Much expected of College

The Maritzburg College, head coach, Ryan Strudwick, is taking nothing for granted when the red, black and white take on the big, beefy Noord-Kaap line-up from Kimberley in the 2.10 pm FNB Maritzburg College 150th Rugby Festival muscle-up on Goldstones Monday.

The festival over Easter forms an integral part of Maritzburg College’s 150th anniversary celebrations this year.

“Noord-Kaap are a good side, well-drilled with some big boys and we will do some more homework on them early tomorrow [Monday],” said Strudwick who gave his charges a well-earned day off Sunday.

“It will be a big challenge for us to win two in a row [inside three days] but if we iron out the errors and put in another good performance we can make it happen.”

The Maritzburg College 150th Winter Sports Festival saw big crowds descend on KwaZulu-Natal’s oldest boys’ school Saturday and the late game between College and Port Elizabeth’s Grey High School was an epic encounter, which the hosts won 18-10 after leading 5-3 at half-time.

The school’s no-name-brand first XV have no superstars. It was a bunch of committed players who put their bodies on the line for the school badge against Grey. And when Strudwick spoke to The Witness Sunday there was no hiding the quiet satisfaction and admiration he had for his team’s performance.

“It was the perfect time for the boys to bring that guts and passion out,” said the former lock and loose forward who, amongst other notable achievements during his playing days, captained London Irish in the English Premier League. “We’ve worked hard on our defence College are renowned for their great defensive systems and we are trying to get it back.”

There was one pivotal period of play in a match chock-full of drama and excitement that defined what Strudwick was saying.

At 8-3 in the second half, holding on to a knife-edge five-point lead, two College boys were sent to the sin bin inside a two-minute passage of play and 13 brave young men conjured up a truly remarkable defensive display as the big Grey boys threw everything but the kitchen sink at them.

Wave after wave of enterprising attacks were thrown at the heroic College 13 who, to a man, repelled everything that came their way. The tables were turned when the man of the match, College outside centre Marcel Coetzee, broke away on an inspirational run that ultimately led to a winning 18-3 lead. Coetzee landed a pressure penalty before converting flying right winger Lindo Ngcobo’s second dazzling try.

“Yes, the spirit and character was outstanding and long may it last,” said Strudwick, who is now in his second year in the job.

“It was a great team effort, Simon [Culverwell, inside centre] put in some great hits and steals it is vital that the centres work well together both defensively and on attack, and Marcel [Coetzee] also had a great game.

“It’s nice to see his that confidence is back, while the wingers [Ngcobo and left wing BJ Ngwenya] and the forward pack were also excellent, but it was the team as a unit that won us the match, everybody pulling together,” said the former Sharks back-rower who led College Rovers to the National Club Championship during his time as head coach of the Durban club.

Strudwick also reserved special praise for captain and lock forward Seko Buthelezi, the immediately impressive young leader who hails from Vryheid in northern KZN and is the Maritzburg College head prefect.

“Seko was fantastic, to bring the guys together to produce that kind of defensive performance with only 13 players on the field, to concede zero points during that testing time against a side of Grey’s quality, it was special.”

But as good as it was, College will have to do it all over again in less than 48 hours after the victory over Grey – and against a well-balanced Noord-Kaap line-up that were nevertheless stretched by Johannesburg’s spirited Jeppe squad in their 24-16 win on Saturday.

Noord-Kaap’s big pack, with the likes of loosehead prop Lux Khoza and loose forwards Nico Graaff and Gerhard Holtzhausen able to capitalise on their team’s superior size and strength up front, will be a massive challenge for Buthelezi and company, while the Kimberley side’s man of the match against Jeppe, inside centre Luke Mason, will ask many questions of Culverwell and Coetzee in midfield.

Many proud College supporters who witnessed the stirring display against Grey can barely wait for this cracker of a match against the big lads from Kimberley to unfold.

Of course, the Maritzburg College match-up with Noord-Kaap is but one of Monday’s tantalising prospects.

South African schoolboy rugby powerhouse Affies, who played sublime rugby in patches during their 27-13 win over Queens College on Saturday, tackle Grey in the marquee match at 3.30 pm on Goldstones Monday.

Grey, hurting from what some feel should have been a win against College, will have their hands full in countering lightning-quick Affies fullback Eduan Keyter. But that’s not all. Grey will also have to find a way to combat the silky skills of centre Jurie Linde, whose perfect execution of the inside-outside skill made so famous by former Springbok Carel du Plessis left the Queens defenders grasping at thin air.

Then there’s the sheer speed of Affies right wing Thys van Wyk and the solid platform laid by the big, formidable Pretoria school’s pack, from which darting scrumhalf and consistent goalkicker Ivan Zyl serves his team so well. The list goes on.

It will take a stunning performance by Grey to win this one, but if they come to Goldstones with their A-game it can be done.

Monday’s other exciting matches kick off with the classy Rondebosch side against Monument at 10.10 am. The Cape Town unit will be looking to outwit and outplay the heavy Monnas eight - and the Krugersdorp team’s equally talented backline.

Dale College’s crowd-pleasing side face what should be an improved KZN Development XV at 11.30 am, while one of Queen’s College or Jeppe High will get on to the festival winners’ board for the first time. Their match kicks off at 12.50 pm.

Remaining Festival Fixtures

Monday, 1 April  2013

10.10: Monnas vs Rondebosch

11.30: KZN Development XV vs Dale

12.50: Queen's vs Jeppe

14.10: Maritzburg College vs Noord-Kaap

15.30: Affies vs Grey PE

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

09.00: Dale vs Affies

10.20: Grey PE vs KZN Development XV

11.40: Rondebosch vs Jeppe

13.00: Monnas vs Noord-Kaap

14.20: Queen's vs Maritzburg College.

By Jonathan Cook