A wet weekend for first KZN derbies
St Charles College vs Glenwood High School
Last season, the St Charles College 1st XV, coached by Glenwood old boy, Craig Dwyer, made history when they scored a 32-19 win over Glenwood High on Dixon’s Field. It was the first win over the Green Machine since 1942 for the Pietermaritzburg school.
Saints, in 2024, played a creative and entertaining style of rugby, with Matthew Fick, a two-time Sharks’ Craven Week scrumhalf, pulling the strings. He was far from the only playmaker in their line-up, though.
Some familiar players from that exciting side will be in action for St Charles on Saturday on Old Orchards, including backline players Rashied Isaacs, Athenkosi Oumo, and Matthew Ludick, while Raphael Ajibade, a regular try-scorer as a lock last season, moves to 8th-man, where his size and athleticism will stress opposing team’s defences.
Unfortunately for Saints, even though it is the start of the season, they’ve been hit hard by injuries and will have to make do without a number of their first-choice players.
Glenwood endured a challenging season in 2024, winning only three times. However, although some Glenwood supporters found it hard to stomach, there was a silver lining to their season: Glenwood’s side was very young, with only a smattering of grade 12 boys in their lineup.
Many teams have seen a rapid reversal of poor fortune when the previous year’s inexperienced team becomes the new season’s battle-hardened outfit. That’s what Glenwood will be hoping the 2025 season brings.
They have an established leader in coach Derek Heiberg, who has guided some strong teams in his time in charge since he took over in September 2018.
Crucially, they’ll have Lian Lochner back at scrumhalf to direct play. He’s a strong performer and a dangerous runner from the base of the scrum. He’ll test the Saints’ defence around the rucks and mauls.
Leo Khumalo, too, playing at fullback, will challenge Saints if their tactical kicking is a touch loose.
Up front, Glenwood will look to Tylo Madat for clean ball from the lineouts.
It should be a fascinating clash, with St Charles expected to experience a slight drop-off after a superb 2024 season and Glenwood expected to improve after a tough year.
Hilton College vs Westville Boys’ High
Inclement weather notwithstanding, Hilton College‘s clash with Westville Boys’ High on Gilfillan Field on Saturday is one of those fixtures that leaps off the page, especially when one sees the talent returning for both outfits.
The visitors boast SA Schools fullback and wing, Zekhethelo Siyaya. Even though he dealt with injuries for much of the 2024 season, he still made the national side, and he was a regular try-scorer, a highlight machine with his devastating counterattacking.
Hilton is always well-drilled by coach Brad Mcleod-Henderson, and they like to play a typical South African game, which includes astute tactical kicking. Their talented, highly regarded flyhalf Liyema Nela will need to be on his game because he and Hilton will be punished if their kicking is wayward.
With rain set to continue to fall all over KZN on Saturday, tactical kicking is going to play a big role in determining the outcome of matches.
Jadrian Afrikaner, who ran out on the wing for Westville and The Sharks in 2024, moves to outside centre. He’s a good finisher and his excellent understanding with Siyaya is another strength that the Griffin will work at featuring in their game.
Hilton counters with the speedy Khazimla Makali and Requilme Adonis on the wings. Both were regulars in the Hilton 1st XV last season. The home side also features Tristan Uys at inside centre. If he can bring the fire and strong decision-making that earned him South African Schools colours in water polo to the midfield, Hilton will be onto a good thing.
Liam Simpkins captains Westville from scrumhalf, where his duel with Zander Vorster, an experienced campaigner with an eye for the try line, should be one of the more interesting one-on-one battles.
Moustapher Gcina enjoyed a strong season in the second row for Westville in 2024, so he should be a key performer up front.
For Hilton, the flanks, Emmanuel Dankwah and Stewart Falconer return for another season of 1st XV rugby and will be influential.
Ross Calvert captains the visitors from hooker. He faces a nuggetty opponent in Josh Grant, who bagged plenty of tries last year off the back of the driving maul.
Director of Rugby and 1st XV coach, Brad Mcleod-Henderson, has now been at Hilton for a decade and has delivered consistently good results. He’s a proven winner with a proven recipe.
Facing him for the first time at 1st XV level will be Zander Erasmus. He’s been very successful coaching Westville’s u16A teams in the past two years, producing a team that was ranked in the top 10 nationally, and another that ranked in the top 20. He has also been part of the Sharks’ Craven Week coaching crew for the past couple of seasons.
He’ll already be familiar with many of the players who will turn out for Westville on Saturday, and that is a positive that will surely help the side work its way into the season.
Northwood School vs Michaelhouse
Northwood produced an outstanding season in 2024. Behind a rugged pack, they lost only once to KZN opposition, going down 11-18 to a powerhouse DHS team that contained nine Sharks players in their last outing after holding DHS to a 7-7 draw earlier in the season.
