On Saturday, 22 March 2014 Glenwood and Michaelhouse combined to produce a great advert for schoolboy rugby on Dixon’s field in Durban. Glenwood had to come from behind to win tight, hard fought and clean match 17-14 against a very good Michaelhouse team that earned a lot of respect from locals for their well-balanced performance. Here is a breakdown of how the action unfolded:
Michaelhouse scrumhalf and captain Thomas Walker is caught offsides at the scrum in the 4th minute. Glenwood fullback Morné Joubert misses a 45m penalty attempt.
The standout attacker of the game is Glenwood centre Spam Ngcobo who makes an early impression. He breaks the line on several of his pacy runs but is unable to find support runners. The Michaelhouse second line defence is very strong all afternoon long and offers little opportunity for Glenwood to capitalise on early linebreaks like they did the weekend before against Westville.
A 9th minute high tackle by Glenwood flyhalf Curtis Jonas offers Michaelhouse’s impressive flyhalf Bader Pretorius a shot at goal but he too misses.
12 min – 0-5 to Michaelhouse. This lead comes about after Michaelhouse disrupt a Glenwood lineout, show patience and good recycling in the build-up before spreading the ball wide to the right. Good handling on the inside before good reading by outside centre David Broadley who sees where the best finishing opportunity lies and forces a skip pass to his right wing Liam Furniss who dives near the right corner. Bader Pretorius strikes it well but the conversion from an acute angle is missed.
Michaelhouse gets pinged for offsides at the ruck but 16th minute kick at goal is missed by Morné Joubert who struggles with the boot and the lost confidence seems to affect the rest of the talented no.15’s game.
Glenwood opt to go for a lineout from a 20th minute holding penalty within poles kicking range. From here Glenwood comes very close to opening their account after no.8 Jaco Coetzee takes the ball in the lineout and flank James Venter drives over the line but is held up.
One of the players of the match Glenwood lock Mpumelelo Vidima had a stormer while he was on the field. He has worked really hard on his conditioning during the offseasons and the results were showing. Good physical strength and positive aggro during his carries and cleanouts were part of the package he delivered in this game. Sadly he would pick up a season ending leg injury during the second half.
Michaelhouse also suffers their share of injury setbacks during this match. The first one is very early on and was key as it their rated no.8 Nick Egberink who is forced off with a shoulder injury.
A tip tackle by a Michaelhouse player lands him in the bin in the 30th minute after the referee and touch judge consult.
Glenwood’s lack of confidence in place-kicking sees them turn down a relatively easy kick in order to run the ball.
Just before halftime Glenwood opts to tap and go from a penalty near the MHS try-line. Michaelhouse however repels them.
Halftime 5-0 to Michaelhouse. Although most of the mentioned plays are about Glenwood’s go forward, it’s Michaelhouse who are the more impressive team of the first half. They are more than able to hold their own in all aspects of play and surprise many. Not only that, they take the game to Glenwood as well. Making their play even more appealing is that it is not based on individual performances but on the team’s interaction as a whole. In the match it is therefore difficult to single out House players for praise, but the high standard of play they delivered was very much down to having no weak links on the pitch.
Glenwood’s defence is also solid on the day. They are forced by MHS to deviate from their favoured expansive game plan but are not fazed like they were in a game against Port Natal, so praise must go to the team and new coach Rudi Dames for being able to realign their attacking game with a suitable Plan B.
0-8 after the break. Bader Pretorius extends the Michaelhouse lead with a penalty.
The first big Glenwood chance of the second half comes when Glenwood flank McMillan Muller wins a penalty for holding after a successful high ball chase by the home team. Once again the decision is kick for touch and not poles.
Tough customer Michaelhouse flank Zander Prinsloo (shoulder) is assisted off within the opening minutes of the half. He also has a shoulder injury and it now means that House are without two starting loose-forwards.
42nd min – 5-8. Glenwood starts to take control of the game. Another star on the day, Green Machine prop Kenny van Niekerk, who must surely by now be drawing a lot of attention from scouts, comes close to scoring. Glenwood keep the pressure up and wins a penalty at the next scrum. They tap and go but once again get stopped short by MHS, who are not 10m back. So Glenwood opts for a lineout near the try-line. Glenwood captain and lock Kevin du Randt has been in top form in the lineouts. Safe as houses he collects the throw-in and with the MHS pack sucked it, its James Venter who peals around the side is helped over for an unconverted try.
The Michaelhouse scrum goes about their job very well during this game but they are hampered by conceding free kicks on a few occasions via the ref having issues with the way Thomas Walker feeds the ball in.
49th min – 5-11. Glenwood launch an attack from inside their own half. Michaelhouse react sharply though and wins a penalty after turning over the ball. Bader Pretorius is successful from 40m out.
