The DHS 1st XV enters the 2015 season minus two standout rugby players who have returned to the Eastern Cape.
Homesick hooker Aphiwe Febana has returned to the place of his birth where he now able to live with his family who have also relocated to the Windy City. Aphiwe went to primary school in the Eastern Cape before enrolling at DHS. He now attends Grey High where he has his work cut out for him due to some serious competition for the 1st XV stating berth. Aphiwe, who represented KZN at the under-16 Grant KhomoWeek in 2013, would have been amongst the favourites to play hooker for the KZN Craven Week team this year. Based on his talent, chances are good that he will represent EP at Craven Week later this year.
Flashy fullback Mabhutana Peter, who also turned out at centre and wing for DHS and is under-19 this year, has chosen to further his rugby career via the EP Academy and as a consequence now attends a local school in PE, the city in which he was also born and attended primary school. In the past it’s always been a difficult predicament for any aspiring 19 year old in matric rugby player to be in. These days rugby unions around SA including the EP Kings do a lot more to accommodate these year older schoolboys, so that they do not fall too far behind players their same age who have the benefit of full-time dedication to rugby at institutes as opposed to sitting behind a desk in a classroom for most of the daylight hours. However with the junior rugby (first 3 years after school) fallout rate being as high as it is, there are bound to be on-going questions about what should take priority: finishing matric first and then playing catch-up in rugby or vice versa. In this regard DHS is one of the better academic schools in the country and their rugby coaching is of a sufficient standard to provide players with a good foundation to build on after matric. For the record Mabhutana represented KZN Academy Week teams in 2013 and 2014 and the KZN under-18 Sevens team in 2014.
Both players are big loses for DHS and probably would have played significant roles in helping to shape their fortunes this season.
Pity about this – most schools were looking forward to a stronger “School”
and these 2 guys leaving wont help
DHS had some very good games at Porties and were looking ready to compete with the best – but I’m sure school will get over this and will still
give it a go
What are you suggesting? As far as I know, nothing fishy at all.
Both were at DHS for years (I am pretty sure both were there since grade 8 ) and both left before the start of the this year — definitely not in Port Natal series.
My son and Febs were mates and he has always been keen to go study at home — he was always a bit homesick.
As far as I know, Peter was offered a chance to attend the EP academy and felt it was in his best interests. They are both great players, but as far as I know it was all above board and in both cases probably in the kids’ best interests.
Huge loss for DHS and KZN, but I smell something fishy! Did they play at Port Natal?