10 June 2025
(Feature photo courtesy of Martin Ashworth Sports Photography)
After a temporary relocation due to field conditions, Michaelhouse returned to the iconic Meadows on Saturday, only to find their homecoming spoiled by a steely Maritzburg College outfit that edged them 31-25 on a beautiful Midlands’ afternoon.
Played out under a soft winter sun, the contest was rich with momentum swings and moments of individual brilliance.
However, it was the Red, Black, and White who struck the opening blow and Michaelhouse was never able to catch up.
The early exchanges were cagey, but College was the first to settle and they were on the board after nine minutes.
A cleverly placed grubber by flyhalf Liyema Tsoko just inside Michaelhouse’s 22 turned the defence. Centre Jordan Thackwray, alive to the opportunity, timed his run perfectly, gathered the bouncing ball, and crossed under pressure to give his side a 5-0 lead. Dom du Toit split the uprights from the touchline to stretch it to seven.
Before the home side could respond, they found themselves under pressure again. A wayward pass in midfield was gleefully snapped up by College captain Wasi Vyambwera, who burst downfield with the kind of pace rarely seen in a forward. He looked odds-on to score until Jack Carmody upended him with a textbook ankle-tap.
Michaelhouse was penalised for going offsides in the aftermath, and Du Toit made no mistake from in front to extend the lead to 10-0.
Soon, College’s tally increased to 17. From a lineout five metres out, the visitors drove the maul with clinical precision before releasing the ball to the backline. Olwethu Kosani, running a sharp line against the grain, shrugged off two tacklers and bulldozed over the final defender for his first try of the match. Du Toit, ice-cold as ever, added the extras.
Three scores down, Michaelhouse needed a spark. They found it in the final moments of the half. A lineout five metres out was cleanly taken by lock Dan Carr, and the ensuing maul surged forward with Oliver Davis emerging from the pile to score. At the break, it was 17-5 to College, but the home side had found a foothold.
The second half began with Michaelhouse firmly on the front foot. They camped inside College’s 22, hammering away with pick-and-goes. When a penalty came, Dom Sesink-Clee tapped quickly. Hauled down inches short, he managed to offload under pressure. The ball spilled free but bounced up perfectly for Alex Jankowitz, who gathered, spun around and went over for five.
Michaelhouse was back in it, but Maritzburg College responded with composure. Patiently, they built phases deep in Michaelhouse territory, testing the home defence. Eventually, it was Kosani who found a crease, hitting a short ball at pace and diving low to complete his brace.
Du Toit was flawless from the tee once more, making it 24-10 to the visitors.
Still, Michaelhouse wouldn’t go quietly. Jankowitz, who was electric on the counter, turned provider this time. Receiving a pass in his own half, he beat one, drew two, and flicked a pass to Carr. The big second-rower delayed his offload to perfection, releasing Sesink-Clee, who dashed 20 metres down the right touchline to score. It was a dazzling team effort, but the conversion drifted wide.
A Stefan Moolman penalty in the 66th minute closed the gap to six, and with time ticking down, ‘House had a shot at snatching a last-minute victory.
But College wasn’t done yet.
Inside Michaelhouse’s 22, they worked the blind, and Caleb Scheepers was the beneficiary, flying over in the corner to deliver what looked to be the knockout blow. Du Toit, remarkably perfect on the day, slotted the tricky conversion for a 31-17 lead.
There was one last twist. Michaelhouse surged back into the College red zone. From a maul, tighthead Nicolas Salamousas powered over to reduce the deficit. Moolman converted, but the clock had expired.
Maritzburg College is renowned for its strength in depth, so the fact that Michaelhouse won every match from 2nd XV to 6th XV was something of an eye-opener. They also won the 7th to 9th matches, although playing against College’s 8ths to 10ths. Still, KZN schools seldom fare as well as deep into the ranks against College as ‘House did.
The Red, Black, and White, however, won all the frontline games, taking victory in the 1st XV, u16A, u15A, and u14 matches. They, also, enjoyed much the better of the u14 and u15 age group games.
RESULTS
1st: Michaelhouse 25-31 Maritzburg College
2nd: Michaelhouse 34-17 Maritzburg College
3rd: Michaelhouse 20-17 Maritzburg College
4th: Michaelhouse 28-26 Maritzburg College
5th: Michaelhouse 31-21 Maritzburg College
6th: Michaelhouse 8-0 Maritzburg College
7th: Kloof 1st 33-19 Maritzburg College
8th: Michaelhouse 7th 62-5 Maritzburg College
9th: Michaelhouse 8th 21-13 Maritzburg College
10th: Michaelhouse 9th 22-12 Maritzburg College
16A: Michaelhouse 8-28 Maritzburg College
16B: Michaelhouse 22-17 Maritzburg College
16C: Michaelhouse 12-24 Maritzburg College
16D: Barbarians 0-28 Maritzburg College
16E: Michaelhouse D 40-19 Maritzburg College
16F: Michaelhouse E 12-24 Maritzburg College
15A: Michaelhouse 5-15 Maritzburg College
15B: Michaelhouse 0-3 Maritzburg College
15C: Michaelhouse 15-22 Maritzburg College
15D: Barbarians 17-24 Maritzburg College
15E: Michaelhouse D 0-7 Maritzburg College
15F: Michaelhouse E 12-18 Maritzburg College
14A: Michaelhouse 7-34 Maritzburg College
14B: Michaelhouse 12-19 Maritzburg College
14C: Michaelhouse 3-52 Maritzburg College
14D: Barbarians 17-59 Maritzburg College
14E: Michaelhouse D 7-48 Maritzburg College
14F: Michaelhouse E 5-48 Maritzburg College
HOCKEY
Gordon Deutscher bagged a brace for Michaelhouse on the Punchbowl Astro, but goals from Kadin Jenkins and Siwa Sithembu earned Maritzburg College a share of the spoils in the showdown between the two 1st XIs.
The results favoured College, but Michaelhouse pulled off a win in the u16A match. College claimed a hard-fought win in the u14 game.
RESULTS
1st: Michaelhouse 2-2 Maritzburg College
2nd: Michaelhouse 2-0 Maritzburg College
3rd: Michaelhouse 1-4 Maritzburg College
4th: Michaelhouse 2-4 Maritzburg College
5th: Michaelhouse 1-3 Maritzburg College
16A: Michaelhouse 2-1 Maritzburg College
16B: Michaelhouse 1-3 Maritzburg College
16C: Michaelhouse 0-1 Maritzburg College
16D: Michaelhouse 1-7 Maritzburg College
16E: Michaelhouse 0-6 Maritzburg College
16F: St Charles E 2-5 Maritzburg College
16G: St Charles F 2-2 Maritzburg College
16H: St Charles G 0-1 Maritzburg College
14A: Michaelhouse 2-3 Maritzburg College
14B: Michaelhouse 1-0 Maritzburg College
14C: Michaelhouse 0-4 Maritzburg College
14E: St Charles 2-4 Maritzburg College
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