Hilton triumphs at Michaelhouse after tremendous tussle
Hilton College captured a hard-fought 25-20 victory over their arch-rivals, Michaelhouse, on Baileys, in Balgowan, on Saturday to continue a recent trend of the away side winning. One has to go back to 2022 for the last time the home team won.
Baileys, last the host of a 1st XV match in the mid-twentieth century, was heaving as both teams charged onto the field for the 209th meeting in their storied history.
The Hilton pack made an early statement with a powerful rolling maul in the first minute, which carried a clean lineout take from the Michaelhouse 10-metre line to the 22. Two quick passes out to the right and fullback, James Peattie, found himself in a gap. He hit the gas and was over in the right-hand corner with a flamboyant dive.
It took almost 10 minutes before the home side forced Hilton back deep into their 22. The boys in the red and white hoops drove it up with their forwards, gaining ground metre by metre. When the ball was released down the backline, it was, unfortunately, for ‘House, knocked on. But Hilton, in their efforts to hold up William Ridl and his team, had strayed offside.
Stefan Moolman took a shot at goal and his trusty right boot did the trick to get Michaelhouse on the scoreboard.
A smooth, flowing attack down the left flank, then, took ‘House into the Hilton 22, where the forwards, again, forced the visitors to defend the pick-and-go. Once more, Hilton conceded a penalty. Moolman slotted the easy kick from in front of the uprights to put Michaelhouse 6-5 ahead after 15 minutes.
There were shades of the incredible finish to the second derby of 2024 when Hilton, this time, not Michaelhouse, waited for a long kick to cross the dead-ball line. It didn’t, but Hilton, in the nick of time, dotted it down.
In the 20th minute, the home supporters erupted when Alex Arde powered his way over from close range. The momentum was with coach James Fleming‘s boys. The try was scored just to the right of the uprights and Moolman had no problem with the conversion, extending the Michaelhouse lead to 13-5.
Hilton turned to one of their strengths, the rolling maul when they visited the Michaelhouse 22 in the 24th minute.
They’re well-coached, patient and abrasive when close to the try line, and, with their supporters bouncing on the stand behind the Michaelhouse try line, they bashed away. Then, from in front of the posts, scrumhalf Zander Vorster fed flyhalf Liyema Nela. With quick hands, he offloaded to Tristan Uys. He charged through a half-gap and crashed over for Hilton’s first try of the contest.
A successful conversion from Nela, the Hilton skipper, reduced the deficit to only one point after 25 minutes.
Five minutes later, Hilton was over the whitewash again. After laying siege to the Michaelhouse try line, they were awarded a penalty, just right of the poles. It would have been a simple kick, but André Boshoff wanted more, and the big lock caught out ‘House with a quick tap before powering his way over for five. Nela tacked on the extras to make it 19-13.
Michaelhouse attacked enthusiastically before the break and won themselves a penalty. It didn’t bring points, but Hilton went a man down as a result of a tip-tackle by Uys.
They, nonetheless, struck early in the second half, with Nela kicking a penalty after the home team had been caught offsides from a kick out of their 22.
The captain appeared to have sniped through for a try soon after, but the assistant referee informed the referee that Nela had knocked on before grounding the ball. Hilton, instead, was awarded a penalty, right in front of the posts. They opted to bash it up, but another knock-on meant they came away with no reward.
A scything incursion down the right touchline and good interplay between the backs and forwards took Michaelhouse over the Hilton try line, but the visitors held ‘House up, and the ref indicated a five-metre scrum. With a powerful surge, Brad Macleod-Hunderson‘s charges sent Michaelhouse backwards and won a penalty to escape the pressure.
A break from fullback Alex Jankowitz, followed by another break from centre William Ridl, took the hosts back into Hilton’s 22. They kept Hilton pinned there, turning to the pick-and-go, but Hilton defended manfully. Once more, Michaelhouse forced their way over the whitewash. Once more, Hilton held them up.
Eventually, though, the pressure paid dividends and Nicolas Salamousas crashed over. Moolman made it a seven-point play with the conversion.
Down by a point, suddenly, Hilton sneaked ahead again when Nela nailed another penalty to make it 22-20 to the visitors as time ticked down. With three minutes to play, he made it a five-point game with a sweetly struck kick from wide on the left, about 30 metres out.
The boys in red and white responded well, forcing their way deep into the Hilton half. Again, it became a battle of attrition as Michaelhouse backed their forwards to get them over the line. Hilton, though, forced a turnover and when the ball was cleared to touch the referee blew the final whistle.
Players from both sides lay on the ground spent. It had been a fittingly ferocious battle, worthy of the occasion.
SCORES
Hilton 25 (19) – Tries: James Peattie, Tristan Uys, André Boshoff. Conversions: Liyema Nela (2). Penalties: Liyema Nela (2); Michaelhouse 20 (13) – Tries: Alex Arde, Nicolas Salamousas. Conversions: Stefan Moolman (2). Penalties: Stefan Moolman (2)
u19 – Michaelhouse I 20 Hilton I 25; Michaelhouse II 22 Hilton II 24; Michaelhouse III 22 Hilton III 3; Michaelhouse IV 25 Hilton IV 14; Michaelhouse V 26 Hilton V 0; Michaelhouse VI 21 Hilton VI 7; Michaelhouse VII 15 Hilton VII 12; Michaelhouse VIII 0 Hilton VIII 3
u16 – Michaelhouse A 39 Hilton A 22; Michaelhouse B 24 Hilton B 19; Michaelhouse C 13 Hilton C 7; Michaelhouse D 48 Hilton D 5
u15 – Michaelhouse A 13 Hilton A 19; Michaelhouse B 21 Hilton B 12; Michaelhouse C 26 Hilton C 7; Michaelhouse D 48 Hilton D 10
u15 – Michaelhouse A 13 Hilton A 24; Michaelhouse B 33 Hilton B 7; Michaelhouse C 41 Hilton C 12; Michaelhouse D 5 Hilton D 19
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