Kearsney wins see-saw thriller, edges out Michaelhouse by one point
Kearsney College and Michaelhouse dished up a tasty treat on Gilfillan Field on Saturday. Unfortunately, for Michaelhouse, they were left with a bitter taste in the mouth after losing by a single point on Hilton College‘s home ground for a second week in succession.
The margin between victory and defeat was a matter of centimetres, but Alex Jankowitz‘s late conversion attempt struck the left upright and stayed out, leaving Kearsney with a 32-31 win.
As is so often the case in matches decided by a late kick, it wasn’t the fault of the player who didn’t make the kick. The Michaelhouse centre was, in many ways, one of the main reasons they had a chance to win it at the end.
Conditions could hardly have been better. Two thumbs up to the ground staff for producing a fantastic surface for a second successive busy weekend of all-out rugby.
Early on, Michaelhouse looked full of running, pressuring the Kearsney try line with their forwards before flinging the ball wide to the right, where flank Kumkani Dwenga found himself up against the touchline. He had just enough time to dive over before the covering defence reached him, and ‘House took the lead. Jankowitz added the conversion with a beautiful kick.
Flyhalf Dan Miskey scored Kearsney’s first points off the kicking tee, but Michaelhouse quickly responded with some snappy passing, left and right, stretching the One-Stripe before scrumhalf Ben Hughes put left-wing Barend de Bruyn over in the corner. A fantastic team try!
Kearsney’s calling card this season is their sharp counterattacking, but they took a more direct route to score their opening try, with their pack forcing their way over from a lineout in the 18th minute. The try-scorer was a familiar source, 8th-man and captain, Nhlanhla Ndlovu. Miskey nailed the conversion.
Ndlovu presents an interesting set of skills for the Sharks’ selectors to consider. As an 8th-man, he doesn’t have prototypical size. However, as a skilful and impactful loose forward, he’s top-notch – speedy, slick, and a consistent threat around the edges, thanks to his high rugby IQ.
Talking about rugby IQ, Kearsney centre Keanu Williamson reminds one of former Sharks and Springbok inside centre Dick Muir. There’s no exceptional quality that catches the eye – speed, power, or moves – yet, his decision-making is sound, his support play outstanding, and, crucially, he makes everyone around him better. He’s a consistent all-round package.
Jankowitz, Michaelhouse’s number 12, should be on the selectors’ radar. He’s versatile, capable of covering any position in the backline, and he also offers a good boot, too. His direct, hard running also frequently gets his side over the gain-line, and him over the try line.
A long-range Miskey penalty early in the second half gave Kearsney the lead for the first time in the contest at 13-12. Michaelhouse could have taken a kick at goal not long after that, but their decision to run the ball was rewarded when Jankowitz powered his way over from close range. He also landed the conversion kick to make it 19-13 to the Balgowan boys.
A missed kick to touch, though, came back to haunt ‘House, and a Kearsney counter from their own 10-metre line brought the Botha’s Hill bunch seven points. It was all about Ndlovu, who ran a superb line to rip through the Michaelhouse defence before he put Lwandle Mkhize away for a try in the left corner.
Kearsney soon struck again when the mercurial Lwazi Mbebe saw a gap and sliced through it before setting up Oliver Ludwig for a try. Ludwig’s loose trio partnership with his fellow water polo star, James Whatmore, and Nhlanhla Ndlovu was a key component in the One-Stripe’s success.
Another Miskey conversion made it 25-19, but Michaelhouse soon hit back.
A stolen lineout and a line break by Barend de Bruyn put Michaelhouse on the front foot. He picked out the lanky flank Jed Reilly ranging up on his inside and, for the second weekend in succession, Reilly was over for a try. Jankowitz converted from in front to edge ‘House into a one-point lead after 59 minutes.
The see-saw continued only three minutes later when a blindside move featuring Ndlovu and Williamson put Luke Grobbelaar over in the right corner.
Just as Jankowitz had done for Michaelhouse earlier in the contest, Miskey nailed the touchline conversion, extending Kearsney’s advantage to 32-26. That difficult kick would prove to be the difference in the contest.
Michaelhouse is a never-say-die outfit. It almost brought them a win the previous weekend, when they outscored Hilton 21-10 in the second half, and it almost brought them a win when they added another try from Fabiano Ferro in the last minute.
That left the conversion attempt to come before the final whistle. It didn’t go ‘House’s way, and Kearsney escaped with a skin-of-the-teeth victory.
Unfortunately, for Michaelhouse, they were again without their captain and tighthead, Nicolas Salamousas, but Sphelo Mfazwe, in his stead, performed superbly. His work ethic was fantastic, and he regularly drove the ball up, emulating Salamousas.
Scorers
Kearsney 32 (10) – Tries: Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Lwandle Mkhize, James Whatmore, Luke Grobbelaar. Conversions: Dan Miskey (3). Penalties: Dan Miskey (2).
Michaelhouse 31 (12) – Tries: Kumkani Dwenga, Barend de Bruyn, Alex Jankowitz, Jed Reilly, Fabiano Ferro. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (3).
