Maritzburg College and Glenwood, the only two KwaZulu-Natal teams that play third term rugby will be in action today on Dixons. The game will mark the end of the rugby careers of many open age group College boys who no doubt will all want to go out with a bang. It’s also the last game of the KZN tier-1 season. Glenwood still have one fixture after this weekend, an away trip to Bloemfontein to meet Grey College next week. Throughout today there are expected to be some very competitive match-ups all the way from under-14 up to the 1st XV game. All-in-all there are 24 games being played.
The first leg 1st XV game formed part of the College’s Reunion Day and proved to be a classic which Glenwood won 44-40 in the last minute. Expecting a game of the same level of excitement may be unrealistic but certainly there is no reason why both teams cannot bring the sort of intensity required to turn this one into a memorable one as well. Key to the outcome will be defence, an area that has let both teams down at crucial times during the season.
The 150th birthday year has been a special one for College as a school but on the rugby field, 1st XV results haven’t been going their way. They currently stands on nine defeats for the season, six of those coming from their last six starts. Both the overall record and the losing streak must rate amongst the worst in College history.
College record:
| P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 399 | 425 | -26 |
Teams:
| GLENWOOD | COLLEGE | |
|---|---|---|
| Percy Mngadi | 1 | Tiaan Steyn |
| Kerron Van Vuure | 2 | Vuyo Kathida |
| Koos Tredoux | 3 | Njabulo Gumede |
| Set Van Den Heever | 4 | Seko Buthelezi |
| Ntokozo Vidima | 5 | Wian Jacobs |
| Waelon Hippolite | 6 | K Van Rohmberg |
| Wandi Mazibuko (Captain) | 7 | Hayden Tharrat |
| Jaco Coetzee | 8 | Daryn Goodson |
| Kwazi Khanyile | 9 | Lukas Booysen |
| Curtis Jonas | 10 | Karl Hillerman |
| Sphamandla Ngcobo | 11 | S Lithgo |
| Ruben Fouché | 12 | Simon Culverwell |
| Nkululeko Mcuma | 13 | Marcel Coetzee |
| Morné Joubert | 14 | B Holder |
| Corné Vermaak | 15 | Jason Alexander |
Gungets – Stirring stuff – very few Schools
have the rich history that College have and us Glenwood blokes believe it or not feel closer to College than than any other school -at least this what me and my mates feel !
What we did miss on Saturday was the 2 teams forming a mixed circle like last year and doing the war cries – Oh well ! hopefully next year
Enjoyed the game but the GWD supporters were seriously worried in the 1st half and it was a relief to see the GWD backline firing on all cylinders again – they clearly won the game for us – all the best for College Rugby next year !!
@Redblack White: Tough day indeed. Shellshocked look on all the faces in the 1st team as they gathered (too many times) behind the posts right where I was sitting yesterday.
Not a great rugby year for College – still a great year, been privileged to be close to the school this year with my son there.
Well done all schools, good luck Glenwood for next week when they go to Grey Bloem. Practice climbing mountains on the way up the Berg, then you will be well sorted on the field. Travel safely, everyone stay safe on the field.
We look forward to a better 2014 for College rugby and a full list of fixtures (Westville, Glenwood, asseblief, sort the boardroom stuff out, we need a definite KZN leagure next year).
Look forward to the dinner on Tuesday to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Clark House, the 2nd oldest building on the College Campus, the main boarding house (don’t tell the guys from Hudson and Nathan House that, they get all twitchy), home to the many ghosts reputed to stroll the creaking wooden halls of my son’s boarding house.
I will sign off my view of the College 150th, quoting one of our Old Boys, Alan Paton, about our school :
Old Walls that echo to our cries,
Our oaths and prayers and laughter,
And echo now to cries of those
Who follow after,
When earth has taken back to earth
Our unremembered bones,
Preserve the echo of our names
About your stones.
Well done to both schools, the A team games looked all very close. @Greenblooded, College will be good in 2014 but I think with quite a few returning Glenwood will have decent team too…
Other results from Glenwood (home team first):
U14A 21-7
U15A 15-10
U16A 15-8
3rd 60-12
2nd 24-10
1st 33-15
A game of 2 halves. College completely dominated the first half – more so than the 10 point scoreline suggests. A massive improvement in the lineout I thought – something which College have struggled with. But the 2nd half belonged to Glenwood – outscoring College 28-0 and running in some fine tries. Great match, great atmosphere and everything dignified and respectable. How it should be. 2014 will be College’s year to shine.
Tough day at the office. Well done Glenwood. See you guys next year.