The KwaZulu-Natal high school provincial youth week teams completed a clean sweep against their Pumas counterparts in Vryheid on Monday, 16 June. The KZN under-18 Craven Week team arrived in Northern Natal minus the services of several first choice players and included a few players who had been ruled out of Saturday’s KZN interschools fixtures for various reasons. In spite of the disruptions they were able to claim a convincing 27-7 victory.
Results:
KZN u18 Academy Week won 59-7
KZN u18 Country Districts won 19-12
KZN u16 Grant Khomo Week won 19-17
KZN u18 Craven Week won 27-7
With the exception of Hilton and Michaelhouse, all other KZN schools wrap up their inter-schools rugby fixtures for the term this coming Saturday. It’s believed that next Wednesday 25 June, final decisions will be made with regards to the participation of injured players at Craven Week and Academy Week.
Here are injuries that either resulted in players not starting or having to leave the field on Saturday, 14 June 2014.
| # | KWAZULU-NATAL | SCHOOL | INJURED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenny Van Niekerk | Glenwood | |
| 2 | Bradley Roberts | Michaelhouse | Mild concussion |
| 3 | Koos Tredoux | Glenwood | Sprained ankle |
| 4 | Tristan Dixon | Kearsney | Twisted ankle |
| 5 | Kevin Du Randt | Glenwood | |
| 6 | James Venter | Glenwood | Knee injury |
| 7 | McMillan Muller | Glenwood | |
| 8 | Jaco Coetzee | Glenwood | Knee injury |
| 9 | James Hall | Kearsney | |
| 10 | Tristan Tedder | Kearsney | Knee injury |
| 11 | Ilunga Mukendi | Glenwood | |
| 12 | Wayne Smith | Westville | |
| 13 | Tristan Blewett | Hilton | Mild concussion |
| 14 | Xolisa Guma | Maritzburg College | |
| 15 | Morné Joubert | Glenwood | Strained hamstring |
| 16 | Percy Mngadi | Glenwood | Shoulder injury |
| 17 | Ngoni Chidoma | Northwood | |
| 18 | Cody Thomas | Westville | |
| 19 | Bandisa Ndlovu | Voortrekker | |
| 20 | Kwazi Khanyile | Glenwood | |
| 21 | Curtis Jonas | Glenwood | |
| 22 | Philani Ngcobo | Glenwood | Ankle injury |
@Black and white: I will regard myself corrected. I am not sure what I did, please can you point it out to me, I live to please.
@Speartackle: Topic Monitor says that’s off the topic. Topic Monitor also says that this is a KZN Website for English speakers only, so Topic Monitor allows all irrelevant and the occasional relevant posts from KZN Bloggers.
And that goes for all the KXN participants. Post things we don’t already know please that’s worth reading.
@Vleis: I’ve been very involved with the junior club over the last 10 years – so has Pedantic – but the senior club does not have much to do with us, or us with them as our leagues do not cross and we even train at different venues. SD – not sure offhand.
@Black and white: Please be so kind now and post something rugby related……..worth reading……..must be added
@Vleis: Topic Monitor says that’s off the topic.
@GreenBlooded: No worries.
Further up on this thread I mentioned that I have a good mate who played many years at flyhalf for HV. He stopped about ten years ago, as he is 50 now. I wonder if you know him – initials SD.
@Black and white:
@Playa: @Vleis: Thanks for the defense guys. Wasn’t planning on responding myself.
@Vleis: Vleis , the point is , keep to the topic !! We have blogs with 700 posts , how many of those posts are about the actual topic ??
@Playa: haha me too , even though i understand afrikaans i just scroll down. The topics are current and often live ie School scores etc which is great but boy can these chappies digress ! Often !
@Black and white: Overall, the point that you make is a good one; however, you have targeted the wrong people.
Tuft may jump on his soapbox every now and then
, but he never puts down another school, player, etc. The same applies to Greenblooded, who is a ref, so you’ve really got yourself in a muddle if you think he is bashing refs. Grassy can spurt out the odd pile of poo, but the vast majority of his posts are rugby related. On the other hand, there are some bloggers who only every post angry, aggressive messages…and never add anything constructive re rugby.
@Black and white: Every time I read an Afrikaans dominated blog, my eyes get sore and I just move on to the next. This is said with all respect, I think you should use the same practice. I am not their keeper, but where school bashing, child naming, teacher and ref bashing are concerned, you have accused the wrong people.
Or maybe grasshopper, greenblooded and tuft put together spell JORDAAN…I don’t know. I’m just a small town boy from a garrison town called King William’s Town.
@Westers: They used to teach us spelling at Glenwood every so often – but that was only when the rugby coach and the “how to beat up British Soldiers” teacher were both off sick.
@GreenBlooded:
Didn’t expect a Glenwood blogger to pick up on that.
grasshopper , greenblooded and tuft – every time i open this fantastic blog to catch up on some schoolboy rugby news i see you guys either schoolbashing , ref bashing , kid bashing , teacher bashing etc etc . it used to be really fun scrolling thru the blogger comments and often having a laugh . This of late is happening less and less for me . I could not care about revealing ur true identity , where u work , how big ur company is or how tall u are . i respectfully request that you stop hijacking each and every blogs conversations and please please remember that our kids often read these blogs. At times the aggressive underlying tone of some of your responses to another bloggers personal opinion is uncalled for . Please also do not feel the need to respond to every comment posted as im sure that , like me , u are not an expert at everything . Or maybe u guys are . Not sure, only u would know !
@Anti Green: Any relation to Mike Wesson?
@Westers: I think you mean Hear Hear!
@Buffel: Here, Here.
OK Guys. Can we talk about rugby.
@Roger: Agree 100%, except that my take is that corporates drive Universities by funding faculties that deliver round pegs to them, the traditional stuff, accounting, management accounts, marketing etc. the universities then drive the schools, and the schools buy it by telling kids that they can’t get a job without Maths and science.
YouTube, listen to anything by Sir Ken Robinson, I agree with a lot of what he says about following passion. Go and watch the video I put up earlier with Tim Minchen, he says the same. I tell my kids that looking for a job for life now is meaningless, the job they will be doing 10 years from now hasn’t been invented yet. 15 years ago Grassy wouldn’t have contemplated a whole company doing what he is currently doing. Which, back to my point, makes me happier being self employed. I can chase that shiny little thing that appears out the corner of my eye, I have that flexibility. We live in a fantastic age, to settle into a rut of a career now is madness.
@Pedantic: Agree with both of you, good signs for KZN at CW, fingers crossed!
@meadows: I agree it’s a good win, especially considering 7 1st choice KZN players were unavailable. By saying that, I don’t mean to undermine the players who had to step up, but rather illustrating the depth in the team.
The dynamic in this group is excellent and I’m positive they will do KZN proud.
I’m amused at some of the comments that seem to underrate the Pumas as Craven Week opposition.
