2 June 2026
Maritzburg College’s Old Boys’ Weekend always carries extra significance, but on Saturday the occasion felt even bigger. Goldstone’s Field was packed to capacity, with supporters lining every available space around the famous ground as the Red, Black, and White welcomed unbeaten Hilton College to Pietermaritzburg.
As darkness began to settle over Goldstone’s, it was the home supporters who celebrated. After 70 minutes of relentless physicality, defensive grit, and unyielding determination, Maritzburg College handed Hilton their first defeat of the season, gritting out a hard-fought 14-9 victory.
The scoreline might suggest a low-scoring affair, but it was filled with intensity and drama. Every metre was fiercely contested in a match that showcased two outstanding teams and two defensive systems operating at a remarkably high level.
Hilton arrived fully aware of the challenge that awaited them. College had built momentum with impressive victories over Durban High School (DHS) and Northwood in recent weeks, and the visitors responded by taking the contest to the hosts from the outset.
For long periods, Hilton controlled territory and possession, repeatedly forcing College deep into their own half. Yet every time they threatened to break through, they were met by a wall of red, black, and white jerseys.
Maritzburg College Director of Rugby, Hendré Marnitz, was in no doubt: that defensive effort was decisive.
“It was our defensive effort [that won it],” he said afterwards. “I thought the boys dogged it out on the line. Hilton had numerous 22 entries, and we managed to keep them out with pure guts.
“We have a good system installed by Kelvin Elder, and then the rest is the heart that kicks in.
“The way we defended our try line was the difference between winning and losing.”
College demonstrated their ambition the first time they entered Hilton’s territory. Presented with a straightforward penalty attempt, they turned down the opportunity to take three points. Instead, they backed themselves.
The decision paid immediate dividends. Tighthead prop Alanda Ngubane crashed over despite the attention of multiple defenders, and Dom du Toit added the conversion to give the hosts a 7-0 lead.
Hilton quickly responded by tightening their grip on the territorial battle. Their pressure yielded a succession of penalties, and flyhalf John Grubb slotted two attempts to trim the deficit to a single point.
At halftime, College held a narrow 7-6 advantage.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Hilton camped inside the College half and repeatedly launched attacks from close range. Few teams have managed to stop the visitors’ powerful driving game once they establish field position near the try line, but College rose to the challenge.
Time and again, two-man tackles halted Hilton’s momentum. Turnovers followed. Each defensive stand seemed to strengthen the belief coursing through the home side.
After absorbing wave after wave of pressure, College finally earned an opportunity of their own midway through the second half. They made it count.
Du Toit burrowed over from close range for the hosts’ second try, and when he added the conversion, College suddenly enjoyed a crucial 14-6 lead.
The celebrations that followed reflected the significance of the score. Everyone inside Goldstone’s sensed just how important those seven points might prove.
Hilton, however, was far from finished.
A late Grubb penalty reduced the deficit to five points and set up a thrilling finale. The visitors methodically worked their way downfield, inching ever closer to the College try line. Powerful flank Ross Steyn came desperately close to scoring on more than one occasion as Hilton launched repeated assaults from close quarters.
Phase after phase followed. The pressure was immense. Yet, College held firm.
One final shoulder-on-ball tackle dislodged possession and provided the hosts with precious relief. Moments later, the final whistle sounded.
Players collapsed to the turf in exhaustion. Others celebrated wildly. Along the touchline, Old Boys streamed onto the field to share in a victory built on courage, commitment, and collective belief.
Marnitz reserved special praise for his team’s leaders: “Rory Stanton is an unbelievable leader. He has a heart as big as a lion. The boys want to play for him. Olwethu Kosani steps up in the backline.
“It’s a special group of boys, and I am really proud of what they have done today.”
On a day loaded with expectation and emotion, Maritzburg College delivered a performance worthy of the occasion. Hilton was unrelenting and pushed them to their limits, but when it mattered most, Stanton and his teammates found a way.
