KZN rugby weekend
Durban High School crosses the Umgeni River for an important clash against Northwood this weekend.
With neither side looking likely to beat any of the top six schools this season, this fixture will go a long way to deciding who can legitimately call themselves the seventh best KwaZulu-Natal Tier 1 team of 2012.
Currently some view George Campbell who play Northwood next weekend, as the leaders in the battle for lucky number seventh spot, based on their favourable results against big schools. Since DHS do not play George Campbell, it is imperative that the Berea team leaves a lasting impression in the form of a convincing win against Northwood.
Beating Northwood is however far easier said than done, especially on their home turf. Last year the Knights stunned DHS away from home and there is absolutely no reason to dismiss a repeat of this feat. Northwood will be up for this challenge and confidence in their camp is already high.
The match has the making of a true derby. Spectators can expect both teams to play with a lot of passion and commitment. Big collisions, bone-crunching tackles, never-say-die attitudes and other elements that contribute to an exciting game should be on display in Durban North.
George Campbell meets Empangeni this Saturday. Empangeni has achieved respectable losing scores against both Northwood (10-0) and Sarel Cilliers (21-10) this season, and so the Zululanders have the ability to make a tough contest out of this outing. Campbell is enjoying a good season though. Consistency has been the name of game for the school close to North Beach. This week no fewer than eight of their Under-18 players were selected to progress to the next round of Craven Week trials. It's a wonderful achievement and a pat on the back for the school's ever-improving rugby programme.
Maritzburg College and Hilton do battle on Goldstones. This means it's coach Strudwick vs coach MacLoed-Henderson for the first time at schoolboy rugby level.
Of the two new high profile coaches, Strudwick needs this win badly but for MacLeod-Henderson it's close to desperation time IF results are the basis for determining the Hilton coach's success in 2012.
Hilton has a quality squad, good enough to be ranked first in KwaZulu-Natal this year and yet they now find themselves playing for a place and not main spoils due to three narrow defeats.
College still has hopes of finishing 2012 on a high note but they too will look back at what might have been had the ever-so-close games against Grey PE, Paul Roos and Michaelhouse gone their way: they would almost certainly been a national Top 10 school right now.
Anyway the schools, coaches and players know they cannot delve in the past. What matters most now is what they do during the 70-minutes on Saturday. Everything in the lead-up to this game suggests it will be a close, hard-fought, fascinating game of rugby.
Westville have a difficult task ahead of them. In a week in which preparations were disrupted by Craven Week trials, they have to make the long bus trip up to Gauteng to face the formidable King Edward VII School. It's no easy task considering that KES has comfortably disposed of Maritzburg College (42-25) and thumped DHS (65-11) in recent weeks. Westville will have to put up a big defensive front and not waste chances to make use of their own firepower on attack. KES are expected to win but this will not be a challenge Westville takes lying down.
Michaelhouse will host St John's of Johannesburg in the Midlands. As close as their games have been, the outcomes have been going House's way of late. Because of this, they now find themselves in possibly the strongest position to finish the season as the province's top team, based on their local fixtures still to come. St John's by comparison are not enjoying a particularly good season. They main objective on Saturday will be to offer some resistance and keep the score against them at an acceptable level.
Kearsney meets their brother school St Stithians. Kearsney heads into the match looking to improve on a very good win record against their Randburg visitors. Kearsney has however struggled in games against opponents of similar strength to Saints such as George Campbell, DHS and Nico Malan this season so nothing should be taken for granted. While beating Glenwood last weekend, the Botha's Hill team introduced a game-plan that changed things up a bit and if they can continue varying the speed of the game and points of attack, it will definitely be an entertaining lunchtime match for the home support. For neutrals, there is also a rare opportunity to watch talented young Saints flyhalf Innocent Radebe, who seems to have earned praise for just about every one of his rugby performances at first team level over the last two seasons.
Glenwood, so often associated with taking on the biggest names on the South African Schools circuit, have a fairly low-key game on for a change. They meet Pinetown at home.
Port Natal visits Voortrekker in Pietermaritzburg. The White Knights from Durban are favourites to take that one.
Sarel Cilliers also have reason to celebrate. Nine of their players will represent Northern Natal at trials this year. Sarel Cilliers plays Ferrum of Newcastle.
Enjoy the rugby. Spectators, show some good sportsmanship on the sidelines as well.
