High-flying KES at in-form Westville on Saturday
Westville Boys’ High‘s Bowden’s Field hosts an intriguing clash on Saturday, with the Griffin facing King Edward VII. Both teams have been in entertaining and fine form in recent weeks.
Coach Njabulo “Jabz” Zulu‘s Westville side was one of the standout units at the Standard Bank Grey Rugby Festival, where they comfortably beat Hoërskool Durbanville 41-17 and Dale College 52-12.
Last weekend, away from home, they roared into a 31-point lead before allowing Kearsney College back into their game in the last five minutes. In the end, they won 34-22.
The Red Army, meanwhile, has been on a roll. They last lost on 30 March, when they went down to Paarl Boys’ High, but since then they’ve won six in a row, with their closest games having been a 24-14 win over Pretoria Boys High and a 38-28 victory over highly rated Jeppe High School for Boys.
Twice, they’ve won by more than 70 points. In their other wins, they beat St John’s College by 43 and Bishops by 37. They’re a team on song.
Last weekend, against St Benedict’s, KES was forced into a number of changes after a bug hit the side. Still, they won 75-3, and now their lineup to face Westville has been bolstered by returning players.
At the back, Indibabale Mboniswa wears the no. 15 jersey, while Junior Shiburi takes over on the right wing. Simphiwe Moyo and his big boot returns at flyhalf, while there’s a completely new front row, with the established partnership of Nathan van der Merwe, Esethu Mnebelele and Connor White handling duties up front.
A week off and time to recover from illness will surely have done the KES team a world of good. Westville, though, have had to deal with injury problems all season long.
With a rueful laugh, Westville coach Jabz Zulu said on Thursday: “It has been a juggling act, and it continues because, after the [Sharks] trials [on Wednesday], Lwandile Simelane, our lock, took a knock to the knee, and [8th-man] David Humphreys took a knock to the head, so he is going to have a concussion test. Then, we still have Seth Gwynn out, we still have Unathi Mlotshwa out, so it’s not ideal.”
Thankfully, for Westville, Zulu confirmed on Friday that Simelane and Humphreys would be fit to go.
They might miss Mlotshwa’s outstanding goal kicking but, in Jade-Will Koopman, they have an experienced option at flyhalf.
At the back, Zekhethelo Siyaya is a dangerous option for the Griffin. After sustaining a knee injury early in the season, he’s becoming ever more influential since his return to action. He has fantastic vision on the counterattack and is blessed with other skilful and pacy backline players around him to make things happen.
The battle of the front rows is going to be interesting. KES returns their rested players, but Westville has been strong up front all season. A decision to convert Jeshua Ferreira from prop to hooker appears to have been an astute move.
With both teams playing an enterprising brand of rugby, there are likely to be a fair number of tries scored.
After a week off, Glenwood returns to action with a game against Northwood on the Reece-Edwards Field.
It has been a challenging season for the Green Machine, who are a young outfit, but they’ve played with typical Glenwood grit, always a physical outfit on defence. They’ve struggled more on the offensive side of things and are still seeking more consistency and incisiveness on attack.
Northwood has enjoyed a strong season, but last weekend they lost their way in the second half against Jeppe and were well beaten at home. That would have hurt, and they’ll be eager to impose themselves on the visitors from the first whistle on Saturday.
Based on what we’ve seen from the Knights this season, that was an anomaly, and they will go into their game against Glenwood as firm favourites.
Clifton College welcomes St Alban’s College to the Riverside Sports Club for a 14:00 showdown of the 1st XVs. It’s an opportunity the KZN side will be eager to embrace. Based on the performances of both teams at the Saints Sports Festival earlier this season, it should be a good contest.
Westville Boys’ High vs King Edward VII (KES) on Bowden’s Field at 12:45
Westville Boys’ High – 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Evan Moolman, 13 Michael Satade, 12 Blake Allbon, 11 Jadrian Afrikaner, 10 Jade-Will Koopman, 9 Ryan Pistor, 8 David Humphreys, 7 Brandon Eke, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 Lwandile Simelane, 4 Moustapher Gcina, 3 Bandile Mncwango, 2 Jeshua Ferreira, 1 Akhona Maseko
KES – 15 Indibabale Mboniswa, 14 Junior Shiburi, 13 Olunje Meholmakulu, 12 Tristan Maugeri, 11 Haniel Monkoti, 10 Simphiwe Moyo, 9 Regan McGurk, 8 Kebotile Maake, 7 Sam Bruwer, 6 James Kobrowisky, 5 Michael Bownes, 4 Thomas Beling, 3 Nathan van der Merwe, 2 Esethu Mnebelele, 1 Connor White
Northwood vs Glenwood on Reece-Edwards Field at 15:00
Northwood – 15 Aphiwe Buthelezi, 14 Kwenzo Dlamini, 13 Siya Nkosi, 12 Bongane Khumalo, 11 Nokutenda Gunda, 10 Savio Stevens, 9 Jed Mun-Gavin, 8 Ethan Macey, 7 Titus Cesonis, 6 Ayavuya Makula, 5 Lian Terblanche, 4 Khwezi Kunene, 3 Reuben Vos, 2 Werner van Nieuwenhuizen, 1 Sphe Ntshangase
Glenwood – 15 Lesedi Khumalo, 14 Caleb Reeding, 13 Sisiphiwo Dwayi, 12 Kungawo Ncamazane, 11 Lizwe Mtetwa, 10 Juan Viljoen, 9 Lian Lochner, 8 Mkhululi Mhlongo, 7 Yannick Mwamba, 6 Tyler Conyngham, 5 Tylo Madaat, 4 Michael Ize Iyamu, 3 Uzukhanye Xaba, 2 Martin jnr van Wyngaardt 1 Ronald Petersen
