28 August 2024
Durban High School‘s (DHS) u17 and u15 teams made full use of their home ground advantage to capture the High School Sevens Series, sponsored by Toyota, title at DHS on Saturday in Durban.
DHS has firmly established itself at the forefront of schools’ rugby in KwaZulu-Natal, with six teams – the 1st XV, 2nd XV, 3rd XV, u16A, u14A and u14B teams – all finishing the past season unbeaten on Van Heerden Field and they were not about to surrender that proud record in the sevens’ format.
Playing with remarkable energy at the end of two days of strength-sapping competition, the Horseflies handed a very good Westville Boys’ High outfit a first loss of the season, winning the title-decider 26-12, to secure a place at the Champions of Champions Tournament at Grey College, in Bloemfontein, on 20 and 21 September.
It was a tough loss for the Griffin, who had won three sevens’ titles in succession: the Clifton Sevens, the Saints Sevens and the Glenwood Sevens. It was also a repeat of 2023, when Westville beat DHS in the Glenwood Sevens final but then lost at DHS.
Westville was boosted by the return of SA Schools’ star Zikhethelo Siyaya, and he made his mark, but he was also slightly hobbled for the final. DHS, with a swarming defence and sharp counterattacking, made turnovers count to race away to the title.
In the curtain-raiser to the u17 final, the u15 final, DHS also triumphed over Westville, winning that game 31-17 after building up a 21-12 half-time lead behind three tries from the fleet-footed Hadley Alexander.
Glenwood, whose u17 side made the semi-finals two weeks earlier on Dixon’s Field, and whose u15s contested the final there, once again produced a strong showing. Their u17s made it to the semi-finals once more, but they were stopped by DHS.
Their u15s fell 10-12 to Westville in the semi-finals and were then handed a narrow 20-19 defeat by Maritzburg College in the third place playoff.
Northwood joined Glenwood in the semi-finals, but Westville had their number. Their u15s, the winners at Glenwood and the defending champions at DHS, were ousted by College in the quarterfinals, going down 7-12.
Kearsney, after an average start to their season at the Saints Sevens, was a team transformed. Far more direct and playing with greater pace, they produced some good rugby, going down only against DHS and Glenwood in hard-fought contests. Their u15s toppled Northwood in the Plate final.
Michaelhouse saw their challenge slip away on Saturday morning when they suffered a tight 15-17 defeat to Maritzburg College. Later in the day, they ran out convincing winners over the Red, Black and White, winning by 20 points, 34-14.
Their u15 team was ousted after pool play from a very tough Pool B, which featured ‘House, DHS and Michaelhouse. Each side won one and lost one but, when it came to points’ differential, the Balgowan boys were eliminated. Forced to contest the Bowl, they put up over 50 against Northwood 2 in the final.
U17 RESULTS
Pool A
Northwood 17-7 DHS 2
Westville 59-0 Pinetown Boys
Northwood 31-0 Pinetown Boys
Westville 28-12 DHS 2
Westville 31-0 Northwood
DHS 2 31-5 Pinetown Boys
Pool B
DHS 40-0 Sharks Tier 2 B
Kearsney 12-5 Hilton
DHS 24-12 Hilton
Kearsney 27-7 Sharks Tier 2 B
Hilton 36-14 Sharks Tier 2 B
DHS 26-14 Kearsney
Pool C
Glenwood 45-0 Sharks Tier 2
St Charles 50-0 Vryheid Landbou
Glenwood 45-7 Vryheid Landbou
St Charles 31-7 Sharks Tier 2 A
Glenwood 38-7 St Charles
Vryheid Landbou 19-21 Sharks Tier 2 A
Pool D
Michaelhouse 29-0 Pionier
Maritzburg College 31-12 Northwood 2
Michaelhouse 41-7 Northwood 2
Maritzburg College 22-12 Pionier
Michaelhouse 15-17 Maritzburg College
Northwood 2 24-10 Pionier
Playoffs
DHS 2 (3rd Pool A) 7-12 Pionier (4th Pool D)
Pinetown Boys (4th Pool A) 7-29 Northwood 2 (3rd Pool D)
Hilton (3rd Pool B) 26-21 Vryheid Landbou (4th Pool C)
Sharks Tier 2 B (4th Pool B) 21-33 Sharks Tier 2 A (3rd Pool C)
Cup quarterfinals
Westville 21-12 Michaelhouse
Northwood 14-5 Maritzburg College
DHS 36-19 St Charles
Kearsney 5-12 Glenwood
DHS 2 35-10 Pinetown Boys (Playoff)
Vryheid Landbou 26-14 Sharks Tier 2 B (Playoff)
Michaelhouse 34-14 Maritzburg College (Playoff)
St Charles 12-22 Kearsney (Playoff)
Plate semi-finals
Pionier 19-10 Northwood 2
Hilton 14-26 Sharks Tier 2 A
Cup semi-finals
Westville 12-7 Northwood
DHS 21-5 Glenwood
Plate final
Pionier 7-12 Sharks Tier 2 A
Cup final
Westville 12-21 DHS
U15 RESULTS
Pool A
Esikhawini 7-17 Pionier
Northwood 43-0 Pionier
Northwood 24-0 Esikhawini
Pool B
Maritzburg College 17-21 Michaelhouse
DHS 40-12 Michaelhouse
DHS 15-22 Maritzburg College
Pool C
St Charles 33-14 Northwood
Glenwood 45-0 Northwood 2
Glenwood 19-10 St Charles
Pool D
Ferrum 0-40 Kearsney
Westville 21-0 Kearsney
Westville 43-0 Ferrum
Cup quarterfinals
Northwood 7-12 Maritzburg College
DHS 56-0 Pionier
Glenwood 26-12 Kearsney
Westville 43-15 St Charles
Bowl semi-finals
Esikhawini 0-46 Michaelhouse
Northwood 2 7-5 Ferrum
Plate semi-finals
Northwood 43-0 Pionier
Kearsney 28-14 St Charles
Cup semi-finals
Maritzburg College 14-19 DHS
Glenwood 10-12 Westville
Shield final
Esikhawini 7-26 Ferrum
Bowl final
Michaelhouse 51-0 Northwood 2
7th/8th playoff
Pionier 0-49 St Charles
Plate final
Northwood 12-19 Kearsney
3rd/4th
Maritzburg College 20-19 Glenwood
Cup final
DHS 31-17 Westville
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