Northwood tackles DHS under Friday night lights
Friday evenings are usually the domain of Hyundai Friday Nite Lights hockey matches, but on Friday the Northwood and Durban High School (DHS) 1st XVs will clash under lights on Reece-Edwards Field. Kick-off is at 18:30.
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While DHS has enjoyed the advantage in recent meetings, their showdowns with the Knights have been among their most physical and challenging outings.
They met earlier in the season, in late April, on Van Heerden’s Field, and it took a gritty come-from-behind performance for School to score a narrow 22-19 victory over the visitors. Northwood led 12-0 at halftime.
They’ve made it tough on DHS in recent seasons by taking the contest down into the gutter – mauling, hitting the ball up on the fringes, contesting every ball – and that has restricted the Horseflies‘ opportunities.
On Saturday, in Johannesburg, DHS ran in four tries in an impressive 24-10 victory over Jeppe, with three of those four coming from long range, and because Daniel Ikotela and his side moved the ball quickly wide. That’s where the Knights enjoyed success against DHS in their meeting in May, so there could be an interesting mirror image approach to attacking from both outfits on Friday evening.
It all starts up front, however, as any South African rugby fan will tell you, and both sides have rugged, powerful packs. Both went down to Paarl Gim at the Absa Wildeklawer Festival in Kimberley, but both had the Gim pack in reverse on a number of occasions at scrum time. Both packs add up to more than the sum of their parts with their cohesive contestation of the ball.
Last weekend, though, Northwood struggled at lineout time during their patchy 19-11 win over Glenwood. Usually, lineouts are one of the Knights’ strengths, both on their own ball and on the opposition’s throw-in – coach Jacques Deen is an outstanding mentor at the set piece – but did the match reveal something that DHS might target on Friday evening?
When one thinks of game breakers, it’s the midfield of both teams that catches the eye, except, though, that DHS will be without their powerful inside centre, Zingce Simka, a huge try-scoring threat, especially from close range. He’s out of the contest, with Peleneo Shakwane tasked with filling Simka’s big boots.
Outside of him, SA Schools’ centre Nathan Aneke is a thrill waiting to happen with his electric pace and eye for a gap. He’s silky skilled.
On the Northwood side, Bongane Khumalo is usually at the heart of the Northwood’s attacking forays. He’s fast footed, with a sharp sidestep, and also is adept at creating overlaps. Besides him, Tristan Parkinson is more physical and an effective foil to Khumalo’s playmaking.
If it’s playmaking one’s discussing, then Northwood and Sharks’ 8th-man, Jamie Wimble, is a player that has to be part of the conversation. A top all-rounder on the cricket field, he brings those ball skills to his game. He’s a physical defender and a dangerous runner, often breaking the gain-line by running well considered lines.
On the DHS side of things, their captain Daniel Ikotela is an all-out lead-by-example type – not the biggest flank, but a powerful ball carrier and a hard-hitting defender.
One player missing from Northwood’s win over Glenwood was SA Schools A loose forward/lock Lian Terblanche. His return to the Knights’ ranks is a big boost for the home team, and his addition could be what they need to solve their lineout issues.
Friday’s teams are, in many ways, similar. They’ve had some tremendous battles in recent seasons, and, for that reason, a deep respect resides in the players for one another. At the same time, that makes them all the more determined to take the win.
The last time DHS visited Northwood, in 2024, the Knights frustrated the Horseflies and held them to a 7-7 draw. Later in the season, DHS scored a hard-fought 18-11 win.
The last time they met under lights at Northwood was in July 2023, when DHS won 27-5. It’s been nothing but tough sledding for School against the Knights since, and Northwood would like nothing more than to get one over DHS in front of their home supporters.
Teams:
Northwood vs DHS at Reece Edwards Field, Durban, at 18:30 on Friday evening
Northwood
15 Trevor von Volenstee, 14 Anesu Kuzonyei, 13 Bongane Khumalo, 12 Tristan Parkinson, 11 Aphiwe Maphisa, 10 Savio Stevens, 9 Jed Mun-Gavin, 8 Jamie Wimble, 7 Ayavuya Makula, 6 Omari Mabuza, 5 Chad Howe, 4 Lian Terblanche, 3 Janco Visagie, 2 7 Chulumanco Kholisa, 1 Sphe Ntshangase.
DHS
15 Cilermo Carolus, 14 Amo Mataboge, 13 Nathan Aneke, 12 Peleneo Shakwane, 11 Zenkosi Mthiyane, 10 Jordan van Wyk, 9 Marcwin Nero, 8 Bradley la Grange, 7 Jose Lottering, 6 Daniel Ikotela, 5 Zion Smith, 4 Vimbiso Kasvosve, 3 Omphiwe Kola, 2 Okhule Mbanjwa, 1 Elvino Witbooi.
