5 March 2024
Maritzburg College will be without their brilliant counterattacking fullback Luyanda Kunene for their visit to Dixon’s Field for the latest instalment of the College vs Glenwood rivalry, which takes place at 14:00 on Saturday.
It’s the first match of the 2024 Sportsmans Warehouse Premier Interschools season and will be broadcast live on DStv Channel 216.
Kunene’s absence is a big loss for the Red, Black and White, and you cannot replace a player of that quality like-for-like, but College has good depth and are regarded as the favourites against a very young Green Machine lineup.
College, however, will feel they still haven’t moved through the gears consistently this season.
They opened their season with an error-strewn two-point loss at Kearsney, thumped Clifton, but then were beaten 32-17 by Boland Landbou in their first match at the St John’s Easter Rugby Festival.
Next time out, though, they showed great heart and grit to fight back from a 7-19 halftime deficit to beat SACS 26-24. They finished off their festival fixtures with a 24-7 win over the Golden Lions XV.
The College 1st XV of 2023 played some splendid rugby and included in their results was a 42-15 pasting of Glenwood on Goldstone’s. Later in the season, though, in Durban, Glenwood shocked College, scoring a late try to win 27-24.
Their squad of 23 at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival included only six grade 12 boys, so they’re young, and they’re without some injured players for Saturday’s game. There’s nothing like a traditional rivalry, however, to get the blood flowing and an interesting game awaits.
At Kearsney, Glenwood was solid on defence, with the 20 points they surrendered in an 8-20 loss to a strong Dr EG Jansen team proving to be the most they gave up.
Their challenge was being able to play the game in the right areas of the field, and they’ll need to improve that or else be stymied on attack. All three of their games were low scoring: Glenwood 14-6 Marlow, Glenwood 8-20 Dr EG Jansen, and Glenwood 12-19 Nico Malan.
College has shown they know how to attack, so it’s the contrast that will make for an absorbing contest.
Meanwhile, the showdown between DHS and Westville looks very exciting following the Griffin‘s 25-22 upset of Monument in their last match at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
They also beat Pearson 18-11, but they came up short in their opener against Rondebosch Boys’ High, going down 10-31 in rainy and misty conditions.
DHS were in superb form in Botha’s Hill, where they had opened their season with a 23-0 victory over Kearsney. During the festival, they gave up only seven points, defeating Nico Malan 21-0, Hoërskool Rustenburg 45-0, and Pearson 38-7.
Their attack appears to be catching up to their rabid defence and that makes them a serious problem for any opposition. Westville showed, however, with their outstanding performance against a far bigger Monument side, that they have the ability to rise to any challenge. They, too, are finding their form and improving match by match.
The battle in the set scrums will be interesting. DHS, under the tutelage of forwards’ coach Ronnie Uys, is not the biggest of sides, but they’re usually rock-solid up front. Westville, meanwhile, shocked the massive Monument pack by regularly putting them in reverse.
To beat DHS, they will need to limit their mistakes because there are few teams as effective at striking on the counterattack as the Horseflies. They’re dynamic when those opportunities present themselves.
That’s not to say Westville is lacking in those areas. They’re not. But DHS has, so far, operated a little smoother with Aka Boqwana pulling the strings at flyhalf. The thing is, though, coach Jabz Zulu‘s charges have offered ever-increasing glimpses of their potential with each successive outing, and DHS should expect an improved challenge from Saturday’s visitors.
TEAMS
Glenwood: 15 Leo Khumalo, 14 Leo Weber, 13 Lizwe Mtetwa, 12 Sisiphiwo Dwayi, 11 Mvelo Ndwalane, 10 Kungawo Ncamazane, 9 Lian Lochner, 8 Jordan Hargreaves, 7 Yannick Mwamba, 6 Mkhululi Mhlongo, 5 Tylo Madaat, 4 Tyler Conygnham, 3 Uzukhanye Xaba, 2 Martin van Wyngaardt, 1 Lonwabo Nkalitshana.
Maritzburg College: 15 Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, 14 Langelihle Makhathini, 13 Swelihle Mbatha, 12 Nkululeko Sithole, 11 Amahle Hadebe, 10 James Slevin, 9 Rayke Maartens, 8 Imivuyo Kemka, 7 Naz Isaacs, 6 Struan Oosthuizen, 5 Jake Jansen, 4 Wasi Vyambwera, 3 Aiden Botha, 2 Siyabonga Nyathi, 1 Phiwayinkhosi Kubheka.
DHS: 15 Jordan van Wyk, 14 Hlumelo Madikane, 13 Duncan Basson, 12 Zenkosi Mthiyane, 11 Allston Cedras, 10 Aka Boqwana, 9 Marcwin Nero, 8 Khanyisa Stamper, 7 Bradley le Grange, 6 Daniel Ikotela, 5 Thando Luthuli, 4 Sibusiso Mahlangu, 3 Bongani Dlamini, 2 Mahle Sithole (c), 1 Unaye Mndau
Westville: 15 Jade-Will Koopman, 14 Evan Moolman, 13 Michael Satade, 12 Blake Allbon, 11 Jadrian Afrikaner, 10 Unathi Mlotshwa, 9 Ryan Pistor, 8 David Humphreys, 7 Seth Gwynn, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Rhys Mitchell, 4 Moustapher Gcina, 3 Bandile Mncwango, 2 Jeshua Ferreira, 1 Akhona Maseko
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