SuperSport Schools Plus | Candies out to make early inroads vs Hilton, St Alban’s returns from Europe

Hilton College is no stranger to intense competition. Last year, they scored a commanding 39-15 victory over Pretoria Boys High (PBHS) at home. They also produced another outstanding season. However, their journey this year has been less consistent and marked by both triumphs and setbacks.

Kick-off this weekend takes place at 13:15 on the prestigious Brooks Fieldat PBHS.

In their recent derby clash with their arch-rivals, Michaelhouse, Hilton fought tooth and nail but fell short, succumbing to a narrow 23-24 defeat. It was their second loss to ‘House in succession after not having lost to the Balgowan boys since 2016.

The match, fiercely contested, came at a cost as Hilton suffered several injuries, leaving key players’ Ross Brown, Stewart Falconerand Ivan Jyuuko all sidelined for the upcoming match against Boys High, coach Brad McLeod-Henderson said.

On the other side of the pitch, Boys High enters the fray with determination and ambition. While their run-out last weekend against HTS Middelburg may not have been an official fixture with a visible scoreboard, it provided valuable opportunities for players across different age groups and teams to showcase their skills.

In an interesting move, PBHS tried out Jeffrey Singo on the flank. He started the season at loose-head prop.

In their previous outing, Boys High beat Parktown Boys’ High School 36-5 away from home in a scrappy affair.

The coaching staff at Boys High has taken some time to analyze Hilton’s loss against Michaelhouse. Assistant coach Wian Geldenhuys said: “We are aware of Hilton’s kicking game, and I hope the referee will manage the breakdown well.”

In a boost for the home side, Stephen Adams will start a game for the first time since he injured a knee against Paarl Boys’ High on 1 April. He made a brief appearance off the bench against Parktown and made his presence felt by going over for a try.

“We are really looking forward to this weekend,” Geldenhuys said. “The boys are just about ready and can’t wait.”

Meanwhile, St Alban’s College will square off with Northcliff High School in Johannesburg on Saturday, with an early kick-off at 11:15.

St Alban’s recently returned from an overseas tour and will be looking forward to playing some rugby on home soil again. Their fixtures featured matches against schools and clubs from Spain and France.

The Hoops won two out of their four games, which included a narrow 10-5 win over St Jean De Luz Olympique and a 14-12 victory against Emak Hor Rugby, both from France.

Captain Patrick Weir has had a strong start to the season and will be eager to set the tone for Saints as they face some big matches in the coming weeks.

Their international experience would have opened up the players to different cultures, both on and off the rugby field. Lessons learned on the tour will also, no doubt, help the players to advance their rugby education, and touring helps to further enhance bonds. It will be interesting to see what that impact is in action when St. Alban’s takes to the field.

Northcliff recently beat Sutherland High School 63-19 in a strong outing for the Johannesburg school. Flyhalf Matthew Hunt kicked well on the day, slotting two penalties and six conversions.

Only twice this season has Northcliff conceded more than 20 points. They’ll need their defense to be on point again to withstand the St Alban’s challenge.

An exciting weekend lies ahead.

TEAM

Pretoria Boys High School: 15 Tumisho Motswi, 14 Itu Baloyi, 13 Ntsako Ndlovu, 12 Rickus Wessels, 11 Ompfuna Tsanwani, 10 Seth Venter, 9 Cole Williams, 8 Katlego Shebu, 7 Jeffery Singo, 6 Panyaiotis Ellinas, 5 Tshepiso Shikhibana, 4 Stephen Adams, 3 Ofentse. Moeng, 2 Marnus Wessels, 1 Matthew Parrott.

Hilton College: 15 Xola Bakana, 14 Sebastian Gaboreau, 13 Khazimla Makali, 12 Daniel Sweeney, 11 Requilme Adonis, 10 Liyema Nela, 9 Zander Vorster, 8 Hanu Pieterse, 7 Dylan Neill, 6 Oliver Mattison, 5 Kieran Hunt, 4 Trent Chubb, 3 Ben le Roux, 2 Josh Grant, 1 Oliver Proudfoot.

Northcliff High School: 15 Dylan Koopman, 14 Bheki Ngwenya, 13 Sivenathi Ngqungwana, 12 Matthew Verrydt, 11 Luke Roos, 10 Matthew Hunt, 9 Alerick Rachstein, 8 Frank Devenish, 7 Chad Matthews, 6 Vianney Nteumange, 5 Rhema Nwogwugwu, 4 Declan Diesel, 3 Mihlali -Yethu Nqabeni, 2 Luke Hammond, 1 Miguel Smith.

St Alban’s College: 15 Ngaa Chikarango, 14 Tumelo Mohale, 13 Enzo Olivier, 12 Sihle Msiza, 11 JJ Steenkamp, ​​10 Everett Gosling, 9 Joshua Verster, 8 Daniel Bouwer, 7 Thabiso Mbembele 6 Patrick Weir, 5 Helgard Hendriks, 4 Tim Garnett, 3 Neo Gama , 2 Craig Milne 1 Andreas Philippou.

FIXTURES

Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton

u14A: 9am – Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton (Dorey Near)
u15A: 10am – Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton (Oehley Far Field)
u16A: 11am – Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton (Oehely Near Field)
u19B: 12:10 – Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton (Brooks Field)
u19A: 1.15pm – Pretoria Boys High vs Hilton (Brooks Field)

Northcliff vs St Albans

u14A: 10am – Northcliff vs St Albans (C Field)
u15A: 8am – Northcliff vs St Albans (B Field)
u19B: 9am – Northcliff vs St Albans (A Field)
u16A: 10am – Northcliff vs St Albans (A Field)
u19A: 11.15am – Northcliff vs St Albans (A Field)