They are usually very competitive at CW and have a better record than us over time at this tournament having won the “final” game three times to our solitary victory. They have also appeared in 5 “finals” to our 3. Last year, you may recall, they beat OFS 25-22 in the 2nd to last game winning 2/3 – the same as in 2011 when they beat WP 39-24 along the way.
They are tough opposition and IMO this is a good win.
@Roger: Not the case at all, we do all of that. Digital Campaign Measurement & effectiveness also overall traffic levels for ALL sites and it’s all audited :-)
@Grasshopper: my understanding is that it is incredibly difficult for advertisers to measure a return on investment for their spend on digital? They cannot be sure of the amount of traffic and impressions and hits etc due to ineffective measurement?
@Roger: That is not just an SA issue it’s a global issue. Students in the UK are just as bad….they don’t even know what a pivot table is or powerpoint etc…
@GreenBlooded: exactly my point – but our tradtional schools will never flash up on their website “25 old boys got their level 3 in welding last year” or “38 ex pupils qualified as electricians” – nup, they prefer the old “100% pass rate and 500 distinctions with 87% university acceptance and 250 distinctions in maths and science”
Do you know how many graduates from our Uni’s cant find employment? Mainly because they cannot hold a freaking conversation for longer than two minutes without looking at their cell phones and can’t spell worth sh#t – but also ‘cos they shouldn’t have been at Uni in the first place!
@Roger: What Ad spend or traffic? Traffic can be trusted (audited to global standards), ad spend no…we don’t do Ad spend though…
@GreenBlooded: Agree, or IT developer, gosh good ones are hard to find. A mate of mine battled at school but is now laying fibre optic cables and making a killing, same with my fridge mechanic friends, coining it!! Sparkies, Chippies all of that, plenty of bucks there…if you good and honest…
@Grasshopper: is the measurement accurate? Can it be trusted?
I remember a big boxing match with Ballz radio and the company they were using to measure their listenership. An independent researcher told Ballz they were been diddled and what they believed (and were telling the advertisers) what their listernship was turned out to be about 20% of the actual figure. Very embarrrasing for a start up business.
@Roger: “Learning a trade is frowned upon.”
It is – but look who is making all the money nowadays? Try getting a decent plumber or sparkie around to your house in an emergency – some of them charge more than doctors!! It’s the tradesmen that make the world work – and they will be the last to get the boot. Learning a trade is the best advice I can give to a school leaving youngster who is not cut out to be a doctor, lawyer or rocket scientist. You can always fall back on it and it is an easy way to start your own business.
@Roger: Yep….ongoing battle with the old school…starting to win it though :-)
@Roger: I find certain communities ‘herd’ their kids into being a professional doctor, CA or engineer and the poor kids have no option to do other things. Glenwood offers technical subjects like TD/CAD, electronics. engineering & Visual Art etc it gives the boys a few other options, although I think maths and science are still compulsory. I think all schools offer career guidance from grade 10…
@Grasshopper: are you still boxing with traditional media luminaries over how much of the ad spend is going digital and can you measure it properly yet?
@Gungets Tuft: would you agree that our traditional boys schools “herd” learners (inadvertently) to a career in corporate by virtue of subject choice (only the “doffies” dont do maths and science) and insistence on higher education (you must go to Uni). Learning a trade is frowned upon. Entrepeneurship is a skill that teachers cannot teach and financial planning, budgeting, investing etc is something Daddy does?
@Gungets Tuft: Agreed, turnover does not equal significance, but it does build perspective. My company is small compared to Google or Facebook, but we have grown at 500% per annum and are silicon valley investor backed, we could be considered a start-up compared to Facebook but in an SA sense, probably a Medium to large organisation. Our CEO came over here on business and was shocked how cheap everything was too such an extend he ordered a R1,300 bottle of red wine that came off my P&L…bugger! I’m in digital media, changing everyday so it’s like being in a start-up, very exciting…
@Roger: The difference of opinion is small. My advice to people is to aim higher than a corporate job, but a corporate job is a decent stepping stone. My “pergatory” lasted about 10 years too long, I eventually couldn’t drag myself out of bed in the morning. Others smaak it, takes all types as you say. My swipe was not at corporates but at the notion that turnover = significance, I just don’t believe that. I also know that almost every large company was a startup at some stage, so there’s value in everything.
@Roger: spot on! :-)
@Gungets Tuft: company cars? You’re giving away your age now. It takes all types to make the world go round, the trick is to recognize and respect that. Its a fact that SA needs more entrepeneurs, creating jobs and running SMME’s – there’s a place for them too and I would never belittle anyone who has the balls and chutzpuh to go that route, just as I would respect the next CEO of Shoprite, Anglo or Aspen.
@Jordaan: bored now…..zzzzzzz!
@Jordaan: nope, not UKZN….sorry……
@Grasshopper: Yip, Glenwood class of ’96, honours degree at University of Natal in Economics…don’t get smart we know who you are.
@Jordaan: nope, MBA at UCT and degree somewhere else…
@Jordaan: nope, it lost credibility because people’s identities were disclosed and pictures released. Also bloggers were allowed to come in on different avatars etc. It was more a fact that decent bloggers followed Beet to this new blog to talk about schoolboy rugby and not dirges into slinging matches and BS. Unfortunately these trolls have an is found this blog and ruining it. If you know my identity then ‘trusted’ people have informed others….but no issue for me, I would prefer if we all used our real names then we would have a far cleaner and better debate….avatars are what seems to give some bloggers the confidence to talk rubbish….
@Grasshopper: Stop winding certain groups up all the time with the same thing over and over again, what is wrong with you??
@Grasshopper: Apologies, you got your MBA in London.
@Grasshopper: 365 was a great blog until you wrecked it by upsetting so many people. Tell me I’m wrong?
@Jordaan: I’m shivering in my boots! Not UKZN, wrong again….so which of the 3 stooges are you? This blog is becoming like 365 because of bloggers like you…..
@Grasshopper: So you’ve got an honors degree from UKZN and you worked on Mud Island for 10 years and you’ve made a bit of money in the corporate world and had some success, now you think you can look down on school teachers and degrade them, that doesn’t sound like much of an opinion to me, more like blatant stupidity. Yellow Card – Off you go!
Oh and by the way we all know your real identity, so expect people to start spreading the word about you….
@Jordaan: I’m not an authority numpty, it’s called expressing an opinion that you don’t have to read, like or take on board. Isn’t that the purpose of a blog, to express opinions…..
@Jordaan: kettle calling the pot black ;-)
@Grasshopper: You’ve just attacked teachers and because you’re an idiot that’s why.
@Roger: Bru – I wish corporate South Africa the best of luck, and long may they continue to employ people, put people on the road to success.
You are correct in one thing – I stopped pursuing a career in the corporate world because it was oppressing me. I am the square peg, and it turned out that the corporate world had no umgodi my shape. I am completely certain that the corporate world breathed a collective sigh of relief when I left, on the best of terms by the way.
