Maritzburg College put in a surprisingly refreshing running rugby performance and deserved more out of the match than the 13-0 win they achieved against hosts Westville.
The match got off to a very unsettling start for Westville. The referee, fully within his rights, would not allow standout under-17 hooker Hendrik Prinsloo who forms part of a very powerful Griffons frontrow combination to take his place on the field in the under-19 game due to the player not being Boksmart compliant. The real culprit in this ordeal is a slack KZNRU (Sharks) official who had not completed Prinsloo’s compliance registration in spite of the documents being handed to him months ago. The result was replacement hooker Damian Lee having to play immediately after the completion of a very competitive 2nd XV team match. Speedy wing Tony Mhlangu also failed a fitness test causing a reshuffled midfield. Into the match, Westville suffered a further setback when dependable lock JP Pelser limped off with a leg injury. Coupled with the third different halfback combination being tried out in three weeks, all these factors above seemed to contribute to a disjointed Westville effort which lacked any sort of purpose or accuracy and which must rate as one of their poorest in recent seasons.
The nil points says it all. Westville’s best field positions on attack generally came from setpieces after penalties won via College infringements at rucks and mauls. In open play with ball in hand Ville played like 15 individuals all on different pages and therefore generated very little pressure on attack. Continuity is an ongoing huge issue! With all other things equal a team with a bigger pack of forwards than their opponents should dominate the advantage line collisions and be able to recycle front-foot ball. But the control just is not there. Also indecision was rife, unforced errors too high and the ability of the backs to simply swing the ball through the hands now and again was nowhere to be seen in the Westville game plan, as they opted for an uncharacteristic crash centre approach instead. Exiting was also weak.
The positive for Westville players to take out of the match is that they never gave up trying. That tells something important about the team’s spirit. They are fighters to the end and as long as they have that good characteristic, they can turn things around and still go far this season. This College game must be a rock bottom as far as form is concerned and from here onwards Westville can only improve. They need to get back to doing the basics well though. Studying and implementing College’s playing patterns might be the way to go.
The smaller College pack excelled at recycling ball. They were fit, mobile and understood their positional requirements and body positions as ball carrier and support players. The result was phases 2,3 and 4 up being played off from good platforms that made the scrumhalf’s job easier. Getting the ball wide from the base to the three-quarters was a pleasure to watch. It was swift, precise and there although there was urgency, it never involved wild passes. College kicking out of hand also mostly showed thinking minds at work.
The only let down was that College did not cross the white chalk more often after good build-up play. Here the infamous “last pass” let them down badly. The decisions and execution made by players in the outside centre channel were more often than not poor ones. Key to successful linking is good understanding between players and here more training ground work is required. If College had mastered this aspect of their game their score could well have climbed into the 30’s perhaps even higher. The visitors’ Xolisa Guma looked capable of finishing from any ball that came his way, but the threat posed by the flashy wing was not maximised on due to the lack of quality passes made to him.
As far as defence was concerned The Red-Black-White was good and had two demons that haunted Westville throughout the match. Captain at openside flank Kelton Thunder and no.8 Craig Glover played out of their skins and amazed with the speed and aggression with which hunted down opponents and got stuck in at tackled ball breakdowns. They totally outplayed their opposite numbers. They did not go missing on attack either. Both players were outstanding.
College’s first points came from the boot of fullback Ruben van Blerk. He made it 3-0 via a penalty in the 12th minute earned after initial good combination work by ball runners Sam Swanepoel (hooker) and Durang Atembe (flank) in the build-up which resulted in well-built Atembe almost scoring a try. He knocked on near the line.
Van Blerk doubled the College lead in the 24th minute with a second successful penalty, this one earned after a useful rolling maul from an attacking lineout.
Shortly before halftime poor exiting coupled with the inability to control the ball in contact proved to be the nail in the coffin for Westville. College turned over the ball and moved it wide where the strong running hooker Swanepoel made up for an earlier missed opportunity by backing himself and knocking off two would-be tacklers on his direct run to the goal-line. He scored a super individualist try that was converted to put College up 13-0 at the break.
There was no scoring in the second half. College produced a few exciting moments using the width. Westville ended the game strongly with territorial advantage but could not turn possession into points when they were camped down in the redzone. College were also lucky to finish with 15 players on the park after repeated infringements near their try-line.
All-in-all a very good team effort by Maritzburg College produced a surprise result in the context of the KZN season to date. With a lot more rugby to come, there is certainly opportunity for College to build on this result and do well this season. Their attractive brand of rugby is bound to be a crowd please amongst neutrals.
