DURBAN HIGH SCHOOL 38 – 07 HOERSKOOL RUSTENBURG
For a third year in succession, Durban High School (DHS) and Hoërskool Rustenburg did battle at KERF, running out onto Stott Field in Saturday’s second game.
DHS had finished KERF with an unbeaten record on the previous two occasions, and they were intent on repeating that feat in 2026.
Rusties tested the Horseflies in the early going by keeping the play tight and hitting it up off rucks, but DHS defended with typical physicality and determination to keep the action around midfield.
An outstanding chip and chase from Hlomela Mbani almost brought the DHS scrumhalf the opening points of the game, but School retained possession, and their inside centre, Sterling Padi, knifed through a gap for the opening score after 10 minutes when the ball was swiftly moved wide.
Strong defence from both sides had the backlines looking a little short of ideas for most of the first half. Then, with time up on the scoreboard, DHS changed that.
They made good ground down the right touchline before Mbani, up in support like good scrumhalves do, was rewarded with the scoring pass, and he went over for five points. Tanwil Onkers added the extras to make it 12-0 to DHS at halftime.
From the start of the second half, coach Peter Engledow’s charges forced Rusties onto the defensive, playing the game deep inside their opponent’s 22.
Under intense pressure, the North West school played some dangerous rugby, trying to run the ball out. When they were forced into a hasty kick, DHS struck, with Richard Gyamfi fielding the ball before putting fullback Cilermo Carolus in the clear, and he went over in the right corner.
Onkers hit the mark with his conversion, and suddenly the Horseflies had some breathing room, leading 19-0.
Despite trailing, Rustenburg impressed with their effort and industry. Their front rankers, Xander Strickling and Dandré Graham, were in the thick of the action, but it was the lanky Wicus Arnold who made the breakthrough for Rusties, bursting over just to the right of the uprights, and Ricardo Enos landed the conversion to make it 19-7.
That elicited a furious response from DHS, and they were held up over the try line. Again they attacked, again they were held up.
No. 8 Daniel Kazambo looked as if he was over, but Rusties hung on, stopping him centimetres short. Kazambo was not to be denied, though, and he struck from a midfield position, crashing over next to the uprights, and Onkers tacked on two more.
A break by Jose Lottering took DHS back into the Rustenburg 22, where Cilermo Carolus ran onto a flat pass in a gap, and he dotted down beneath the uprights. Another Onkers’ conversion made it a seven-point play.
Rustenburg was being stretched left and right, and DHS completed the scoring with only seconds remaining when Richard Kriel dived over for School’s sixth try, making it 38-7 at the final whistle.
The final score was close to the previous KERF results between the sides, with DHS winning 45-0 in 2024 and 41-7 in 2025. Yet, 38-7 was, arguably, a little unkind to Rustenburg. They impressed with their never-say-die attitude, but, in the end, they succumbed to the unrelenting pressure exerted by DHS.
Scores:
DHS 38 (12). Tries: Cilermo Carolus (2), Sterling Padi, Hlomela Mbani, Daniel Kazambo, Richard Kriel. Conversions: Tanwil Onkers (4)
Rustenburg 7 (0). Tries: Wicus Arnold. Conversion: Ricardo Enos.
