Sports News from St Charles College vs St David’s Marist
Final Score: St Charles College 34 – 6 St David’s Marist
1st XV Rugby (as reported by Head Coach, Craig Dwyer)
A warm winter’s afternoon in Pietermaritzburg set the stage for a much-anticipated encounter between two proud rugby-playing schools. With both sides renowned for their expansive and enterprising style of play, this fixture promised fireworks, and it delivered on many fronts. What made the occasion even more special was that this match formed part of St Charles College’s inaugural King Price Derby Day. The field was immaculately dressed, the energy in the buildup to the day was electric, and the delayed broadcast on SuperSport Channel 216 gave both players and the College an opportunity to showcase their talents and our world-class facilities.
Pre-Match Build-Up:
Coming into the game, both camps had reason to be confident. St David’s, a well-drilled side led by Director of Rugby and former Springbok and St Charles Old Boy – Etienne Fynn, presented a significant challenge, especially at set-piece time – St David’s had also come off the back of two big wins at home. However, the long overnight trip and unfamiliar conditions always posed a hurdle for the visitors. For the local lads in Blue & Gold, playing on the comfort of Old Orchards field, had the advantage of familiar turf and home support.
First Half:
The coaching team had challenged the boys to dominate the opening 10 minutes, and they delivered with purpose and precision. Right from the first whistle, we set the tone, winning collision after collision on both sides of the ball. The intensity, physicality, and execution were on point and the team delivered on everything that the coaches had asked for. Within 14 minutes, the Wild Dogs raced to a 12-0 lead. This early cushion allowed the team to experiment within our systems, some things paid off, others didn’t, but it was encouraging to see the freedom and ambition on display. By halftime, the scoreboard read 12-0 to the home side.
Second Half:
St David’s emerged with renewed energy in the second half, showing some positive momentum early on. However, our defensive organisation and commitment to repel every attacking effort paid off, with dominant tackles, double hits, and line speed which set the tone for what was to come for the remainder of the half. There were several key defensive moments that resulted in turnovers and transition attacking opportunities, which St Charles College managed to convert into points. The home team managed to keep the scoreboard ticking and eventually sealed a 34-6 victory to cap off the regular season.
1st Team Hockey (as reported by Head Coach, Matthew Coombes)
St Charles College hosted St David’s Marist Inanda in their final fixture of the season, with the visitors making the journey down from Johannesburg. From the first whistle, St Charles took control of the game, dominating both possession and territory. They created several promising scoring opportunities, but the elusive opening goal never came.
Despite being on the back foot, St David’s remained composed. Strong defensive discipline and an inspired performance from their goalkeeper kept St Charles at bay. Against the run of play, it was the visitors who struck first, capitalising on a rare counterattack late in the first chukka to take a 1–0 lead. This moment proved to be the turning point in the match. St Charles, sensing the pressure, became slightly frantic in their approach. Shape was lost, and players began forcing plays in pursuit of an equaliser. Opportunities still came, but the St David’s defence was outstanding, organised, committed, and unbreakable on the day. Their back four, goalkeeper, and short corner unit held strong, repelling wave after wave of attack.
As frustration grew, gaps started appearing at the back for St Charles. St David’s remained sharp and clinical, punishing the hosts with two well-taken goals in the second half to stretch the lead to 3–0. The closing stages saw both sides push for more, but no further goals were added to the scoreboard. Credit must go to St David’s for a composed and efficient performance, and we extend our thanks to them for making the trip to the KZN capital.
While the result may not have gone St Charles’ way, it was a fixture played with commitment and courage. Our players will no doubt learn from this experience, taking forward important lessons in resilience, composure, and respect, true reflections of our school’s values.
“To the faithful one, a certain reward.”
We look forward to the next exchange with St David’s and the continued growth of this sporting relationship.