Maritzburg College seek to extend unbeaten run on Goldstone’s vs PBHS
In 2023, Maritzburg College travelled to Pretoria for the first of their two matches against Pretoria Boys High (PBHS). This year, Boys High visits College for the first of the annual home and away derbies, with both 1st XVs still seeking to hit fully their strides.
The signs in recent weeks, though, have been encouraging, with the Candies having made something of a turnaround after copping a nasty hiding from Paarl Gimnasium at the NMI Toyota North-South Tournament.
The Boys High fixture list has been as tough as can be, with matches against Garsfontein, Jeppe, Outeniqua, Paarl Gim, Selborne College and Paarl Boys High to start their season.
Catch the Maritzburg College vs Pretoria Boys High action live on DStv Channel 206.
They were competitive in their first three outings without coming close to achieving a victory. Their next game, against Paarl Gim, was a horror show and they were pounded, losing 10-71. Less than a week later, however, Pretoria Boys regrouped and recorded their first win of the season at the KES Easter Festival, downing Selborne College 26-21.
Their most recent match, on 1 April, against Paarl Boys’ High, another one of the early pacesetters, resulted in an 8-24 defeat, but the Candies showed some steel against a high-powered opponent, and this suggests they’ve fixed some of their early defensive issues.
College, who comfortably beat Boys High last year, winning 47-15 in Pretoria, in April, and 43-12 in Pietermaritzburg, at the end of July, started the 2024 season with a shock defeat to Kearsney College. The Red, Black and White, facing an opponent that had already played two games, produced an error-filled game and went down 14-16 when Kearsney landed a last-minute penalty.
Clifton College was made to pay for that loss the following week, when College romped to a one-sided victory in their first game of the year on Goldstone’s. That, however, has been their sole outing on their famous fortress, where they went undefeated last year. They’ll be chomping at the bit to run out there for a second time in 2024.
At the St John’s Easter Festival, Maritzburg College played three matches. In their first outing, they went down 17-32 to Boland Landbou in a contest that featured some uncharacteristically lax defending. College bossed the farmers up front, but their defence was loose.
The next time out, however, they showed great character to fight back from 7-19 down at half-time to beat SACS 26-24. It was a much-needed win.
Phiwayinkosi Kubheka and his team wrapped up the festival with a 24-7 win over the Golden Lions XV.
Last weekend, playing in wet and windy conditions, they outwrestled Glenwood High in Durban, recording an 18-7 victory.
College boasts plenty of experience up front, including SA Schools’ loosehead Kubheka and Sharks’ Craven Week tighthead Aiden Botha in the front row, but the difference between last year’s team, which found its form earlier in the season, arguably lies in the backline.
Although the home side has talented ball players at the back, one can see the impact of the side having lost some of its key decision-makers from a year ago, including the outstanding halfback pairing of scrumhalf Rhett Quinn and flyhalf Luc du Toit. It’s taking them a little longer to find their way.
Both teams are well coached, and both like to play an enterprising brand of 15-man rugby. Spectators and supporters can expect an entertaining clash.
TEAMS
Maritzburg College
15 Luyanda Kunene, 14 Langelihle Makhathini, 13 Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein, 12 Nkululeko Sithole, 11 Reinhardt Jacobsz, 10 James Slevin, 9 Rayke Maartens, 8 Imivuyo Kemka, 7 Naz Isaacs, 6 Struan Oosthuizen, 5 Jake Jansen, 4 Wasi Vyambwera, 3 Aiden Botha, 2 Siyabonga Nyathi, 1 Phiwayinkhosi Kubheka.
Pretoria Boys High School
15 Tebogo Nchabeleng, 14 Ntsako Ndhlovu, 13 Motheo Dimpe, 12 Rickus Wessels, 11 Ompfuna Tsanwani, 10 Tumisho Motswi, 9 Cole Williams, 8 Katlego Shebu, 7 Jeffrey Singo, 6 Panayiotis Ellinas, 5 Tshepiso Shikhibana, 3 Oftense Moeng, 2 Thapelo Mphela, 1 Matthew Parrott
- Clifton wins two KZN Top 10 titles, overall honours to Kearsney - 2025-10-28
- Hockly hauls Hilton to win against DHS - 2025-10-26
- White bats Northwood to win, Kearsney victorous at Glenwood - 2025-10-26
