KES host College

It is a Premier Interschools match.

In all there will be nine buses with 572 passengers going up over Van Reenen's Pass to the Highveld as there will be more than just the 24 rugby teams. Still the result of the 1st XBV matches determines who won – KES or College.

This is the 14th match between the two schools. TRhe first time they met was in Pietermaritzburg in 1959, in coach Skonk Nicholson's heyday, the year of an unbeaten College side. Of the previous 13 matches, College have won eight, KES four and there was a draw in 2014.

This century the meeting of the two schools in this manner has become annual as the big schools seek to find opponents who can match them team for team. College are taking up 24 teams but three other sides will stay behind and play St Charles and Kearney.

Season So Far

KES have played seven matches, winning four and losing three. They lost at the hands of Ben Vorster of Tzaneen, Waterkloof and Rondebosch.

College have won three out of eight, beaten by Selborne, Dale, Dr EG Jansen, Grey College and SACS.

Neither has beaten a team in the FNB Top 20.

Their only common opponent has been Pretoria Boys High. KES beat them 20-8, College 32-11.

Experience

KES have prop  Mpilo Mabuza back from last year.

College have Xolisa Guma, who is in this third season in the first team, flyhalf Ruben van Blerk, loose forwards Craig Glover and Nicholas Odendaal, and prop Andrew Reintges.

Higher Honours

Craven Week

Maritzburg College: Xolisa Guma (2014 & 2015)

Grant Khomo Week

KES: Kennedy Mpeku, who was at Parktown at the time,  Yanga Hlalu, who was a flank at the time, Keagan Glade.

Maritzburg College: Fez Mbatha, Njabulo Mjara. Xolisa Guma played for Boland at the 2013 Grant Khomo Week.

Rugby Programme    

Main Field

08.00: 6th XV    

09.00: 5th XV    

10.05: 4th XV    

11.10: 3rd XV    

12.15: Under-16A         

13.20: 2nd XV

14.30: 1st XV

John Hurry 1 Field

08.00: Under-16B    

09.00: Under-16C    

10.00: Under-16D    

11.00: Under-16E

12.00: 7th  XV     

13.00: 8th  XV

John Hurry 2 Field

08.00: Under-15E    

09.00: Under-15D    

10.00: Under-15A        

11.00: Under-15C    

12.00: Under-15B    

13.00: Under-15F

Tutty Faber Field

09.00: Under-14A        

10.00: Under-14E    

11.00: Under-14B    

12.00: Under-14D    

13.00: Under-14C    

1st XVs

KES:15 Temba Mpemvu, 14 Leon Mpeku, 13 Kennedy Mpeku, 12 Yanga Hlalu, 11 Mpho Khambule, 10 Marc Morrison, 9 Ricci Marussi, 8 Echardt Cloete, 7 Calvin Johnson, 6 Thomas Berman, 5 Louis Pienaar, 4 Keegan Munro, 3 Keagan Glade, 2 Tyran Dickson, 1 Mpilo Mabuza

Replacements: 16 Dylan Whitcombe, 17 Luke Woolway, 18 Tyron Taplin, 19 Ziyanda Msipha, 20 James Gerber, 21 Ryan Clark, 22 Tebogo Rampou, 23 Chris Shuttleworth

Maritzburg College: 15  Jaco Truter, 14  Xolisa Guma, 13  Ayanda Duma, 12  Kevin Walsh, 11  Matthew Squires, 10  Ruben Van Blerk, 9  Lodewyk Muller, 8  Craig Glover (captain), 7  Matthew Diedricks, 6  Andile Khanyile, 5  Myles Hancock, 4  Liam Cameron-Macintosh, 3  Andrew Reintges, 2  Austin Landman, 1  Matthew King

Replacements: 16  Fezo Mbatha, 17  Thuba Nzimande, 18  Nicholas Odendaal, 19  Luke Johnson, 20  Ross Williamson, 21  Chris Reed, 22  Njabulo Mjara

Date: 7 May 2016

1st XV kick-off: 14.30

Venue: Main Field at King Edward VII School

Expected weather conditions: Clear with a high of 21°C, dropping to 9°C

Previous Results

1959: College won 22-3

1983: College won 21-9

1985: College won 25-9

1992: College won 31-12

1996: KES won 13-10

2001: College won 14-12

2009: KES won 52-14

2010: College won 26-13

2011: KES won 28-20

2012: KES won 42-25

2013: College won 30-8

2014: Draw 25-25

2015: College won 34-33