Michaelhouse win Derby
The 191st Michaelhouse vs Hilton derby day could not have taken place under finer conditions although the Under-15 and Under-16 boys may be forgiven for complaining that it was too hot in Balgowan!
The day started off in promising fashion for the visitors as their Under-14 teams dominated throughout with the A side running out comfortable 41-7 victors.
The Under-15 age group was only a little more promising for Michaelhouse with just the D team clinching a last gasp 14-12 victory; the A team going down 10-26 in a physically gruelling contest.
The tide then turned considerably as the outing became a tough day at the office for the boys from Hilton as they managed just one win in the next 12 fixtures with Hilton College’s mighty 8th XV chalking up a solid 26-14 victory.
The Michaelhouse Under-16s made a clean sweep of their four fixtures with the A team hanging in for a much needed 19-13 win.
The boys from Balgowan took absolute control of the open age group encounters, cumulatively scoring 215 points with only 75 in reply.
Following the Michaelhouse 2nd XV’s comprehensive 34-7 win, the banks of Meadows were tense in anticipation of the 15:20 kickoff. Going into the match, the form books suggested an easy win for the home side, but any follower of Hilton/ Michaelhouse rugby knows that victory is almost always the under dog’s reward.
Michaelhouse set the early pace. Both teams made their intentions clear; Michaelhouse by constantly threatening the try line for the entire half and Hilton through their dogged, determined defence. More than the lion’s share of territory was in the home team’s favour but it was only three converted penalties to one by Hilton which separated the teams at half-time.
Hilton attacked the second half with a marked intensity and a lapse in concentration by Michaelhouse allowed Hilton to score a converted try putting the visitors into an unexpected 10-9 lead early in the half. Michaelhouse then responded with composure capitalising on their forward domination, forcing two quick-fire penalties which fly half Bader Pretorius converted with ease to reclaim a 15-10 advantage.
Enterprising interplay between forwards and backs then put hooker Bradley Roberts over for a try which went unconverted. Hilton College then brought themselves back into contention, narrowing the deficit to seven points with a penalty; but by this stage the result had become a forgone conclusion and the scoreboard was not troubled again.
Critics may say that much of the rugby was unattractive by modern schoolboy standards, but there was no questioning the intensity on the day as Michaelhouse broke their three match drought against their old rivals with a solid 20-13 home victory.
Scorers:
For Michaelhouse:
Try: Bradley Roberts
Pens: Bader Pretorius 5
For Hilton:
Try: Sébastien Desvaux de Marigny
Con: Tristan Blewitt
Pens: Tristan Blewitt 2
Teams
Michaelhouse: 15 Rob Lee, 14 Liam Furniss, 13 David Broadley, 12 Jacques Swarts, 11 Jason Schwegmann, 10: Bader Pretorius, 9 Thomas Walker (captain), 8 Matthew Potgieter, 7 Jack Walters, 6 Jonty Barrie, 5 Andy Vogel, 4 Gary Porter, 3 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 2 Brad Roberts (vice-captain), 1 Greg Jackson
Coach: Mike Schwartz
Hilton: 15 Thomas Webber, 14 Terry Matsa, 13 Tristan Blewett (vice-captain), 12 Daniel Loftus, 11 Darren McGhee, 10: Kieran Hayne, 9 Matt Dahl, 8 Sébastien Desvaux de Marigny, 7 Brad Dickerson, 6 Etienne Marx, 5 Jayson Gouws (captain), 4 Peter Frost, 3 Andrew Svenningsen, 2 Bafana Motloi, 1 Andrew Peverelle,
Coach: AC Blume
Referee: Zane Watson
Assistant referees: Danie Joubert, Juan Pretorius
All the Results
1st XV: Michaelhouse won 20-13
2nd XV: Michaelhouse won 34-7
3rd XV: Michaelhouse won 34-19
4th XV: Michaelhouse won 33-19
5th XV: Michaelhouse won 12-0
6th XV: Michaelhouse won 50-0
7th XV: Michaelhouse won 34-17
8th XV: Hilton won 26-14
Under-16A: Michaelhouse won 19-13
Under-16B: Michaelhouse won 22-0
Under-16C: Michaelhouse won 18-12
Under-16D: Michaelhouse won 42-31
Under-15A: Hilton won 26-10
Under-15B: Hilton won 13-5
Under-15C: Hilton won 28-3
Under-15D: Michaelhouse won 14-12
Under-14A: Hilton won 41-7
Under-14B: Hilton won 17-12
Under-14C: Michaelhouse won 12-0
Under-14D: Hilton won 17-7
By Murray Witherspoon
