For the second year in a row, the honour of playing College on Goldstones on their Reunion Day falls to Glenwood. It is possibly the worst day in the calendar year to have to play a game of rugby at College. A huge crowd is expected to get behind the home team and based on the importance that College attaches to the occasion, all their teams including the First XV, will be playing with significant extra doses of passion. This Reunion Day factor alone makes College the favourites to emerge as victors.
Glenwood however know the drill. They seem to feed off the energy of big matches. The bigger the game, the better they play. Away from home, their 2011 team has beaten the likes of Kearsney and Paul Roos and given Monument a good run for their money at altitude. Glenwood’s improvement in conditioning has served them well and unlike the 2010, this year’s team is able to finish games very strongly due to superior fitness levels. The slightly thinner and drier air in Maritzburg will not be a factor on Saturday.
Rugby is a multifaceted game but if one absolutely had to break this match down into it’s simplest form, the temptation would be there to describe it as a battle to be won by either College’s backs or Glenwood’s forwards.
Although it’s crucial that the forwards lay a good platform, College’s line holds the key to their success. With quickball they will finish off the best defence in the country. The kingpin is a Fourie du Preez-like player at halfback in the form of captain Stefan Ungerer, who it’s been confirmed will be joining the Sharks Academy in 2012. Outside Ungerer, there is playmaking ability in Olley’s game, strength in Phillips, linebreaking options presented by the Kriel twins and two of the quickest finishers around in Sithole and Makiwane. In fact wing Lwazi Sithole is believed to be the leading try scorer in KZN, having been on the score sheet in all but one game this season, according to his coach.
For College, there are also the never-ending concerns over quality lineout ball. Without stalwart hooker, Matthew “Gunter” Muller, whose absence in the loose is bound to be felt, as well as second choice Maphanga being out, they have had to draft in Desmond Marx, who was a 3rd team flanker a few weeks back. His deputy will be Richard Mayne, another who has stood out as a backrow player in a lower team. Nevertheless College are blessed by the presence of tall Matt Dickens, one of the province’s best go to men in the middle of the lineout. If the accuracy is there, no.8 Regan Smith is another viable target at the back of the setpiece.
For Glenwood, the crucial absentee is no.8 Carel Swart, a strong ballcarrier. Open play is where the Green Machine will be looking to make the most of their mobile pack. College can expect various Glenwood carriers coming at them from different angles, placing their gain line under continuous assault in the hopes of sucking in defenders and creating openings and/or mismatches elsewhere on the park. Glenwood captain Chippy Oelofse and lock Ferdi Horn are always prominent in this department, however the dangerman is likely to be the 100% fit again 100kg flanker, Wayne Dalton, who’s season has been set back by an ankle injury.
Glenwood’s big centre, Dean Moolman, still nursing an eye injury sustained in the traditional night before the game activity against DHS, is sidelined. He’ll be missed, particularly on defence. By overdoing their drives, Glenwood have often been guilty of seeking contact when moving the ball into spaces would have been the better option. As a result of this lack of vision, potential points scoring opportunities have gone a-begging in the past. Knowing when to carrier and when to pass remains the biggest challenge for Glenwood backs and particularly forwards who often find themselves out in the line.
Apart from being the 90th year that these teams lock horns, this match will go a long way to determining who the Kwazulu Natal 2011 top dogs are.
Teams:
Maritzburg College – 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Lwazi Sithole, 13 Daniel Kriel, 12 Matthew Phillips, 11 Zolile Makiwane, 10 Calvin Olley, 9 Stefan Ungerer (c), 8 Reagan Smith, 7 AP Smith, 6 Percy Shezi, 5 Ryan Odendaal, 4 Matthew Dickens, 3 Mvelo Khumalo, 2 Desmond Marx, 1 Richard Mhlongo Coach: Steve Botha.
Glenwood – 15 Lwandile Nthlangulela, 14 Craig Geldenhuys, 13 Dylan Coulson, 12 Nkululeko Marwana, 11 Siyabonga Tom, 10 Unathi Makasi, 9 Mtokosizi Mkhabela, 8 Marlu Gouws, 7 Wayne Dalton, 6 Brian Potgieter, 5 Bradley McNeill, 4 Jakobus Horn, 3 Sanele Pina, 2 Jaques Taylor, 1 Niel Oelofse (c) Coach: Sean Erasmus.