The Knights were an in-your-face team in all phases of the game, including, very successfully, on the opposition’ lineouts, which, undoubtedly, was where coach Jacques Deen put in plenty of work. He’ll be an assistant coach of the Sharks’ Craven Week team in 2025.
One of their key players will be Lian Terblanche, who packs down in the second row. He’s a powerful physical presence and highly rated, which earned him an invitation to SA Rugby’s Elite Player Development Camp late last year.
Behind the pack, Northwood also boasted an exciting backline in 2024 and some of those players are back, including vice-captain Bongane Khumalo and his fast feet. He’s able to impact games by beating players in one-on-ones or through his deft attacking of the opposition’s backline which creates dangerous passes after he has drawn in defenders.
Michaelhouse has the advantage of going into the game having played one match already. They hosted Helpmekaar Kollege in their season opener in Balgowan last weekend and, after a real arm wrestle, they went down 10-17 after leading 10-5 at the break.
‘House impressed with a robust defence, but, as is often the case in early games, their handling was not as sharp as it might have been.
William Ridl captains the side from centre, where his brother Campbell was a standout, and he forms a strong midfield pairing with Rourke O’Sullivan. Their battle with Bongane Khumalo and Tristan Parkinson will be something to keep an eye on.
Flyhalf Stefan Moolman, with his educated boot, should be an asset in the wet weather.
Michaelhouse boasts some serious beef in a strong pack with plenty of 1st XV experience. Dom Sesink-Clee does duty at number eight and is the vice-captain of the side. Unfortunately, coach James Fleming was forced into a late change on Friday, with flank Alex Arde being replaced by Dylan van Tonder. Nonetheless, Sesink-Clee, Van Tonder and Oliver Guy give ‘House a stout loose trio.
TEAMS
St Charles College vs Glenwood High School, Old Orchards at 15:00
Glenwood High School
15 Leo Khumalo, 14 Sthabiso Dube, 13 Ngubane, 12 Lizwe Mtetwa (c), 11 Mvelo Ndwalane, 10 Kopp, 9 Lian Lochner, 8 Mhlongo, 7 Ndamase, 6 Tyler Conyngham, 5 Tylo Madaat, 4 Hadebe, 3 Uzukhanye Xaba (vc), 2 Khumalo, 1 Cibane
St Charles College
15 Njabulo Nala, 14 Likuthi Mbalana, 13 Rashied Isaacs, 12 Athenkosi Qumo, 11 Matthew Ludick, 10 Phiwe-Junior Dlamini, 9 Thandokuhle Nyawo, 8 Raphael Ajibade, 7 Thomas Borgen, 6 Eben Crafford, 5 Joshua Harris, 4 Matthew Naude, 3 Silindokuhle Nciza, 2 Dresden Coetzee, 1 Braydon Joese.
Hilton College vs Westville Boys’ High, Gilfillan Field at 14:40
Westville Boys’ High School
15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Ntobeko Sithole, 13 Jadrian Afrikaner, 12 Sean McGough, 11 Avu Lisa, 10 Lux Sononkonkono, 9 Liam Simpkins (c), 8 Lwandile Simelane, 7 Lwandile Mlaba, 6 Brandon Eke, 5 Omphiwe Dladla, 4 Moustapher Gcina, 3 Bandile Mncwango, 2 Ross Clavert (vc), 1 Lebo Theko
Hilton College
15 James Peattie, 14 Khzimla Makali, 13 Guy Fender, 12 Tristan Uys, 11 Requilme Adonis, 10 Liyema Nela, 9 Zander Vorster, 8 Zander Muller, 7 Emmanuel Dankwah, 6 Stewart Falconer, 5 Andrew Schnell, 4 Andre Boshoff, 3 Simon Steyn, 2 Josh Grant, 1 Khanya Jekwa
Northwood School vs Michaelhouse, Reece-Edwards Field at 15:30
Michaelhouse
15 Alex Jankowitz, 14 Lwandle Nzama, 13 Rourke O’Sullivan, 12 William Ridl (c), 11 Laird Hamilton-Brown, 10 Stefan Moolman, 9 Dan Aissing, 8 Dom Sesink-Clee, 7 Dylan van Tonder, 6 Oliver Guy, 5 Dan Carr, 4 Thomas Peach, 3 Nicola Salamousas, 2 Max Oliva, 1 Koketso Bopape
Northwood School
15 Trevor van Vollenstee, 14 Aphiwe Buthelezi, 13 Bongane Khumalo (vc), 12 Tristan Parkinson, 11 Jayden Smith, 10 Ludi van der Walt, 9 Jed Mun-Gavin, 8 Mpendulo Hleleni, 7 Lusanda Mabizela, 6 Chad Howe, 5 Lian Terblanche, 3 Janco Visagie, 2 Ayavuyu Makula, 1 Sphephelo
