	Kearsney	KZN	2.20	5	2	0	3	129	176	-47	11.0	2.20	DHS	MHS	GLE	HIL	CC
													20-42	17-50	32-31	10-53	50-00
9	St Charles	KZN	1.75	4	1	0	3	77	152	-75	7.0	1.75	CC	MC	HIL	GLE
													47-14	16-26	14-74	00-38