21 April 2024
(Story by Marlowe Bloem)
On Saturday, Michaelhouse welcomed Northwood to Meadows in the KZN midlands. ‘House had last played against St John’s (Harare) a whole three weeks earlier. How would the long break affect their play?
Northwood, unbeaten in 2024, had shared a 7-7 draw with Durban High School on Reece-Edwards Field a week earlier. Michaelhouse had lost three games already in 2024 – two more than the entire 2023 – but had been outscored by only eight points in those losses. It was hard to call.
The home side kicked off, but with only a few seconds played Northwood had won a penalty. They took a shot at goal from the 40-metre line, but it was missed.
The first points came in the fourth minute. Michaelhouse launched an attacked into Northwood’s 22 and, when the ball went down the backline, fullback Stefan Moolman was on the end to score in the corner. Flyhalf Luke Davidson was successful with his conversion attempt.
In the ninth minute, Michaelhouse was back on the scoreboard. Having kept possession after kick-off, they played through the phases before releasing the ball out left, where there was space. Outside centre Rourke O’Sullivan, who scored a hattrick when ‘House downed Bishops 37-17, dotted down and Davidson added the extras.
Northwood made it onto the board in the 13th minute. After a Michaelhouse knock-on, they took the ball through several phases from a set scrum before cracking the red and white wall of defence when a forward pod forced its way over the try line. The conversion was wide, and Michaelhouse led 14-5.
The hosts were not yet done delivering first half excellence. Working with some good quality ball, their backline looked dangerous, shifting the ball quickly through the hands. Northwood did well to contain them. However, in the 25th minute, fullback Moolman was set free and he accelerated through the open space to score under the posts.
Davidson had no trouble with the easy conversion and Michaelhouse was in charge, with a 21-5 lead.
Northwood, though, is a team of strong character and they renewed their challenge, which brought them a reward just before the half-time whistle. They unleashed a barrage of attacking moves from the backline and forward pods, and it was again a rolling maul which got the Knights over the try line. A successful conversion made it 21-12 to Michaelhouse at the break.
Northwood moved to within a converted try of the hosts in the 42nd minute with a penalty from almost directly in front of the uprights, only 10 metres out. But five minutes later, Michaelhouse responded with a penalty of their own to make it 24-15.
The final 20 minutes was dominated by Northwood’s attacking ferocity. Michaelhouse, however, matched them with their defensive intensity. Often, Northwood’s backs found themselves isolated at the breakdown, which led to Michaelhouse turning over the ball.
As time wound down, Michaelhouse missed extending their lead from an ambitious shot at goal from 50 metres out.
Then, with less than two minutes remaining, Northwood received a penalty five metres out from the Michaelhouse try line. The tap was taken quickly, and 8th-man Titus Cesonis was over the whitewash. Another successful conversion made it 24-22 to Michaelhouse, but time had run out on the Knights and their unbeaten record in 2024 was over.
The heroes of the game for Michaelhouse were their loose trio, captain and 8th-man Carlyle Hawkins and his flanks, Robert Combrinck and Riley Gehren. Their work-rate and steals at the breakdown made a crucial difference in a hard-fought contest.
Next Saturday, Michaelhouse plays Kearsney at Kings Park. Northwood faces Clifton.
RESULTS
1st: Michaelhouse 24-22 Northwood
2nd: Michaelhouse 17-19 Northwood
3rd: Michaelhouse 20-15 Northwood
4th: Michaelhouse 38-0 Northwood
5th: Michaelhouse 35-0 Northwood
6th: Michaelhouse 17-0 Northwood
7th: Michaelhouse 33-0 Maritzburg College 8th
8th: Michaelhouse 14-5 Maritzburg College 9th
9th: Michaelhouse 7-47 Maritzburg College 10th
16A: Michaelhouse 34-33 Northwood
16B: Michaelhouse 12-22 Northwood
16C: Michaelhouse 42-10 Northwood
16D: Michaelhouse 26-14 Northwood
16E: Michaelhouse 35-14 Maritzburg College
16F: Michaelhouse 26-25 Maritzburg College
15A: Michaelhouse 12-11 Northwood
15B: Michaelhouse 13-7 Northwood
15C: Michaelhouse 24-28 Northwood
15D: Michaelhouse 24-28 Northwood
15E: Michaelhouse 0-52 Northwood
14A: Michaelhouse 15-38 Northwood
14B: Michaelhouse 19-7 Northwood
14C: Michaelhouse 12-14 Northwood
14D: Michaelhouse 22-12 Northwood
14E: Michaelhouse 31-12 Northwood
HOCKEY
A big crowd turned out to watch Michaelhouse host Northwood under lights on Friday evening in Balgowan.
The home side’s 1st XI made the early running, but the Knights withstood the pressure, forced their way into the game, and then took the lead a minute before the end of the first chukka, when they converted a penalty corner.
‘House played some good hockey in response, but they couldn’t find a finish against the visitors’ determined defence. Eventually, though, with just two minutes left on the clock, Michaelhouse pulled off a sharp penalty corner variation to secure a 1-1 draw.
‘House also picked up a 1-0 victory in the 3rd team match, but Northwood enjoyed a very good run of results, tallying nine wins in toal, while two matches were drawn.
RESULTS
1st: Michaelhouse 1-1 Northwood
2nd: Michaelhouse 1-4 Northwood
3rd: Michaelhouse 1-0 Northwood
4th: Michaelhouse 0-3 Northwood
16A: Michaelhouse 0-1 Northwood
16B: Michaelhouse 0-0 Northwood
16C: Michaelhouse 0-4 Northwood
16D: Michaelhouse 0-3 Northwood
16E: Michaelhouse 0-3 Northwood
14A: Michaelhouse 1-3 Northwood
14B: Michaelhouse 0-5 Northwood
14C: Michaelhouse 0-10 Northwood
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