Other KZN games on Saturday, 11 June 2011.
DHS vs Hilton
Kearsney vs Michaelhouse
St Charles vs Northwood
Port Natal vs Westville
Voortrekker vs Westville 2nd
Carter vs Westville 3rd
Linpark vs Westville 4th
Kloof vs George Campbell
Tweet
The Beets are a great band, beet is a central feature of Jitterbug Perfume, a cool book, and Beet is a superb chronicler of schools rugby. What a versatile fruit/vegetable/tuber/(?)…!!!
Beet you had 2 rub it in about stefan ungerer gosh u must be in heaven
lol
Dnt worry beet carlo engelbrecht of the affies side will make sa school lol
repeat after me…
Un-Ger-Er
Un-Ger-Er
Un-Ger-Er
(how chants are started)
I’ll be at Goldstones whoopee! Supporting College of course!
@robdylan (Comment 4) : My boyfriend in St1 was an Ungerer…wonder if it could be his son! 😆
Beet the Kriel4 younger brother has just started at College he was in the 1st xv at Merchiston was good at just about all sports just can’t remember what position he played – for someone my age 1 year is a long time 🙁
I really don’t know what or how that 4 got in there 😳
Ice whant me to ask the dad? 😉
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 9) : I doubt if he is from where I grew up! 😆
@Ice (Comment 6) : no way a guy who was in st1 with you could have a son ungerer’s age…
(there’s a compliment hidden in there if you wanna dig for it) 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 11) : 😉
@merchiston’s tag rugby festival with the rugby legends just bumped into Dick Muir 🙂 and I’m sure Craig jamieson
Kloof v Campbell 😯 Do they have enough ambulances and reserves?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 14) : LOL 🙂
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 13) : Ask Dick to come play centre for us
The idea has entered my mind 😉 but ill wait a bit longer I think Jeremy Thomson (old Merchistonian) is expected later so I’ll try and get both 🙂
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 13) : Jameson the legend. The original Cabbage Patch kid. Did he ever become a commentator – I think he would have been good.
Hey beet,you have been talking smack the whole season about the mighty green machine,so let’s make this match interesting,winner buys loser a drink 😛 you in? Green machine to win btw and easily!and I’ll take the same bet with whoever wants 2
Poisy u r on College to round off a reunion with a good win 🙂
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 7) : Daniel Kriel, the outside centre has been one of my favourites this season. His twin Jesse had a standout game against Westville.
@Poisy (Comment 19) : Poisy, I’ll buy you that drink irrespective of the outcome, mate.
I’m not really College, so I’ll be enjoying this game as a pure neutral.
In my defence, I actually love the work they’re going at Glenwood and tell a lot of people about how good the spirit at the school is.
In Glenwood’s defence, they haven’t given anyone, incl myself the opportunity to talk smack about them in the last few years. 🙂
@Culling Song (Comment 1) : Thanks Culling Song, there’s also a cartoon character Beet(le) Bailey, see pic on the right ➡ ➡ ➡ ➡
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 20) : hahaha you are so gonna lose!
@beet (Comment 22) : lol true this years team does look fairly weaker than of previous years but they will pull threw on this game
I’m afraid as a Glenwood Old Boy and also Alexandra High Old Boy i want to see Maritzburg College lose
“” Come On The Green Machine “”
@SharkyTaylor (Comment 26) : I’m an old boy of neither and I also want to see Glenwood win.
So they can build momentum before thumping Westville next week. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) : here here!! The westville Griffins are gonna get they feathers plucked 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 27) : Howzit KSA 🙂 I’m liking that thought , lol
@ Posy, Sharky & KSA u r going to be soooo disappointed College is so going to win hopefully the Sharks will win so u will be cheered up 🙂
@ Beet watch Barry Kriel come up he is only in form 2 this year but as good as his brothers
WWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSTTTTTVVVVVIIIIILLLLLEEEE!!!
@Poisy (Comment 28) : They got plucked by some boys from the farms already last week. 😛
@KSA Shark © (Comment 33) : they should be called the westville chickens sponsord by KFC 😛
@Poisy (Comment 34) : Maybe KFC has a waitress named Suzy. 😛