Match Report: Maritzburg College vs Glenwood 2022

Match Report: Maritzburg College vs Glenwood

 

The Green Machine of Glenwood end their season on a high against KZN rivals Maritzburg College 28 points to 22 in a Supa Quick Premier Interschools clash at Goldstones in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday the 13th of August 2022

 

The Glenwood forward pack announced themselves in fine fashion in the first half as it was brute force backed up by backline flair that ultimately won the game in the opening 30 minutes for the men from Durban.

From the kick-off, Glenwood found themselves on the front foot as a penalty was awarded to them at scrum time after an early knock-on error from Maritzburg College. Glenwood’s flyhalf and sharpshooter Drico Marx added the first points to the scoreboard with 4 minutes played. Maritzburg College 0 – Glenwood 3.

 

The trend of Glenwood’s dominance in the first half continued as it took only another 2 minutes for Glenwood to score their first try of the game. Glenwood won a tight head as they smashed College’s forward pack backward, Zukisane Tom the eighth man from Glenwood picked up from the base and charged down the far touchline finding a superb inside pass to his number 6 flanker Lwazi Ngcobo who carried a few meters further till he offloaded in the tackle to his captain Sandile Nzuza, it took one more offload to scrumhalf Dallyn Beukes who dived over in the corner to finish off the try that started 60 meters further downfield. Marx converted from the touchline to give Glenwood a 10-nil lead.

College finally found themselves in a period of possession but a knock-on in contact meant the ball fell kindly to Glenwood fullback Jaco Williams who decided to play with the advantage. He chipped a short kick through for right winger Renaldo Le Fleur to chase with College having to turn their back, the ball sat up perfectly for Le Fleur to regather and beat two College defenders to score a perfect counterattacking try for Glenwood. Marx converted once more, and Glenwood led 17 nil with only 12 minutes played.

In what would seem to be a long afternoon for the College side on their own turf, they began to claw themselves back into the game and manage their possession better. Maritzburg College’s first long period of possession paid off as they won themselves a penalty in front of the uprights, Knoetze the goal kicker and captain for College turned down an easy three points and went for touch. It worked out to be the right decision as Knoetze’s boot put College 5 meters from the Glenwood line. Their forwards set a solid rolling maul for their flanker Kyle Wilken to dive over, College was back in the game with 21 minutes played. Knoetze missed the conversion. Maritzburg College 5 – 17 Glenwood.

The game’s intensity seemed to settle down for a brief period as both sides tried to build momentum. Glenwood was the first to do so, after working their way well into the College 22m area, they won a penalty in front of the poles, Glenwood’s captain felt they had the upper hand at scrum time and called for a scrum that would be in the center of the field roughly 8 meters from the College line. Glenwood played a set move from the base of the scrum with eighth man Tom breaking blind side, he passed a short ball to his inside center Andile Myeni who ran a flat line and broke through the College defense to score Glenwood’s third and final try of the afternoon. Marx missed the conversion. Maritzburg College 5 Glenwood 22.

The final play came in the 34th minute when Glenwood won a penalty roughly 40 meters out from a College error for holding onto the ball at the ruck. Marx attempted to add another three points but missed the kick just wide of the right-hand upright.

The half ended as Glenwood looked to be dominating all facets of play. Maritzburg College 5 Glenwood 22.

It would turn out to be a tale of two halves for both sides as Maritzburg College fought back valiantly to reduce the points deficit at full time.

Glenwood started in a similar fashion to what they did in the first half, they won themselves a penalty from first phase ball for an offside against College. Nzuza pointed to the poles and Marx stepped up and added another 3 points to the Glenwood tally. Maritzburg College 5 Glenwood 25 with 38 minutes played.

Maritzburg College finally found the spark they needed when from kick-off they turned over the ball at ruck time. College strung a few phases together before winning a penalty this time for Glenwood being offside, Knoetze found a good touch setting up a lineout 5 meters from the Glenwood line. College produced a smart variation at the lineout and hooker Albie Mouton bashed his way over for their first try. Knoetze missed the conversion from the touchline, but College felt they were back in the game. Maritzburg College 10 Glenwood 25 with 41 minutes played.

Glenwood would not let College fully back into the game as they won a penalty for holding on shortly after the restart. Marx slotted another penalty with ease and Glenwood extended their lead to 18 points with 43 minutes played. Maritzburg College 10 Glenwood 28.

Maritzburg College showed again their fighting character they have shown more than once already this season as they realized it was now or never. College returned to basics and began to control the tempo of the game as it began to frustrate the boys from Glenwood, and you ask the question if this mentality was there from the first minute it could’ve been a different game.

15 minutes went by, but College had nothing to show for their efforts just yet. College was camping in Glenwood’s half bashing away slowly at the Glenwood defense until a moment of strength from their SA schools outside centre Lili Bester who had been relatively quiet throughout the game so far bust through the defensive line after getting a crisp short ball from Knoetze and dived over under the poles for College. Knoetze knowing they were against the clock converted quickly. Maritzburg College were back in it with 13 minutes left in the match.

The try from Bester lifted the spirits of his teammates as they built pressure once more, suffocating Glenwood of possession and gaining territory. Glenwood held on for more than 10 minutes as College kept coming at them.

College had the final say in the match when their eighth man Sasha Kadira barged his way over after a quick tap penalty, but it was too little too late for the Red, Black, and White. Knoetze missed the conversion with the final kick of the game as Glenwood celebrated securing the double win over their KZN rivals as they won earlier in the season 23 – 22. It was another epic encounter of SupaQuick Premier Interschools schoolboy rugby. Both teams can be proud of their performance.

Glenwood did enough in the first half, defended like trojans in the second half, and held on for another famous victory on Goldstones in Pietermaritzburg away from home 28 points to Maritzburg College’s 22.

 

Supa Quick Man of the Match: Sandile Nzuza 7 flanker & Glenwood captain

Scorers:

 

For Maritzburg College

Tries: Kely Wilken, Albie Mouton, Lili Bester

Cons: AJ Knoetze (1/3)

Pens:

For Glenwood

Tries: Dallyn Beukes, Andile Myeni, Renaldo Le Fleur

Con: Drico Marx (2/3)

Pens: Drico Marx (3/4)

Teams:

 

Glenwood: 15 Jaco Williams, 14 Renaldo Le Fleur, 13 Wian Janse Van Rensburg, 12 Andile Myeni, 11 Andrew Martins, 10 Drico Marx, 9 Dallyn Beukes, 8 Zukisane Tom, 7 Sandile Nzuza ©, 6 Lwazi Ngcobo, 5 Likhona Mfupi, 4 Liam Terblanche, 3 Siyabonga Dube, 2 Keegan Goosen, 1 Lithemba Mfupi

Maritzburg College: 15 Sphakanyiswa Ngcobo, 14 Ivan Chirenende, 13 Lili Bester, 12 liam Prinsloo, 11 Kuhann van den Berg, 10 Luc du Toit, 9 AJ Knoetze ©, 8 Sasha Kadira, 7 Travis Walton, 6 Kyle Wilken, 5 Kuhle Mthimkhulu, 4 Kevin Ayliff, 3 Mbusu Kweyama, 2 Elbie Mouton, 1 Diego Antionades

Match Officials:

 

Referee: Kevin Wood

AR1: Claude Pitout

AR2: Cayden Poole

Photo Credits

Photographer = Darren Stewart (Gallo Images)

Pic 1 = Captain AJ Knoetze (Maritzburg College) with ball in hand

Pic 2 = Jaco Williams (Glenwood) running with ball in hand