Varsity College and Bidvest Insurance Crusaders Rugby Clubs deserve huge credit for taking the club game to the schools when they met each other at Northwood Boys High School in a Fidelity ADT Premier Division Durban North derby. What made the day particularly pleasing was the fact that the club fixture was played as the main game thus highlighting the importance of keeping the spirit of the club game alive.
It mattered not who won or indeed who scored the points on the day dedicated to the Northwood Old Boys. It was, more importantly, about encouraging young school leavers who may not have been the stars of their school sides and to encourage them to continue with the game after school. After all club rugby was always where the late developers were found and blossomed into true stars of the game in days gone by and so it should continue that way for future generations..
Northwood in the end got the better of St. Charles College winning 31-23 but what looks bright for the future of St. Charles is the great performance by their Under 16 side edging out a highly talented Northwood outfit 20-17.
In the main game Crusaders couldn’t have wished for a better result in front of many of their old boys who not only played for their school but indeed also for the club. Varsity College took an early 16-3 lead but Crusaders ended up playing one of their better games this season and took charge in the second half to win comfortably 30-19.
In the other games eThekwini Refractories Amanzimtoti had a good away win beating Richards Bay 41-25, while College Rovers hammered FNB UKZN Maritzburg 72-7 in Pietermaritzburg.
This Saturday sees the battle of the Premier Division front runners with Rovers travelling down the coast to Amanzimtoti to face the South Coast Terriers while SA Home Loans Durban Collegians entertain UKZN Pietermaritzburg and Richards Bay visit Crusaders.
Land Rover Durban Hillcrest have extended their lead in the First Division after their runaway 70-15 victory march over Mancosa Zululand Rhinos, while Westville now their closest rivals beat Durban Mets 53-0 and South Coast Warriors accounted for Ballito Dolphins 38-10. In the remaining game UKZN Durban beat Jaguars 35-0. This weekend UKZN Durban host Zululand Rhinos, Jaguars travel to the capital to face Maritzburg Collegians Westville host Hillcrest and, also in the race, South Coast Warriors are at home to Durban Mets with Ballito Dolphins siting this round out.
College Rovers and Durban Collegians collected the first pieces of silverware for the season winning their respective Under 20 leagues. Rovers only needed a win to secure and retain the Frank Norris Cup, which they did against a plucky UKZN Durban side, beating the students 34-22 in an entertaining game.
In the other final round games Varsity College beat Durban Collegians 21-7 and Crusaders were victorious over Midlands beating the side from the capital 38-24.
Durban Collegians retained the Under 20 ‘B’ League taking home the Kings Park Challenge Cup for the second year in a row after they disposed of Varsity College winning 29-5
The Under 20 sides will now prepare for the Basil Medway Knockout Trophy , a trophy named after one of the KZNRU’s and Durban Collegians iconic and legendary administrators.
The post Wednesday Club Rugby Column appeared first on Sharks Rugby.
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