I was at Westville on Saturday and I was pleasantly surprised by the mutual respect that both the College and Westville boys have for each other. All the games that I watched were played in the right spirit. Let’s hope that the double header becomes the norm in the future.
@Gungets Tuft: You will be surprized at who lurks on this blog.
The initial mistake could have been made as the jerseys are very similar which must be a nightmare for a ref. I did feel that this game was the best of the day ending in a deadlock but having many memorable moments. My son ” claimed” to have been late tackled by the College 15. The fact that the mothers are oldest and dearest friends was not lost on them and at half time the 15 gave a pat on the back as a reflection of the spirit in which the game was played. 
@Westers: They have indeed edited the story, and it makes even better reading that way. I see the comment that must have alerted them (surely they don’t lurk here
) is still there. Still amazed how strong the oke is, must have been 100kg deadlift. Compare by picking up a bag of cement – 50kg 
Cautionary tale for us bloggers, that the players are more circumspect about what the contest means.
@Gungets Tuft: They must have amended it because the story on your link clearly talks of a Westville player being carried off by a College player.
Great story.
@Rugger fan: And the photo made SA Schools sports, except they cocked the story up and thought it was 2 College boys.
http://www.saschoolsports.co.za/rugby/kwazulu-natal/rugby-more-than-just-a-photo.html
@Gungets Tuft: Gungets – could’nt remember the post – but here’s the photo link for the College boy carrying off his opponent.
https://www.facebook.com/NotJustaPhotoKZN/photos/np.305792297.676978427/536638383142700/?type=1&theater
@chopper: I guess this has got more to do with Westville than College? One just needs to look at the previous week’s fixture list where College played all the way down to an 11th XV I think – and hosted 3 schools in DHS – Linpark & Voortrekker.
As far as the disparity in the teams – DHS were also very weak after the A teams.
@star: Last response before the okes who know where I live come over and kill me.
College can and does field 26, sometimes 27 rugby sides. Our 9ths and 10ths were not offered games by Westville – they played other opposition on the weekend. We will leave the hockey out of it.
I have no further info on the Hilton uncontested scrums – it was no leading question, but it might go a long way to explaining why there was a big MIB presence on Saturday. As GB says, it is not allowed to start a match with uncontested scrums, so if it’s true, it’s a referee failure, but probably one negotiated by parents and coaches simply to get a match under way.
The context of that thread is still available —-> http://blog.schoolboyrugby.co.za/?p=10837
The thread carries a distinct accusation that College was somehow involved, culminating in the questions of who the U19’s were.
The recurring theme of College getting weaker will …. recur …. such is life. I think there’s life in the old girl yet, and we have no fear whatsoever of the ” the new intake as a sign of a trend for the future … being … clear and obvious.”. The citizens of Sleepy Hollow are alive and well as the next 5 years will show, and the 150 years after that. Read the history of the school, she’s survived worse.
Happy to drop it – the circle has now got tight enough for both of us to be in danger of disappearing up our own #rses if we carry on in tightening circles.
@Gungets Tuft: I think we are beginning to bore the stakeholders but I hate unresolved issues. Also how do you know I am not an idiot ( an average Joe certainly not)
With regard to point 1 I can see how we might have missed each other in terms of the actual teams in question. However you brought up Hockey and now are conveniently silent. Maybe jumped the gun a bit.
I must consider the next point carefully as it was a leading question. I asked a reasonable question and presented a possible scenario which cannot be challenged but could be misinterpreted. I must take some responsibility there. The other’ responses’ must be ignored unless you give due context. Talk about painting a picture.
I am however very interested in the still open question of ” how many matches against Hilton had uncontested scrums , and why” From my limited personal observations which were the 1sts,2nds 3rds and U16A I cannot remember any. However if there were and the relevant issues were not properly addressed which culminated in the problems last Saturday then Westville needs to take a good look at themselves. Do you have idea seeing as though you put up the question?
@star: “To me College was always the benchmark in rugby depth in KZN. It is therefore surprizing that when we play Affies in April we will play 2 more games( 26) than the 24 we played on Saturday.” – It was Westville that could not provide opposition. College has another 3 teams.
