DHS to host Maritzburg College in tasty early season showdown
In 2024, Durban High School‘s (DHS) 1st XV was unbeaten in KwaZulu-Natal. DHS was also one of the best teams in the country, losing only two matches by a combined seven points.
It was a less successful season for Maritzburg College, who were somewhat inconsistent. They played some very good rugby, but also slipped to some defeats they would feel they shouldn’t have. One of those occurred when they hosted DHS on Goldstone’s on 20 April.
The Red, Black, and White produced a strong first half, building a deserved 18-6 lead at the break. In the second half, College dominated the early going, but School fought back and kept College from scoring any more points while scoring 15 of their own to claim a hard-fought, character-building 21-18 victory.
It was, for the DHS Director of Rugby and 1st XV coach, Peter Engeldow, a second win in as many visits to Goldstone’s, and that’s a rare feat. On Saturday, though, DHS will be defending their Van Heerden’s Field fortress in one of the first King Price Derby Series matches.
Catch the action LIVE on DStv Channel 216 or on SuperSport Schools
With heavy rain forecast for Durban, it could be a battle of attrition, fought mostly between the packs.
Both sets of forwards look vastly different from last year’s lineups but expect two abrasive outfits to go at it. Here’s a bit of trivia to consider when thinking about the packs: Between the two of them, they have produced four South African Schools’ front-rankers in the past two years – props Rambo Kubheka and Aiden Botha, of Maritzburg College, and prop Simphiwe Ngobese, and hooker Mahle Sithole, of DHS.
College has a new head coach, Nico Breedt, who takes over from Tim Orchard. A former provincial rugby player, with extensive coaching experience at school, club, and provincial level, Breedt also previously coached the Kearsney College 1st XV. He’ll have to get his charges ready for a physical battle.
Forwards’ coach Ronnie Uys has churned out one outstanding pack after another at DHS, and given the aforementioned weather conditions, just how the packs perform in the tight and the loose in the wet will take on even greater importance than usual.
It should be fascinating because both units bring a blue-collar approach to the game. They’re not afraid to get down and dirty.
Behind the packs, one name leaps off the team sheets: DHS inside centre Zingce Simka. He made the SA Schools A side in 2024 and will be representing the 1st XV for a third year. Simka is a load. He can just as easily run over a player as run around a defender, so his ability to get across the gain line could also come into play in a big way in the rain.
DHS goes into the game with the advantage of having played one match already. They were the winners by a handsome 63-8 margin in Bethlehem last weekend against Voortrekker.
Maritzburg College, meanwhile, has engaged in some pre-season sparring with Westville Boys’ High. They’ll need to adjust to full-on match action quickly.
TEAMS
Durban High School vs Maritzburg College, Van Heerden’s Field at 15:30
Maritzburg College
15 Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, 14 Ntsika Mkize, 13 Amahle Hadebe, 12 Owethu Kosani, 11 Adam Cahill, 10 Jordan Thackeray, 9 Rylan Armoed, 8 Wasi Vyambwera, 7 Rory Stanton, 6 David Colenbrander, 5 Connor Mountfort, 4 Willick de Klerk, 3 Alande Ngubane, 2 Theo Boshoff, 1 Indiphile Mlotshwa
Durban High School
15 Cilermo Carolus, 14 Amo Mataboge, 13 Zenkosi Mthiyane, 12 Zingce Simka, 11 Nathan Aneka, 10 Jordan van Wyk, 9 Marcwin Nero, 8 Inathinkosi Mkhencele, 7 Jose Lottering, 6 Daniel Ikotela, 5 Zion Smith, 4 Vimbiso Kasvosve, 3 Bobby Udo-Idung, 2 Okuhle Mbanjwa, 1 Elvino Witbooi
