16 November 2023
The Clifton Prep 1st XV produced a season for the ages in 2023, winning 16 out of 17 matches, which included beating DPHS for the first time, and the player leading the way was the team’s inspirational captain, Sphesihle “Sphe” Nxumalo.
The basic facts about Clifton’s skipper are impressive. He was selected for every regional and provincial team he could represent, making the Durban Coastal Rugby Merit, the Sharks u13A, and the Sharks u13 Sevens teams.
What makes those achievements all the more impressive is another fact: it was only in 2021 that Sphe began playing the 15-man game. Previously, he had been at a north coast school where only Sevens was played and fewer than a handful of matches were played each year. That was one of the reasons he made the move to Clifton.
A warm welcome
From the start, he felt at home, and he received the support he needed to adjust to his new school. Sphe recalled: “When I first arrived here, I received a warm welcome from everyone, especially the teachers. In grade five, I had to have extra lessons. The teachers helped me a lot with that.”
On the rugby field, he had to make another big adjustment. Which position would he play? Sphe suggested wing, but his coach, seeing a big, athletic boy in front of him, decided to play him at lock.
In 2022, in an attempt to make better use of his speed and skills, Sphe was moved to 8th-man. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury early in the season. This year, there was yet another change, and it was quite drastic. He took up position at outside centre.
“I was faster than the forwards and I was big”
Explaining the thinking behind that change, Sphe said: “I was faster than the forwards and I was big. They needed a big player in the backline, so the coach asked me to play there.”
He didn’t simply fill a position, he shone, and the provincial selectors recognised that. How did he so seamlessly adapt his game from the pack to the backline? “I just listened to my coaches. They gave me tips, and they were helpful. I just slotted in,” Sphe said.
He also, very visibly, set the defensive tone. There is an expression that goes, it’s not what you say but how you say it. In Sphe’s case, it’s not what you do but how you do it.
Clifton Prep 1st XV’s success points to a bright future | Pinnacle Schools (pinnacle-schools.com)
A hint of excitement and glee
His coaches, Thomas Brown and Heino Beneke, spoke of their skipper’s defensive example with a hint of excitement and glee. Sphe would attempt to make each tackle bigger than the previous one, Brown said.
“I know my team-mates believe in me, so I try to make a bigger hit every single time,” the Clifton captain explained.
There must have been some pressure that accumulated during the course of the season, because Clifton’s performances got people talking, not just members of the Clifton community, but from other schools, too. Yet, the 1st XV simply went from strength to strength and finished their season on a sensational five-game run, never scoring fewer than 45 points, posting three shutouts, and twice giving up only seven points.
There was a joy in the way they played the game, and much of it stemmed from their captain. In very simple terms, he stated: “We had a jol. We all jolled together.”
Season’s highlight
Of course, the highlight of Clifton’s memorable season was their thrilling 34-19 victory over DPHS, which saw the Clifton boys, behind by nine at half-time, score 24 unanswered points after the break.
“We were down at half-time, but our players didn’t think we were going to lose,” Sphe said. “We still had faith heading into the second half. We changed our gameplan, and it worked.”
The Riverside Sports Club ground was packed that night, and it wasn’t only the prep boys supporting their 1st XV. The College boys were out in force and celebrated the victory with as much vigour as their juniors. Clifton’s community is tight.
“For the Prep School, the grade 12s are an inspiration to us, especially our Head Boys. They play an important role in our school. The Prep guys respect the College very much,” Sphe said earnestly.
Secrets of the 2023 1st XV’s successes
The secrets of the 2023 1st XV’s successes included the willingness of the boys to listen to their coaches, their ability to understand why they were asked to do certain things, and their closeness as a team.
Sphe acknowledged the vital role Mr Brown and Mr Beneke played in the team’s outstanding season: “My coaches mean a lot to me because I wouldn’t be the player that I am without them. They have helped me a lot, but not only me, the entire team, all 23 people, so I think they [my fellow players] would say the same thing.”
His dad, Mxolisi, has been a wonderful pillar of caring support, too. He never played rugby, but he is always available to tend to any niggles or injuries Sphe has to contend with. That is, after all, a byproduct of the manner in which Sphe throws himself about the field of play.
His dad doesn’t offer advice, Sphe said. He simply urges him: “Play hard, play hard.”
Moving to the College
In 2024, Sphe will make the move to the College, and he is eager to make more history. Most of the Prep 1st XV will be joining him there.
Three boys remain in the Prep, while two others are continuing their schooling elsewhere, but the core of 2023’s exceptional team remains, and, said Sphe, he is aware of some high-quality players who will joining Clifton College next year.
“It’s going to be exciting,” he said. “Most of them played for the Sharks with me, so I know them quite well.”
It is not only going to be an exciting season, but it is sure to be an interesting one, too. Among the top 10 boys’ high schools in KZN, only Clifton and St Charles have primary schools feeding the high schools. For Clifton, that means the advantage of having an u14A team that includes many accomplished players who have spent years together. Also, as Sphe pointed out, they’re going to be bolstered by some incoming top talent.
While other schools draw plenty of boys from far and wide, it will require more of them to develop their team chemistry and the understanding of one another that time alone brings.
Sphe said he’s heard of five or six players who are set to join Clifton, including the aforementioned provincial players. “They asked about the coaches and the environment, and they wanted to know if it would benefit them to come to Clifton. I said it would,” he shared.
Representing the Sharks
Speaking of the Sharks, he was fortunate to be part of a side that played the u13 Craven Week on home soil at Maritzburg College in June. “It’s an amazing feeling, because you have the whole province backing you. When we played for third place, all the supporters were there to come and watch us,” he smiled.
The size of the players was one of the most eye-catching aspects of the tournament. “It was quite physical, and the gameplay was fast,” Sphe admitted.
“Playing for my province gave me a sense of pride. When I walked down at break, all the grade 4s would come and ask me if I am the Sharks’ player. It was a great feeling.”
Later in the year, he ran out for the Sharks’ Sevens side and, again, helped the province to a third-place finish. Both times, it was Boland who kept the black and white out of the final.
“Boland had a way different approach when we played them in Sevens. In 15s, they’re physical. They come at you hard. But in Sevens, they try to shift the ball and get it to the wings, because their wings are fast. Their teams are very different. They have a different gameplan,” Sphe said.
Future goals at Clifton
Looking to the future at Clifton, he said he wanted to help the school to greater heights on the rugby field. “Not everyone believes in us, so we have to believe in ourselves first, and prove ourselves,” he said.
“We just have to be consistent, each and every single year, and hope for the best when we play under-18s and 1st team. Just be consistent in under-14, under-15, under-16 and 1st team.”
Sphe said he feels some responsibility for helping Clifton attain a higher level. But, he was quick to point out, the Prep 1st XV’s success was a team effort. “I didn’t do it by myself.”
And that’s the thing that strikes one when chatting with Sphesihle Nxumalo, he has a good head on his shoulders. He recognises that this rugby thing is not about him alone. He acknowledges the role others have played in his success, whether it be related to rugby or not.
It’s the team aspect of the game that he relishes, winning matches, making memories, strengthening bonds. And he has a refreshing take on it all.
“I just want to make lifelong friendships along the way,” Sphe concluded.
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