Your random guesses at Grindrod and Huletts are sadly off the mark, sorry. Both fine companies, well lead. One of them headed by a College Old Boy of my vintage. There’s no chip, I harbour corporates no ill will at all, but anyone who believes that the corporate is the be-all and end-all of business is deluded. If you need the big vessel that sails through anything, go corporate, I prefer the agile SMME stuff that can ride the waves and suffer the slings and arrows of economic fortune, and survive. My sole point is that managing a business that turns over R20 billion earns it’s CEO no more respect than the owner of a small business that turns over R6 million and provides meaningful employment for 10 rather than 10,000 people. Want examples .. ?
As for schools, I do hope they are breeding entrepreneurs as well as people who aspire to corporate life, with the well worn path to the boardroom all crowded with bright young things. My advice for young people will always be to aim to start your own business – there is very little that can compare with the satisfaction of that – for me anyway, it far surpasses the Work Level 3 company car and variable pay bonus. But that’s just me. Don’t get all insulted about it, that’s not what I meant.
New Landcruiser .. naa, karrent see too many of them, they go forever. But I do haul any number of Disco’s with pap suspension, broken safety systems on their brakes in particular (who would believe a blown brake lamp could disable a beast like that), and any number of little tjorries that just give up in our conditions.
@Grasshopper: what irritates people is that you act as if you are a big authority on every subject on this blog. Love the way you’ve dug yourself into a hole with the whole teacher thing – what an idiot! MENSA or no MENSA we don’t care – Yellow card for you, now bugger off with your BS for a while!
@umbiloburger: I already handle a budget and staff larger than that, but hey ho. Again, read it again. It was not directed at all teachers, it was for a few at one school. Why would I attack a profession that two thirds of my family has as their occupation….think about it…
@Grasshopper: This comment is somewhat condescending towards teachers. Unacceptable actually. I would like to see you take over TKs work at GW, managing approximately 100 staff and controlling 1200 boys and control a budget in excess of 40bar.
@Gungets Tuft: not that I would ever dream of jumping to Hopper’s defence but, as you yourself point out…”But them I am an ex-corporate lackey with a downside view of big companies, pay me no never mind”… your views on big business do you no credit and the “chip” you refer to seems to reside firmly on your shoulder? Were you passed over for promotion at Grindrod or Huletts once too often maybe?
You spend a lot of time researching, reading and contributing your views on blogs such as these – tell me this, how much tax does big business and the people who work there contribute to the SA fiscus? Maybe you should keep that in mind next time you hook up a new Landcruiser and thank the 25 year old analyst who is employed at Investec and drives badly which allows you the freedom to pick and choose your career.
Just saying……
@Grasshopper: Please answer the question………I’m building a case
@Speartackle: No answer Andre….
@Speartackle: I know my IQ already and I should be a MENSA member….work that out…
@Grasshopper: So otherwise you’re clean shaven?
@Grasshopper: On a scale of 1 to 10…..where would you rate your IQ?
@Speartackle: I have a tache for Movember only as I believe in supporting prostate cancer…
@Gungets Tuft: Agreed, anybody can be the MD or CEO of nothing. Back on Education, whilst I agree it’s a huge part in building success (success is subjective too) it’s not as big as the right attitude and drive from the individual. I got the marks I got not because of the teachers teaching but because I learnt hard and did extra lessons etc. Also, having a degree or high marks means nothing if you don’t have EQ & experience, two things that cannot be taught…..
@Grasshopper: You still have that goatie?
@Grasshopper: Maybe that’s where perspective is necessary. Respect is not gained via an Income Statement, or a price earnings ratio. It’s gained by contribution. The latest figures for revenue from drug cartels in the US is $64 billion, the latest estimates for the sale of engangered species poaching is $23 billion, but I don’t see it gathering respect.
Frankly – CEO, who cares. To (mis)quote Zaphob Beeblebrox .. “Anyone capable of getting themselves to the positionof CEO should under no circumstances be given the job”. But them I am an ex-corporate lackey with a downside view of big companies, pay me no never mind.
Got to go now, need to move my tjorrie, I reckon I might just have made my buggy a target ..
@Speartackle: Just your average mid 30’s SA guy, 6foot3 and 105kg…
@Grasshopper: Are you a fit oke or do you have a boep?
@Speartackle: Other way around Paul Willemse towered over me, selective memory there boet…
@Speartackle: but they ain’t flyhalves though
@Grasshopper: But I thought Festus was referring to you. You once said here you towered over Paul Willemse at Kearsney and in 2010 Paul weighed in at 135kg’s
@Speartackle: My two best mates would dwarf that truck driver, 172kg and 156kg each and both over 6foot6….he is a midget…;-)
@Gungets Tuft: Watch out for the tow truck under the Shongweni bridge………..that 135kg flyhalf might be waiting there
@Gungets Tuft: OK, what I meant was they managing a business with a turnover of say R50 million max! Some CEO’s etc are managing revenue of 10 times that, my point was they need to get some perspective and again it’s NOT ALL teachers, just some….they know who they are…
@Grasshopper: And Festus only targeted an anonymous blogger (” when a 135kg supporter start making comments about flyhalves then you immediately see the lack of knowledge and even if he does make a valid point every now and then”) which you took personally and launched your missive. I can see why teachers would take yours personally.
For me the insulting part was the “in the scheme of things the headmasters are nobody in the real business world” – almost as if choosing to be a headmaster is admitting to lack of ability to make a mark in business.
No need to debate further – I am on my way past Glenwood later, I will call by and see if they have doused the flames in the Staff room …
@Festus February: who you?
@Grasshopper: now go and sit in the corner anyway
I apologies to any teachers who took offence, but not to the 3 ***….
Star………….I wrote something that could have brought the Carletonville out of you but removed it
@Grasshopper: The audience is very upset about your attack on teachers. We demand an apology!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Speatackle- are you sure you are not related to me. Maybe a brother from another Wesrand mother.
@Gungets Tuft: again, it was targeted at 3 individuals…
@Grasshopper: Then pay for yourself to go on a communications skills course, because your original post was pretty ordinary and said something quite different. Sentences like “in the scheme of things the headmasters are nobody in the real business world”, and words like “Demi god (sic)” do nothing to help your cause.
Those same “MD’s, Directors and CEO’s of large organizations”, without the efforts, skill, patience and sacrifice of TEACHERS, would be sitting under the N3-Shongweni bridge in a towtruck waiting for a CEO to crash his BeeEmm. They were the ladder that every single one of us climbed (some higher than others). I am grateful.
Just as we get good CEO’s and poor, sometimes we get some teachers that will never be Mr Chips, but we would be poorer without all of them. CEOs, shake a tree, more where they came from, a much smaller percentage will finish their lives being genuinely mourned as a loss to mankind.
@Grasshopper: You never ever mentioned any cousins
@Gungets Tuft: shot bud, that clip was awesome!
