Preview: FNB Classic Clash at Botha's Hill
Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:18
It is the first FNB Classic Clash of 2010 when Westville go the short distance further from Durban to Botha's Hill to play Kearsney College. It is a derby match enhanced by the status of an FNB Classic Clash.
Both teams are in the top echelons of schools rugby in KwaZulu-Natal and even this early in the season promises to be exciting.
Westville kicked off the season with an exciting match up at Balgowan against Michaelhouse, the home side just winning 18-17 when, in the last minute, Westville tried to score a try from a kickable penalty inside the Michaelhouse 22. They failed in their heroic effort and lost by a point.
Westville, which started playing rugby only in 1955, has in recent times been a powerful force in KwaZulu-Natal and have regularly been ranked in the FNB Top 20. Four players have played for SA Schools and two have become Springboks - Tim Cocks and the current Sharks' centre Waylon Murray. Shaun Payne has played for Ireland and Roland de Marigny for Italy. Marc de Marigny, Neil Penrose, Dieter Kriese and Payne, again, at Sevens Springboks.
The school's achievements are all the greater for being solely a day school.
The captain of the team is scrumhalf Dwayne Kelly who went to the Grant Khomo Week when he was Under-16 and the next year to the Academy Week. His halfback partner is the team's goalkicker Duncan Campbell who was also at the Academy Week last year. He has had the extra boost of attending Murray Mexted's IRANZ - a rugby academy.
Others who have had higher honours are Langa Mahaya, who like another prop in the Sharks area is nicknamed Beast, Brandon Backeberg, Khaya Majola, who has a great sporting name and has represented KwaZulu-Natal at the Grant Khomo and Academy Weeks, and centre Tyler Fisher, who was at the Grant Khomo Week last year and selected for the South African Under-16 High Performance squad. The left wing, Keegan Boulle, played soccer for South Africa Under-17
.Kearsney have two sons of Springboks in their side - Gareth Reece-Edwards, the son of Hugh, and Robert du Preez, the son of Robert.
The captain Warren Seals and Andrew Holland played for the KwaZulu Natal Academy side last year while Wiseman Mbaso was at the Grant Khomo Week.
The referee for the match is Magnus Oosthuizen, who made strides as a referee in the USA and now back in South Africa he has been nominated by KwaZulu-Natal for a place in the South African Contenders Panel of Referees.
The match will be broadcast live on Supersport 1 and MNet.
Teams:
Kearsney College: 15 Brynne Campbell, 14 Chase Draper, 13 Andrew Holland (captain), 12 Sandile Kubeka, 11 Kagiso Segole, 10 Warren Seals, 9 Robert Du Preez, 8 Gareth Reece-Edwards, 7 Declan Ahern , 6 Cullan Collopy, 5 Brendan Clements, 4 Asante
Ndizana, 3 Wiseman Mabaso, 2 Sduduzo Mgwaba, 1 Mathew Jones
Replacements: 16 Michael KJennedy, 17 James Timke, 18 Gareth Dahl, 19 Divan Koekemoer, 20 Jason Edmunds, 21 JP de Swart, 22 Tyron van der Wal
Westville: 15 David Watkeys, 14 Steven Neveling, 13 Tyler Fisher, 12 Jordan Foord, 11 Keegan Boulle, 10 Duncan Campbell, 9 Dwayne Kelly (captain), 8 Khaya Majola, 7 Brandon Backeberg, 6 Ntando Phungose, 5 Peter Woodroffe, 4 Tyron Leathy, 3 Langa Mahaya, 2 Daun Coertzen, 1 Richard Young.
Replacements: 16 Tyran Tarpey, 17 Tim Kelly, 18 Sheldon Riemers, 19 Luke Cottrell, 20 Greg Bauer, 21 Ryan Nel, 22 Sean Foden.
Date: Saturday, 13 March 2010
Kick-off: 14.30 (Live on SuperSport One/M-Net)
Venue: Kearsney College
Expected weather conditions: Hot and possibly damp. Scattered clouds with a 20% chance of rain, a
high of 29°C and a southeaster of 21 km/h
Referee: Magnus Oosthuizen
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