52nd min – 10-11. More Glenwood redzone pressure, sees Michaelhouse once again conceding a penalty. This time for coming around the side of a rolling maul. Glenwood’s inability to make inroads out wide, has forced them to rely more on the pack to get the job done during this match. Another mauling drive sees Jaco Coetzee crashing near the right-hand corner. The kick is missed.
54th min- 10-14 Michaelhouse strikes immediately. A feature of this game is Michaelhouse under-17 flyhalf Bader Pretorius’s amazing strength on his feet and his ability to execute Heinrich Brussouw like turnovers from ball on the deck. From the kickoff return he gets the better of Jaco Coetzee and duly wins a penalty for his team which he then comfortably slots from 50m out.
60th min – 17-14. An excellent rolling maul by Glenwood who have transformed themselves into a forwards based team, is halted by another opponent coming in from the side. The referee issues a yellow card. Glenwood persists by setting up yet another mauling drive and ball-holder Kenny van Niekerk steers the body of green ahead of him towards the line, where he crashes over for the winning try. Curtis Jonas then makes the perfect connection on an angled conversion kick to extend the lead.
In the 70th minute Glenwood not only gains relief after a period of territorial attack by MHS but their kick and chase forces an error by the visitors and yet another penalty. Jonas pushes his kick wide and House has one last chance to counter-attack. They however dot the ball dead in-goal and the referee although slightly undecided at first, blows the final whistle when House attempts to take a quick and short 22m drop restart.
Fulltime 17-14 to Glenwood. A great game of rugby comes to an end with high flying Glenwood as deserved winners but with a courageous Michaelhouse able to hold their heads high and realise that they definitely have what it takes to perform well this season.
| GLENWOOD | MICHAELHOUSE | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenny Van Niekerk | 1 | Gregory Jackson |
| 2 | Percy Mngadi | 2 | Bradley Roberts |
| 3 | Koos Tredoux | 3 | Siyanda Mazibuko |
| 4 | Kevin Du Randt (c.) | 4 | Gary Porter |
| 5 | Mpumelelo Vidima | 5 | Andrew Vogel |
| 6 | James Venter | 6 | Matthew Potgieter |
| 7 | McMillan Muller | 7 | Zander Prinsloo |
| 8 | Jaco Coetzee | 8 | Nicholas Egberink |
| 9 | Kwazi Khanyile | 9 | Thomas Walker (c.) |
| 10 | Curtis Jonas | 10 | Bader Pretorius |
| 11 | Philani Ngcobo | 11 | Jason Schwegmann |
| 12 | Ruben Fouche | 12 | Brandon Tattam |
| 13 | Spam Ngcobo | 13 | David Broadley |
| 14 | Ilunga Mukendi | 14 | Liam Furniss |
| 15 | Morne Joubert | 15 | Robert Lee |
| 16 | Peter-John Kobbie | 16 | Jack Walters |
| 17 | Christopher Klopper | 17 | Michael Mandy |
| 18 | Ruan Desmore | 18 | James Hallier |
| 19 | Marco Palvie | 19 | Jonathan Barrie |
| 20 | Donovan Du Randt | 20 | Victor Foster |
| 21 | Christopher Bredell | 21 | Jacques Swarts |
| 22 | Jayden Morgan | 22 | Frank Goble |
Preview written before the game:
The Michaelhouse team to play Glenwood on Dixon’s field in Durban is available.
Prop Louis Albertse’s injury provides the opportunity for Lee-Marvin Mazibuko to start. So far this season many KZN props have already put up their hands and attention will be on Greg Jackson to see if he can raise the bar even higher in a quest for provincial honours this year. There is also a return to action for flank Matthew Potgieterafter being sidelined with a long term injury. The big surprise amongst the House backs is the selection of David Broadley at outside centre. This means that Glenwood’s favourite channel of attack penetration will be guarded by wing playing out of position at centre for the second weekend running. Last time out it was Westville’s Donovan Pieters who had the misery of trying to plug that hole, which Glenwood must surely refer to as the crater. One can’t stress enough the importance of Boardley’s defensive awareness and technique heading into this match. Talking defence, for defence as a form of attack Michaelhouse should be able to apply good pressure at lineout time. Both locks Gary Porter and Andy Vogel are taller than their opposite numbers and House must work hard to make this advantage count on Glenwood throw-ins. The Midlands visitors will also lean heavily on the talented 8-9-10 decision-makers of Nick Egberink, Thomas Webber and Bader Pretorius.