@Speartackle: nope, always had 3 sisters and a mother. 2 step sisters…
@Grasshopper: Your family is getting bigger by the day……………appears that you’re closing in on Star’s
@Gungets Tuft: I’m referring to 3 or 4 individuals at a specific school, not the whole profession…
@Gungets Tuft: you guys have got it all wrong, I never attacked teaching as a profession just some individuals who have got big headed. I have 5 teachers in the family, mom, 3 sisters and a cousin. Their jobs are amazingly difficult and they deserve every bit of holiday they get. They are under paid and over worked, but some in higher positions seem to think they are something special. My mom is a headmistress who goes to interschool management seminars and she says some have overstepped the mark…….
@Pedantic: Hall started at 7 playing for ‘Saders then saw the light and moved to Collegians.
@Grasshopper: Eeisch – that’s some statement, and I don’t agree with any of it. I know many teachers that have successfully made the transition to business and make a huge success of it. I deal with quite a few.
You make it sound as if teaching is a job you do when you can’t find a position in business. I will counter with “a pure business position is something you look for when you don’t hear a calling”.
May I make a suggestion – tale the time to watch the video from here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoEezZD71sc – and pay attention to point 6 – and I will quote
“Please? Please be a teacher. Teachers are the most admirable and important people in the world. You don’t have to do it forever, but if you’re in doubt about what to do, be an amazing teacher. Just for your twenties. Be a primary school teacher. Especially if you’re a bloke – we need male primary school teachers. Even if you’re not a Teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas. Don’t take for granted your education. Rejoice in what you learn, and spray it.”
If I had to name 5 people who have inspired me most, and (perhaps unwittingly) provided me with some of my best and lasting life lessons – 3 would be teachers. I had no calling for teaching, I am an impatient grumpy old fart that would probably make the Sunday Crimes front page for assault if I tried to teach, but I have only the highest admiration for those that do.
I believe members of your family are in education, so I am staggered at your post. Frankly, you sound like you have a gigantic chip on your shoulder. I think some introspection is called for.
@Pedantic: my mum has been a teacher for 35 years… its much more than a job to her. A similar thing can be said about rugby coaches, despite all the negativity that seems to follow this great game that we all love, we all make the sacrifice because the end result of a team that you coach taking the field and playing the game is worth more than any amount of money!!!
@Pedantic: thank you mr Pedantic, we do a thankless job and guys like you make us feel proud of what we are trying to achieve. not everybody can become a CEo or MD or a doctor. most of us chose this career because we love working with children same as a CA loves figures. Not everybody is after money and guys like rugbyman is such a respected man in our community because he really cares about our children. Even Bog with all his shortcomings is a good man he works all over the world with problem kids and lives merely on donations but that is what he loves to do. Us teachers and coaches can feel how the elite look down on us but boy when they want their children in the teams then they treat us like kings. Some of us are too ignorant to realise they are only using us but the majority are not fools like Grasshopper make us out to be, we can see right through them.
@Buffel: Not sure about the other two, but Thomas and Dixon were playing club rugby when they were 4 going on 5!
@Grasshopper: Hey Hopper, do you change those nappies yourself? At high profile galas the hierarchy of authority is required, but don’t bite the hand. Wanted to ask what colour is the nappy?
@Westers: It does seem crazy in that Cody lives probably less than 5kms from the Hillcrest ground but his mum is the secretary at Collegians so it stands to reason that he plays for us.
If the other clubs showed the passion that Hillcrest,VC and Collegians have done then they will reap the rewards. These people are rugby crazy and it shows in their enthusiasm during the club season. Club rugby also has it’s benefits in that the boys are exposed to different styles of coaching which culminates in the selection for the IPT. 4 under 18 boys have been selected for Craven Week in Thomas,Dixon,Smith and Hall and all these boys have played from u14 in the club scene.
@GreenBlooded: I have a few mates that played for HV, including one good mate who played flyhalf for them for many years. Good traditional club that.
@Festus February: Well said, would like to give those guys a cane and coke myself
@Grasshopper: A long read, but worth it to put things in perspective:
From A School Principal’s speech at a graduation……
He said “The Doctor wants his child to become a doctor………
the Engineer wants his child to become an engineer……
The Businessman wants his ward to become CEO…..
BUT a teacher also wants his child to become one of them, as well..!!!!
Nobody wants to become a teacher BY CHOICE” ….Very sad but that’s the truth…..!!!
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.
One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become only a teacher?”
To stress his point he said to another guest;
“You’re a teacher, Mrs Sharma. Be honest. What do you make?”
Teacher Mrs Sharma, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I make?
(She paused for a second, then began…)
“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can’t make them sit for 5 min. without an I- Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.
You want to know what I make?
(She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them how to write and then I make them write.
Keyboarding isn’t everything.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math.
They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about India while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they
were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.
(Mrs Sharma paused one last time and then continued.)
Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make.
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ALL YOUR LIVES, EDUCATING KIDS AND PREPARING THEM TO BECOME CEO’s, AND DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS……….???
What do you make Mr. CEO?
His jaw dropped; he went silent.
@Pedantic: Yes – not having a go at Collegians as a club – there are some great guys there and who have their heart in the right place. Sadly there are also those who are in it for their own ego’s – and a win at all costs mentality which resulted in the poo-storm that you kicked up here last season. Hopefully the good guys will prevail there and get their dodgy colleagues booted out. We will all be the better for it.
@Festus February: who is a 135kg blogger commenting on flyhalves? Also, those headmasters & teachers need to realize that some of us bloggers are MD’s, Directors and CEO’s of large organizations and in the scheme of things the headmasters are nobody in the real business world. Sometimes they seem to think they can still tell Old Boys and parents what to do. I laughed when I saw the selected few sit all high and mighty in the designated area thinking they some sort of Demi god. Some of these headmasters need to be brought down to earth, they cannot do as they please. In fact if they gave some old boys the time and respect they might find quite a bit more sponsorship deals and cash coming their way.
@GreenBlooded: Same old story, been going on for years.
Somehow I don’t think that Collegians as a club has mandated this behavior but ultimately they are going to get the brunt of the backlash if other clubs boycott the fixtures. Hopefully the management at Collegians nip this in the bud asap.
It’s hardly fair to force players to move clubs when some of them will be looking for their 10 year long service awards at clubs that have developed them since their mini rugby days – a recruiter like this could seriously tarnish what youth club rugby is all about, lets hope he thinks long and hard about it.
@Grasshopper: sometimes we listen sometimes we laugh at the comments made by emotional parents and supporters. we know mostly who all the bloggers are and also assess their comments on the merit of their knowledge. there aare some seriously knowledgable bloggers on here but 90% actually just driven by boredom and foolishness. when a 135kg supporter start making comments about flyhalves then you immediately see the lack of knowledge and even if he does make a valid point every now and then, all the previous drivel he has let loose counts against him. Most of the bloggers are also an embarrassment to the institutions they ‘represent’ and most of the time the teachers and coaches get so irritated with these characters. Sometimes we feel we’d like to take these ill informed supporters and cane the living daylights out of them.
