Northwood’s strong season continues with win at Kearsney
The Northwood School 1st XV dominated the opening half of their clash with Kearsney College on Stott Field to set themselves up for a 34-24 victory on Saturday.
In ideal rugby-playing weather, the Knights, who have been beaten only once all season, got onto the board seven minutes into the game when Siya Nkosi, with quick-thinking and sharp vision, launched a long pass to Nokutenda Gunda, who had space out on the left flank. The task, from there, was simple. The speedster pinned his ears back and raced over the try line from about 35 metres out. The extras were added, and Northwood led 7-0.
Six minutes later, the visitors were in for a try again. This time, it was Aphiwe Buthelezi who went over. He spotted a gap, went clean through it, then cut back inside to wrong foot the cover defence and score to the left of the uprights. The conversion, surprisingly, was missed.
Kearsney came close to replying, but the ball was lost forward over the try line.
Northwood responded by working their way up the field, and in the 21st minute they had their third five-pointer. It was the left-wing Gunda who crossed for his second, running himself into a gap before receiving a flat pass to score wide on the right.
The Knights were in charge, and they had their fourth try five minutes later when Kwenzo Dlamini showed his off his wheels after being afforded a little space next to the touchline on the right.
A penalty, landed by Cameron Veenstra, just before the half-time whistle, made it 22-3 to Northwood at the break.
There was more of the same early in the second stanza, with Kwenzo Dlamini dotting down for a second time in the right-hand corner.
Connor McIntyre almost bagged a try in response for the One-Stripe, but he was stripped of the ball as he dived over the line.
Then, a line break by Jude Greig brought Kearsney a ruck almost in the shadow of the Northwood posts, and captain Anele Cele was on hand to take a short pass and blast his way over the whitewash for a try. Veenstra added the conversion to make it 10-27.
Soon, they added another five-pointer, through Bukho Hlwatika, and Veenstra’s reliable boot pulled the One-Stripe to within 10 points of the Knights.
Jacques Deen‘s charges found a response. From a lineout inside the Kearsney 22, they made good ground through their forwards. Then, when stopped just short of the try line, they went blind, where Siya Nkosi picked out Bongani Khumalo with a beautiful pass through an attempted tackle. With the conversion made, and around seven minutes to play, Northwood appeared home and dry.
Kearsney, though, had the final say. The industrious Connor McIntyre, who had narrowly missed out on a five-pointer earlier in the contest, was rewarded for his hard work when he forced his way over in the 66th minute.
Another Veenstra conversion made it 34-24 to Northwood.
Results
u19: Kearsney I 24 Northwood I 34; Kearsney II 17 Northwood II 21; Kearsney III 24 Northwood III 40; Kearsney IV 27 Northwood IV 7; Kearsney V 47 Northwood V 5; Kearsney VI 25 Northwood VI 5; Kearsney VII 17-7 Northwood
u16: Kearsney A Northwood 34; Kearsney B 10 Northwood B 50; Kearsney C 0 Northwood C 25; Kearsney D 33 Northwood D 26
u15: Kearsney A 12 Northwood A 17; Kearsney B 24 Northwood B 29; Kearsney C 5 Northwood C 55; Kearsney D 5 Northwood D 37
u14: Kearsney A 40 Northwood A 10; Kearsney B 26 Northwood B 31; Kearsney C 14-34 Northwood C.