3 June 2025
With the final whistle imminent and Hilton College hammering away inside the Durban High School (DHS) 22, a solitary point separated two of KZN’s top 1st XVs in a bruising, pulsating showdown at Van Heerden’s Field on Saturday. It was Founders Day for DHS, and the crowd that encircled the field had been treated to an absorbing contest that lived up to the occasion.
Then, in a moment destined for highlight reels and long-term memory, centre Nathan Aneke turned potential heartbreak into celebration. Defending close to a ruck, he stripped the ball cleanly from Hilton’s burly scrumhalf Zander Vorster, spun away from contact, and twice stepped off his right foot to elude defenders before setting off down the left-hand touchline.
With the crowd rising to its feet, he accelerated clear and dived over for a match-sealing try. Jordan van Wyk calmly added the extras in a dramatic 26-18 victory.
For DHS, it was a relief after a frustrating 28-33 defeat to Westville Boys’ High a week earlier. Hilton, too, had fallen to Westville earlier in the season and, apart from a dip against Grey High, had played enterprising rugby, including a dominant 53-15 victory over Glenwood in their previous outing.
From the opening whistle, there was little to separate the sides. Both had structure, physicality, and flashes of individual brilliance, and the game flowed with intensity.
Hilton struck first in the ninth minute after a high kick down the right touchline from Vorster caused confusion in the DHS ranks. Right wing Joshua Kok gathered the bouncing ball and, after he was brought down just shy of the try line, Hilton hit it up multiple times.
Then, when the ball was stripped away, Hilton regained possession and a long, speculative pass from flyhalf Liyema Nela was partially disrupted by the DHS defence. Fortuitously, it landed in the hands of fullback James Peattie, who spun through a tackle to dot down in the corner.
DHS almost hit back in the 21st minute when Zingce Simka cut through and looked odds-on to score, but he lost control of the ball while diving for the try line. Hilton made the most of the let-off. Five minutes later, hooker Josh Grant, a reliable source from close range, guided a maul over the line for his side’s second try, making it 10-0.
Nela came close to adding more when he sliced through the midfield with a dummy and kick ahead, but the bounce didn’t favour him, and the ball slipped from his grasp.
Then DHS’s relentless effort bore fruit, just before the break. Captain Daniel Ikotela began a sustained surge at the Hilton line, and he finished it, too, crashing over to open the home team’s account. Van Wyk added the extras from a testing angle to send the teams into the break with Hilton leading 10-7.
After halftime, Hilton extended their lead when eighthman Zander Muller broke clean off a scrum deep in the DHS 22 and powered over despite heavy contact. The conversion missed, leaving Hilton up 15-7.
But the tide turned in the 41st minute when Hilton was reduced to 14 men. Centre Khazimla Makali was red-carded after a dangerous tackle on Aneke, which, while clearly unintentional, saw the DHS centre land headfirst, thus meeting the threshold for dismissal.
From the ensuing penalty, DHS went to touch and launched a powerful maul. When it was dragged down illegally, the referee awarded a penalty try. Just like that, the gap was down to one point.
The momentum was shifting. In the 58th minute, DHS took the lead for the first time. Their forwards laid the platform on the right, then slick handling saw the ball spread left to Zenkosi Mthiyane, who found space to dive in at the corner. Van Wyk’s conversion attempt faded wide, but DHS led 19-15.
Hilton responded with urgency. After a line break from Vorster, they earned a penalty, and John Grubb calmly slotted it to narrow the deficit to a single point.
Then came the final flourish. With Hilton threatening, it was Aneke who ripped away the visitors’ hopes and delivered the knockout blow in front of a delirious Founders Day crowd.
In recent seasons, DHS has shown up well at 1st team and A-team levels. Their depth has been a work in progress. However, there is no doubt, that has improved by leaps and bounds, and School proved that by dropping only two games, one of which brought to an end the unbeaten record of the DHS 2nd XV. The visitors also scraped a three-point victory in the u14A match.
Overall, DHS picked up 15 wins.
RESULTS
1st: DHS 26-18 Hilton
2nd: DHS 18-19 Hilton
3rd: DHS 24-10 Hilton
4th: DHS 16-15 Hilton
5th: DHS 15-6 Hilton
6th: DHS 19-14 Hilton
16A: DHS 36-26 Hilton
16B: DHS 26-10 Hilton
16C: DHS 38-12 Hilton
16D: DHS 50-0 Hilton
15A: DHS 52-0 Hilton
15B: DHS 50-0 Hilton
15C: DHS 44-10 Hilton
15D: DHS 34-10 Hilton
14A: DHS 10-13 Hilton
14B: DHS 50-0 Hilton
14C: DHS 50-0 Hilton
HOCKEY
At The Coliseum, the DHS and Hilton 1st XIs shared a 1-1 draw. In recent seasons, the clashes between the sides have been high-scoring, high-quality games, but it was far tighter on this occasion.
DHS ruled the roost in the u16 age group, but Hilton returned the favour at u14 level.
Overall, Hilton won five matches, DHS four, and two were drawn.
RESULTS
1st: DHS 1-1 Hilton
2nd: DHS 1-3 Hilton
3rd: DHS 0-0 Hilton
16A: DHS 5-1 Hilton
16B: DHS 1-0 Hilton
16C: DHS 7-1 Hilton
16D: DHS 6-0 Hilton
16E: DHS 0-0 Hilton
14A: DHS 1-2 Hilton
14B: DHS 0-2 Hilton
14C: DHS 0-5 Hilton
14D: DHS 1-3 Hilton
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