An intriguing smorgasbord of clashes set for KZN’s weekend in rugby
Saturday is a big day for Maritzburg College. It’s Reunion Weekend and a celebration of College’s 161st birthday. It’s also an opportunity for the College 1st XV to right the ship on Goldstone’s.
The Red, Black and White is coming off two big losses at the Absa Wildeklawer in Kimberley, where they faced as tough a schedule as possible, taking on Grey College and number-one-ranked Paul Roos Gimnasium. It didn’t go well.
However, there is surely no better motivation to reverse those setbacks than running out on Goldstone’s in front of thousands of the College faithful for an FNB Classic Clash against Michaelhouse.
Catch all the action live on DStv Channel 216 from 15:55.
The biggest selection call Maritzburg College has made for Saturday’s game is to play Jordan Thackeray at flyhalf. He started their season-opener against Kearsney, which College lost by two points. The difference between a team playing its first game and another playing its third was evident in that contest.
Thackeray will play opposite Luke Davidson, who was outstanding for Michaelhouse in their 24-23 victory at Hilton College last Saturday. Davidson is a complete no. 10. His tactical kicking is astute and his goal kicking is also solid. He made all of his conversion kicks at Hilton, which was pivotal to ‘House’s one-point victory.
Add into that, a drop goal and Rourke O’Sullivan‘s try, which was set up by a dummy and a surgical break, followed by a beautifully floated pass from Davidson, which opened up the outside centre’s path to the try line.
The match will feature two of the most exciting looseheads in the game, Maritzburg College captain Rambo Kubheka and Michaelhouse’s Aphiwe Shelembe. Both are solid scrummagers, but it’s their impact around the field that has garnered them fans. Kubheka took it all the way to South African Schools’ representation last year, while the younger Shelembe ran out for the Sharks at the Academy Week. He was a key ball carrier in Michaelhouse’s outstanding 2023 side.
College, of course, boasts the dangerous Luyanda Kunene at fullback. If given space, he is a potential game-breaker. What has maybe not been given enough attention is the form of Michaelhouse’s fullback Stefan Moolman, who has developed the very useful habit of getting onto the score sheet with regular visits across the opposition’s try line. His timing and instincts about when to join the backline are good.
Two questions need to be asked ahead of Saturday’s showdown. Will Michaelhouse be able to lift themselves again after their big clash against Hilton? And will Goldstone’s and their Old Boys’ Weekend enable Maritzburg College to overcome any hangover from their Absa Wildeklawer setbacks?
While College hosts its Old Boys’ Weekend, so, too, does Clifton College, who face St Charles for a second time this season. On 20 April, Saints were clear-cut winners on their Old Boys’ Weekend, racing to a 50-15 victory. Clifton will hope to draw similar inspiration from their Old Boys when the teams run out at the Riverside Sports Club.
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It has been a challenging season for Clifton, in the school’s Centenary, and they’ve struggled to settle on their best lineup in the backline. That means a few tweaks again ahead of Saturday’s big game.
Athabe Mathabela cracks the nod at fullback, with Adam Selikow moving to the bench, while Enzo Marcon takes over on the right wing from Lwandile Myeni. There’s also a change in the front row, where Bandile Nhlabathi starts at tighthead.
Clifton has a lot to overcome if they are to reverse their 35-point defeat, but one of the wonderful things about rugby is that such turnarounds are not as rare as one might think they would be.
Saints, with Craig Dwyer directing their rugby programme, plays an exciting game, and they’re dangerous with the ball in hand. That is, arguably, where the difference between the teams has been most noticeable this season. The St Charles’ backline is set and, thus, a confident unit.
They possess some exciting playmakers in key positions. If Clifton is not accurate in their kicking or sound in their tackling, it could be a long day for the home team. Fullback Salmaan Mohammed is a thrilling counterattacking force, able to spark the Saints’ attack with his quick feet and skilful hands.
Clifton will, no doubt, also be wary of Saints’ big lock Raphael Ajibade. He’s a powerful and extremely athletic runner and, when the teams met in Pietermaritzburg, he crossed for three tries, including a magnificent 95-metre effort.
St Charles will deservedly be favoured to win Saturday’s game, but the home ground advantage and the stature of the occasion, Clifton’s Centenary celebrations, could have a massive impact on the performance of the home team.
After a promising start to the season, matters have gone a little pear-shaped for Kearsney College. They won three in a row to kickstart their season in exciting fashion. Since then, though, they’ve lost seven in a row. Their last victory was a famous 16-14 defeat of Maritzburg College on 9 March.
