Hilton College continues winning run at Pretoria Boys High
Hilton College convincingly racked up a ninth consecutive win of the season when they rolled to a comfortable 44-7 win over Pretoria Boys High on Brooks Field on Saturday after leading 23-0 at halftime.
They impressed with their sound execution of the basics and overall cohesion, with the backs and forwards combining fluently. Fullback James Peattie enjoyed a fantastic outing. His counterattacking was penetrative and contributed greatly to Hilton’s success.
Nico Davel, meanwhile, who was called on to replace flyhalf, John Grubb, in Hilton’s tight derby win over Michaelhouse, in which he slotted the winning penalty, continued to make the step up to 1st XV level look simple and, crucially, he continued his fine kicking form.
Before the second minute was up, Hilton had crossed the Boys High whitewash, scoring a splendid try after getting the ball out to both touchlines before Ruan Mulder put Tom Gurupira in for a five-pointer in the right corner. Davel converted from the touchline to make it 7-0.
A rolling maul, which ate up many metres, followed by a break from Callan Kenmuir, set up the visitors’ next try. James Peattie was brought down just short of the try line, but the Candies stopped the ball from being released, and Hilton received a penalty, which 8th-man Zander Muller turned into a try from a quick tap. It was 14-0 after five minutes.
PBHS, having conceded twice, at last began to play the game in Hilton’s half, but the KZN boys stood strong in defence. That’s been one of their strengths, with the opposition scoring 17 or less in seven of their nine matches.
Boys High had a chance to get onto the scoreboard in the 18th minute, but a penalty kick, taken by Reinier Kruger, was wide of the mark. Hilton flyhalf Nico Davel showed how it should be done three minutes later, extending Hilton’s lead to 17-0.
James Peattie took a long-range kick shortly after that, from just inside the Hilton half, and drew loud cheers from the crowd after nailing the challenging kick. Then, Davel knocked over an easy kick from inside the Candies’ 22 to make it 23-0 at the interval.
Just like they had at the start of the game, Hilton enjoyed the territorial advantage early in the second stanza, and they turned that into points, with the impressive Peattie going over in the left corner after receiving a kind pop-up pass from Gurupira. Davel added a second touchline conversion to make it 30-0.
Credit to Pretoria Boys High, they sucked up the setback and took the game to Hilton, who lost their no. 8, Zander Muller, to a yellow card after a tip tackle. Hilton, though, struck next, with Peattie leading a counterattack, which resulted in a try for Guy Fender after a well-judged grubber behind the Boys High backs from the fullback. Dead-eye Davel casually converted.
At last, though, the home side found a way through Hilton’s stout defence. It took an intercept for the Candies to find the space to score, but it was five points in the book, and the subsequent conversion from Kruger turned that into a seven-point play.
Coach Brad Macleod-Henderson’s charges raised the tempo in the last five minutes to have the final say. A robust run from big Ross Steyn took the visitors deep into the Boys High 22, and slick passing put them in for the last try of the game, converted by Davel, to make it 44-7.
Scorers
Hilton College 44 (23) – Tries: Tom Gurupira, Zander Muller, James Peattie, Guy Fender, AN Other. Conversions: Nico Davel (5). Penalties: Nico Davel (2), James Peattie.
Pretoria Boys High 7 (0) – Try: AN Other. Conversion: Reinier Kruger.
Other results
II: Hilton 37 PBHS 13
III: Hilton 23 PBHS 17
IV: Hilton 38 PBHS 5
V: PBHS 21 Hilton 12
VI: PBHS 22 Hilton 13
VII: PBHS 60 Hilton 14
u16
A: PBHS 34 Hilton 20
B: PBHS 24 Hilton 7
C: PBHS 30 Hilton 3
D: PBHS 47 Hilton 3
u15
A: Hilton 18 PBHS 17
B: PBHS 27 Hilton 14
C: PBHS 43 Hilton 10
D: PBHS 81 Hilton 0
u14
A: Hilton 43 PBHS 12
B: Hilton 34 PBHS 15
C: Hilton 19 PBHS 7
