Maritzburg College face season-opener at Kearsney
Kearsney College plays their first home game of the 2024 rugby season, on Stott Field, at 15:30 on Saturday, and they open against a school that is expected to be in the conversation as being the best in KZN in 2024, Maritzburg College.
The One-Stripe not only have home ground advantage, but they also have two games under their belt already, having beaten Hoërskool Witteberg 17-5 and Hentie Cilliers 41-14. Rugby fitness has its own specific requirements and game time helps the body adjust to it, so that’s a big plus for the boys from Botha’s Hill.
Kearsney won’t be short of experience either, with nine players who turned out for the 1st XV in 2023 running out for the side again, among them Roydan Madatt, Anele Cele and Cameron Veenstra (son of former Dolphins’ left-arm fast bowler, Ross), who were all selected for the Sharks u17 team that contested the Academy Week last year.
A number of returning College boys joined the Kearsney trio at the Academy Week, including Langelihle Makhathini, Nkuluko Sithole and Swelihle Mbatha, while Jake Jansen, who was originally selected for the Academy side, was later promoted to the Craven Week team.
When it comes to goalkicking, Daniel Eager has a big left boot and it’s an accurate boot, too. He’s been excellent from all over the field in Kearsney’s first two games and his goalkicking is an asset that can keep the scoreboard ticking over, if the opposition is not disciplined and gives away penalties.
One of the biggest challenges Kearsney will face on Saturday will be up front, with most of the returning players for Maritzburg College being forwards, headlined by their SA Schools’ loosehead, Phiwayinkosi Kubheka.
The College Deputy Head Boy, nicknamed Rambo, is not only a powerful scrummager, but he is also a dynamic ball carrier. Kearsney will know Kubheka is going to be fed the ball around the rucks and mauls. The question is whether or not they can stop him from impacting the game significantly in the visitors’ favour.
Kubheka is joined in the front row by tighthead Aiden Botha, who was also selected for the Sharks’ Craven Week team in 2023. The saying goes that it all starts up front and College will certainly be a big challenge for every opponent they face in the set pieces. They didn’t take a step back for anyone last season and it appears as if the pack will be formidable once again.
While Kearsney brings back nine players with 1st XV experience, Maritzburg College has a team’s worth – 15 – who pulled on the famous Red, Black and White jersey, with the white badge, last season.
That number, of course, includes another SA Schools’ player in the dynamic fullback, Luyanda Kunene. A sharp weapon whether on the attack or counterattack, Kearsney will need to be aware of him at all times, and they cannot afford to kick onto him and give him time to size up his options. He has the ability to rip any defence to shreds.
For most of 2023, Kearsney beat who they were expected to beat and were beaten by teams that most people thought would beat them. Their best win, arguably, was at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, where they defeated Dr EG Jansen 17-12, and they narrowly lost 26-28 to the English powerhouse, Hartpury College.
They also came close against a very good Michaelhouse team, which was beaten only once, going down 20-23 at home.
They would certainly like to make people’s forecasts tougher to call this season.
Now, with former Springbok and Sharks’ captain Keegan Daniel installed as the Director of Rugby one would imagine their playing philosophy would mirror his creative approach to the game, which made him such a superb and entertaining player. The coaching reins belong to Neil van Heerden and Tera Mtembu, who, like Daniel, captained the Sharks.
Casting an eye over the season, Daniel said Kearsney’s first two KZN games – against College and Durban High School (DHS) – will be very tough, and he also picked out the showdown with Michaelhouse on Kearsney’s Founders Day as a big game. “It will, no doubt, be a highlight for the players, old boys and supporters of Kearsney College,” he said.
For the most part, Kearsney was tough on defence last season, but they’ll be looking to do more on offence. It was only in the Independent Schools Rugby Festival, where a number of the teams featured stayers’ lineups, that they eclipsed the 30-point mark once.
Maritzburg College had no such problems. They managed the feat 11 times, including putting 50 on Affies in Pretoria, in a 50-31 win.
They did, however, start the season with seven-point losses to two very good sides, Michaelhouse and DHS, and they will be eager to avoid a similar start to 2024.
College claimed some excellent scalps in 2023, including KES, Jeppe, the aforementioned Affies, and Noordheuwel. They also had one or two games when they were some way off their best, including against Hilton College and Stellenberg. They’ll want to iron out those inconsistencies this year.
Kearsney represents a dangerous first opponent. The Kearsney boys would know that most would regard them as underdogs, which is always a solid source of motivation, plus playing on Stott Field for the first time this season will have their players ready to run through walls.
College not only brings many players back from last year, but they also return a fine coaching team of Director of Rugby Hendré Marnitz (backs), Tim Orchard (forwards) and Kelvin Elder (defence). They’re an outstanding trio. But some huge challenges await their team, and they’ll be desperate to get away to a winning start.
Apart from the traditional and very competitive KZN derbies, Maritzburg College also faces heavyweights Grey College and Paul Roos at the Wildeklawer Festival. That’s testament to the high regard in which College is held, and it speaks to the high expectations others have for the team in 2024.
Commenting on his hopes for the season, Marnitz said: “We hope to one of the best teams in KZN and we want to go to the tournaments and surprise a couple of teams.”
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