@star: “Is it the norm to have that number of society officials at a specific match.ie were they also there at the Northwood/Westville game( or any other fixture this season). Were they possibly informed of a potential problem in advance? ”
@star: ar: “There does not have to be collusion with anyone. A simple tip off to the Durban Referees Society would suffice. They would then respond ( again no collusion necessary) and correctly apply the rules which by your own omission are fraught with problems. Please divorce the issue of the College U17 prop as that is red herring brought up by someone else.( more as a jest I am sure). There is nothing Grassy Knoll type about the above scenario. Again all I asked was a simple question ie were the said gentlemen also at the Hilton/Westville game or any other fixture for that matter. If not and the MEN IN BLACK
suddenly appear at a moment critique on a issue that had been ostensibly already been cleared , then the question can be realistically asked. ”
@star: “Point 2- this is interesting as involves being able to determine Boksmart compliance. Is said data base secured from a privacy point of view or can anyone access it( even a telephone call). So no it was not the mad professor but the star trooper from the moon who used his telepathic powers ( the same ones that communicated with the MIBs to appear at the start of the 2nd team game
)”
Dress it up how you like – those are just your comments – others like Boertjie were much more direct. You’re no idiot, you know how these things work, splash around in the mud enough and some of it sticks.
Summary – Did College have anything to do with the incident. No. Nor would they need to, the ref did his job, in the interests of the safety of the boy. The process is very well known to all, the fact that it was followed should be less of a surprise that is was NOT followed previously. The quesion is still open – how many matches against Hilton had uncontested scrums, and why?
Does College show any signs of decline in the number of teams. No. On the day Estville apparently could not put up the other teams – it might easily be a factor of hacing enough grounds and playing time. This is apparently not an issue against Affies.
So, if you feel an apology is due, then accept it. People less suspicious than me might see it differently.
Are the schools evenly matched according to the wins/losses. Yes. Is this different to some point in history – yes. Why – boring story, but the advent of professional rugby in 1995 probably has a lot to do with it, as does the marketing of schools via sport. All schools worth their salt are jacking up. Add socio-economic factors such as the decline of smaller cities and towns and the dots can be lined up. Some might ask why the dominance of the 70’s – 90’s is no longer there, others might wonder that they can even still compete so well.
@chopper: The important results are u14a, u15a,u16a and 1st College won. Rugby is healthy at College, all good. Westville should be worried, in the last month the 1st teams hockey, rugby and cricket have all lost to College. RBW!!
@chopper: Maybe the other school’s numbers have just been increasing at a higher rate than the other….
@Gungets Tuft: I am sorry but what was incorrect. I responded to RBugger about the 26 games as opposed to 24,. That clearly relates to RUGBY and specifically the 2 missing games in the U14 and U15. What am I missing here?
With regard to the stupid statements, this whole thing started when I asked a simple question about the MIB, more out of interest than anything else. I have no idea how these associations work. Likewise I would like to know if anyone can check if you are Boksmart compliant. Is this information public or confidential? If the Westville school was deficient then they must stand up and take responsibility. Scape goats never help anybody. This issue escalated from those that “doth protest to much” and I purely responded to be called a whack job via the epistles of GB. I apologise for that. Maybe you should now apologise for accusing me of having an agenda. Just saying.
@star: 1. It wasn’t defensive. You made a statement – it was incorrect. I cleared that up. The stats from Saturday are a new angle – you were not ” talking rugby and specifically the new intake as a sign of a trend for the future”, you were talking about the number of fixtures. If you want to talk stats, then go right ahead.
Conspiracy theory – you’re still doing it. You and others have made stupid statements, unrebutted and they turn into fact. When you are speaking to your Sports Director about the missing fixtures, speak to him about what steps they took at Kings Park to get your boy cleared to play, but it’s time to take personal responsibility for that failure, not look for some silly reason why it’s someone else’s fault.
As for the competitive nature of the matches – other schools have caught up. I could regale you with all sorts of stories as to why that has happened, but that would be almost as pointless as trying to have this discussion. It’s been discussed ad nauseum, it’s not the first trough College rugby have been through and won’t be the last.
You really need to worry about your patch before you worry about College. As long as you keep using College as the benchmark I think that they are just fine.
And nothing is ever just an observation with you – just saying.
@Gungets Tuft: Don’t be so defensive and as with the conspiracy theories I always worry when everyone ” doth protest too much”
I was not talking hockey as College has legendary status when it comes to the short corner. You guys have set the benchmark which lifts other schools to raise their goals. I sincerely hope that Westville has done the same in swimming and we have seen other schools like GW lift their game in that regard. I was talking rugby and specifically the new intake as a sign of a trend for the future. That effectively rules out the Opens as they are yesterdays news( apologies to the boy 
) When you lose 2 fixtures in the U14s and U15s and your points differential is negative 307( Points for 57 against 364) then as GB always says you can call the ” clear and obvious”. It just was not like that in my day. Actually it might mean greater diversification and emphasis. Again just an observation.
