DHS holds off Jeppe in bruising battle
The 2024 Durban High School (DHS) 1st XV cemented an outstanding legacy with a 24-20 victory over Jeppe High School for Boys on Saturday.
With the win, the grade 12 learners in the side, the core of the team, finished undefeated on Van Heerden Field throughout their time at School.
The season finale brought together two formidable teams, with the visitors having won their last eight matches in succession. They hadn’t lost since April.
While DHS had a more recent loss on their record, it was one of only two all season long.
In a good omen for the Horseflies, their 2nd XV won 34-10 to complete an unbeaten season for a first time since 1939. In fact, in a notable achievement, DHS won all of the A team matches.
Jeppe, however, had shown the difference between their 1st XV and 2nd XV when they visited Northwood on 11 May. The Durban school won the 2nd team match, but the Jeppe 1st team powered their way to a 40-8 victory over the Knights.
Given Northwood’s superb season, which included a 7-7 draw with DHS and a tough 11-18 loss to the Horseflies in a recent rematch, that Jeppe win was arguably their most impressive of the season besides their 22-19 defeat of Grey College.
The stakes were high on Saturday and that fact was reflected in a Test match-like atmosphere. The free-scoring visitors faced one of the toughest defences at the top tier of schools’ rugby this season. They managed to put 20 points on DHS, which was the most that School had conceded all season long, but it wasn’t quite enough as the hosts overcame a 3-8 halftime deficit to record a four-point win.
In the early going, it was Jeppe who made it onto the scoreboard first, courtesy of a Matthew Coetzee penalty from just outside of the 22m line, 15 metres in from the left-hand touchline.
DHS had an opportunity to equalise after a sharp counterattack, which earned them a penalty, but Aka Boqwana curled his kick at goal wide of the left upright. Then, the Blue Typhoon forced their way over the Jeppe try line from a lineout. The Joburg boys held the ball up, however, preventing it from being grounded.
DHS turned to Allston Cedras to have a crack at goal from about 30 metres out in the 21st minute, but he, too, was wide left with his kick.
Soon, School surged back onto the attack, setting up another lineout deep inside the Jeppe 22. A stubborn defence kept DHS out as they carried the ball through a number of phases, but the Zebras had strayed offsides and Boqwana opened the home side’s scoring with a simple kick from 10 metres out, directly in front of the poles. Twenty-five minutes had elapsed.
Three minutes later, from a scrum on their own 10-metre line, Jeppe launched an attack, with 8th-man Risima Khosa picking up at the back of the pack and charging down the field at pace. He was brought down five metres inside the DHS half, but popped up a pass for scrumhalf Talent Sithole, who quickly let the ball through his hands to Owaka Manaka.
The flank was immediately met by a tackle, but just as quickly he fed the ball back inside to Sithole. The no. 9 raced into the 22, drew the last man, Boqwana, and released right-wing Nkambule Lindelani, who rounded off with a spectacular swallow dive into the right-hand corner.
Down by five at the break, DHS dialled up the heat and took advantage of an overthrown ball at a Jeppe lineout early in the second half. Lock Vimbiso Kasvosve carried into the visitors’ 22, then found Daniel Ikotela to his right. The flank was brought down just shy of the try line. Jeppe, then, halted two dives at the in-goal area, but they couldn’t contain big Teddy Dlamini, with the tighthead crashing over as two defenders tried in vain to hold him up.
Boqwana’s aim on the conversion was straight and true and DHS led for a first time after 38 minutes.
Duncan Basson and his team had the bit between their teeth, and they were soon back on the attack after disrupting a Jeppe ruck and kicking the ball through as it rolled free. Left-wing Leruo Dithagiso covered, but he was swamped by three DHS players and that led to him holding onto the ball on the ground. The hosts kicked the resulting penalty into the right-hand corner.
This time, there was no stopping the rolling maul, and DHS was over for a second try, scored by Ikotela. Boqwana’s conversion was straight down the middle and suddenly the gap was nine points, with Peter Engeldow‘s charges leading 17-8.
Quality outfit that they are, Jeppe powered onto the attack immediately from the restart, carrying the ball through a number of phases as they chipped away at the Horseflies’ defences.
When Jeppe won a penalty in a central position, five metres from the DHS try line, they executed a training ground move with precision, moving the ball to the right before quickly reversing direction and opening up space out wide on the left. A long pass from flyhalf Coetzee put fullback Sanele Simelane into a gap and he dived over in Duncan Basson’s tackle to add five to the Kensington side’s total.
Just before the hour-mark, strong defence from DHS and a rip and steal from Teddy Dlamini had the home team knocking on the Jeppe try line again. His front row partner and DHS Head Boy Unaya Mndau gathered the ball from a ruck and charged forward. Zingce Simka, the Blue Typhoon’s powerful centre, then cut inside, beating a few men, before being brought down.
After one more charge at the line, towards the uprights, the ball was shipped back to the left and Simka barrelled over for another DHS try despite the attention of two Jeppe defenders. Boqwana’s conversion was good, and the home side led by 11.
Coach Drickus Venter‘s charges pursued a quick response and forced their way into the DHS 22. From a scrum, Khosa went blind and was stopped just shy of the whitewash.
After a further three charges at the line, scrumhalf Sithole spotted some space, picked up the ball and in a flash deposited it over the try line. Coetzee added the extras and there were only four points in it with just under three minutes to play.
With time up on the clock, Jeppe had possession and a lineout just outside their 22. When they attempted a short and low throw to the front, DHS contested it and claimed possession. The ball was passed back to Cedras and he knocked it into touch.
The DHS boys raised their arms in triumph and the final whistle sounded. Many of the Jeppe boys stood with hands on hips, exhausted and deflated. The home side’s frenzied second half fightback had taken its toll. Jeppe had given a good account of themselves, but on DHS’s home ground fortress it wasn’t quite enough.
Scores
DHS 24 (3) – Tries: Bongani “Teddy” Dlamini, Daniel Ikotela, Zingce Simka. Conversions: Aka Boqwana (3). Penalty: Aka Boqwana. Jeppe 20 (8) – Tries: Nkambule Lindelani, Sanele Simelane, Talent Sithole. Conversion: Matthew Coetzee. Penalty: Matthew Coetzee.
Results
u19 – DHS I 24 Jeppe I 20; DHS II 34 Jeppe II 10; DHS III 41 Jeppe III 7
u16 – DHS A 33 Jeppe A 14; DHS B 17 Jeppe B 24
u15 – DHS A 19 Jeppe A 3; DHS B 3 Jeppe B 3
u14 – DHS A 42 Jeppe A 0; DHS B 26 Jeppe B 0
