Well-rounded Hilton College outplays Glenwood
The hosts, Hilton College, took on Glenwood High in the last game of the Sharks High Schools’ Rugby Day, on Gilfillan Field, and they put on a show for their supporters, running away to a 53-15 victory after falling behind 5-8 in the early going.
It was a well-constructed win from coach Brad Macleod-Henderson‘s charges, who played the kind of game that he would have wanted to see, although he didn’t give too much away after the match, saying only that his players need to keep their feet on the ground after their big win. He was all smiles, nonetheless.
Hilton’s victory was all about well-coordinated teamwork, a smooth understanding by the players of their roles, and sound execution of the basics.
Glenwood, though, was the first onto the scoreboard from a counterattack. When Hilton scrumhalf Zander Vorster, who had done well to cover a chip over the top, had the ball knocked loose from his grasp as he went up to field it, number eight, Mkhululi Mhlongo, was up in support to grab the ball out of the air and dive over for five points.
In the eighth minute, a beautiful pop-up by inside centre Tristan Uys, out of the back of his right hand, set left-wing Ricky Adonis up for a try against the grain, and Hilton’s opening points.
Glenwood reclaimed the lead with a penalty from inside the Hilton 22 by Joshua Kopp, but it was a long time before they scored again.
Zander Vorster, a dangerous man from close range, banged his way over after 19 minutes, and Hilton hit the front, never to be hauled in again.
A Liyema Nela penalty increased the lead to 15-8.
Lock André Boshoff showed off his skill and pace when he snatched a high kick away out of the air on Glenwood’s 10m line and charged towards the try line. He was brought down midway into the 22. Six phases of the forwards hitting it up and hooker Josh Grant, a prolific try scorer, was over for a five-pointer. Nela’s conversion made it 22-8 at the break.
Early in the second half, Hilton turned back to the slow and patient poison of their driving pack. With Glenwood’s defenders well and truly sucked in, Vorster fed Nela on the blind side and he quickly zipped a pass to Guy Fender, who dived across the line in the right-hand corner.
In the 52nd minute, the Hilton captain, Nela, set a searing counterattack in motion by fielding a ball inside his half and wrong-footing two chasers with a hard step off his right foot. From wide on the left, a pop pass over the top of a defender picked out the speedy Ricky Adonis. He cut inside and into the 22 before offloading to Emmanuel Dankwah and the powerful flank shrugged off the tackle of Tylo Madaat for a fabulous try.
Nela struck the right upright with the simple conversion, but it ricocheted over the crossbar and the gap had grown to 32-8. Hilton had rhythm and momentum on their side and Glenwood had no answer to the home team’s organisation and slick execution.
Vorster, then, snagged a turnover at a ruck, hit the gas, and was almost over for a try. Hilton, though, had a five-metre scrum right in the middle of the field and when they quickly won another penalty from the set piece, Zander Muller took a quick tap and was over. With another conversion made by Nela, it was 39-8.
With eight minutes to play, Tristan Uys was in from 35 metres out after a sneaky show and go and John Grubb, who had taken over the kicking duties after Nela was substituted, slotted the conversion.
Well beaten but still fighting, Glenwood conjured up a response from a lineout inside Hilton’s 22. The Green Machine hit it up through three phases before a long flat pass from scrumhalf Lian Lochner found Glenwood captain Lizwe Mtetwa coming in on an angled run, which broke two tackles and put him over the try line. Kopp made the conversion kick, making the score 46-15.
Hilton, however, had the final say, with their good ball retention and seamless interplay between backs and forwards eventually being finished off by Kyle-Reese Clements, who charged away from a ruck for the final try of the game.
Of all the teams in action on Friday, the home side produced the most compelling performance, unfortunately for Glenwood.
The Sharks’ Craven Week selectors will have some homework to do. They have plenty of options to consider.
SCORES
Hilton College 53 (22) – Tries: Ricky Adonis, Zander Vorster, Josh Grant, Guy Fender, Emmanuel Dankwah, Zander Muller, Tristan Uys, Kyle-Reese Clements. Conversions: Liyema Nela (4), John Grubb. Penalty: Liyema Nela; Glenwood High 15 (8) – Tries: Mkhululi Mhlongo, Lizwe Mtetwa. Conversion: Joshua Kopp. Penalty: Joshua Kopp.