New Glenwood coach Rudi Dames has stuck with his winning formula from the first home game of the season. On the way to recording a 32-15 victory against Westville a week earlier, Glenwood scored no less than five tries. Confidence in the camp is high and it’s unlikely that Glenwood will deviate much from their successful need for speed game plan. For the Green Machine the later kick-off for this MHS game equals cooler weather conditions, which in term almost certainly equals a higher tempo play than the extremely hot conditions allowed for a week ago. Glenwood’s main concerns are lineout security where they have been erratic at times in preseason, tightening up on midfield defence and being able to adapt and execute a Plan B if for any reason they don’t succeed with their basic yet effective primary style of play.
@Jordaan: also Glenwood didn’t play well on the day, but a win is a win…
By all accounts Glenwood very very lucky to come away with a narrow win here, it was really Michaelhouse’s game to lose – they pretty much handed it to Glenwood on a plate. Also, again a lot of the 50/50 calls going Glenwood’s way.
I think the result would have been very different if the game was played at Michaelhouse.
When you look back at last years game at House – GWD on a wet day put 30+ points past house in first game of the season – the backs unexpectedly ran House ragged when one would have expected this game in the wet to be sorted out amongst the forwards – so this game was a complete turn around and one wud have expected GWD’s back’s to fire and credit must go to House for nullifying the GWD backline – this ending up being a really tough game for both teams
Wow, Mike being quite harsh on the Glenwood boys, probably set very high standards and they didn’t play to plan. My concern now is lock cover for Vidima, seems they will have to go with a flank at lock again reducing the pack weight…..errr!
To me, a win is a win – you learn more about yourself and the team in a close encounter – GW will move forward with this victory and would have made them realise, THERE ARE NO EASY GAMES ANYMORE.
Well done to House – really nice to hear they came out firing and did not take a backward step against GW.
The real challenge for GW now, will be when they face the likes of Affies etc – what happens to them when there forwards are equally matched up front… Jonas will need to learn how to control a game – aka Tedder.
Seems like Mike Vowles did not enjoy the game that much – his report:
· Glenwood Tries: James Venter (1), Kenny van Niekerk (1), Jaco Coetzee (1)
· Glenwood conversions: Curtis Jonas (1)
· Michaelhouse Tries: Laim Furniss (1)
· Michaelhouse Pentalty kicks: Bader Pretorius (3)
Glenwood played host to Michaelhouse this weekend in what proved to be a game that saw Glenwood win by the smallest of margins.
The 1st half saw Glenwood secure both the possession and territorial advantage but, unfortunately, the home side were not able to translate this into points on the score board. Often playing with too much width, the Glenwood side saw their ball being turned over on numerous occasions thus allowing the Michaelhouse side the freedom to run the ball as they wished.
With Glenwood unable to build and sustain pressure on the Michaelhouse side, the visitors took full advantage and capitalised on the Glenwood mistakes. Mid-way through the 1st half, the Michaelhouse backs spread the ball wide after turning over another Glenwood ball and scored in the right hand corner. Slick handling and speed out wide, normal trademarks of a Michaelhouse team, were the difference as the visitors went into the break with a 5 point lead.
Glenwood had their opportunities to score, and to build a healthy lead, but were held up twice over the line after some brutal forward play and they missed several kicks at goal from penalties deep inside the Michaelhouse half.
What was becoming very clear as the game entered the 2nd half was that the Glenwood forwards were starting to take control as their team kept playing most of the rugby deep down inside Michaelhouse territory. This pressure resulted in the visitors making a number of errors as they paid the ultimate price with 2 yellow cards received for repeated infringements. With their goal kicking game not working for them, the Glenwood team decided to play into corners and it was from here that they launched their attacked.
3 tries were scored from the lineout mauls and it was James Venter, Kenny van Niekerk and Jaco Coetzee that crossed the white-wash for the home team. Cutis Jonas, the Glenwood fly-half, converted 1 try.
Although the Glenwood forwards were well in control, it was the Michaelhouse fly half who kept his team in the game with 3 long range penalties. With only minutes to go the home side led 17-14 and it seemed as though the game could go either way. It was Kwazi Khanyile and Curtis Jonas, Glenwood’s 9 and 10, who established some order in the otherwise rattled Glenwood team as they kicked for territory and forced the visitors to play from inside their half.
With the final whistle came a collective sigh of relief for the Glenwood coaches, team and supporters. The final score was 17-14 but this performance was not one to be remembered. The Michaelhouse side must be commended on their attitude and commitment as they made life very difficult for the Glenwood side.
@meadows: Good omens for MHS, 2 seasons ago they started with a 1 point loss to Glenwood on Dixons and ended up KZN’s top side, so good to see the Red & White hoops back. Maybe they will take Hilton out home and away this year and good luck against non KZN opposition, I’ll be rooting for ‘House’!
Well done to both sides on what seems to have been an excellent game of schoolboy rugby.
I must admit to a little concern ahead of this game as a season opener after Glenwood’s win at Westville the previous week. A trip down to Dixons is never easy but as a first outing against a well prepared side in form it is even more of a challenge.
