KZN trio unbeaten at Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
Durban High School (DHS), Westville Boys’ High, and Kearsney College finished the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF) with three wins from three matches each as the annual event concluded with some outstanding clashes on Monday in Botha’s Hill.
DHS recorded their third successive year with an unbeaten record, beating Hoërskool Zwartkop 31-14, Hoërskool Rustenburg 38-7, and Helpmekaar Kollege 39-27. Credit to all three of those teams, though. They were in action at KERF after playing twice at the Noord/Suid tournament, and they impressed with their conditioning and fighting spirit.
Monday’s showdown between DHS and Helpmekaar Kollege crackled with electricity and quality. Apart from the goal kicking – and almost every team struggled in the cool breeze on a grey day – the match was loaded with highlights.
Early on, it appeared as if DHS was going to blow Helpies out of the water. They ran in three tries within the first 12 minutes, first driving hooker Iglisias Bruiners over in the third minute before SA Schools’ centre Nathan Aneke scored with an outside break, which he followed with the scoring pass to wing Richard Gyamfi for School‘s third. Their pace, precision, and intensity meant Helpmekaar barely tasted possession.
When, at last, they did, winning a free kick on the DHS 22, they turned it into a try for Zuan Krige in the left-hand corner. Xander Jackson then crossed for a try from a five-metre lineout, and the one-way traffic had suddenly evaporated.
Both teams moved the ball smoothly along their backlines, with Helpmekaar scrumhalf, Shaye Lourens, providing an excellent service. He was named the Backline Player of the Festival and included in KERF Festival XV, along with tighthead prop Karlo Steenkamp.
It was, however, his opposite number, Richard Kriel, who lit up the contest. A searing break just before halftime led to a second try for Richard Gyamfi, and Kriel later, deservedly, added one of his own.
It was 22-10 at halftime, and DHS extended their advantage to 34-10, with Kriel’s try and a second from Nathan Aneke, but Helpmekaar, with unrelenting will, hit back quickly through Zuan Krige, his second, before DHS captain Zion Smith ran back a clearing kick from the halfway to make it 39-17.
The inspirational DHS leader was included in the Festival XV, along with DHS loosehead prop Likho Konza, their powerful inside centre Byron Klaasin, and right wing Ama Mataboge.
It was all over bar the shouting, but Helpies, impressively, kept fighting and added further unconverted tries from Daniël van der Linden and Daylan Ferreira to finish the game with a flourish.
Westville Boys’ High vs Milnerton High
Westville Boys’ High completed a clean run at Kearsney for a second successive year, dispatching a game Milnerton High 41-3.
It was a comfortable win, but Millies, although outgunned, showed a strong team spirit to cause a few flutters in the Westville ranks. When their captain Chadlin Sellidon landed a late penalty to get them onto the scoreboard, it felt right that they weren’t blanked.
Westville boasts some searing pace in their backline, and it was left-wing Lisa Sijadu who stole the spotlight on Saturday, crossing for a hat-trick. However, the unquestionable class of a classy unit was South African Schools’ wing, Jadrian Afrikaner, who filled the outside centre role for the Griffins.
A devastating finisher, blessed with power, pace, and vision, he was an easy choice for the Festival XV, which also included SA Schools’ lock Lwandile Mlaba and utility back, Lux Sonkononkono, who cracked the nod on the left wing.
Much like DHS, Westville’s success was built upon a solid foundation laid by their pack, with their tight five performing strongly in the set scrums, their lineouts functioning efficiently, and their loose forwards putting in dominant shifts. Both sides enjoyed outstanding performances from their powerful no. 8s, with Daniel Kazambo doing the job for DHS, and Lwandile Makhanya catching the eye for Westville.
Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Zwartkop
Kearsney College closed the festival with a battling 24-21 victory over Hoërskool Zwartkop, leaving the local lads with an unbeaten run. Zwarries, a late replacement for the Italian outfit, Verona, won themselves many admirers for their outstanding play and never-say-die spirit. Their inclusion proved to be a big boost for the event.
They stunned the One-Stripe on Saturday by crossing for two early tries, the first from a rolling maul, with loosehead prop Matthew Smith crashing over in the third minute, and the second after nine minutes, from left-wing Stiaan Botha, whose mazy run left three would-be tacklers grasping at a ghost.
Zwartkop’s general at no. 10, Tilon Baron, slotted the conversions to put Kearsney into a 0-14 hole, which was something they hadn’t yet had to deal with this season.
The home side’s inspirational captain, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, got them onto the scoreboard with a try from a maul, converted by flyhalf Daniel Miskey, which left Kearsney 7-14 down at the interval.
Ndlovu, who was named the Forward of the Festival, struck again early in the second half, and Miskey’s conversion hit the left-hand upright before bouncing over the crossbar, which levelled the scores.
The Kearsney skipper could have easily scored a third try, but he, unselfishly, put left-wing Lwandle Mkhize in for a try.
At 19-14, coach Grant Bashford‘s side was not safe, and they squandered some good scoring opportunities, which also had plenty to do with Zwarries’ desperate and stubborn defence.
