12 May 2024
(Article by Marlowe Bloem)
In front of an electric, jam-packed crowd, Maritzburg College tackled Michaelhouse on their Reunion Weekend, aiming for a return to form on Goldstone’s on Saturday, after a couple of big defeats to Grey College and Paul Roos Gimnasium.
Michaelhouse entered the contest buoyed after a 24-23 win at Hilton College, their second in succession at their great rivals.
The place was pumping, with the College faithful dialling up their support and Michaelhouse well represented, too, as the teams took to the field. Very quickly, it became clear College, despite their recent setbacks, were up for the fight.
They were first onto the scoreboard after seven minutes. Quick hands through the phases, and a break by Aiden Botha, exploited space in Michaelhouse’s left corner, where Kunene dotted down after being set up by the tighthead. Flyhalf Jordan Thackeray missed the tough conversion.
Michaelhouse bit back in the ninth minute with flyhalf Luke Davidson stroking a penalty kick between the uprights after College was blown up for a player going off his feet at a ruck.
The home team replied 10 minutes later when lock Jake Jansen went over from five metres out. From a tap and go, Michaelhouse repelled the Red, Black and White through a number of phases with sturdy defence, but something had to break eventually, and the big number five added five to the College tally. Thackeray added the extras.
The visitors were then struck with a sucker punch. From the kick-off, ‘House regathered, worked a couple of phases, and then attempted to pass out wide. Boom! Inside centre Nkululeko Sithole intercepted the ball and ran it in from 50- metres out.
He was over beneath the crossbar and Thackeray slotted the conversion to make it 19-3 to the hosts at half-time in the KZN capital.
Michaelhouse made a much-needed strong start to the second stanza. The red and white were on the scoreboard in the 37th minute through 8th-man and captain Carlyle Hawkins, who forced his way over from 10 metres out, with Maritzburg defenders weighing him down. Davidson made it a seven-point play.
The gap had been reduced to less than double figures, but Maritzburg College soon reestablished that advantage. After playing through a number of phases from a five-metre scrum, which was earned from a fantastic kick chase by Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, it was Naz Isaacs who joined his second row partner Jake Jansen on the score sheet.
Michaelhouse kept fighting to the very end and they were rewarded with a last-minute try by right wing Aya Mkokheli. It began with a lineout on the right, from which ‘House almost powered their way over. After coming up just short, they shifted the ball all the way to the left flank before bringing it back for the speedy Mkokheli to score in the right-hand corner on the overlap.
Davidson added two to the Michaelhouse total, making the final score Maritzburg College 24-17 Michaelhouse.
It was a battle throughout, but College’s victory can be attributed to the tight five’s synchronisation at the set pieces and their loose forwards’ turnovers at crucial moments in the game.
Maritzburg next travels to Northwood on 25 May, while Michaelhouse takes on Pretoria Boys’ High on the same day.
Saturday’s three A team matches were extremely evenly contested. College took the u16A win by two points, the u15A victory by four, and the u14A game by five.
Especially in the open age group, Michaelhouse impressed with how well they were able to challenge Maritzburg College’s vaunted depth. Not many schools manage 4th and 5th teams wins over the Red, Black and White.
RESULTS
1st: Maritzburg College 24-17 Michaelhouse
2nd: Maritzburg College 10-17 Michaelhouse
3rd: Maritzburg College 13-3 Michaelhouse
4th: Maritzburg College 10-29 Michaelhouse
5th: Maritzburg College 10-14 Michaelhouse
6th: Maritzburg College 22-21 Michaelhouse
7th: Maritzburg College 32-19 Michaelhouse
8th: Maritzburg College 46-5 St Charles 4th
9th: Maritzburg College 27-5 Michaelhouse 8th
10th: Maritzburg College 50-7 Michaelhouse 9th
16A: Maritzburg College 19-17 Michaelhouse
16B: Maritzburg College 24-22 Michaelhouse
16C: Maritzburg College 57-14 Michaelhouse
16D: Maritzburg College 38-14 Michaelhouse
16E: Maritzburg College 33-5 Michaelhouse
16F: Maritzburg College 0-36 Mpophomeni
15A: Maritzburg College 22-18 Michaelhouse
15B: Maritzburg College 27-7 Michaelhouse
15C: Maritzburg College 45-5 Michaelhouse
15D: Maritzburg College 21-7 Development
15E: Maritzburg College 0-12 Michaelhouse u15D
15F: Maritzburg College 25-0 Michaelhouse u15E
14A: Maritzburg College 12-7 Michaelhouse
14B: Maritzburg College 33-14 Michaelhouse
14C: Maritzburg College 50-0 Michaelhouse
14D: Maritzburg College 34-21 Michaelhouse
14E: Maritzburg College 19-12 Westville
HOCKEY
After an upset win over Hilton College, Michaelhouse entered their clash with Maritzburg College on Pape’s Astro with their confidence boosted.
Claiming victory on College’s home ground fortress is a massive challenge, however, and ‘House weren’t able to replicate their upstart ways against Kyle Emerson’s charges.
Siwa Sithembu gave the home team the lead and Banele Dlamini added a second as the Red, Black and White secured a 2-0 win.
Michaelhouse’s 2nd XI shocked College, though, taking a 1-0 win over a team that has enjoyed a strong season.
Maritzburg won the u16A game comfortably, but Michaelhouse took the u14 honours with an equally convincing display.
RESULTS
1st: Maritzburg College 2-0 Michaelhouse
2nd: Maritzburg College 0-1 Michaelhouse
3rd: Maritzburg College 2-1 Michaelhouse
4th: Maritzburg College 4-0 Michaelhouse
16A: Maritzburg College 3-0 Michaelhouse
16B: Maritzburg College 0-1 Michaelhouse
16C: Maritzburg College 3-1 Michaelhouse
16D: Maritzburg College 6-0 Michaelhouse
16E: Maritzburg College 2-0 Michaelhouse
14A: Maritzburg College 0-3 Michaelhouse
14B: Maritzburg College 5-2 Michaelhouse
14C: Maritzburg College 3-0 Michaelhouse
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