Late surge sees DHS edge Jade Brigade
Durban High School (DHS) overturned a seven-point deficit in the dying moments to preserve their unbeaten record in 2025 in their opening fixture of the Absa Wildeklawer tournament in Kimberley, on Thursday.
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The Horseflies ran in two tries in quick succession to come back from 12–19 down and defeat the Jade Brigade, of Hoërskool Stellenberg, 26–19 in the third match of the tournament’s second day.
The decisive moment came when, after DHS had driven the ball up to the Stellenberg 22 through a number of phases, inside centre Zingce Simka burst through the defensive line to dive over for the match-winning score in the left-hand corner just before the final whistle.
However, it was tighthead prop Bobbie Udo-Iding who laid the foundation for the Durban side’s late surge. His powerful carries kept the Horseflies on the front foot and placed their Western Cape opponents under heavy pressure. Captain and openside flank Daniel Ikotela also impressed, delivering a tireless performance in broken play.
For Stellenberg, flyhalf Ethan van Biljon distinguished himself, once more. He dictated proceedings with composure and flair, keeping his side competitive against the physically dominant DHS outfit. Lock Juvan Burden, still only in Grade 11, raised his intensity and gave the Durban side plenty to think about with his physicality and work rate.
In the day’s most emphatic result, Boland Landbou delivered a scintillating attacking display, running in 10 tries en route to a 64–5 demolition of Hoërskool Framesby – the largest margin of victory at the tournament thus far.
The Agter-Paarl side showcased precision and pace in a performance marked by a hat-trick and three players with a pair of tries each.
It was no surprise that scrumhalf Jayden Brits led the charge. His crisp service to fly-half Pieter Bergh and the dynamic Ocks twins, Jadon and Jason, set the platform for free-flowing rugby. Jason, the more prominent of the pair, crossed the whitewash three times, including a breathtaking solo effort launched from near the Boland Landbou half.
Earlier in the day, Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen was made to work hard for their 20–10 win over the Donkies of HTS Drostdy.
Playing in chilly early morning conditions, the teams were evenly matched for much of the encounter. However, a moment of magic from left winger Otlatleng Zulu, who scored a superb solo try, proved decisive and shifted momentum in favour of Jansies.
Captain and hooker Marco Ventura, who was named the Man of the Match, was relentless up front. A constant threat at the breakdown, Ventura carried effectively throughout the clash, and helped his side gain the edge in a fiercely contested encounter.
SCORES
Durban High School 26 (12) – Tries: Zinkosi Mthiyane, Nathan Aneke, Zingce Simka, Jordan van Wyk. Conversions: Cilermo Carolus (3). Stellenberg 19 (12) – Tries Liam Joubert, Keagan Moses, Ralton Rhode. Conversions: Ethan van Biljon (2).
Boland Landbou 64 (38) – Tries: Jadon Ocks (3), Pieter Bergh (2), Jayden Brits (2), Danté Christians (2), Juan Visagie. Conversions: Brits (6), Bergh. Framesby 5 (5) – Try: Dewaldry Fortuin.
EG Jansen 20 (0) – Tries: Otlatleng Zulu, Marco Ventura, Nathan Delport. Conversion: Deshean Pietersen. Penalty: Pietersen. HTS Drostdy 10 (7) – Try: Jacques de Klerk. Conversion: Jano van Deventer. Penalty: Van Deventer.
