KERF: DHS vs Zwartkop a fascinating finale, Westville and Kearsney dazzle
Westville Boys’ High ran riot in the second half, scoring 67 unanswered points to thump Hoërskool Framesby 83-0 on Thursday, the opening day of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF), while the hosts, Kearsney College, dazzled with some splendid tries of their own in a 43-14 win over Hoërskool Rustenburg.
Durban High School (DHS) wrapped up proceedings with a 31-14 win over Hoërskool Zwartkop after scoring a converted try late in the game. The Pretoria school delivered a proud performance, however, and contributed immensely to a physical, hard-nosed battle.
Glenwood High vs Helpmekaar Kollege
The action on Stott Field opened with Glenwood High taking on Helpmekaar Kollege. In a scrappy clash, both teams were guilty of sloppy handling in the slippery early morning conditions, but Helpies struck early through centre Ethan Lourens, and further tries from no. 8 Ruan Bester and left-wing Zuan Krige staked the Johannesburg school to a 19-0 lead at the break.
The second half was an untidy scrap, with both teams scoring a try – Shaye Lourens for Helpmekaar and Cade Isaacs for Glenwood – to leave Helpies with a workmanlike 24-5 win.
Both sides would have left the field knowing that they also left points on the field because of their iffy handling.
Hoërskool Transvalia vs Peterhouse
In the day’s second match, Hoërskool Transvalia fell behind to a stunning counterattack from Peterhouse, which was led by left-wing Munashe Masamha and finished by Russell Musekiwa. However, the Vanderbijlpark school stuck to their structures and slowly ground out a 26-5 victory after leading 12-5 at the break.
Peterhouse gave a good account of themselves, but ‘Valia‘s committed defence shut the Zimbabweans’ attacking efforts down, and they scored four tries and added three conversions for an unspectacular but solid win.
Westville Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Framesby
Westville Boys’ High raised the tempo in the day’s third match. They led Framesby only 17-0 at halftime after scoring their third try just two minutes before the interval. After the break, they were ruthless, running in nine tries in an unrelenting assault to blow the Gqberha school off the pitch.
Jadrian Afrikaner and Avumile Lisa both bagged hat-tricks, and Lisa Sijadu added a brace as a shell-shocked Framesby – 14-29 losers to Hoërskool Nelspruit before beating Dr EG Jansen 37-31 at the NMI Toyota Noord/Suid Rugby Tournament – were run off their feet. Westville was irresistible.
Their pack laid a dominant platform, bossing Framesby in the set scrums, and their lineout delivered clean, high-quality ball, which their fleet-footed backs put to devastating use.
Flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman missed some conversions, but he ensured a smooth-flowing backline had its way with the Eastern Cape side.
Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
The home side, Kearsney College, too, demonstrated a sharp cutting edge in a convincing 43-14 victory over Hoërskool Rustenburg, who played some good rugby, but were caught cold on more than a couple of occasions when Kearsney turned defence deep in their 22 into sensational tries at the other end of the field.
Their industrious right-wing, Luke Grobbelaar, instigated two length-of-the-field tries just before halftime, starting the move that brought them the first one and scoring the second after an interception.
Captain Nhlanhla Ndlovu excelled, with his outstanding positional play putting the no. 8 in position to instigate attacks and finish them.
Twice, Lwandle Mkhize was on hand to provide the final touch. In the first instance, Ndlovu laid the try on a platter for the wing. In the second, Mkhize started and finished the sweeping attack down the left flank, with a couple of nasty side-steps giving him the space to evade the cover defence.
Dr EG Jansen vs Milnerton High
Dr EG Jansen took an early lead against Milnerton High and built up a 15-5 advantage until Millies struck twice in quick succession just before the break, through Yenga Moangeli and Kyle Jansen van Rensburg, with Chadlin Sellidon converting the latter with the first successful kick of the contest to give the Capetonians a 17-15 halftime lead.
When they kept it tight, though, Jansies enjoyed the advantage, and they exerted that control to create a try for Dian Botha, which the centre converted, to retake the lead. They never again ceded it, with a further try from Liam Hector sealing the deal with four minutes to play.
It was the tightest game of the day, with Dr EG Jansen winning it 27-20 and outscoring Milnerton five tries to three.
Durban High School vs Hoërskool Zwartkop
The last match, between DHS and Hoërskool Zwartkop, was a fitting finale. DHS, firmly established as a powerhouse of KZN rugby, and with successive clean records at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, faced an upstart, a team that had won 21 out of 22 matches in 2025, yet one about which many in the crowd at KERF knew little.