@GreenBlooded: I do know the boy. I wasn’t very clear. What I meant was, the Westville coaches can no longer influence him on where he should play his club rugby as he has nothing left to play for at Westville (after this weekend that is), therefore he may go back to Hillcrest if they have an U18 team this year. He could also draw a few boys with him.
@Grasshopper: They are slowly coming back into Youth Rugby. They have had sporadic involvement over the last 2 seasons. They certainly have the resources – what they need is someone at the helm who is passionate to drive the thing for a few years.
They will unfortunately add to the problem where there will now be 4 big clubs within 5km of each other (Collegians, Rovers, Varsity College and Crusaders) all competing for the same pool of players. Maybe that,s a good thing – as Buffel mentioned we need to spread out the pool of players so that we don’t have one or 2 super-clubs who dominate everything.
@Westers: Sorry – and your comment regarding Thomas – you clearly don’t know the boy. Nothing left to play for?? You must be kidding. Every match he can play is something to play for – and he gives it horns every time.
His journey as a rugby player started at Hillcrest Villagers – the only reason he ever left us is because we did not have an U16 team that year. Would we love to have him back – course we would!! We actually still regard him as one of our finest sons, and all his recent achievements have been published in OUR newsletter.
@GreenBlooded: What happened to College Rovers? In my day they were the club powerhouse with Harlequins & Crusaders very close behind. Collegians were OK too…
@Westers: Well, if Westville held their own tournament then they can have free reign there, don’t come to a Glenwood tournament and offer Westville scholarships there, the same would be for DHS recruiters coming there, not openly that is. They can obviously watch and meet somewhere else afterwards. The Glenwood management know this particular person and probably said nope off you go boet..
@Bonthuis: It is not an attack on Westville – read my post carefully. It is an individual at Westville who is behaving like a tjop.
@Dixon’s: Sorry mate – didn’t mean to offend you. I’ve calmed down slightly since hearing this yesterday. Great respect for a lot of Collegians coaches – yourself and ML included – but some of your Colleagues are letting you down.
@Buffel: Thanks for your sanity!! What is happening is that the big clubs are getting stronger and the small clubs are getting weaker – hence the massive scorelines. Collegians is by far the strongest club around – but they don’t seem satisfied with that – they want more. One day they will find that they have ALL the players and no-one to play against.
@Westers: Yes HVJR will have an U18 side this season and hopefully for many seasons to come. If we are allowed to keep our players – the core of which have been with us since they were 6/7 years old.
@Westers: Not sure – I guess so. But I guarantee that they are not there disguised as Society Referees.
@Westers: Very easy to figure out – read my posts.
@GreenBlooded: I am not really up to date with the club rugby scene so I am not sure who you are talking about. I do know that last year a lot of the Westville U17’s played at VC – I think more than went to Collegians.
@Grasshopper: Is the Glenwood U13 tournament the sole domain of Glenwood High? Do the Glenwood recruiters not go to other schools tournaments around the country?
@GreenBlooded: Do Hillcrest have an U18 team this year. Maybe they could get Thomas to go back. After all, he has nothing left to play for now.
@Buffel: yep, the joys of a 22 month old…haha!
@Grasshopper: I see you up nice and early.
I bought this up years ago about Collegians being too strong and that the talent pool should be filtered throughout the clubs so that the boys play competitive rugby, week in and week out. I am a Collegians parent but don’t want to go down every week and see the scores that have been produced in the past.
In 2011 Collegians had up to sixty boys in the u15 age group and the other clubs were struggling to get 1 team out for a weekend which is wrong. Limit the numbers on a first come first serve basis and then you could possibly get 2 teams per club per age group which in turn with strengthen both club and province at the IPT. On the other hand the clubs must also do their recruiting and make sure that they are appealing to the boys so that they want to go to -say Hillcrest.
@Bonthuis: same drivel different day….boring!
@Grasshopper: Oh yeah and where do you think the Glenwood 1st XV comes from, it’s practtically the Monument / Waterkloof 2nd XV, so don’t get smart…do you think the Glewnood lineout calls are still in English…that was done away with years ago!
@GreenBlooded: There you Glenwood guys go again showing your real class by using any excuse to attack Westville!
What has this guy Jordaan’s comments got to do with Westville, who are so far ahead of Glewnood as an allround school it’s not even a joke anymore, I guess it’s no surprise that Anti-Green made those comments about the umbilo / burra boys banding together against Westville and College all the time.
…and you are not the best behaved bunch in the province, probably the worst behaved given the harbour upbringing!
@Anti Green: sure thing will do! See you still have your sense of humour! Bring mikey along…
@seabass: Well done what an achievement for a Westville Boy.Must have been lekker. Did you play the CPT 10’s this year?
I left my email address on this blog, drop me a line sometime. We must hook up. I won’t say anything about you or your school, I learnt something from my hiding you gave me.
@GreenBlooded: This sounds so familiar GW ringing a bell. The shoe is on the other foot.
@Anti Green: I’m in top nick! Love the passion of all the bloggers. Not sure of the latest allegation although I was awarded the doc Sweidan bursary from collegians in 1991 so the association with westville has a long history
@seabass: Hey you cock how are you? Westville taking a pounding from all angles here.
@GreenBlooded: “I wonder why they want their players there – since Hillcrest klapped them last season in the U16 age group?”… this comment offends me a bit… the final result was a 14 or 15 to 12 victory for Hillcrest! that game was one of the finest games i have ever been involved with and will live long in my memory for various reasons!
@umbiloburger: @umbiloburger: They all do of course. I think this is a great blog. Interesting articles, awesome updates and the truth. Hope Beet gives me the white cap this week for honesty. Please not the green one. Do I get a free burger now?
@GreenBlooded: I’ve heard of this bloke, not sure his name though. I mean common recruiting for Westville at a Glenwood tourno, how low can you go! Obviously the Under13 Craven week at Glenwood is an open affair, hopefully Glenwood impresses with their facilities, especially the BE to get those up country boys in…
@umbiloburger: I got death stairs from the Glenwood triumvirate! They all looked at me then whispered too each other. I bet it went along the lines of ‘that is the f’ing Old Boy causing kak on the blogs’. They despise me for questioning things, well that is what it seems like. Little do they know if they opened up and stopped the kak they would get pretty good financial support……but I won’t support dodginess….
@Anti Green: When this individual stops acting in an unprofessional manner and puts the needs of the kids before the needs of his own ego, then I’ll stop attacking him. Not before. Don’t need a lecture from you either. We have reported this behavior through the correct channels year in and year out – they just deny it and it keeps on happening.
It’s not a case of wanting or needing players at our club (Hillcrest). It’s a case of a kid coming to us with tears in his eyes saying he has to leave the club he has been part of and the team mates he has played with since he was 5 years old because of some Westville * who is abusing his position for his own ego.