Obviously a win would have been preferable but I’m glad to see that MHS should be competitive again in 2014 after a poor 2013.
Vidima out for the season? Huge loss there he was looking in awesome physical shape and providing some grunt in the engine…..massive loss! Who will replace him? This is where Staples could have stepped into lock or Gouws needed….such a pity….what happened?
Huge 1st game for our brother cousins MHS and well well done!!!!
Sorry to hear of Egbrink – was looking so promising…May his collar bone heal quickly. Good kid.
Sorry but with Brandon Tattam at No 12 I was hoping for a MH win here, you have to support family, we breed them big strong and fast another boy who should have been at Queens.
@Tarpeys: Yeah but rugby was the big winner at Glenwood on Saturday. I’m still undecided about which game was better, the 1sts or the 2nds. Both were extremely close.
I would have loved to hear coach Michael Schwarz’s views on the 2nd half during which Glenwood won the T&P battle and got all 17 of their points via 3 tries. Was it perhaps shortage of match practice or the injury count or even the 2nd yellow or just Glenwood upping the intensity. Bottomline was that House were unable to threaten like they did in the first half.
Good start this but those boys will hurting because at the end of the day there were there to win this game and they fell short. I don’t think anyone I know there will be celebrating this. It going to be a tough season where the will to see games through will be important judging from the other results. Kearsney will be tough after their solid start, Westville are always tough, College looked determined to regain their stature, Northwood are massive, the Hilton derby, well it’s a derby, enough said, St Charles look improved and St Johns have stood up to two massive opponents so far. I hope we put in a good shift at Grey and set out a proper stall.
Seems like the Grey fest will a mouth watering affair for us SBR fans. I should attend the 1st day
@beet: ah sorry, you right. Kearsney play St Stithians.
@Grasshopper: St Johns
@Buffel: MHS is only playing St Stithians in the Grogper are they not?
@John3175: Agree. Saw the team going to Grey and it looks very solid and now with yesterday’s result, will be one of the more fancied KZN schools.
Michaelhouse will be strong this year! Remmeber how the 2012 team only just lost to Glenwood 13-12 in their opening match! watch out for House! how were Bader,Roberts and Egbrink?
I think another thing they need to look at is the distribution of the centres. Too often they where running straight lines off the flyhalf and looking to take contact when a simple draw and pass would have put the very quick wings into space.
@beet: that is a good sign as they can turn close games into wins rather than close losses. My concern comes to when they play Affies, Grey Bloem and Monnas. The forwards just are not big enough to compete. Another concern is the 2nds seem to be a little weaker than previous years, so the game against the Cherries could get very ugly.
@Greenwood: @Dixon’s: I think you guys have summed things up really well.
Amongst the after the game opinions going around was that this game was really good for Glenwood. Their 1st choice attacking game barring a few good runs by Sparks did not succeed as planned. Gwd did not fall apart, the seniors stepped up and they were able to modify their approach to get the desired result in the end.
Before the season started, I predicted that MHS were the dark horses. They were below average in Grade 8, much improved in Grade 9 and very difficult to beat in Grade 10. They know each other very well, have grown and are well coached. I am always impressed with their hands.
@Grasshopper: One of the Michaelhouse 2nd team locks is also very tall and plays a good game of rugger as well (Clee). Was u16A last year
Where do Michaelhouse find these locks from? Also, every year they seem to produce players from nowhere. Michaelhouse is never an easy game, so well done Glenwood to come from behind to win.
@Greenwood: Sick as a dog i dragged myself off my bed to go and watch what turned out to be a too close for comfort game for Glenwood
Fair comment about MH doing there homework, but i also think Glenwood where their own worst enemy…. i have a feeling that i am going to be highlighting the problem with kicking after every single game. it is so frustrating that the Green Machine cannot kick out of hand or at poles, the Glenwood coaching staff have had a week to fix it after Westville but there has been ZERO improvement! granted the wind was a big factor today but that is no excuse for a disgraceful kicking display.
looking at the height advantage that the MH locks had, i was worried it would be a tough day at lineout time. but the Glenwood lineout and driving maul proved to be the difference between the 2 sides.
A brief overview : tough one this for Glenwood – House had done their homework and shut the Gwd back line down , gave them no room – Glenwood’s 3 tries came from the pack and not the backline – this could have gone either way with about 10 minutes to go – here again kicks for the poles by Gwd were dismal with Kurtis Jonas slotting one -Plenty of aggro especially from House who had 2 yellow cards – not pretty but a win is a win
– House should not be taken lightly big strong players all round – backs and forwards
Awesome 2 games at Glenwood.
2nd team Glenwood 24 House 22
Glenwood won 17 – 14