Hilton College eager to repeat season-opening win over Northwood
Hilton College faced Northwood School in their first KZN derby day of 2023, and that will be their first KZN clash of 2024, when they welcome the Knights to Gilfillan Field on Saturday.
Last season, Hilton were comfortable 29-10 winners on Reece-Edwards Field, at Northwood, but there has been a lot of turn-over in their ranks, with only five players – Hanu Pieterse, Ivan Jjuuko, Rukudzo Madinga, Ben le Roux and Ross Brown – returning to the 1st XV fold.
However, they have six players – Josh Grant, Liyema Nela, Zander Vorster, Khazimla Makali, Trent Chubb and Emmanuel Dankwa – who ran out at the Grant Khomo Week in 2023, ready to take up their positions in the first side.
The 2024 team would do well to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors. The 2023 side won seven of their eight KZN matches, with their only loss coming in their last game to Michaelhouse.
Their two games against their arch-rivals last year were thrilling affairs, with Hilton winning the first 20-17 and Michaelhouse taking the second 18-15, leaving the schools with a cumulative score of 35-35 for the season.
Coaches Brad McLeod-Henderson and Cam Fraser have proven adept at producing strong teams year after year. In fact, in Hilton’s 150th anniversary season, 2022, they were unbeaten in KZN, so the bar has been set high.
Matching the preceding two seasons’ results will be a stiff challenge for the class of 2024 because Hilton has established itself at, or just one step off of the pinnacle of KZN schoolboy rugby, for pretty much the last five years.
Northwood had a middling set of results last season. But one thing that could always be counted on from coach Jeremy McLaren‘s charges was that the Knights would battle hard from the first whistle to the last.
At their best, they scored some brilliant tries, with their game against Hudson Park, at the KES Easter Rugby Festival, which they won 31-13, producing some remarkable five-pointers. They also recorded a historic first win over Glenwood at Glenwood, coming from behind to claim a 29-22 victory.
They’ll be led in 2024 by Head Prefect, Vuyo Gwiji. Originally selected to represent the Sharks’ u17 team at the Academy Week last year, he was a late addition to the Sharks’ Craven Week team, but then took full advantage of his opportunity to earn selection to the SA Schools A team.
He and flying winger Kwenzo Dlamini, who was a part of the Academy team, also won silver with the Sharks at the SA u17 Sevens Rugby Tournament, and Dlamini will be back to challenge opposition defenders again.
Sphe Ntshangase, who packed down in the front row for the Sharks at the Grant Khomo Week, will start at loosehead for the Knights.
Teams
Northwood
15 Aphiwe Buthelezi, 14 Kwenzo Dlamini, 13 Ramatuku Sikhakhane, 12 Bongane Khumalo, 11 Nokutenda Gunda, 10 Siyanda Nkosi, 10 Graeham de Swardt, 8 Dewald Mostert, 7 Vuyo Gwiji (c), 6 Ethan Macey, 5 Khwezi Kunene, 4 Titus Cesonis, 3 Reuben Vos, 2 Werner van Nieuwenhuizen, 1 Sphe Ntshangase.
Hilton College
15 Ivan Jjuuko, 14 Rukudzo Madinga, 13 Khazimla Makali, 12 Daniel Sweeney, 11 Requilme Adonis, 10 Liyema Nela, 9 Mitchel Wilson, 8 Hanu Pieterse, 7 Stewart Falconer, 6 Ross Brown, 5 Kieran Hunter, 4 Emmanuel Dankwah, 3 Ben le Roux, 2 Dylan Neill, 1 Oliver Proudfoot,
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