It’s not as if Kearsney has been outclassed, but they haven’t come particularly close to victory either. Last weekend, there were only 10 points in it at the end, with Northwood winning 34-24 on Stott Field, but the Knights had taken charge of the contest in the first half. They led by 19 points at the break.
Facing their local rivals, Westville Boys’ High on Saturday, Kearsney will need a strong start. That’s exactly what the Griffin produced in their two matches at the Standard Bank Grey Rugby Festival and, from there, they delivered attractive, winning rugby.
They outplayed Hoërskool Durbanville 41-17 in their opener and then ran roughshod over Dale College, sprinting to a 52-12 victory.
What would have excited the Westville coaching staff were the performances of their fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya. He was sidelined by an injury early in the season but was a dynamic presence in Westville’s wins in Gqeberha. He must be firmly in the running for a place in the Sharks Craven Week team.
His opposite number, Cameron Veenstra has played in a number of backline positions this season. However, fullback, where he now finds himself, feels like his best position. It opens up opportunities for him to attack, and he is not short of gas, and it also gives the One-Stripe a sure tackler in the last line of defence.
Veenstra has kicked well at goal for Kearsney, but Westville also has a very good marksman in Unathi Mlotshwa. He, however, won’t be in the run-on team on Saturday. He’s out through injury, as is the Griffin’s big lock, Rhys Mitchell. Jade-Will Koopman will wear the no. 10 jersey.
Rugby is all about having ball possession and making good use of it. Turning over possession is hugely valuable and when it comes to that, look no further than Westville captain Chris Cloete as a difference-maker. He’s excellent over the ball. In Gqeberha, he was rewarded for his industry with a hattrick of tries against Dale.
One more game worth mentioning takes place at Northwood, where the Knights face Jeppe High School for Boys. It should be a cracker.
TEAMS
Maritzburg College vs Michaelhouse at 15:55
Maritzburg College: 15 Luyanda Kunene, 14 Reinhardt Jacobsz, 13 Swelithle Mbatha, 12 Nkululeko Sithole, 11 Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, 10 Jordan Thackeray, 9 Rayke Maartens, 8 Imivuyo Kemke, 7 Wasi Vyambwera 6 Struan Oosthuizen 5 Jake Jansen, 4 Naz Isaacs, 3 Aiden Botha, 2 Siya Nyathi, 1 Phiwayinkosi Kubheka
Michaelhouse: 15 Stefan Moolman, 14 Aya Mkokheli, 13 Rourke O’Sullivan, 12 Tom Baguley, 11 William Ridl, 10 Luke Davidson, 9 Jack Hughes, 8 Caryle Hawkins (c), 7 Alexander Ardé, 6 Riley Gehren, 5 Robert Combrinck, 4 Dominic Sesink Clee 3 Ayandiswa Buthelezi, 2 Oliver Davis, 1 Aphiwe Shelembe
Clifton College vs St Charles College at 15:00
Clifton College: 15 Athabe Mathabela, 14 Enzo Marcon, 13 Handré de Bruin, 12 Devan Schwartz, 11 Wandile Ngubane, 10 Nkanyiso Ntshangase (vc), 9 Kyle Akal, 8 Bryce Beeslaar, 7 Matt Hammond, 6 Jamie Brown (vc), 5 Lukhanyiso Nala, 4 Lwazi Madikizela, 3 Bandile Nhlabathi, 2 Richard Castle, 1 Simphiwe Ngcobo (c)
St Charles College: 15 Salmaan Mohammed, 14 Likhuti Mbalana, 13 Athenkosi Qumo, 12 Okuhle Peti, 11 Matthew Ludick, 10 Ukhanyo Ntsangani, 9 Matthew Fick, 8 Stefan Veldsman, 7 Marlon Mbewe, 6 Lazola Makaula, 5 Sam Odell, 4 Raphael Ajibade, 3 Christian Allardice, 2 Dean Chiwese, 1 Lutho Mrwata
Kearsney College vs Westville Boys’ High at 14:45
Kearsney College – unavailable
Westville Boys’ High: 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Jadrian Afrikaner, 13 Michael Satade, 12 Blake Allbon, 11 Evan Moolman, 10 Jade-Will Koopman, 9 Ryan Pistor, 8 David Humphreys, 7 Brandon Eke, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Wandile Simelane, 4 Oliver Gcina, 3 Bandile Mncwango, 2 Jeshua Ferreira, 1 Akhona Maseko
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