Westville puts unbeaten record on the line against Kearsney
Westville Boys’ High vs Kearsney College
Unbeaten Westville Boys’ High welcomes their neighbours, Kearsney College, to Bowden’s Field for a King Price Derby Series showdown on their Reunion Weekend.
On paper, the Griffin have already dealt with their toughest KZN challengers – beating Durban High School (DHS) 33-28, Hilton College 23-15, and Northwood 16-14 – but they’ll be eager to avoid a slip-up on Saturday and will want to extend their excellent unbeaten season, which has delivered 11 wins thus far.
They will, obviously, be favoured against Kearsney, but, in the One-Stripe, they face a game opponent. Their record sits at six wins and five defeats. It’s been a little tarnished by a run of three losses in succession – to Michaelhouse, DHS, and Maritzburg College – but the evolution of the Kearsney side during the season is undeniable.
They’re playing some attractive rugby and have usually been good for at least a couple of eye-pleasing tries in every outing. Their record includes a win over Glenwood, who gave Westville a tough game last Saturday, leading 25-21 early in the second half before going down 25-42.
Kearsney’s centre pair of Keanu Williamson and Doan Nel often catches the eye. Williamson, especially, seems to always be around the ball. He’s an industrious livewire and that was recognised with his inclusion in the Sharks Academy Week team.
One of Williamson’s Academy Week teammates, Lux Sonkonokono, has played some outstanding rugby at fullback for Westville, filling in for SA Schools number 15, Zekhethelo Siyaya, who left the field during Westville’s epic 33-28 win over DHS. The Griffin, though, will have the dangerous Siyaya back for the big game in front of their old boys. That’s a huge boost for the side.
With Siyaya sidelined, Jade-Will Koopman has done a terrific job leading the playmaking from flyhalf. He’s oozing confidence and his accurate place kicking has punished opposition indiscretions time after time.
As is often reiterated, especially in South Africa, it all starts up front, and Kearsney will be hard pressed to contain the Westville pack. They’ve shown against Hilton, Northwood, and DHS – three tough units – that they’re up to any task and will fight fire with fire.
One of Westville’s strengths, also, is how mobile their forwards are, with their locks also outstanding in the loose, and their front row strong contributors around the park.
Kearsney, though, has a never-say-die attitude, is willing to let the ball do the work, and would love nothing more than spoiling their neighbours’ Reunion Weekend.
St Charles College vs Clifton College
St Charles College faces Clifton College for a second time this season. They previously scored a 47-14 win over the Durban side at the Sharks Schools’ Rugby Day, at Hilton College.
On Saturday, they’ll have the advantage of playing on their home ground, Old Orchards.
Based on their results, it hasn’t been a fantastic season for Saints. It has been solid. But there’s more to the game than results and, with 90 percent of their team set to return next season, the vibe around St Charles’ rugby is optimistic.
They play a terrific offloading game, with more than a touch of the New Zealand approach about it, which should come as no surprise given coach Craig Dwyer‘s decade of experience coaching the game in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
If Clifton doesn’t shut down space quickly, or doesn’t produce effective tactical kicking, they’ll be in for a long day; Saints are exciting on the counterattack and full of running.
They also have, in scrumhalf Thando Nyawo, an exciting play coordinator who will exploit any gaps around the fringes, either with his swift ball distribution or his feet.
Although they were well beaten when the sides met at Hilton, Clifton, for the second part of the first half of that match, played some of their best rugby of the season. They had quickly gone 0-19 down, but they dominated the remainder of the first half, crossing for two converted tries to turn at only five points down. The halftime break broke their momentum.
With two Springboks coaching the team – Heinke van der Merwe and Waylon Murray – they have made progress. Thus far, though, it hasn’t been nearly enough to catch up to their opponents as they, too, improve. Still, there is more to come from Clifton. They won’t be favoured on Saturday, but they will feel rewarded if they deliver a proud performance.
TEAMS
Westville Boys’ High vs Kearsney College, Bowden’s Field, 14:00
Westville Boys’ High: 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Ntobeko Sitholo, 13 Jadrian Afrikaner, 12 Sean McGough, 11 Avumile Lisa, 10 Jade-Will Koopman, 9 Liam Simpkins, 8 Sange Nkonki, 7 Lwandile Makhanya, 6 Brandon Eke, 5 Lwandile Mlaba, 4 Moustapher Gcina, 3 Bandile Mncwango, 2 Ross Calvert, 1 Sibusiso Hlongwana.
Kearsney College: 15 Lwazi Mbebe, 14 Valentino Lenge, 13 Doan Nel, 12 Keanu Williamson, 11 Bukho Hlwatika, 10 Jayden Jonsson, 9 Fynn Verbaan, 8 Nhlanhla Ndlovu, 7 Oliver Ludwig, 6 Simanye Mlakalaka, 5 Thomas Francke, 4 Joseph Roylance, 3 Azania Thela, 2 Micah van Wyk, 1 Luke Fauré.
St Charles College vs Clifton College, Old Orchards, 14:30
St Charles College: 15 Phiwe-Junior Dlamini, 14 Likuthi Mbalana, 13 Carl Chekera, 12 Athenkposo Qumo, 11 Mathew Ludick, 10 André Bosman, 9 Thando Nyawo, 8 Raphael Ajibade, 7 Eben Crafford, 6 Joshua Milne, 5 Joshua Harris, 4 Matthew Naude, 3 Silindokuhle Nciza, 2 Dresden Coetzee, 1 Braydon Joese.
Clifton College: TBA
