Madinga’s interceptions turn the game for Hilton against St Charles
Hilton College and St Charles delivered an entertaining clash on Saturday on Gilfillan Field, with the contest producing 78 points and a 44-34 Hilton victory.
It could have gone the other way, but two intercept tries in the second half, both scored by Rukudzo Madinga, hurt the visitors.
Add to that a charge-down try, also in the second stanza, scored by Daniel Sweeney, and Saints were burned by a number of unforced errors.
They led 17-10 at the break, having trailed 0-10 after only 10 minutes. A try just before the halftime whistle, though, gave them a seven-point advantage, and it was a cracker.
Scrumhalf Matthew Fick made a scything break from a lineout variation only 10 metres from the St Charles’ try line. He raced up the left-hand touchline, then cut inside, making it to the middle of the field, on the halfway line, before handing off to Salmaan Mohammed, on his outside.
The pacy fullback took it up to the Hilton 22, but when he was caught by the cover defence, he popped a pass into the hands of Rashied Isaacs and the centre handed off a despairing tackle attempt from Ivan Jjuuko to score a spectacular try.
Hilton responded quickly in the second half, firstly through a penalty from flyhalf Xola Makongola and then from a try, scored by no. 8 Emmanuel Danwah, after Hilton had battered their way towards the Saints’ try line with a series of pick-and-goes.
Shortly after that, Dankwah made a searing blindside break off the back of a scrum close to Hilton’s try line. He powered through an attempted tackle as he sprinted up the right flank. Then, he angled back inwards before passing to fullback Ivan Jjuuko, on his outside, on the halfway line.
Jjuuko was stopped in the Hilton 22, but the ball was quickly made available and four phases later Makongola rounded off a wonderful counterattack in the left corner.
An Ntsangani penalty brought St Charles to within five points, but Madinga then struck with the first of his intercept tries. He was over under the uprights and the seven points opened up a 32-20 advantage for the home team.
Soon, Hilton was back in the Saints’ 22. The visitors turned over possession, but a crunching tackle by Trent Chubb put them under pressure at a ruck. When St Charles attempted a touch-finder, the kick was charged down, and Daniel Sweeney was quickly onto the loose ball to tack on another try for Brad Mcleod-Henderson’s charges.
St Charles found a reply from close range after forcing their way into the Hilton 22 when Okhule Peti charged onto a flat ball from scrumhalf Fick and bashed his way over the tryline.
In a tough break for the visitors, Madinga, then, pulled off his second interception try of the contest. Again, he dotted down under the posts, and that meant a 14-point swing in the contest, which was truly game-changing.
To their credit, St Charles kept pressing until the end and they were rewarded with another try when Peti powered through a would-be tackler and went over to the right of the posts. Ntsangani kept up his perfect conversion record and it ended in a 10-point win for Hilton.
The second term’s rugby action in KZN is almost done, except for the rather significant match set for Meadows in Balgowan on Saturday. It’s the second Hilton vs Michaelhouse clash of 2024 and it will stand alone in the spotlight.
SCORES
Hilton College 44 (10) – Tries: Rukudzo Madinga (2), Khazimla Makali, Emmanuel Dankwah, Xola Makongola, Daniel Sweeney; Conversions: Xola Makongola (4); Penalties: Xola Makongola (2). St Charles College 34 (17) – Tries: Okuhle Peti (2), Ukhanyo Ntsangani, Rashied Isaacs; Conversions: Ntsangani (4); Penalties: Ntsangani (2).
Other Results
u19 – Hilton II 45 St Charles II 7; Hilton III 37 Linpark I 10; Hilton IV 35 St Charles III 7; Hilton V 29 St Charles IV 5; Hilton VII 10 St Charles V 27
u16 – Hilton A 38 St Charles A 14; Hilton B 22 St Charles B 12; Hilton C 22 KZN Development 10
u15 – Hilton A 12 St Charles A 6; Hilton B 22 St Charles B 19; Hilton C 17 Linpark A 49
u14 – Hilton A 41 St Charles A 7; Hilton B 22 KZN Development 19; Hilton C 14 St Charles B 19