Who knows – you might just find some clubs will bandy together and boycott fixtures against Collegians until they sort this little upstart of theirs out.
@Anti Green: I have a business meeting there tomorrow actually. Planning something exciting for the near future.
@Anti Green: well….we had a good punch up in 1990, I roomed with your boet at Edgewood ( amongst other things
) and you and I are those oldest still playing 10’s rugby every Easter…work it out or are you still punch drunk? 
@GreenBlooded: No need to attack him personally. You seem to be connected to the Rugby High Society report him through the correct channels. Get in touch with the kids parents and speak to them directly if you want them or need them at your club. Use your Old Boys card, not the red or yellow one. That’s for bad bloggers
@Grasshopper: that’s a brilliant assessment. I think that the senior staff at most schools do read the blogs or get emailed what’s on the blogs.
@Anti Green: If Collegians are such a great club then why does Westville have to force their players there?
I think the problem is one man – he is both a coach at Collegians and also a coach / recruiter at Westville. He abuses his authority at Westville by threatening players with ‘not making the A team next year’ if they don’t go to his club – Collegians. He also attends U13 rugby festivals in the guise of a society referee – but spends most of his time with this clipboard in his hand instead of his whistle. He got chucked out of the Glenwood U13 festival earlier this year. The oke has zero shame. Nothing!!
@umbiloburger: Then I may have to come for a cuppa at your coffee shop
I wouldn’t be surprised if half the bloggers on here were teachers and headmasters trying to get ‘inside’ knowledge of what parents, old boys and people are saying………they obviously not listening though…
@Anti Green: I am associated with GW, but teach……nope not me.
@umbiloburger: Then you are a teacher from GW.
@GreenBlooded: So your company keeps us in the dark most nights, now I can understand why you have so much time to blog.
@GreenBlooded: I wonder if they want to try keep their players together, getting them ready for 2015!!! Actually no point really as those Hudson Park and Port Natal imports won’t play for Collegians.
@GreenBlooded: Get a life seriously. How can you be so personal about the Colts coach, as you are scratching you a hole at Hillcrest trying to find players, when they have a better club to play for?
@Anti Green: I didn’t need to hack any account to know who you were Jason. Reading your blogs made it very easy.
@Rhino: WHY????? Surely it should be up to each player to decide which club they want to belong to? We at Hillcrest have had players with us since they were 5 years old – long before they even heard of Westville School – and now they must up and move clubs? WHY?????
@umbiloburger: Glenwood behaviour hasn’t improved – it’s always been exemplary. Well known and often commented about – even by some other bloggers here who have often said that GW boys are the most courteous and well mannered they have ever encountered. It’s been that way since I was a scholar there in the 80’s and it hasn’t changed since – and I’ve visited the school as a visitor and match official often in the last 25 years. In my day it was masters like Mike Maher, Ted Maddams, Koos Basson who drove the discipline – nowdays it’s Tony Pinheiro and TK himself. Not really possible for it to be any other way. Who would believe it of the Umbilo Scum………
@Pedantic: You are the cleverest one on this blog. Go you “good thing”
@seabass: Seabass who the hell are you? How did you come up with that fish name? Something Fishy about you?
@Greenblooded
Westville has always had this affiliation to Collegians !!!!!!
@Anti Green: Dude – I’m no IT guru. Don’t know who told you that. Big wires for me dude – high voltage substations. IT girls wires don’t even make sparks on the PC board – the wires I deal with turn people into coal dust – instantly – and only once. Geddit??
@beet: Unlucky Beet, only been on this blog. Speak to your GW mates that hack your account to get people’s personal information. They will tell you same thing.
@Pedantic: With the Colts Club Rugby Season on the horizon – I see our mates at Westville are up to their tricks again!! I understand (told to me by one player and corroborated by another) that the same slimy coach / recruitment agent / referee in disguise has called all the A and B team players in and instructed them that they have to play for Collegians this season. I wonder why they want their players there – since Hillcrest klapped them last season in the U16 age group?
Don’t like this Westville / Collegians thing. It’s not good for club rugby. Collegians are already strong – who will they have to play against once they have recruited every single top player in the league (by fair means or foul) which seems to be their modus operandi??
Maybe NW_Knight knows a thing or two about this?
@GreenBlooded: You got it all wrong, I’m the original . I don’t need to be anything or anyone else. You are the computer specialist that hacks this account, therefore you should a complete list.
@beet: On the contrarary, I have respect for the crazy old man. But I doubt whether you will ever see me with a rugby jersey other than the PRG one, especially not one of a school in an area supporting the Bulls/Lions.
@Deon Pitzer: You might not like this but one long term user has already told me you simply have to be Andre T.
@Anti Green: Jason, please remind us what usernames you used on R365. Your spelling of “kuk” rang a few bells
Hlarious – i hope i not in that list chaps…
@Rhino: I will ask Andre T to compile a Top 10 list. That’s his forte… no wait a minute…
@Rhino: 1) Festus 2) Festus 3) Festus 4) Festus 5) Festus 6) Festus 7) Festus 8) Festus 9) Festus 10) Festus
@Anti Green: butch I asked if anti green was you a couple of weeks ago on the blog …. I was spot on! How you doing, you old dog?
So whos in the Top 10 naughty list ?
@Pedantic: That should go a long way in solving the problem since the top 20 on the kakmakerparade will probably come from two, perhaps three IP Addresses.
@GreenBlooded: When red carding, simply block the username and the IP Address – this way they would need to change their network to get on. Not fail-safe but still relatively effective.
I don’t believe anti green is a “multi”.
@kcob: It will spark a competition amongst the multiple personalities to get to the top of the Naughty Log. You give them too much credit thinking it will have a positive effect. They get what they want, attention. The Naughty Log will put it in lights.
@kcob: I have a huge respect for Kearsney. They have a tremendous ethos and their boys are always well mannered and courteous.
@Jordaan: know your facts before publishing comments. GW have improved their discipline significantly and the results are clear to see.
On Saturday there were some players (1 being an U15A player) barred from playing against NW because of their hair. I wonder how many other schools would do that!!!! In the recent matches I have watched, unfortunately the same cannot be said. GW’s management don’t adopt a head in the sand or a head in the clouds approach, they focus on themselves. Hence the resentment I guess, I mean how can the burgers from umbilo be number 1 in KZN!!!
@GreenBlooded: yeah I hear you but it will be great fun knocking these doos’s off here. It’s will be a good way to diplomatically drive a behavioral change. Let’s hook up with Beet and get this added
i can see it; the Top 10 Dooses!
@kcob: Great idea!! The only problem is that people can have multiple log-in’s. Ask Speartackle / Festus Februarie / Nonnie / Skipskop / Strafskop / Bekommered / Andre T. He would have to earn about 50 yellows to earn 2 weeks in the bin for all of those log-ins – not saying that is at all impossible by his very high standards – but you know what I’m getting at. And a red-card they will just be back under a different name – as we’ve seen over the years with Beast / Red Army / Anti-Green / (help me out here Hopper – there are definitely more)………..
