Optimism as new-look DHS begins season at Voortrekker
Over the past two seasons, in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban High School (DHS) has produced a must-watch 1st XV.
In 2023, they were the most exciting offensive outfit in the province. In 2024, they were, arguably, the best defensive unit out of any top-tier team in the country, and they were KZN’s best team.
Only once, in their very last game against Jeppe, did an opponent reach 20 points, and Jeppe made that number exactly.
DHS won, though, 24-20, which kept intact an incredible record established by the players in matric in 2024. They finished their careers unbeaten on Van Heerden’s Field through every age group they played.
The 2025 1st XV will look very different, with only two players remaining from last year’s outfit, but there is no panic in the ranks. Head coach Peter Engeldow and forwards’ coach Ronnie Uys have shown they know how to get the best out of their players and, unusually, for most schools, they’ll be promoting large numbers from last year’s 2nd XV to the 1st XV.
That’s good news for School. Why? The DHS 2nd XV of 2024 went unbeaten for the first time since 1939.
A major highlight was a win on Goldstone’s over their great rivals, Maritzburg College, for the first time since 1986. Not only did DHS win, but they also recorded their biggest 2nd XV victory yet over the Red, Black, and White, winning 45-10. “That was a day when it all clicked,” 2nd XV coach Lyle Matthysen told SuperSport Schools Plus.
In their season-opener against Kearsney College, the DHS 2nd XV topped 50 points at Kearsney for the first time, in another memorable win.
The team revealed its never-say-die character when they played at Northwood. Matthysen recalled: “A couple of games, we had quite a disadvantage with our 2nd XV because I couldn’t play with our flyhalf, Jordan van Wyk, who was our general. He would get called up to the 1st XV. With all the players we had in our 1st XV, 2nd XV, and 3rd XV, we didn’t really have another flyhalf.
“One of the games he didn’t play was against Northwood, away, where we struggled. Up until there were six-and-a-half minutes left, we were 6-21 down. In the last six minutes, we scored four converted tries [and won 33-27].” It’s victories like that which become the building blocks of future successes, and that could stretch into the 2025 season.
Matthysen revealed one of the reasons for his side’s outstanding season, which is sure to stand the 2025 1st XV in good stead. He explained: “The biggest contributor to the success of the 2nd XV, and I know other schools don’t do it, is we align our training like the Boks, where the firsts and seconds do everything together, so every single session the firsts and seconds are having a proper go. I put that down to the vision of Peter and Ronnie. The results showed how well it has worked.”
Focusing on the playing personnel, he said: “From a playing perspective, we had one to 15 guys who have a strong rugby IQ, and an extremely physical pack and centres, which paved the way for our nine and 10, who had superb seasons. It’s down to what the pack and the centres could do for us.”
Based on the experiences of the 2nd XV in 2024, team chemistry should not be an issue. Powerful team chemistry was also very evident in the success of their 1st XV, whose stubborn defence was powered by a pack mentality of hunting together.
Those players who were exposed to training with the 1st XV in 2024 will be joined by players promoted from the u16 ranks, where DHS also enjoyed a good year.
Their pre-season has included team building, without any talk of rugby. That’s a primary focus of the Director of Rugby, Peter Engeldow. Man management and providing players with the best support possible, including in the classroom and their social lives, is imperative, and producing good men is his goal.
Matthysen lauded Engeldow’s impact, which has permeated through the age groups and expressed his admiration for Engeldow’s rugby knowledge: “If you think you know anything about analysis, you know absolutely nothing until you’ve met Peter. His analysis is second to none. It is of international standard,” Matthysen enthused.
“It’s not only that. He’s so driven and he is so focused. On top of that, he is also a people’s person. When it comes to rugby, it’s the complete package.”
Beyond Peter Engeldow, Matthysen said the top leadership of School – Headmaster Tony Pinheiro and Director of Sport, Nathan Pillay – have played an immense role in demanding a high standard from the boys and their coaches.
Matthysen, a DHS old boy, who has been on staff for 14 years, said: “Everyone knows, when they arrived, the school, in all facets, not just rugby, was in a very dark place. Everything has stemmed from their leadership, especially the type of boy. It is because of the type of boy that now comes to DHS [that we are successful]. They are so much more coachable than they were before.”
Where exactly the coaches take the DHS 1st XV in 2025 will depend on the boys that Peter Engeldow and Ronnie Uys are working with. They produced two very different but outstanding teams over the past two years by working to enhance the strengths of the side.
Last year, DHS provided a record nine players to the Sharks’ Craven Week team. Hooker Mahle Sithole and fullback Aka Boqwana made the South African Schools side, while centre Zingce Simka was selected for the South African Schools A team.
This year, it’s unlikely those numbers will be matched, but DHS will surely be a load to deal with again. They open their season in Bethlehem on Saturday against Voortrekker.
It’s a big game and it will set the table for an even bigger clash on Saturday, 15 March, when DHS hosts their traditional rivals, Maritzburg College, in Durban.
DHS 1ST XV FIXTURES
March
8 March: vs Voortrekker, away
15 March vs Maritzburg College, home
22: March vs Michaelhouse, away
31 March – 2 April – Grey High School Rugby Festival, Gqeberha
April
12 April vs KZN Development, home
17 April vs vs Hoërskool Rustenburg, Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
19 April vs Hoërskool Monument, Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
21 April vs Hoërskool Durbanville, Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
26 April vs Northwood, home
May
1 May vs Stellenberg, Absa Wildeklawer, Kimberley
3 May vs Paarl Gimnasium, Absa Wildklawer, Kimberley
17 May vs Kearsney College, home
24 May vs Westville Boys’ High, away
31 May vs Hilton College, home|
July
26 July vs Jeppe Boys, away
August
2 August vs Northwood, away
9 August vs King Edward VII, home
- 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
