Overview Sporting Achievements
This weekend saw Maritzburg College welcome the boys and staff of Durban High School to the campus for a full round of hockey and rugby fixtures, culminating in the first XV rugby team battle on Goldstones for the Skonk Nicholson trophy. College won most of their rugby and hockey matches across the age categories, although it was DHS who took the 1st XV and 1st XI victories.
Rugby:
College fielded 26 teams on Saturday with 19 against DHS. There was both jubilation and frustration with wins and losses as two very evenly matched schools met on the rugby fields. The 1st XV clash was for the coveted Skonk Nicholson ropy, and despite leading for most of the game, College eventually lost 18-21.
1st XV match report (Mr Tim Orchard, 1st XV coach)
Saturday Goldstones played host to a mouthwatering contest between Maritzburg College and Durban High School. Both sides came into the fixture in good form, and both were expecting repeat performances from their respective sides. Maritzburg College started the better off of the two teams, quickly amassing an early lead after a couple of penalty kicks.
From then College asserted dominance and scored an excellent try from long range after the ball was recycled from deep within their own half. College further extended their lead with an excellent maul try to build a relatively commanding lead. However, one can never assume anything in schoolboy rugby as was showcased in the second half.
In the second half DHS wrestled momentum away from the home team and scored the only points of the half to set up a remarkable win away from home. The turning point of the match was when the College right winger broke his ankle, and this injury took all the wind out of the College side, and they suddenly started to look very vulnerable after being so dominant in the first half. The first points of the match were a series of penalties traded by both school’s kickers. This changed when College recycled the ball smartly from deep within their own half to expose the DHS defence in the wider channels.
Nkululeko Sithole then finished off a well worked team try to put College 11-3 up after the conversion was missed. DHS hit back soon afterwards to reduce the deficit by three points to make the score 11-6. As halftime was approaching, Maritzburg College had a lineout five meters from the DHS tryline from which they launched a drive which allowed Siya Nyathi to crash over to further extend College’s lead. The kick was converted, and College held a rather strong lead at 18-6.
The second half was the complete opposite of the first, as College sought a knockout blow but by failing to do so allowed their visitors to re-energise and grab momentum. An errant lineout deep within the DHS half allowed the visitors to launch a devastating counterattack to score a remarkable try. This moment heralded a change in the match as DHS looked to strike quickly to take the lead and take the lead they did. Another remarkable piece of attacking flair allowed them to snatch the lead after exploiting a College defence that was on the back foot to score another long range try. College had the opportunity to win the match with a lineout maul, but the lineout was lost much to the delight of the vocal away support.
Maritzburg College 18 Tries: N Sithole, S Nyathi Conversion: Slevin Penalties: Slevin x2
DHS 21
Join with Maritzburg College’s First Teams to support Sports for Lives
Maritzburg College’s 1st XV Rugby and 1st XI Hockey boys are excited to announce that they will be running Tries for Lives/ Goals for Lives campaigns over the 2024 winter sport season.
The Tries for Lives Campaign will be raising R25000.00 for Kenosis Community, and the funds raised will go towards replacing new roofs on two of the homes. The Kenosis Community provides safety, stability, love, hope and opportunity for vulnerable children in need.
The Tries for Lives Campaign will be raising R25000.00 for Kenosis Community, and the funds raised will go towards replacing new roofs on two of the homes. The Kenosis Community provides safety, stability, love, hope and opportunity for vulnerable children in need.
Similarly, the Goals for Lives Campaign will also be raising R25000.00 for Kenosis Community, and the funds raised will go towards the same project.
The boys at Maritzburg College challenge not only each other to score as many tries/ goals as possible during the season but also challenge our parents/companies and the greater Maritzburg College community to pledge towards this campaign by pledging per try/ goal scored OR make a once-off contribution.
Join us in activating generosity by donating now.
Tries for Lives https://sportforlives.org/campaigns/tries-for-lives-maritzburg-college-1st-xv-rugby/
Goals for Lives https://sportforlives.org/campaigns/goals-for-lives-maritzburg-college-1st-xi-hockey/
Hockey
College’s hockey teams also had a number of very close matches against DHS, eventually winning seven of the 12 games, drawing two and losing three. There were also four filler games against Northwood, with two wins, one draw and one loss for the Red Black White. The Red Army 1st XI fought hard down to the last minute eventually going down 2-4 on Pape’s.
1st XI match report (Mr Kyle Emerson, 1st XI coach)
It was a hot ‘Maritzburg day and the game was played at an equally hot and intense pace. It was also highly competitive encounter, but at times the tackles and challenges were beyond the laws of the game, which the umpires struggled to manage resulting in 5 yellow cards.
College started the match with the ascendency and created their first chance, which was well saved, in the first twenty seconds. Within the first few minutes of the game, they had earned their second penalty corner which was saved by the defender. DHS’ speed and skill were evident early on and they made use of the counterattack to threaten the College goal. College opened the scoring in the first quarter through Julian Konigkramer’s quick finish after a snapshot from the left of the circle. College then rued their missed chances as an excellent run down the left side of the field resulted in DHS drawing level.
DHS took the lead on the stroke of half time as they converted a penalty corner after the ball was not cleared effectively. The momentum started to shift in the visitor’s favour into the second half, but College scored next, and after a goal mouth scramble Konigkramer did well to flick the ball home on his reverse. College were unable to take the lead through their resulting penalty corners and circle entries, and DHS hung on in the third quarter.
As the legs grew tired, DHS started to create more chances as the game got loose into the final quarter which suited their style and speed. With four minutes left in the game, DHS earned a penalty corner which was converted with a drag-flick. With two-minutes to go, a sloppy turnover in the middle of the field saw a DHS midfielder make a pass to an unmarked DHS forward who hit a strong back-hand into the bottom of the goal to seal the win. The score ended 4-2 and in the favour of the team who were able to convert their opportunities when momentum was in their favour.
Sports report sent from Maritzburg College
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