Their reward was a memorable victory and the end of Hilton’s unbeaten run.
The pickings were slim for Hilton. Their u16A team scored a battling three-point victory, but that was their lone win, while the u14B match finished 12-12.
Results
1st: Maritzburg College 14-9 Hilton
2nd: Maritzburg College 23-20 Hilton
3rd: Maritzburg College 29-16 Hilton
4th: Maritzburg College 8-3 Hilton
5th: Maritzburg College 24-0 Hilton
6th: Maritzburg College 50-12 Hilton
7th: Maritzburg College 26-0 Young Lions
8th: Maritzburg College 50-20 Hilton 7th
9th: Young Lions 27-17 Maritzburg College
10th: Edendale Technical High 1st 26-24 Maritzburg College
16A: Maritzburg College 20-23 Hilton
16B: Maritzburg College 48-12 Hilton
16C: Maritzburg College 50-0 Hilton
16D: Maritzburg College 50-0 Ixopo
16E: Maritzburg College 33-17 Ixopo
16F: Maritzburg College 33-14 St Stithians u16C
15A: Maritzburg College 27-3 Hilton
15B: Maritzburg College 28-7 Hilton
15C: Maritzburg College 54-7 Hilton
15D: Maritzburg College 20-10 Siyahlomula
15E: Maritzburg College 14-7 Ixopo
14A: Maritzburg College 28-19 Hilton
14B: Maritzburg College 12-12 Hilton
14C: Maritzburg College 55-5 Hilton
14E: Maritzburg College 26-14 St Stithians u14C
14F: Maritzburg College 49-3 St Stithians u14D 3
HOCKEY
While the rugby result favoured College, Hilton’s 1st XI produced a disciplined and effective performance to hand the home side a 3-0 loss on Pape’s Astro.
While College enjoyed outstanding support around the field, Hilton removed some of its bite by scoring twice in the first chukka, with Ben Wilson slotting twice from penalty corners to put the visitors on top. Both goals from low strikes into the corners to counter the excellence of College’s goalkeeper, Viwe Ndlovu, against drag flicks.
Anthony Crossley made sure of the result, providing the finishing touch to a counterattack that covered the length of the field in the second half.
One of the features of Hilton’s victory was how well they stymied Maritzburg College in the midfield. College usually plays a lot of hockey there, shifting the ball from one side to the other, but they had little time on the ball on Saturday, and few opportunities to dictate the tempo of the contest.
Time after time, when Maritzburg College’s players received possession in midfield, they found themselves outnumbered two to one. That wasn’t by chance.
Hilton’s coach, Damien Kimfley, explained: “We’ve been quite intentional over the last few weeks, trying to create that. Jody Paul has come in from the UK, and he’s been quite big on that. Can we try to get the guy off the ball? Can we give the option on the ball carrier? The guys have bought into it quite well, and it’s working quite nicely.”
It worked more than “quite nicely”. It was pivotal in a convincing Hilton victory.
Hilton’s 1st XI and 2nd XI won, but there were no more wins for the visitors, although they also drew two games.
Maritzburg College won all four u14 age group matches and won five out of six u16 matches.
Results
1st: Maritzburg College 0-3 Hilton
2nd: Maritzburg College 1-2 Hilton
3rd: Maritzburg College 2-0 Hilton
4th: Maritzburg College 0-0 Hilton
5th: Maritzburg College 6-2 Hilton
16A: Maritzburg College 6-0 Hilton
16B: Maritzburg College 5-0 Hilton
16C: Maritzburg College 1-1 Hilton
16D: Maritzburg College 3-2 Hilton
16E: Maritzburg College 4-2 Hilton
16F: Maritzburg College 7-0 Hilton
16G: Maritzburg College 1-2 Westville u16F
14A: Maritzburg College 4-1 Hilton
14B: Maritzburg College 2-1 Hilton
14C: Maritzburg College 6-0 Hilton
14D: Maritzburg College 7-0 Hilton
14E: Maritzburg College 2-8 Westville u16G