Good idea though – definitely has some merit.
I reckon there should be a yellow card button. If five bloggers yellow card a post; that blogger and gets 2 weeks. He gets a red card button – 5 of those you gone! Beet should post a list of banned bloggers ranked by their yellow and red card count – classic! Childish; but it would seem serious bloggers will actually be civil or risk being kicked to touch. I think it would not deter bloggers; in fact it’s a website novelty. Beet; chat to the GW blogger who develops sites or I can help spect the add-in.
@Grasshopper: I will happily give you my real name: Jason Wesson email address wesson@sharksden.co.za. Drop me a line
@Grasshopper: My reason for not using my real name is simply that my son is still at College. I would hate tohave my blogging activities making him uncomfortable. A great many people know who I am, so it’s not that I am hiding my identity for any other reason. 2016 – bring it on.
@Gungets Tuft: Or we just use our real names, that would sort the wheat from the chaff!
@Gungets Tuft: Or half a jersey.
@Grasshopper: Not an Old Boy that I can fathom, any more than I believe Anti-Green is House.
Perhaps ou Beet is going to have to have a way of verifying Old Boy status before he allocates jersey, perhaps some sort of “seal of authenticity” on the jersey to separate supporters from Old Boys. Supporters we welcome (some at a push) but Old Boys are brothers for life. If you are not an Old Boy, but your lightie or a forebear has passed through the halls, then you get an honourable mention
@Anti Green: I left 18 years ago and have no problem with constructive criticism, but blantant attacks and allegations are uncalled for…..especially Jordaan’s claims of Glenwood boys being undisciplined, when in fact they are probably the best behaved bunch in the province…always get greeted and never seen much horse play on game days etc..
@Grasshopper: Hey Hopper sorry to hear about your Dad my condolences. Jordaan is correct to a point, whenever someone says anything about a GW boy or their play or selection. Your band of hoppers take everything so personally. It’s almost like you haven’t left school.
@Jordaan: You awake early, for 11 years and my third hand sources were coaches at Glenwood, my dad who watched nearly every game (he passed away 2 weeks ago) and Westville Old Boy bother-in-laws etc. I trusted their views. Your true colours are shown by your last sentence, something I wouldn’t expect from a College Old Boy….
@Grasshopper: oh yeah and for how many years did you live on Mud Island and profess to know exactly what was going on in KZN rugby by relying on third hand information??
I’m a proud College supporter and still live close to the school. It’s you Glenwood idiots that really give KZN rugby a bad name!
@Dixon’s: so now we going to condone punching just because you say it’s okay??
@GreenBlooded: even I know most of the answers…
@Jordaan: Your time is up bugger-lugs.
You are the weakest link. GOODBYE!!
@Buffel: Plenty of injuries on both sides so who knows what will happen. If the KZN reps are asked to not play then Kearsney are favourites.
@NW_Knight: Am going on what the boys told me and am sure that they were right there in the thick of the action.
@Grasshopper: I suggest he stays there.
This weekend our boys are up against the green machine. On last weeks perforformance you guys should start as huge favourites but crazier things have happened and I am sure we will have a game plan. Chat afterwards.
@GreenBlooded:
nominate this for the comment of the year – thanks for making my day
@Grasshopper: maybe he is in brazil.
@Buffel: He is still sleeping as he lives in the USA and proclaims to know exactly what is happening on the ground in KZN…
@GreenBlooded: I think you have raised one important point – many of us including myself tends to underestimate the work that has to be put in to become a 1st XV level referee.
The work of a touch judge is a lot easier than that of a ref. With the shortage of refs who can serve as ARs, isn’t this a time to create a qualified level between a touch judge and an AR that even the school kids can reach?
For try scoring decision making, help with offsides and forward passes – its down to good observation and a good knowledge of the laws. However for dirty play surely this is just about observation and being able to relay to a ref what was witnessed, with any extra knowledge of the game required? I might be underestimating again but honestly as a neutral spectator at SBR I’ve seen acts of dirty play that I believe I could have helped the ref to iron out and/or apportion blame. I just feel that if a SBR player knows the official on the side has the power to provide this advice, he thinks twice about committing an offence?
@GreenBlooded: 3 hours- Don’t you mean 3 days.
I think this gent is not your common garden variety College Old Boy.
@Jordaan: Please attempt to answer the following questions without using Google or any other resource:
1. What shape is a rugby ball
2. Which letter of the alphabet to rugby goalposts most resemble
3. What is the formation called where 8 players from each side bind up and compete for the ball.
4. What is the method of scoring when the attacking team grounds the ball in-goal
5. What is the formation called when the ball is returned to play after being in-touch.
And some others on your alleged alma mater – again – no Google or College website please:
1. Where would you find the Forder Oval.
2. What is the 2nd form boarding house named.
3. Who is considered the ‘father’ of Maritburg College
4. What is the name of the B rugby field below Goldstones.
5. Who is said to haunt the old hall (bonus point if you can name the hall).
You have 3 hours. Your time starts now………
@Jordaan: comments like yours show a real lack of class…. maybe just stick to commenting about rugby, which is the actual purpose of this blog!
@NW_Knight: We cannot justify the blatant punching by the Glenwood player regardless of any previous incidents, if you want to call yourself a top 10 side you have to be disciplined.
This is usually the case with Glenwood given the poor discipline at the school, can always expect an element of underhanded dirty play.
@beet: An AR has to be: (1) A qualified ref of about the same ability as the ref in the middle (2) Appointed by the union (i.e. the recognised referee society for the region). Only under these 2 conditions can an AR adjudicate foul play incidents. The society has only been appointing to the A team age-group matches for 2 or 3 seasons now and AR’s for 1st team for about the same period. Now that the Moor Cup matches are taking place on Saturday afternoons we simply do not have the numbers to have empowered AR’s for all the 1st team matches – much less the age group matches. We will not get the numbers with the current levels of abuse that referees have to put up with from coaches and spectators. We recruit approximately 40 referees in Durban per season, about 10 of the are still there at the end of their first season and about 5 go the distance.
I also feel that in games that don’t have society AR’s, there’s a much higher tendency for players to use dirty tactics.
It’s a pity the school ref academy boys can’t be used at SBR matches where they would be neutral AR’s. Some of those kids are talented officials and take their responsibilities very seriously and could be as valuable to a ref in IDing dirty play culprits and recommending punishments as the adult society AR’s are. For as long as they officiate at the schools they attend, they will be seen as independent and will have limited responsibilities during matches.
@Grasshopper: @NW_Knight: From the 2nd field side, it looked like Kenny had his eyes gouged and that was the comment from both GW and NW spectators alike. I did not get this incident on camera as the game had moved on. Regardless of what happened, punching should not happen on the field and these types of incidents would have been better controlled with two AR’s field side. We seriously need to get ore people involved in reffing in KZN.
