Durbies looking to show their worth against SACS this time around
The rugby season resumes in Cape Town after the school holiday break during which some of the best players from the Western Province competed at the Craven Week, where WP went unbeaten after a triumphant final match against the Blue Bulls (29-5) in George.
Now everyone is back in their school colours and ready to pick up the season where it left off.
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Two old rivals face each other when Hoërskool Durbanville and SACS meet at 12:20 on Saturday.
In 2017 SACS demolished the Durbies 100-0, running 16 unanswered tries by them. Jordy Hop who now plays wing for the Netherlands was part of that SACS team.
Hop sent an application video to SACS from the Netherlands, wishing to play rugby in South Africa and went on to play a vital part in the team that also beat Paarl Gimnasium (22-19), Boland Landbou (22-18), St Andrew’s College (24-15) and Michaelhouse (28-0) that year.
Durbanville beat SACS 33-24 in 2019, but lost again last year, 13-6.
This might prove to be their year again, as they have been enjoying some incredible form this season, scoring more than 50 points against five of their opponents already this season, and managing a famous 26-25 victory against Paarl Boys’ High early in the season.
Their electric centre, James Nero, has recently been selected as part of the SA U18 Sevens squad that will be competing at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago in August.
He is one of the backline players who can cause a lot of trouble for SACS if they allow the Durbies to control the speed of the game, along with the likes of Valrhino Olckers at fullback and their flyhalf, Monray Daars.
SACS’ standout player has been their captain, Ali Osman-Bosch (prop), but he is unavailable for this game due to injury. Tumelo Noah takes his place in the squad and centre, Daniel Dayaram, assumes the captain’s role.
His front-row partner, Ikhona Maxegwana (prop) represented their school at the Craven Week in George as part of the Western Province XV. Though they have had a difficult season, they have shown glimpses of their potential throughout and will know they have a proud record to defend.
Diocesan College, who have been the top dogs in the Southern Suburbs this season, begin their term with a game on Friday against Haileybury from the United Kingdom, and their second stringers play Rugby School on Saturday, a British independent school that has been around for 456 years.
The teams:
Hoërskool Durbanville vs SACS at 12:20:
Hoërskool Durbanville: 15 Valrhino Olckers, 14 Lian Jordaan, 13 James Nero, 12 Shadwill Engelbrecht, 11 Cayden Louw, 10 Shaun Klein, 9 Ruvan van der Westhuizen, 8 Evert Bouwer, 7 Liam Baird, 6 Divan Gravett, 5 Jacobus Botha, 4 Rikus Saaiman, 3 Anru van Rhyn, 2 Devon Strydom, 1 Wian Koen.
SACS: 15 Aya Machuli, 14 Jack Benade, 13 Daniel Dayaram, 12 Raashied Conrad, 11 Iltha Ntinini, 10 Rayaan Solomons, 9 Sean Grant, 8 Niche Koopman, 7 Ben van Coller, 6 Richard Skeeles, 5 Khwezi Ndlovu, 4 Zach Kennedy, 3 Ikhona Maxegwana, 2 Alex Pybius, 1 Tumelo Noah.
Stellenberg vs Rondebosch at 12:55:
Stellenberg: 15 Dehan Neethling, 14 Liam Smith, 13 Estian Steyn, 12 Tyron Labuschagne, 11 Ruben Thompson, 10 Stefan Roux, 9 Clyde Frieslaar, 8 Dale du Toit, 7 Marco Ferreira, 6 Alex Schoeman, 5 Corne Bruwer, 4 Zian Erasmus, 3 Ryk Groenewald, 2 Almero Keizer, 1 Niel de Beer.
Rondebosch: 15 Dylan Miller, 14 Juma Amissi, 13 Nicolas Molyneux, 12 Matthew Malherbe, 11 Ethan Gordon, 10 David Simon, 9 Cameron Whitson, 8 Ryan du Rand, 7 Collin Paul Kemp, 6 Alutha Wesi, 5 Tom Barnard, 4 Carl Geddie, 3 Zev Schapiro, 2 Justin Amos, 1 Nic Swier.
Wynberg Boys’ High vs Melkbosstrand at 12:30:
Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Matthew Ould, 14 Matteo Pascoe, 13 Brandon Ashburner, 12 Xolela Hoyi, 11 Levi Brown, 10 Keenan Pretorius, 9 Sange Mbuto, 8 Torren February, 7 Euwyn Liberty, 6 Jarryd Jackson, 5 Michail Kasfikis, 4 Monty Loggenberg, 3 Leo Addinall, 1 Nicholas van Schalkwyk, 1 Aidan Reid.
Melkbosstrand: 15 Cyle Theys, 14 Warrick Kotze, 13 Nathan Julies, 12 Ashton Januarie, 11 Zion September, 10 Matayo Lambert, 9 Joshua Levi, 8 Jayden Pietersen, 7 Mossie Stadler, 6 Mikal Lessing, 5 Timothy Joos, 4 Adriaan le Roux, 3 Christopher Palmer, 2 Caleb Jacobs, 1 Ryan Ockerse.
Milnerton vs Strand at 12:15:
Milnerton: 15 Keegan Wood, 14 Carl Moatshe, 13 Morgan Lodewyk, 12 Frank Hitimama, 11 Qhamani Mangele, 10 Seth Kleynhans, 9 Devon Damons, 8 Liberty Myashanu, 7 Cole Wegewarth, 6 Ethan Wilson, 5 Matthew Gabriel, 4 Keenan Tongi, 3 Khanyisa Tafeni, 2 Keagan Harding, 1 Liam Ross.
Strand: 15 Jodeci Davids, 14 Paul Schutte, 13 Jayden Cookson, 12 Grezano Plaatjies, 11 Heinrich April, 10 Tyron Nicholas, 9 Leighton Fisher, 8 Ayden Afrika, 7 Michael Meyer, 6 Hanro Bezuidenhout, 5 PJ van der Schyff, 4 Ludeke van Tonder, 3 Wikus Meyer, 2 Roeben Robinson, 1 Zane Fortuin.
Other fixtures:
Friday: 15:00 – Diocesan College vs Haileybury (UK).
Saturday: 11:00 – Diocesan College II vs Rugby School (UK); 11:55 – Tygerberg vs Hoërskool Bellville; 12:10 – Brackenfell vs Hermanus; 12:30 – DF Malan vs Jan van Riebeeck.
