The last time Kearsney College visited Hilton College, in 2024, the teams combined for 92 points, with Hilton winning an action-packed contest 55-37. Another entertaining clash is on the cards on Gilfillan Field on Saturday.
Hilton’s defence has been one of its strengths under the guidance of coach Brad Macleod-Henderson. In Kearsney, they face a team with plenty of X-factor players, including fullback Lwazi Mbebe, centre Keanu Williamson, flyhalf Daniel Miskey, and eighthman Nhlanhla Ndlovu.
They’re players capable of conjuring up a magical moment or two that can flip the script of a match. Hilton showed last week, though, that they, too, can play that game, putting up 43 points on a stout Northwood defence in an 11-point victory.
The aspect of that win that caught the eye was Hilton’s swift ball movement, from the rucks and down the backline. They’re not short of flair, and they implement it from the foundation of a rugged and cohesive pack.
Kearsney, who went down 22-24 to Maritzburg College in a King Price Derby Series clash last week, outscoring the Red, Black, and White four tries to three, showed in that loss on Stott Field that their pack has the goods to meet any challenge. The College pack is relentless and physical, and they keyed the Pietermaritzburg school to a 14-9 win over Hilton on 30 May, which is Hilton’s only loss in 11 matches.
The visitors’ record is more modest: six wins, a draw at Westville, and five losses. Their biggest defeat among that lot was by 12 points against DHS. They also went down by 11 to Northwood, but twice they lost by only three points, and once by just two.
Make no mistake, coach Grant Bashford‘s charges are a talented and dangerous bunch. Their creativity is their superpower, but also, at times, their kryptonite. It produces some wonderful tries, but it has also led to Kearsney conceding some easy points. If they are to challenge Hilton, a team renowned for its sound basics, they will need to limit those errors. By all means, they should embrace their counterattacking flair, but keep their errors to a minimum.
Hilton’s back three – fullback James Peattie and wings, Tom Gurupira and Liyema Gaza – are sharp counterattackers, and flyhalf John Grubb is not only good at getting his backline moving, but he is also not shy to take the ball up himself.
Hilton will be without Zander Muller, who was selected at no. 8 for the Sharks’ Craven Week team for a second successive year, but Ross Steyn, who usually turns out at flank, is a hammer, and he will test Kearsney with his hard, direct running, much like Muller would have done.
Captain Andrew Schnell will also be a key player. He can take over a contest with his lineout-stealing excellence. He’s a top water polo player, and he’ll face a couple of other top water polo players in the Kearsney pack, flank Oliver Ludwig and lock Thomas Francke.
Matthew Wilson, who usually starts at hooker for Kearsney, is missing, and Luke Faure, a man with experience at prop, will wear the no. 2 jersey in his stead.
It should be a fascinating forward battle.
Teams:
Hilton College: 15 James Peattie, 14 Tom Gurupira, 13 Guy Fender, 12 Ruan Mulder, 11 Liyema Gazi, 10 John Grubb, 9 Benoit Rey, 8 Ross Steyn, 7 Rob Jervis, 6 Callan Kenmuir, 5 Andrew Schnell, 4 Hartman Fourie, 3 Mholi Khuzwayo, 2 Kyle-Reese Clements, 1 Aidan du Plooy.
Kearsney College: 15 Lwazi Mbebe, 14 Luke Grobbelaar, 13 Thomas Aylward, 12 Keanu Williamson, 11 Lwandile Mkhize, 10 Daniel Miskey, 9 Fynn Verbaan, 8 Nhlanhla Ndlovu, 7 Oliver Ludwig, 6 Markus Wise, 5 Robert Gelderman, 4 Thomas Francke, 3 Tunga Griffiths, 2 Luke Fauré, 1 Clement Makalele.
