Overview Sporting Achievements at Maritzburg College
Over 800 Maritzburg College boys and staff headed up to Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) for the traditional annual exchange against this strong sporting school. It was always going to be a tough encounter across the sporting codes, but there was some consolation with the exchange ending on a high of the 1st XV securing a very convincing 50-31 victory for the first time ever, against Affies at their home ground.
Rugby
College fielded 24 rugby teams against Affies, and the scores don’t do justice to some of the matches which were hard-fought battles by the boys from the Red-Black-White; in particular the U15A and 2nd XV matches. However, it was the gutsy 1st XV match which was to re-write the history books, and saw College secure an outstanding 50-31 victory.
1st XV match report (Mr Tim Orchard, 1st XV coach)
Over the previous 25 years Maritzburg College has played Affies twenty-six times, managing only three victories during that period, all of which occurred on Goldstones. No College team has ever accomplished the feat of beating Affies on their home turf, with the closest being a one-point loss in the early 2000’s. This past Saturday promised to be no different with the odds stacked heavily against Maritzburg College. However, this College side has gone from strength to strength this season, with the match against Grey College being the catalyst on Affies’ home field, although it would take a momentous effort to walk away with the win!
From kickoff, Affies dominated proceedings with the home team racing away to an early lead after only ninety seconds of rugby being played. All that College could do was rely on the boot of flyhalf L du Toit to keep them in the match as he brought the score to 7-6 after two early penalties kicks at goal.
Affies hit back again with a well worked try in the seventh minute to extend their lead to 14-6 after the try was converted. College did not panic, relying on their big forwards carry the ball into contact and to gain some purchase in the match.
From a lineout drive deep in Affies territory, College hit back through some marvelous invention by their electric outside backs. The ball was shifted through the hands after a powerful carry by captain S Kadira, where outside center S Mbatha spotted some space in behind the Affies defense and threaded the deftest of touches to allow SA Schools player L Kunene to race clear of the Affies defenders, gather the ball and crash over for the try. Du Toit duly converted the try, making it a one-point game after only fourteen minutes. From then on College began to dominate proceedings and looked the better of the two teams on display.
After a powerful lineout drive, hooker E Mouton broke free and raced away towards the try line with only a single defender to beat. He was agonizingly brought down inches from the goal line but the momentum he created allowed for the powerful College forwards to smash over to extend the lead. The try scorer was lock J Jansen, who fully deserved the score after a powerful carry allowed him to
Hockey
Fifteen hockey teams took on Affies and it proved a tough day on the Highveld for College, as they secured four wins and four draws but lost 7 matches.
1st XI match report (Mr Kyle Emerson, 1st XI coach)
College 1st XI played to a game plan that worked well in the opening minutes and allowed them to turn the ball over high in the field multiple times, leading to a few goal scoring opportunities, the best one to Bryn Brokensha whose shot narrowly missed the near post.
Affies weathered the storm and after a good outlet, manged to create a circle entry and earned a penalty corner which was converted with a drag-flick. College were one nil down and would regret not taking their early chances. College continued to dominate and create chance after chance but could not beat the Affies goal keeper. The penalty corners they earned were not well taken and errors cost them taking the lead into half time.
The half time talk was to remind the team of the plan, and to stick to it as the opportunities were being created. Four minutes into the second half, the resistance paid off and College took the lead after B Dlamini finished off a goal build up play in the 9-yard area. Six minutes later College pulled the Affies defense apart with a great piece of interplay, which ended in Konigkramer passing to S Sithembu who dived pushing the ball into the goal to allow College to take the lead.
Affies continued to try and catch College on the break, and it paid off when they earned a penalty corner at the end of the third quarter and were able to find the back of the net after the first shot was saved onto the cross bar. This meant the fourth quarter would intensify as both teams searched for a winner. The momentum in the fourth quarter was firmly in College’s favour but they slowly started to run out of legs and struggled to hold on to their structure which they used so well in the first three quarters.
A few penalty corners were not converted, and it would again be a case of not taking opportunities that would mean College did not get the winning result they deserved. Affies did well to hold on to a draw after soaking up so much pressure on their goal.
Squash
College’s squash team secured a very convincing 10-2 win against Affies.
Cycling College’s senior team dominated the mountain-biking competition against Affies held at Wolwespruit Park, over technical terrain. The Junior team lost but thoroughly enjoyed the competition and learned a lot from the experience.
Canoeing
Three College canoeists took part in the school flatwater league race at Midmar dam over the weekend. K Vogt placed 2nd in the U18 race and won the U16 race, while J Jv Rensburg was 6th in the U18 race and finished 3rd in the U16 event. L ‘O Connor was the 7th U18 paddler home and finished 4th in the U16 race.
Golf 1st round – BetterBall: College lost 0-3, Individual: College lost 0-6 2nd round – BetterBall: College lost 0-3, Individual: College lost 2-4
Sport report sent by Maritzburg College.
