31 March 2023
Like Kearsney College, Durban High School (DHS) heads into the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, brought to you by Standard Bank, with a clean record of three wins from their three matches of 2023.
DHS, or School as their supporters call them, will look back on the 2022 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF) with fondness. It was the springboard to an encouraging season for the Blue Typhoon. And it wasn’t just about the results, it was about the kind of rugby that DHS played.
At their best, DHS play a fast-moving game in which they move the ball at pace around the field, giving their backline opportunities to run hard at the opposition defence. But rugby is a 15-man game, and School is also about a hard-working pack that has the fitness and work rate to support that fast-paced approach.
DHS at KERF 2022
For the record, at last year’s Festival, DHS faced a trio of big, uncompromising schools from Gauteng, but the Durban boys proved they could be just as uncompromising when faced with hard-nosed, physical opposition.
They opened with an impressive 23-5 victory over Hoërskool Waterkloof, followed that up with a superb 20-15 win over Dr EG Jansen, and then finished with a narrow 5-7 loss to the Wit Bulle from Hoërskool Monument.
Later in the season, they gave a Hilton College team that was the best in KwaZulu-Natal their toughest game against local opposition, going down 17-24.
So, what of this year’s side? They began their season against Free State opposition, taking on Voortrekker. The team from Bethlehem had stunned DHS in 2022, recording a convincing 36-22 victory, also in the season-opener, and it looked as if they might be on for a repeat in the humid heat of Durban.
DHS trailed 8-17 at half-time, but that renowned fast-paced running rugby came to the fore in the second half as School scored 31 unanswered points to run out comfortable winners by a 39-17 margin.
The second time out, DHS travelled up to Pietermaritzburg to tackle Saint Charles. The Saints’ rugby programme has been on an upward trajectory for a number of years, but they couldn’t quite match up to DHS on the day, with the visitors romping to a 52-14 win.
Maritzburg College showdown
That set DHS up for a showdown with their great traditional rivals, Maritzburg College, on 25 March in Durban. It was a tale of two halves.
After most of the play took place in the midfield in the opening 10 minutes, DHS managed to finally loosen up play a little, which resulted in their backline running in two tries.
Flyhalf Deano Boesak made a fine impression with his all-round game and decision making. He exhibited a good boot, but also showed he was adept at getting his backline moving, and he challenged the College defence by taking them on with his fancy footwork.
Flank Dale Hendrikse crashed over for the first try for the home team. He was everywhere on the field and later named Player of the Match. Examining photos afterwards, one noticed he seemed to always be around the ball.
DHS added a second try after a scintillating break by scrumhalf Florenson Ockhuis. What stood out about his five-pointer was the fact that he recognised an opportunity when it presented itself. For the rest of the game, he ensured that flyhalf Boesak received quality ball.
In the second half, DHS were called on to show their defensive capabilities. Maritzburg College challenged them up front and had DHS not been fully committed they would have been beaten. But they gave up one try, held up College twice over the line (although College were, undoubtedly, somewhat unlucky on the second call), and came away with a 14-7 win.
Bottom line, it was a fantastic test and excellent preparation for DHS ahead of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
Newcomers
They begin on Friday, 6 April, against Worcester Gimnasium at 10:20. The team from the Western Cape are newcomers to the event, but one thing has been clear in recent years and that is that rugby in the Western Cape is the healthiest in the country.
Worcester has played two matches thus far in 2023, going down 19-38 to Stellenberg, a formidable opponent, and winning convincingly, 39-12, against Die Brandwag.
For some context on their loss, Stellenberg has played two other matches thus far, losing 20-22 to Grey High School (PE), and 23-24 to the always powerful Paarl Gimnasium.
On Saturday, at 14:20, DHS faces Hoërskool Framesby. Regulars at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, Framesby play rugby the South African way – big and beefy and hard up front, but ready to run it through the backs.
Hilton College, meanwhile, handed Die Brandwag a 48-3 hiding at the Graeme College 150th Festival, but managed only a 19-3 win over Framesby, so DHS can expect a tough second outing from the team from Gqeberha.
Tough, from first to last
DHS finish off at 10:20 on Monday, 10 April, against Hoër Landbouskool Marlow. There are no easy matches!
Marlow has built up a deserved strong reputation for their rugby prowess. Their 2022 record at Kearsney included a 14-10 win over the hosts, a 7-12 loss to Monument, and a 10-21 defeat to Pretoria Boys’ High.
It’s been a tough old start to 2023 for Marlow, however, with only two wins in five, over Hoërskool Jim Fouché and Selborne College, both more than useful outfits, to their name. Their losses, though, include defeats against established powers Boland Landbou and Grey College. Thus, it’s hard to assess their strength, even though they have played more games than most.
One thing is certain, DHS will know, for sure, exactly what they have after the Kearsney Rugby Festival, brought to you by Standard Bank, wraps up.
And all this happens on Stott Field, one of the most picturesque venues to be found anywhere in South Africa.
FIXTURES
Thursday, 6 April
08:00 KZNRU Ibutho/Mark Godefroy u13 vs Umhlali Prep School
09:00 Kearsney College vs Dale College
10:20 Durban High School vs Worcester Gimnasium
11:40 Hoërskool Monument vs Hoërskool Framesby
13:00 Westville Boys’ High School vs Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
14:20 Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen vs Hartpury College (UK)
15:40 Glenwood High School vs Hoër Landbouskool Marlow
Saturday, 8 April
08:00 KZNRU Ibutho/Mark Godefroy u13 vs Highbury Prep School
09:00 Hartpury College (UK) vs Westville Boys’ High School
10:20 Worcester Gimnasium vs Hoër Landbouskool Marlow
11:40 Glenwood High School vs Dale College
13:00 Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen vs Kearsney College
14:20 Durban High School vs Hoërskool Framesby
15:40 Hoërskool Monument vs Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
Monday, 10 April
08:00 Westville Senior Primary School vs Hillcrest Primary School
09:00 Worcester Gimnasium vs Glenwood High School
10:20 Hoër Landbouskool Marlow vs Durban High School
11:40 Hoërskool Monument vs Dale College
13:00 Westville Boys’ High School vs Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen
14:20 Hoërskool Framesby vs Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
15:40 Kearsney College vs Hartpury College (UK)
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