@NW_Knight: A wise old ref once told a player in a game I was playing “If I see someone hitting you again, I will send you off”. He knew what he was on about. The ref doesn’t always see the first bit of dirty play … and he can also judge who has the most dirty play against them and realises there is a reason.
Me – you could always see someone was trying to bliksem me, running away is always a clue …
Just saying …
@NW_Knight: I don’t condone punching or retaliation but to get Kenny wriled something else must have been happening. He has taken his fair share of shots this season too!
@Buffel: “not so sure it was warranted”? 2 punches to the face of the NW lock surely warrants a red?
@star: good luck to all concerned.
We will have to be on top form to keep the Glenwood boys in check. Last week’s mauling will either be a wake up call or it is going to be another hard,long day at the office.
@star: really looking forward to that clash! Bowdens on Old boys day can be a hostile environment for any visiting school. Should be a cracker
This weekend we play College on our Old Boys day and I hope the teams that run out are the ones that best represent their schools. For the Westville players it is also the last time to wear the red, blue and white and it is equally important that that privilege is not taken from them.
College will be smarting a bit from last year and so we expect a strong challenge as always.
It’s probably time for a review of SBR and a decision to incorporate game time into Boksmart.
Just about everyone loves festivals but 3 games in 5 days is probably no longer the safe way to go about things. With boys being bigger, stronger and placing more strain on their bodies than ever before, there probably should be strict regulations about the number of games players can take part during a set period of time.
@GreenBlooded: Crazy schedules really, Glenwood especially playing about 8 top 20 sides, so it’s not just volume it’s the toughness of the matches! They have played 15 games in exactly 3 months (15/03/2014 to 14/06/2014), so that is 5 games a month, more than 1 per week. 9 of those games were played in 45 days over the Easter period, so a game every 5 days on average. Crazy, Crazy, Crazy! Played 15, won 12, lost 3….pretty good season so far, 80% win rate.
No Date Team Venue w/l Points For Points Against
1 15/03/2014 Westville H W 32 15
2 22/03/2014 Michaelhouse H W 17 14
3 29/03/2014 Bishops (Grey PE) A W 23 11
4 31/03/2014 Jeppe (Grey PE) A W 20 14
5 17/04/2014 Dale College (Kearsney) A W 31 17
6 19/04/2013 EG Jansen (Kearsney) A W 31 20
7 21/04/2014 Framesby (Kearsney) A W 31 29
8 28/04/2014 Waterkloof (Wildeklawer) A L 27 39
9 30/04/2013 Outeniqua (Wildeklawer) A L 15 20
10 10/05/2014 DHS H W 38 13
11 17/05/2014 George Campbell H W 64 3
12 24/05/2014 Maritzburg College A W 27 14
13 31/05/2014 Monument A L 19 30
14 07/06/2014 Hilton A W 67 7
15 14/06/2014 Northwood H W 64 27
16 21/06/2014 Kearnsey H
17 26/07/2014 Grey College H
18 02/08/2014 Affies A
19 09/08/2014 Maritzburg College H
20 16/08/2014 KZN Development H
@GreenBlooded: In his recent book, Challenging Beliefs he waxes lyrical about the amount of game time senior players are getting and is quite form that this is shortening their careers. I will cut and paste tonight
@Buffel: Has Professor Tim Noakes ever been consulted on this? I’d be interested to hear his take on the battering these young bodies take during a typical rugby season. 12 or so domestic fixtures, plus a couple of festivals, Craven Week and then many boys go on to play Youth Club rugby in the 3rd term of which some go on a Michaelmas DRSU tour where they play another 3-5 games. Madness.
There will be a few boys missing in action come Saturday through injury or suspension. Dixon out for sure and T.Tedder carrying a muscle tear but will be ready to play.Good news is that Dixon is responding to treatment and should be ready to represent KZN at Craven Week. On the Glenwood side things look a little worse. van Niekerk out with a suspension but not so sure it was warranted. Venter to play but sat out yesterday as too Tredoux and Coetzee.
All this is due to the heavy workload that these boys are having to do.
13 games a season plus the representitive games is what we had to go through and now in some cases 20+ games and more. These are growing bodies and some of these injuries are serious indeed.
@Pedantic: In which case you might possibly get a win!!
@GreenBlooded: That would mean Kearsney would play GW 3rds on Saturday ?
Not going to happen!
Well done boys, excellent result!
@GreenBlooded: the HMA was amended not to long ago to block the u19 exchange student loophole that existed but apart from that I don’t think there have been any other amendments.
u19s can still represent their KZN 1st XVs provided they have been at their schools since Gr.10 or parents relocated (for real), so going forward it seems like 50 caps will become the exclusive domain of u19’s who have played 1sts since u17. Tedder will just be the last u18 player in KZN and probably the whole country to achieve this feat.
I do think the more experienced guys will have tasted how empty the warmup games are unless you remind the team that the real test is still to come and the massive step up is when you hit the cream of SA rugby u18’s at CW. Glad it went well but I hope they are all being critical of themselves as only then will they strive to improve to the right level.
@Buffel: Didn’t we play the Puma’s last year in a similar warm up game? Down at half time with key players coming on and we then whacked them? Come CW and we weren’t on a par with the major provinces. I’m not sure too much can be read into these warm up games. Let’s wait and see.
I think the depth was evident on show today to warrant them playing but I can understand if they are asked to stand down. Blewitt left the field but doesn’t look too serious as too Pieterse of Westville. There are arguments for both sides.
My big concern is in the lineouts. The age old problem of no height and having to rely on variations to secure ball. Saying that, The Craven week side played with determination and passion. At full strength both sides should come close to playing in the final game with the academy team coming home with the unofficial cup.
These pre-season get togethers are baring fruit as these boys have a good idea how each other plays.
@kcob: I think we can close the book on that club after this season – I think it is the last season where former U16 players were allowed to play for the 1st XV. So with Boksmart Age Banding regulations preventing the U16’s and the HMA preventing the U19’s it will only allow a 2 year window for players to play 1st XV. Unless schools are going to go for 25+ fixtures a season…..
Rumor the Tedder @ 10 for Kearsney will wear a 50 on his jersey if he plays. Not sure he would want to miss this exclusive club of 50’ers. I thinks the CW boys could do well this year.
and I guess the Sharks miss their front row too !!!
I’ve heard noises that the representative players have been or will be asked to stand down from their school fixtures this weekend to avoid further adding to the injury list. Is this true? How would the schools feel about this? For me – the school team comes first. There are some big fixtures this weekend – the star players are going to be missed if this is true.
How many of these injuries are serious?
It’s still a few weeks to CW and believe if KZN is at full strenght they will be in the mix. I know if WP and Sharks win the 1st games they will most likely meet day 2 as they are grouped together.
I think these kids have got it spot on – I would also rather be on the beach in Durbs during the holidays than inhaling coal dust in Middleberg while taking on the massive Noord Vaal teams