Miskey was wide left with an attempted drop from about 27 metres. Undeterred, he landed a drop from 45 metres to take his side more than a converted try clear. It wasn’t a reflection of his or Kearsney’s desperation against Zwartkop’s ferocious defence. Rather, it spoke volumes about the hours of practice Miskey must have put into executing the skill in a pressure situation.
Down but not out, Zwarries had the final say, with Jurie Janse van Rensburg, with the backing of his fellow forwards and a group of backs, being shoved over the try line in the last movement of the match.
Their captain, David van Jaarsveld, was an impressive performer in the midfield, a physical presence on both attack and defence, who set the standard and the tone for the Pretoria school. His all-out, put your body on the line effort was inspiring
Miskey joined Ndlovu in the Festival XV, which also featured Kearsney fullback, Lwazi Mbebe, whose unpredictable counterattacking tore opposition defences to shreds. Zwartkop, meanwhile, placed hooker Regan Blignaut in the Festival XV.
Peterhouse vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
In the day’s other matches, Zimbabwe’s Peterhouse had Hoërskool Rustenburg reeling, with their high-tempo approach setting Rusties on the back foot.
Lock Thian Labuschagne was having none of it, however, and he delivered a fiery performance, setting a superb example, which brought him three tries as Rustenburg turned a 7-10 halftime deficit into a battling 26-17 victory.
He was the contest’s standout performer, but it was Peterhouse’s powerhouse no. 8, Prosper Zimbango, who cracked the nod for the Festival XV. His inclusion meant Kearsney skipper, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, was selected at no. 6 flank.
Glenwood High vs Dr EG Jansen
After back-to-back losses to Helpmekaar and Framesby, Glenwood High gave their local supporters something to cheer by outlasting Dr EG Jansen 14-12.
Their number eight, Makhaya Mbaile, had himself a game, dotting down twice, while Vincenzo Loutz, who shone at scrumhalf, added the all-important conversion kicks.
Jansies played some good rugby, but were undone by unforced errors, which plagued them throughout the festival. They didn’t lack effort.
While Mbaile picked up two tries, Glenwood’s hooker, Tyler Leon, made his presence felt with a couple of barnstorming runs. He was strong, too, at the breakdowns, contesting possession.
The Green Machine‘s captain, Sambesiwe Ndamase, all 1.98m and 110 kilograms of him, was named in the Festival XV. He produced a lead-by-example, solid performance.
Hoërskool Framesby vs Hoërskool Transvalia
The final word, though, goes to Hoërskool Framesby. Thrashed 83-0 by Westville on the opening day, they demonstrated huge heart, beating Glenwood in their second outing before finishing with a 10-7 win over Hoërskool Transvalia.
In a physical sport, like rugby, there are few places to hide, and the Gqeberha school, admirably, used their big defeat as motivation to outlast their next two opponents in matches that went down to the wire.
Their wins were a triumph of the spirit, and Framesby’s players will benefit from the life lessons they taught themselves in those gripping victories.
Transvalia finished with a record of one win and two losses, with their other defeat coming against Kearsney on Saturday. Ironically, their second half in the loss to the One-Stripe was, arguably, the best rugby they played. In fact, they shaded it 10-7, outscoring the hosts by two tries to one in the second stanza.
With three KZN sides going unbeaten, and others, including Hilton College and Michaelhouse, scoring headline-stealing wins over the Easter weekend, enthusiasm for the forthcoming derbies in the province is at an all-time high. A mouthwatering season awaits.
Scores
Transvalia 7 (0) – Tries: Lorenzo Flynn. Conversion: Chester MacCammel.
Framesby 10 (7) – Tries: Josh Potgieter. Conversion: Miles Feltham. Penalty: Miles Feltham.
Glenwood 14 (14) – Tries: Makhaya Mbaile (2). Conversions: Vincenzo Loutz (2).
EG Jansen 12 (0) – Tries: Christopher van Rooyen, Elshaan Duminy. Conversions: AJ Oeschiger.
Peterhouse 17 (10) – Tries: Bongani Dube, Munashe Masamha. Conversions: Victor Watama (2). Penalty: Victor Watama.
Rustenburg 26 (7) – Tries: Thian Labuschagne (3), Keegan Harmse. Conversions: Ricardo Enos (3).
Westville 41 (22) – Tries: Lisa Sijadu (3), Jadrian Afrikaner, Bukho Sotaka, Jade-Will Koopman, Drew Hollingsworth. Conversion: Jade-Will Koopman (3).
Milnerton 3 (0) – Penalty: Chadlin Sellidon.
Durban High School 39 (22) – Tries: Richard Gyamfi (2), Nathan Aneke (2), Iglisias Bruiners, Richard Kriel, Zion Smith. Conversions: Tanwil Onkers, Cilermo Carolus.
Helpmekaar 27 (10) – Tries: Zuan Krige (2), Xander Jackson, Daniël van der Linden, Daylan Ferreira. Conversion: Ethan Kruger.
Kearsney 22 (7) – Tries; Nhlanhla Ndlovu (2), Lwandle Mkhize. Conversion: Daniel Miskey (2). Drop goal: Daniel Miskey.
Zwartkop 19 (14) – Tries: Matthew Smith, Stiaan Botha, Jurie Janse van Rensburg. Conversions: Tilon Baron (2).