@star: A real pity, he looked very good in the Westville games I’ve seen – one of my favourite U17’s.
@Buffel: @Gungets Tuft:
I think what needs to happen is that EVERYONE here needs to ignore this guy. When he gets responses to his posts it gives him reason to stay. If no-one responds, maybe he will bugger off to News24 or some other place.
@Westers:
I’m not sure he even is a Westville oke. I wouldn’t stress.
@chopper: @star: You might want to check with your Sports Director about Saturdays fixtures. College found other opponents for the 9ths, 10ths and an U16 team on Saturday. Our 5th Hockey team also had to find another fixture, they lost to Alex 1st team 1-0 and our U14E hockey team beat Northwood 1-0. Sorry – you’re looking for something that’s not there.
@chopper: Actually last year Westville did substantially better losing only 5 games( this year 11) and not losing an A team game.
@Buffel: Pelzer the young lock
@Rugger fan: Geez, that’s an interesting set of results between Westville and College. Must be first time that Westville have won more games than College in a down the line fixture. It seems that the number of teams is also diminishing at what used to be the benchmark school for rugby in KZN. What is the reason for diminishing numbers in a school with increasing numbers?
@star: acting thick-JP?
@Bonthuis: Nice. Your comment gets deleted (by you??) as being “{edited – due to being a totally worthless comment} ” .. and you have a go at me. I need to remember my policy of not entertaining trolls …
Just for the record – you were quoting College coaches as being negative about Westville. It’s not going to happen – there’s more respect there than you could understand.
@Bonthuis: Give it a break now. You are not doing us Westville supporters any favours.
@Rugger fan: To me College was always the benchmark in rugby depth in KZN. It is therefore surprizing that when we play Affies in April we will play 2 more games( 26) than the 24 we played on Saturday.
Some really bad news is that JP will be out for the rest of the year. He was really starting to settle into his role and will obviously be a huge blow to the team. The team must rally and face the first challenge of Menlo head on.
@ Buffel- when is Beet going to change your purple SBR Kerf cap. We cannot have you claiming the moral high ground at this years festival.
@Bonthuis: Drivel, drivel, drivel. You cannot help yourself. I support Kearsney/Westville and your post’s are very poor. If you have something worthwhile to say then by all means say it but to read your continual nonsense is like watching paint dry.
Come to the party and add constructive comment.
@Gungets Tuft: Not you again living in your delusional world….blah blah, same thing over and over again!
Results from entire fixture list – from College website – so “won” or “lost” to be read as College won or College lost:
Team Result Score
1st won 13 – 0
2nd drew 19 – 19
3rd won 26 – 6
4th won 17 – 15
5th lost 14 – 15
6th won 26 – 7
7th won 37 – 12
8th won 17 – 3
16A won 23 – 7
16B lost 14 – 17
16C lost 0 – 19
16D lost 0 – 22
16E won 10 – 5
16F won 24 – 19
15A won 22 – 20
15B lost 0 – 31
15C lost 12 – 29
15D lost 0 – 66
15E lost 0 – 47
14A won 18 – 7
14B lost 5 – 49
14C lost 0 – 56
14D lost 0 – 45
14E/F lost 0 – 14
@Bonthuis: Carry on how you like Boet, nobody takes you seriously and only one person even gets irritated, but you’re on a fictional recruitment of your own when you drag College coaches into your sandpit.
{edited – due to being a totally worthless comment}
@Bonthuis: Wonder what their team list will look like before and after the Kearsney Festival……great place to recruit and won’t even be under cover!
Ha! Pretty soon everyone in KZN will stop playing them in any case. Flying players in from Stellenbosch etc. for a game it’s a joke!
@Bonthuis: Because nobody is allowed to arrive there with a clipboard!!
Originally from Gelofte, it’s in Pinetown, about 5 km’s from Westville Boys High. Let’s not even get started on the originality of the Purchasewood forward pack, you’ll come off 5th best!
Why is everyone withdrawing fixtures against you guys, answer the question!!
By no means was this game a showpiece. Lots of dropped balls, forward passes, and mistakes in general-College simply made less mistakes. The College cheerleaders probably stole the show as far as value for money entertainment is concerned! The two African lads looked like natural leaders in their own rights! One hard game awaits College at St Stithians next weekend(Grey PE), plus two easy encounters in St Albans and a Schoonspruit development XV. A good time to settle on some final combinations for the season ahead.
@Grasshopper:
Gelofte-DHS-Westville. I think he moved from DHS toward the end of Gr 9.
Where did Prinsloo come from?
Well done to College. Westville will be back …