By the end of the contest, they had learnt a lot about Zwarries. No doubt, they were impressed.
A converted try right before the final whistle, scored by Jose Lottering and converted by Tanwil Onkers, gave DHS a 31-14 victory, but that result was perhaps a touch rough on Zwartkop. They fronted up to a very physical DHS side with a cohesive, enviable spirit and gave the Horseflies an almighty battle.
In fact, they were the first onto the scoreboard after repulsing a DHS five-metre lineout, which had presented School with the first opportunity to score. Instead, Zwarries ground their way down the field, won a lineout in the 22 and did what DHS was unable to do when Zwarries’ outstanding hooker, Regan Blignaut, drove over the try line next to the uprights. Tilon Baron‘s easy conversion put the Gauteng side 7-0 up.
DHS responded by showing that they, too, could turn a lineout close to the try line into five points, with wing Richard Gyamfi dotting down. He soon added a second, finishing a sharp DHS counterattack down the left flank, which was initiated by a break from their burly inside centre, Byron Klaasen.
With admirable spirit, Zwarries responded by forcing their way into the DHS 22, but a loose pass resulted in an interception. After the ball was kicked through, the local side forced Zwartkop to ground the ball over their try line, and they turned that into a try for SA Schools’ centre, Nathan Aneke.
It was a sucker punch, and it gave DHS a 17-7 lead at the break.
School, with typically rabid defence, kept Zwartkop out after a period of sustained pressure early in the second half. Then, they added a try from 8th-man Daniel Kazambo, converted by Olkers, before Zwartkop struck back, with prop Matthew Smith powering his way over and Baron’s conversion making it 24-14 in favour of DHS.
That late try by Lottering made the final margin 17 points.
Afterwards, tears were in the eyes of some of the Zwartkop players, but there was much to admire about their efforts. Those were tears of disappointment, mixed with pride, after a massively committed effort which had forced DHS to dig deep to claim victory. The spirit they reflected was endearing.
DHS proved with the win that they have reloaded and they remain one of KwaZulu-Natal’s best outfits – well-drilled, fit, powerful in the set pieces, and dangerous, whether attacking with their pack or their backline.
Zwartkop proved that they’re a high-quality, all-for-one, one-for-all unit – skilful, yet abrasive, and up for any challenge. That attitude and skill contributed greatly to a fascinating clash, which DHS won, but which also ended with Zwarries walking off Stott Field as winners in their own right, too.
SCORERS
Helpmekaar Kollege 24 (19) – Tries: Xander van Niekerk, Ruan Bester, Zuan Krige, Shaye Lourens. Conversions: Ethan Kruger (2).
Glenwood High 5 (0) – Tries: Cade Isaacs.
Peterhouse 5 (5) – Tries: Russell Musekiwa.
Transvalia 26 (12) – Tries: Aldo Fourie, Jeanré Barnard, Damian van Heerden, Chester Maccamel. Conversions: Jaydee Maree (2). Chester Maccamel.
Westville Boys’ High 83 (17) – Tries: Jadrian Afrikaner (3), Avumile Lisa (3), Lisa Sijadu (2), Lwandle Makhanya, Drew Hollingsworth, Curtis Fenton, Ezra Karosilin, Rorke Stirk. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (9).
Framesby 0 (0)
Kearsney 43 (26) – Tries: Lwandle Mkhize (2), Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Fynn Verbaan, Luke Grobbelaar, Mcebisi Zulu, Sibusiso Khuzwayo. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (3).
Rustenburg 14 (7) – Tries: Dandré Graham, Wicus Arnold. Conversions: Aldin Baaitjies (2).
Dr EG Jansen 27 (15) – Tries: Werner Breydenbach, Ewan Pretorius, Jaco Engelbrecht, Dian Botha, Liam Hector. Conversion: Dian Botha.
Milnerton High 20 (17) – Tries: Chadlin Sellidon, Yenga Moangeli, Kyle Janse van Rensburg. Conversions: Chadlin Sellidon. Penalty: Chadlin Sellidon.
Durban High School 31 (17) – Tries: Richard Gyamfi (2), Nathan Aneke, Daniel Kazambo, Jose Lottering. Conversions: Tanwil Onkers (3).
Zwartkop 14 (7) – Tries: Regan Blignaut, Matthew Smith. Conversion: Tilon Baron (2).
