12 April 2023
Northwood rugby and hockey teams scattered far and wide during the holidays to test their skills against many of South Africa’s other leading schools, and they didn’t disappoint, delivering a sterling string of results across all age groups.
In case you’ve been sleeping, there’s a powerhouse that’s been developing in the north of Durban. The strength in depth across all sports, summer and winter, at the school is truly exceptional.
1st hockey team success
The 1st hockey team had an especially busy and successful time, playing in the Founders and KES Festivals, a total of 10 matches in all, with eight of them ending in victories, one in a draw, and only one in defeat.
The holidays began with the Knights in action in the Founders Festival, and they were dominant in rattling off four wins on the trot and scoring 16 goals while conceding only one, before they were stopped by a very strong Paul Roos, who claimed a 2-0 victory.
The Knights, though, continued to build on their strong showing at Founders with an unbeaten run at the KES Festival, where they won four and drew one, notching 13 goals and conceding none. Most impressively, they finished with two outstanding victories, downing Saint John’s College 3-0 and Grey College 2-0.
Earlier in the holidays, Grey had achieved some notable results at the Nomads Festival, including a 2-0 win over KES, with whom Northwood drew 0-0 in their third game of the festival.
At the under-16 Founders Festival, the team posted three wins and two losses, comfortably dealing with Queen’s, Parktown and Rondebosch, whom they crushed 8-1, but SACS and Paul Roos, who appear to be among the best teams in the country this year, comfortably handled Northwood.
Among the best in South Africa
The Northwood under-14 hockey team, meanwhile, could lay claim to such an accolade, of being among the best in South Africa in 2023. They’ve been the class of KZN thus far this season and, facing a very challenging schedule at Founders, they proved their mettle against the best from elsewhere in the country, including three powerhouses from the Western Cape.
The Squires thumped Dale 10-0 and were comfortable 3-0 victors against Affies. It wasn’t as simple against the Western Cape sides, but Northwood won two of three, falling 2-3 to Paul Roos, before edging out Rondebosch 4-3, and snatching a 1-0 win over SACS. Top results!
All the Easter Rugby Festival results. How did your team do?
Rugby
On the rugby front, the 1st XV travelled to Johannesburg for the KES Easter Festival. There, they recorded two decisive wins, seeing off Ben Vorster of Tzaneen by 30 points to 15, and then dealing East London’s Hudson Park a 31-13 defeat.
Pitted against the renowned power of Paarl Boys’ High in their last match, the Knights fought hard, but fell 7-29 to the boys from the Western Cape.
The under-16 A team also visited Joburg to participate in Jeppe’s Tony de Munnik Festival. Like the 1st XV, they won two out of three games, both convincingly.
They opened with a 36-0 win over Randburg and won their last outing 49-0 against Parkown. In between, however, Helpmekaar had Northwood’s number, recording a 37-7 win.
Clean records at the Glenwood Festival
Both the under-14 A and under-15 A teams shone at the Glenwood Rugby Festival. In fact, the under-14 side didn’t concede a single point in three matches, while scoring 131.
They dealt with a dangerous Wesvalia 27-0, then overran Rustenburg 50-0 and Marais Viljoen 54-0.
The under-15s outplayed Montana 35-5, Marais Viljoen 50-3, and Wesvalia 26-12 in a hard-fought clash.
Big test awaits
A significant challenge now awaits Northwood on Saturday, 15 April, when they take on Glenwood. Gang Green have built up a strong tradition on the rugby field, and their 1st XV was masterful in their last game of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival against a good Worcester Gimnasium team, powering their way to a 57-8 victory.
Coaches, captains share Kearsney Easter Festival day 3 thoughts
Great battles await on the rugby fields on Saturday. However, based on early season form, Northwood is likely to hold a clear edge in the hockey fixtures.
Matches are played on the field, however, not on the Internet, and sport is unpredictable, so there is plenty to look forward to this coming weekend at Glenwood.
RESULTS
Hockey
1st XI
Founders Festival
Northwood 2-1 Queen’s High
Northwood 2-0 Somerset College
Northwood 3-0 Saint David’s Marist Inanda
Northwood 9-0 Dale College
Northwood 0-2 Paul Roos
KES Easter Festival
Northwood 6-0 Trinity
Northwood 2-0 Eldoraigne
Northwood 0-0 KES
Northwood 3-0 Saint John’s
Northwood 2-0 Grey College
Under-16
Founders Festival
Northwood 5-0 Queen’s
Northwood 1-4 SACS
Northwood 2-0 Parktown
Northwood 8-1 Rondebosch
Northwood 1-4 Paul Roos
Under-14
Founders Festival
Northwood 10-0 Dale
Northwood 2-3 Paul Roos
Northwood 3-0 Affies
Northwood 4-3 Rondebosch
Northwood 1-0 SACS
Rugby
1st XV
KES Easter Festival
Northwood 30-15 Ben Vorster
Northwood 31-13 Hudson Park
Northwood 7-29 Paarl Boys’ High
Under-16
Tony de Munnik Festival
Northwood 36-0 Randburg
Northwood 7-37 Helpmekaar
Northwood 49-0 Parktown
Under-15
Glenwood Festival
Northwood 35-5 Montana
Northwood 50-3 Marais Viljoen
Northwood 26-12 Wesvalia
Under-14
Glenwood Festival
Northwood 27-0 Wesvalia
Northwood 50-Rustenburg
Northwood 54-0 Marais Viljoen
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