Glenwood win Durban Derby

Kearsney travelled to Glenwood to play the eagerly awaited match between the two KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) rivals. If past results were anything to go by neither team was the favourite in this clash regardless of current form.

Kearsney started well and put the home team under some serious pressure in the opening couple of minutes, Glenwood managing to stand a strong defence on their own try-line for the opening 10 minutes.

Glenwood’s strong defence and consistent pressure helped the home team gain some much needed possession, but a lapse in concentration allowed Kearsney the first points of the game through an intercept try by the Kearsney flyhalf in the 14th minute and with the conversion Kearsney took a 7-0 lead.

Slowly it proved that Glenwood's skill may have a part to play as Glenwood used their strong forwards to go through a number of phases and their persistent attack paid off with a try of their own, which came from a sniping run from flank Jonothan O'Neill, and the safe boot of Maarten Holtzhausen tied the game up at 7-7 at half-time.

After the half-time break Kearsney stood strong in defence as Glenwood had multiple crash balls, still not allowing Glenwood through. Glenwood's constant battering at the Kearsney's try-line finally proved fruitful when Glenwood's big lock JJ van der Mescht went over to score Glenwood's second try and in tough windy conditions Maarten Holtzhausen still proved clinical as he took the score to 14-7 in Glenwood's favour.

The game continued to be very physical between the two teams as both put in big tackles from both sides, Glenwood eventually wrapping up the game as the Glenwood's flyhalf Frankce Botha made a clean line break beating Kearsney's resilient defence one more time, giving Glenwood a 19-7 lead and a quick kick by Maarten Holzthausen on the stroke of full time gave the Glenwood team a 21 -7 victory against a well organised and strong Kearsney team.

Report and photograph: Travis Nightingale (Media Club)