7 April 2024
After an unexpected loss to Glenwood on Dixon’s Field in 2023, Maritzburg College ground their way to an 18-7 victory over the Green Machine on the same tough turf in Durban on Saturday in a Sportsmans Warehouse Premier Interschools clash.
It was a grey day, with rain falling throughout the contest, which made handling challenging, although both teams showed a willingness to put the ball through the hands.
In those conditions, however, the packs would have a greater say in the result, and it was College’s forwards who powered them into an early lead.
With a well-executed lineout inside the Glenwood 22, the Red, Black and White formed a rolling maul and set Glenwood on their heels, driving their way up to the try line, where the home side was finally able to halt their progress. College, though, were not to be denied and a few phases later scrumhalf Rayke Maartens darted over to open the scoring.
His halfback partner, James Slevin, took care of the conversion kick and College were seven points to the good.
When a clearance kick from just outside the Glenwood 22 went directly into touch, Phiwayinkosi Kubheka and his troops again turned to the maul to attack the home side.
The Green Machine has had its share of challenges in 2024, but defence has not been one of them. They’ve been solid, but the College onslaught drew Glenwood’s pack in to defend the drive. Then, College hit it up around the edges before releasing the ball to flyhalf Slevin, who picked out Langelihle Makhathini with a wide pass, which gave the right wing the space to run in for a try in the corner.
Having conceded two tries, Glenwood responded well and worked their way into the game. Their pack begin dishing out punishment, too.
The breakthrough, though, came from their backs. It began when inside centre Sisiphiwo Dwayi sliced through the College defence before he sent right-wing Leo Weber sprinting for the try line. He flew over in the corner to the cheers of the home crowd.
The conversion was difficult, but Weber nailed it and Glenwood was only five points adrift of College at halftime, trailing 7-12.
In the challenging conditions, both teams struggled to build momentum in the second half, and they, too, were to blame with ill-discipline blighting their efforts.
College found themselves a man down when captain Kubheka was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle, but Glenwood failed to make their advantage count.
The visitors then stretched their lead with a 52nd minute penalty for Slevin, which made theirs’ a two-score advantage.
College’s forwards had the bit between their teeth and Glenwood, under severe pressure earned the ire of the referee, who pulled out the yellow card for Uzukhanye Xaba, after the home side had been warned for committing too many penalties.
Slevin turned that into another three points and Maritzburg College were 18-7 ahead, with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.
Neither team was able to conjure up any more points, however, and the clash ended in an 11-point victory for the visitors.
Lock Jake Jansen was named the Sportsmans Warehouse Man of the Match.
SCORE
Glenwood 7 (7) – Tries: Leo Weber. Conversion: Leo Weber
Maritzburg College 18 (12) – Tries: Rayke Maartens, Langelihle Makhathini. Conversion: James Slevin. Penalties: James Slevin (2)
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