It has been confirmed that Deon Gericke will be vacating his Director of Rugby post at DHS and joining St Charles as 1st XV coach at the start of 2013. Gericke assumed coaching duties at DHS in 2010. Apart from coaching the 1st XV, he was responsible for all aspects of their rugby including their Academies and high performance programmes.
Although not yet made official, indications are that DHS will split up the positions of Head Coach and Head of Rugby. The leading candidate to take over as Head Coach is current under-16 coach Christo Wilkinson. Wilkinson joined DHS from Sarel Cillers in Glencoe, Northern Natal where he is still being praised for his massive contribution towards the revival of Sarel’s rugby over the last six years. According to sources, DHS Head of Sport Marc Adam is in line to become the new Head of Rugby.
It has been quite an interesting couple of years as far as coaching changes amongst the leading KwaZulu-Natal rugby schools is concerned. As things stand by January 2013, Michaelhouse, Hilton, Westville, Maritzburg College, Northwood, DHS and St Charles would have undergone at least one major coaching change since 2011.
Head Coach movements in KZN (latest to oldest):
DHS: Christo Wilkinson (2013- ) believed to be replacing Deon Gericke (2010-2012)
St Charles: Deon Gericke (2013- ) replacing Gareth Kuhn
Northwood: Swys de Bruyn (2013- ) replacing Barry Wilson (2009-2012)
Maritzburg College: Ryan Strudwick (2012- ), restructured position for Steve Botha (2011-)
Westville: Grant Bell (2012- ) replaced Mike Vowles (2010-2011)
Hilton: Brad MacLeod-Henderson (2011- ) replaced Deon Scheepers (2011) who replaced Tony Richter (2001-2010)
Michaelhouse: Michael Schwartz (2011- ) replaced Gavin Ross (2007-2010)
George Campbell: Antonie Prinsloo (2009- ) replaced Noel Ingle (many years-2008)
Glenwood : Sean Erasmus (2008- ) replaced Toppy Hortop (many years -2007)
Kearsney: Barend Steyn (2001- ) replaced Kevin Smith (1991-2000)
@Griffon: No, he’s not at NW. He desperately wants to attend, but his academics aren’t good enough. In any case, as I’ve stated before, there is only so many bursaries…
@ Horsefly : I’m not sure but some of the boys have said he’s at Sarel Cilliers or Glencoe. Westville also lost their 16 A centre from last year who made GK. Really sad, fantastic player or attack
@Gungets Tuft:
Yes I know what he did. Quite sad as he looks like a good one for the future
@Griffon:
Where is he now and why did he leave Westville who are losing quite a few players now! We even have one of their u14A forwards at DHS! Good kid!
@ Horsefly : This years 16 A prop who made GK, moved to George Campbell, but quickly moved to another school in Northern Natal.
@ NW Knight : Do you know anything about the Westville u15 prop being at NW at the moment
@HORSEFLY NO.1: No assumptions – DHS asked for a reference, as all schools do. My lightie had to provide a confidential reference to College before they accepted him which is made up of a academic, conduct and financial report.
I assume that you know what he did then – the boys at College know, my son told me.
@Gungets Tuft:
Well what he did to get expelled at College was indeed bad but the reason of why College said so we can only assume.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: College would not have asked that they decline him for rugby sorts of reasons, and would certainly not have soured the relationship had DHS decided against their advice (assuming that the story is true). College would have spelled out the reasons and left the decision to DHS.
@Griffon:
Yah he wouldve been an asset no doubt but hey I wouldn’t risk a 146 years partnership just for a kid who had obviously done wrong at his previous school.
Also, did the Westville prop who made kzn u16A move to George Campbell?
@beet
Last I hears he was at GC but maybe he’s movwd again.
Why do I have a feeling this player may be lost to KZN iow he will finish his schooling in Gauteng. The only other KZN school I think his post-school sponsors would want him to go to is Glenwood.
@ Horsefly : I also heard about this a few days ago. The former College boy was in their 16A last year. There was an incident at College resulting in him asked to leave. He would be an asset if DHS accepted him
gungets
he wa u16 last year anda prop
@HORSEFLY NO.1: And good .. about the intake. There has to be a sustained good intake for 5 years to cement the recovery. All good for KZN rugby – check the SA Club Champs won by College-Rovers … too good!!
