Founded:
1863
Motto:
Pro Aris et Focis
Website:
www.maritzburgcollege.co.za
Maritzburg College is located in Pietermaritzburg and was founded in 1863 as City High School. The school played their first rugby match on 11 October 1870 against Hermannsburg which is also the first recorded rugby match in KwaZulu-Natal. The match was reported in the Natal Witness and lasted nearly two hours according to the report.
The school was renamed to Maritzburg College in 1888.
Maritzburg College produced two World Cup-winning flyhalves for the Springboks in Joel Stransky (1995) and Butch James (2007). The school also produced two other Springbok flyhalves in Keith Oxlee and Peter Grant.
Teams
Representative Players
Craven Week: Sandile Nxumalo (2001), Peter Grant (2001), Sam Hatchwell (2001), Chritian Pera (2001), Paul Kendall (2001), Lyle Krause (2001), Claude Dry (2003), Vaughan Gilson (2003), Cedric Mkhize (2003), Edward Squires (2003), Jeffrey Maingard (2003), Frans van der Merwe (2003), James Shaw (2003), Brett Dixon (2004), Rory Bremmer (2004), Jannie Boshoff (2003-04), Michael Schlachter (2004), Shane le Breton (2004).
SA Schools: Fez Mbatha (2017), Jesse Kriel (2012), Peter Grant (2002), Adrian Penzhorn (2002), Brandon Squires (2002), Rob Linde (1997), Richard Kelly (1996), Pieter Dixon (1995), Wayne Munn (1994), Clinton Meyer (1989), Brendon Catterall (1987), Warren Wilson (1987), Grant Reid (1987), Udo Goedeke (1987), Jeremy Thompson (1986), Shaun Glover (1985), Joel Stransky (1984), Craig Jamieson (1979), David Mills (1978), Paul Lindsay (1975-76), Bruce White (1974-75), Malcolm Thompson (1974-75).
First Class: JC Strauss, Keith Oxlee, Joel Stransky, Jeremy Thompson, Pieter Dixon, Geoff Appleford and Butch James.
Springboks (17): Ntuthuko Mchunu (2022), Jesse Kriel (2015), Craig Burden (2012), Peter Grant (2008), Butch James (2001), Pieter Dixon (2000), Jeremy Thompson (1996), Joel Stransky (1993), Andy van der Watt (1969), Ormond Taylor (1962), Keith Oxlee (1960), George van Reenen (1937), Phillip Nel (1928), Bertram van der Plank (1924), Bill Payn (1924), Wally Clarkson (1921), Baby Shum (1913).
Other Internationals: Andrew Norton (Spain), Don Armand (England), Warren Ansell (Singapore), Matthew Hawkins (USA), Marcel Coetzee (Germany), Andrew Binikos (Cyprus), Chad Erskine (USA), Juan Grobler (USA), Frank Goedeke (Germany), Geoff Appleford (England), Wim Visser (Italy), Brendon Catterall (Zimbabwe), Hubert Freakes (England).
Interesting Facts:
- Three sportsmen from Maritzburg College is part of a unique club that have made the South African Schools rugby as well as hockey sides. They are Malcolm Thompson (1974), Udo Goedeke (1987) and Adrian Penzhorn (2002).
- The remarkably talented and versatile Bill Payn played sport for Natal in five disciplines, and also earned a Military Medal for gallantry in the Western Desert in World War II.
- While a prisoner-of-war in Poland during the war, Bill coached burly prop, Okey Geffin, at goal-kicking. Geffin booted the Boks to a 4-0 series win over the touring 1949 All Blacks.
- In the old amateur days, Andy van der Watt was invariably referred to as the “Fastest Springbok Ever”. His school record for the 100 yards was 9.9s.
