5 May 2026
There would have been few willing to wager on a low-scoring stalemate when Westville Boys’ High and Kearsney College ran out onto Bowden’s Field on Saturday. With two of the most dangerous and inventive backlines in schoolboy rugby on show, points were expected. Instead, the sides ground their way to a 14-14 draw.
While it was a low-scoring affair, the contest delivered some scintillating tries, and the breakthrough was worth the wait.
Kearsney struck first, turning pressure into points from a Westville 22-metre dropout. Initially driven backwards by some forceful Westville defence, the One-Stripe regrouped, and a long, flat pass from Lwazi Mbebe released Tom Aylward into space down the left.
Aylward’s teasing show-and-go took him deep into Westville territory before he slipped an inside ball to Luke Grobbelaar. The right wing was hauled down but not held, and, showing good awareness, he bounced back to his feet to finish. From the touchline, Dan Miskey added an excellent conversion for a 7-0 lead.
Kearsney threatened again through Lwandle Mkhize, who came close to finishing a long-range effort, only to be denied by a determined cover tackle from Bukho Sotaka. Still, the visitors were pressuring the home side’s try line, and they won themselves a penalty. They chose to run it, but that decision backfired.
Westville centre Jadrian Afrikaner read the play superbly, intercepting and racing clear to go over under the uprights from 95 metres out. Jade-Will Koopman‘s simple conversion levelled matters with five minutes to go until halftime.
Before the break, Westville struck again. A counterattack from Kearsney fullback Lwazi Mbebe took him past three players, but, just as it appeared as if the field would open up in front of him, Avu Lisa ripped the ball free and sped away to score another long-range try, which was, again, finished under the posts.
Koopman added the extras, and Westville took a 14-7 lead into halftime.
If the first half had offered glimpses of attacking quality, the second half became a more direct arm-wrestle.
When Kearsney found a reply, in contrast to the previous three tries, their second came from a more traditional route. A lineout inside the Westville 22 laid the platform, and a strong maul drove them forward. From there, captain Nhlanhla Ndlovu provided impetus with a powerful surge before James Whatmore took over. The flank, with support arriving behind him, forced his way over for the equalising try.
Miskey’s conversion, struck confidently from wide on the right, tied the scores at 14-14.
Despite a further 20-plus minutes of effort from both sides, neither could find the decisive blow. Westville had one final opportunity just before the final whistle, but Koopman, usually so reliable, was wide right with a misstruck penalty kick.
Interestingly, Kearsney enjoyed the better of the results in the open age group, winning five, losing only one, and drawing one. Westville shaded the u16 results, with two wins and a draw.
Although the games were close, the Griffins came away with a clean record in the u15 and u14 age groups.
Results
1st: Westville 14-14 Kearsney
2nd: Westville 8-0 Kearsney
3rd: Westville 35-40 Kearsney
4th: Westville 15-33 Kearsney
5th: Westville 5-41 Kearsney
6th: Westville 19-40 Kearsney
7th: Westville 7-26 Kearsney
16A: Westville 20-14 Kearsney
16B: Westville 15-15 Kearsney
16C: Westville 5-19 Amazimtoti u16A
16D: Westville 19-15 Kearsney
15A: Westville 41-25 Kearsney
15B: Westville 19-10 Kearsney
15C: Westville 56-7 Amanzimtoti u15A
15D: Westville 24-22 Kearsney u15C
15E: Westville 34-0 Kearsney u15D
14A: Westville 21-16 Kearsney
14B: Westville 28-24 Kearsney
14C: Westville 12-26 Amanzimtoti u14A
14D: Westville 19-7 Kearsney u14C
14E: Westville 37-7 Kearsney u14D
HOCKEY
Westville battled their way to a 1-0 win over Kearsney in a Friday Nite Lights clash. In an evenly-contested open age group, Westville won two, Kearsney one, and a game was drawn.
The u16 age group, though, belonged to Westville, although the u16A match was decided by only one goal. It’s a strong age group for Westville, and they delivered against their neighbours.
Westville also enjoyed the better of the u14 results.
Results
1st: Westville 1-0 Kearsney
2nd: Westville 1-2 Kearsney
3rd: Westville 2-1 Kearsney
4th: Westville 1-1 Kearsney
16A: Westville 1-0 Kearsney
16B: Westville 4-1 Kearsney
16C: Westville 4-1 Kearsney
16D: Westville 4-1 Kearsney
16E: Westville 6-2 Kearsney
16F: Westville 10-0 Kearsney
14A: Westville 3-1 Kearsney
14B: Westville 8-0 Kearsney
14C: Westville 8-0 Kearsney
14D: Westville 1-0 Kearsney
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