12 August 2023
(Feature photo: former DHS Head Boy and 1st XV captain Phepsi Buthelezi, 2023 1st XV captain Christian Everitt, and 2007 Rugby World Cup winning captain John Smit)
The DHS Foundation Trust Rugby Dinner was held in the DC Thompson Hall at the school on Thursday evening, bringing together a large number of enthusiastic supporters of the school, including many distinguished former players who have gone on to make their mark at the professional level.
Former Springbok captain John Smit was the guest speaker and richly entertained the gathering with stories about his playing days and his insights into the Springboks as they prepare to defend the Rugby World Cup that they won in such spectacular fashion in 2019 in Japan.
CEO of the DHS Foundation, Andrew Shedlock, set the proceedings in motion and during his speech spoke about how former Headmaster AS Langley had introduced rugby to School. Langley had previously taught at Maritzburg College, and it reminded one of some extraordinary links between the two great rivals.
Another DHS great, Bill Payn, best known for an extraordinary run in the 1922 Comrades Marathon, was a Maritzburg College Old Boy, while College benefitted from DHS with two of the greatest schoolboy sports’ coaches in the history of South Africa, Skonk Nicholson and Mike Bechet, having attended the Durban school.
The importance of great public schools
In his address, John Smit drew parallels between his alma mater, Pretoria Boys High, and DHS. He spoke about the importance of great public schools and the valuable traditions that contribute so much to the education of young men. “I think it is probably one of the strongest schooling systems in the world,” Smit said.
He also paid tribute to the very supportive Old Boys, who have played a vital role in helping DHS to grow and improve after a period, which many have admitted, had seen the Horseflies’ high standards slip. That’s no longer the case. The blue and gold is, once again, one of the pacesetters among South African boys’ schools.
An interesting statistic which Smit shared (and this is not intended as a slight towards any other schools), but of the 100 players who have been part of South Africa’s three Rugby World Cup victories, only four have been from private schools. His point was that the public schools have a massively important role to play in the future of the game in South Africa.
In a self-deprecating manner, he also delved into leadership and what it takes to succeed. This included having many leaders in a team, which led to some classic stories about former Bok enforcer Bakkies Botha, who was regarded as the most feared player in the game by many.
Smit added: “We always talk about the jersey at Springbok level, and it never belongs to you.” Then, he turned towards that idea of serving the jersey towards rugby at DHS, addressing the boys: “In your time here at the school, it’s your five-year gap, and it’s what you do in those five years that helps the school make strides.
“We always said, it doesn’t matter whether you pull on the Springbok jersey for one Test or 10 Tests, the only issue is that when you hand it over the Springboks are in a better position.”
An exciting brand of rugby
If that is the criteria, the 2023 1st XV has met it and then some. They produced an exciting brand of rugby and matched up well against many of the best teams in the country. Even when they lost, it was never easy for the winners. No defeat was by more than seven points.
But it was the manner in which the DHS 1st XV played the game that caught the imagination. Arguably, no school scored a greater number of breathtaking long distance tries than the Blue Typhoon. They were about entertainment and excellence.
After a break in the proceedings for a tasty curry dinner – hey, it’s Durban, and they just do it right in the coastal city – it was the turn of the Master of Ceremonies, Aaron McIlroy, to take charge and he soon had the audience laughing uproariously, most notably Director of Rugby, Peter Engledow, who could hardly contain himself.
Then, captain Christian Everitt shared some thoughts on his two years representing the DHS 1st XV. During that time, he was also twice selected for the South African Schools A team.
He thanked Director of Rugby Engledow for the role he has played in the lives of the school’s rugby players. “He came here not only to make better rugby players, but better humans,” Everitt said.
Engledow, who had laughed so heartily at MC Aaron McIlroy’s jokes, in a touching moment, which drew warm applause, found himself struggling to hold back the tears when he spoke with raw emotion about the boys he had worked with in the rugby programme in 2023. He spoke about how they had grown as people, emphasising that this was one of the keys to the success of the sport at DHS.
“The challenge of unbeaten seasons and rugby at all costs is not what DHS and the rugby programme is about. We have got to look at what kind of kids we are sending out into our country… It’s about good people, good men. The management team and I, that is all we focus on,” he reckoned.
“Boys, I am so proud of you,” he told the players at the dinner. “To the young boys in attendance tonight, the under-14 As, who went undefeated in KZN, keep your feet on the ground, work hard, and I hope you understand the bigger picture.”
Award winners
Awards were then presented to the top players in their age groups in 2023.
At 1st team level, Sibusiso Mahlangu was named the Rookie of the Year.
SA Schools prop Simphiwe Ngobese, who is in Cape Town preparing for internationals against France and England, was named the Forward of the Year, while Deano Boesak received the Back of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year Awards. He has signed a professional contract with Western Province from 2024.
Christian Everitt was presented with the Warrior Award, which recognises a player’s on-field contribution, his willingness to give more, his leadership and his academic record.
An auction of a special bottle of wine brought in R12 000, while the auction of a 1960s DHS rugby jersey, signed by the 2023 1st XV, raised R100 000, with 10 Old Boys donating R10 000 each.
The evening concluded with DHS Headmaster Tony Pinheiro thanking the DHS Old Boys community for its staunch support of the school. Under his leadership, School has made gigantic strides in five years, but without the support of the Old Boys, he said, it wouldn’t have been possible.
He also praised the role played by Director of Sport, Nathan Pillay, calling him the best at the job in South Africa.
Pinheiro added, though, that it was not the time to sit back and relax; one should always strive to be better. DHS is doing well, he said, but there is still far more that can be achieved.
Often intense, always focused, Pinheiro will, no doubt, ensure that the push to be the best continues, full steam ahead.
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