PETERHOUSE BOYS 29 – MILNERTON HIGH 23
Peterhouse Boys from Zimbabwe and Milnerton High took to Stott Field in Saturday’s early game at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF), just as light early morning mist cleared over Botha’s Hill. The contest teased a showdown between teams that like to run the ball, and it delivered a lung-busting, thrill-fest.
The Capetonians were first onto the scoreboard when their captain Chadlin Sellidon slotted a penalty from 40 metres out after five minutes.
Peterhouse soon replied, grabbing possession from the kick-off and taking it up through numerous phases before flyhalf Victor Watama sliced through the Milnerton defence with a hard step off his right foot. His conversion attempt was wide to the right of the posts.
Ten minutes in, Watama took a crack at goal and bisected the uprights to put the Zimbabweans 8-3 ahead.
As expected, both teams worked to move the ball wide, but it was Peterhouse’s go-forward from their forwards that kept Milnerton on the back foot. Their powerful no. 8, Prosper Zimbango, made his presence felt, both on attack and defence, setting the tone for his side.
A break-out, engineered by Sellidon, took Millies from their 22 into Peterhouse territory, eventually resulting in a penalty, and the flyhalf nailed it from a similar position to his earlier success to reduce the deficit to two points.
Peterhouse, as they had done after Sellidon’s first penalty, immediately roared back onto the attack, with a well-placed kick-off securing them possession. Scrumhalf Tasso Dombropoulos then finished off a sustained attack to make it 13-6 to the boys from Marondera.
In a back-and-forth contest, the momentum immediately swung back Milnerton’s way and, after winning a five-metre scrum, their no. 9 Charl Michaux matched Dombropoulos by making the dive for five.
Just two points separated the sides at the interval. Soon, though, it was 16-11 when Watama, having taken note of Sellidon’s kicks from almost the same spot, added three to Peterhouse’s tally two minutes into the second stanza.
The Zimbabweans made the early running, but Milnerton right-wing, Akho Mkaya, with a mix of power and good footwork, dotted down in the corner to level the scores. Sellidon struck the right-hand upright with his conversion attempt, and the ball dropped over the crossbar to give Millies the lead
It didn’t last long, with Watama nudging Peterhouse in front with another penalty to make it 19-18.
With 15 minutes to go, a well-judged cross-kick picked out ring-wing Bradley Marange, who gathered the ball, wriggled loose from a covering tackle, enough to pop the ball over his left shoulder for Zviko Matipano to take the pass and race clear for another try, which extended the Peterhouse advantage to six points.
The Zimbabweans had the bit between their teeth and continued to control possession and attack. Play had become frantic and loose, sapping the players’ energy reserves.
When Watama made a break, he didn’t have the gas to beat the last man. Instead, with excellent vision, he slid a grubber in behind the Milnerton defence, and Matipano ran onto the ball, then crossed for his second try.
Troy Ferreira replied for the Cape Town school two minutes from the end to make it 29-23 in Peterhouse’s favour.
When the final whistle sounded, Peterhouse had avenged an 18-34 defeat against Milnerton at KERF in 2025.
Scores:
Peterhouse 29 (13). Tries: Zvinko Matipano (2), Victor Watama, Tasso Dombropoulos. Penalties: Victor Watama (3)
Milnerton 23 (11). Tries: Charl Michaux, Akho Mkaya, Troy Ferreira. Conversions: Chadlin Sellidon. Penalties: Chadlin Sellidon (2)
PHOTOGRAPHER: GABRIELLE SWANEPOEL