@HORSEFLY NO.1: Mail me a name – Gungetstuft@gmail.com – and even then anything will be in private, but doubt I can shed light. Don’t know the U16’s at all, All Black might know, probably also won’t say :-). If he is 15 years old then he deserves a chance to redeem himself. As for College telling them not to accept him – dunno. Schools reserve the right to get a reference, College would have been bound to be honest. Remember that College and School have a pretty deep bond, more so than any other school, given the mix and match of great masters between them.
There has been at least one occasion when a boy has been expelled from College and the school has phoned the next school and told them to accept him. There is a famous story (more that 25 years ago now) of the College HM phoning the Howick HM and saying “I am sending you your next Head Boy” .. and he was right. Swings and roundabouts.
@Gungets Tuft:
recently heard of a former college boy who made SA U16 who was expelled by college, applied at DHS afterwards, the DHS was told by College not to accept him. do you know anything about this?
also, after the DHS scholarship evening this week i had the chance to speak with the schools Head of Sport who told me that next years u14 rugby side will be in a smiliar mould to this years one if not better, and from what i saw there will be some big boys
@NW_Knight: What grade are they joining. If Grade 8 then the “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” is just trying to provoke something, every school has the same thing. If the new boys are spread among the grades then why the secrecy. If they are being bought on sports bursaries in grades 10 and 11, then it is going to leave a sour taste that Northwood needs to live with. Northwood has the support of many schools at the moment – schools adding them to fixture lists after some years – you wouldn’t want to lose that by being reckless.
It would be nice if someone told NW about this shopping spree. NW are no different to GW or WV or any other school. They have a certain number of bursaries to offer and need to be very selective of who they offer to.
“Shopping spree” is hardly correct, but I can confirm that NW have 200+ new boys joining in January
@Greenhopper:
they quit for various reasons, some for hockey, others injuries which made them prioritise other sports more etc
yah forward power is needed. but you will find that this years u14s had some awesome forwards with what is arguably the best loose trio in kzn at u14
@Griffon: this rumour has been going on for a while now, a few months, i dont knwo any parents there, you obviously might , so what is your take on this
@ Greenhopper : I wonder what the NW parents think about this “shopping” spree, if it happens
@PlayFlair: been hearing this about NW for a while now, seems they are buying a team
@PlayFlair:
NAH I THINK HE WILL STAY. SURELY ITS JUST RUMOURS GOING AROUND AS ALWAYS
It is understood that the private school on the Hill and NW are buying anything with a kit bag. The name Van Zyl is heard often in this regard or will he follow his coach?
@HORSEFLY NO.1: i wonder what the expected salary of these 1st team coaches are for the High schools, how did St Charles do this year
@HORSEFLY NO.1: my impression here is that if they could play a better structured game, and with a little more forward power they possible could do better, to do thsi there needs to be more overall discipline in the school, achive thsi and they could possibly do better
@HORSEFLY NO.1: why did they quit??
who will be the make up of the DHS 16 side for next year barring any possible new imports?? also who of teh u16 this year will play 1st
@greenhopper
U15 bbackline lost 3 players to quitting and another to injjury. We then got the fastest u15 boy at the school to play rugby and he did quite well playing for the 1st tim.
As for u16, yip they are good. Outplayed the star studded Glenwood backline for long periods of their game.
i think the DHS u15 and u16 back lines are quiet good
@beet:
That’s a lot of responsibility but we hope he does it well aand continnues his good work in the head of sport department
@HORSEFLY NO.1: it seems like Marc will continue as Head of Sport and absorb the role of Head of Rugby
Christo is a good coach. He has coached u16A for 2 years and will therefore know all the players for next year. As for Marc, I thought he has been doing a really good job as Directr of Sport. Has done a lot since taking over in 2010 and that can be seen in our u14 and 15 age groups for all sports.
Gerickes game plan wasn’t taking us anywhere though.
Fresh blood could be good for DHS. It might be good for Glenwood too after this scandalous year…