2 September 2025
Durban High School’s (DHS) proud Sevens tradition was both celebrated and tested on Van Heerden’s Field on Saturday in the High School Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota.
A year ago, DHS did the double on home soil, with their u17 and u15 teams lifting the silverware. This time, the honours were shared. The Blue Typhoon repeated as u15 champions, but in the senior division it was Westville Boys’ High who delivered a decisive statement, dethroning School in emphatic fashion.
Westville rises to the occasion
Westville, unbeaten in the 15-man code in 2025 – a run that famously included a 33-28 victory over DHS – carried that confidence into the shorter format. From the outset, they looked a class apart.
In Pool D, they brushed aside Glenwood 2 and KZN Noord Natal, scoring a combined 105 points while conceding only five. DHS 2 asked more questions in the quarterfinals, but Westville’s composure told in a 29-7 win. Then, against an athletic and dangerous Northwood outfit, who had won the Glenwood Sevens only a fortnight earlier — the Griffin hit top gear, racing to a commanding 31-7 semi-final triumph.
The final delivered the clash that everyone had been waiting for. DHS, after shutting out Glenwood 21-0 in their semi, stood between Westville and the title. But there was no denying Westville, who lifted their intensity again to claim a deserved 24-5 victory.
DHS made to work
The hosts’ path to the final was far from straightforward. In Pool A, they opened with two tries against Michaelhouse, only to see ’House storm back to steal a 24-21 win. A comfortable victory over Northwood 2 followed, but it was Michaelhouse who topped the pool.
‘House’s quarterfinal clash with Glenwood, though, went awry, with the Green Machine triumphing 22-12. Glenwood had earlier suffered a heavy 7-36 defeat to Maritzburg College in Pool B, which meant they progressed as the second-best team in the group. College, despite topping their pool, were blown away 42-0 by DHS in the last eight.
Northwood, meanwhile, produced fireworks in Pool C, thrashing Ferrum and DHS 2 by massive margins. Their 45-0 quarterfinal win over KZN Noord Natal suggested another title run was on the cards, but Westville cut them down to size in the semi-finals.
There were still rewards for others: Northwood 2 lifted the Shield, edging Glenwood 2 by 24-12; Ferrum made their long trip from Newcastle to Durban worthwhile by edging out Westville 2 17-14 in the Bowl final, and DHS 2 claimed the Plate with a 28-19 win over Michaelhouse.
DHS u15s underline their class
While the senior crown slipped away, the Blue Typhoon’s u15 side ensured the DHS supporters left Van Heerden’s with plenty of reasons to cheer. Their performances mirrored the dominant run they had produced at the Glenwood Sevens two weeks earlier.
Back then, they amassed 238 points in five matches, conceding just 22. On Saturday, their defence wasn;t scored upon until the final. After topping Pool C with emphatic wins over Ferrum (47-0) and Sarel Cilliers (38-0), they accounted for Maritzburg College 2 (29-0) in the quarterfinals.
Westville pushed them hard in the semi-finals, but DHS still found a way, winning 14-0. Finally, in the decider, their line was breached at last, but School withstood a fierce challenge from Maritzburg College to score a 29-19 win and secure back-to-back titles. They had beaten College 33-12 in the final at Glenwood.
Elsewhere, Pionier, the winner their own Sevens tournament a week earlier, made a statement in Pool A by shutting out Northwood 29-0. They were subsequently beaten by College in the quarterfinals.
College, despite a pool-stage slip up against Glenwood, regrouped superbly to charge past Pionier (33-12) and Northwood (40-7) before falling in the final.
Westville impressed in Pool D, cruising past Maritzburg College 2 and Northwood 2 before being halted in the semis by DHS. Glenwood had to be content with the Bowl honours, hammering Ferrum 47-5, while DHS 2 downed Sarel Cilliers 21-14 to lift the Plate.
RESULTS
U17 Competition
Pool A
Michaelhouse 24-21 DHS
Michaelhouse 25-7 Northwood 2
Northwood 2 0-43 DHS
Pool B
Westville 2 7-12 Maritzburg College
Glenwood 7-36 Maritzburg College
Glenwood 24-12 Westville 2
Pool C
Ferrum 5-55 Northwood
DHS 2 0-38 Northwood
Ferrum 5-45 DHS 2
Pool D
KZN Noord Natal 31-7 Glenwood 2
Glenwood 2 0-55 Westville
KZN Noord Natal 5-50 Westville
Cup Quarterfinals
Michaelhouse 12-22 Glenwood
DHS 42-0 Maritzburg College
Northwood 45-0 KZN Noord Natal
Westville 29-7 DHS 2
Bowl Semifinals
Northwood 2 17-21 Westville 2
Ferrum 29-7 Glenwood 2
Plate Semifinals
Michaelhouse 19-12 Maritzburg College
KZN Noord Natal 7-24 DHS 2
Cup Semifinals
Glenwood 0-21 DHS
Westville 31-7 Northwood
Shield Final
Northwood 2 24-12 Glenwood 2
Bowl Final
Westville 2 14-17 Ferrum
Plate Final
Michaelhouse 19-28 DHS 2
Cup Final
Westville 24-5 DHS
U15 Competition
Pool A
Pionier 29-0 Northwood
Pionier 33-19 Westville 2
Westville 2 5-19 Northwood
Pool B
Maritzburg College 10-5 DHS 2
Maritzburg College 19-24 Glenwood
DHS 2 29-21 Glenwood
Pool C
Sarel Cilliers 26-12 Ferrum
DHS 47-0 Ferrum
Sarel Cilliers 0-38 DHS
Pool D
Maritzburg College 2 31-12 Northwood 2
Maritzburg College 2 7-43 Westville
Westville 40-5 Northwood 2
Cup Quarterfinals
Pionier 12-33 Maritzburg College
DHS 2 19-21 Northwood
DHS 29-0 Maritzburg College 2
Westville 31-5 Sarel Cilliers
Bowl Semifinals
Westville 2 7-33 Glenwood
Ferrum 19-0 Northwood 2
Plate Semifinals
Pionier 19-29 DHS 2
Maritzburg College 2 19-26 Sarel Cilliers
Cup Semifinals
Maritzburg College 40-7 Northwood
DHS 14-0 Westville
Bowl Final
Glenwood 47-5 Ferrum
Plate Final
DHS 2 21-14 Sarel Cilliers
Cup Final
DHS 29-19 Maritzburg College
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