RUGBY
N Odendaal ( Large White Badge ): A player who never gave up and who added some serious grunt and physicality in the tight loose position . His attitude on and off the field was exemplary and this was of tremendous benefit to the junior members of the side . He is thanked for all the work he put in .
L Johnson : A real terrier of a player who was a blur of energy when called upon to don the white badge . He is thanked for the maturity that he exuded throughout the year , even though at times selections did not go his way .
D Atembe ( Colours and Scarf , U18 Academy ): A truly unique player who on his day had the ability to dominate any opposition . Unfortunately it was a year of frustration for him but he did not shirk his responsibilities when asked to play a role for the team .
Backs
L Muller ( Large White Badge ): A tough , uncompromising scrumhalf who was equally at home at fly half . He was an integral part of the team and assisted with the leadership . His kicking and passing game was very good and he took on the job of being an extra loose forward . He added an incredible amount to the overall structure of the team .
R van Blerk ( Colours ): He was always going to be a key player in the team . His kicking prowess was unmatched against top opposition . On many occasions he was the difference between winning and losing with his outstanding ability to handle the pressure situations . His perceived weakness on defence was eliminated through hard work and an excellent work ethic . He was a worthy recipient of the ‘ Most Improved Player of the Year ’ award .
C Hope ( Large White Badge ): A tough start to the season saw him play a few games for the 2nds , but his fighting spirit saw him back in the team and he never looked back . His defence was sometimes tested by far bigger opposition but he always put his body on the line for the team . Well done .
N Mjara ( Colours and Scarf , U18 Academy ): He was the man with the golden step . Unfortunately a bad knock to the head against Grey College kept him out of the team for over a month . On his return he added the much needed spark in the backline and he scored some great tries . He always kept the opposition guessing and will be a huge factor in the team next year . He was selected for the Academy side and performed well at the week .
A Duma ( Colours and Scarf , U18 Academy ): He started the season as a centre but soon moved to the wing after some great performances with ball in hand . Although the smallest man in the team , he was all heart . He was very difficult to tackle and used his pace and strength to score some great tries . His selection to the Academy side was well deserved . Unfortunately a broken jaw ended his season prematurely .
X Guma ( Honours , KZN U19 ): Playing his third year in the 1st XV , he was a key player in the team . He was expected to score every time he got the ball and this obviously meant that he was very well marked by all opposition teams . To excel under this kind of pressure is very difficult but he fought hard and always put the team first . His 50th appearance for the 1st XV was on Reunion Day and he celebrated the occasion with an outstanding try . Well done on three great years for Maritzburg College .
J Truter ( Colours ): As the youngster in the team he played with a maturity way beyond his years . A feature of his play was his defence under trying circumstances . He saved tries against some huge opposition and was totally fearless . Unfortunately this resulted in a concussion that ended his season after the Affies fixture . He had the ability to beat defenders with pace and strength combined . He was unlucky not to be selected for higher honours but his time will come . He will be key player in 2017 .
M Squires ( Large White Badge ): He forced his way into the team on the wing after some outstanding performances for the 2nd XV . He was both reliable and exciting with his ability to make something out of nothing . Unfortunately a serious ankle injury ended his season early but he will have 2017 to make further impact .
K Walsh ( Large White Badge ): A big , strong lad who played centre after some good 2nd XV performances . He was solid in defence and added reliability to the backline . He took the ball up strongly and certainly made a name for himself at this level . A shoulder injury unfortunately ended his season after the Cape Town tour . He will be a big factor 2017 .
R Williamson : He is one of those players who can play anywhere in the backline . He has pace , vision and excellent skills . He represented the 1st XV at scrumhalf , fly half , centre and wing during the season . His try against Glenwood whilst on the wing showed what he is capable of . He will do well in 2017 .
C Reed : A delightful young man who worked his way up from the lower age group teams . He represented the 1st XV at fly half and fullback during the season . An excellent team man who always gave of his best and played the game for all the right reasons .
Other players who also represented the 1st XV : F Mbatha ( selected for KZN U18 Craven Week ), J van der Linde , J Labuschagne
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