Maritzburg College School Magazine Maritzburg College Magazine 2016 electronic | Page 154

RUGBY
2nd XV 3rd XV
The 2nd XV boys were a committed and dedicated squad who were able
to produce very good rugby on most occasions. There was a spirit and
team ethos that could not be ignored. The 2016 season was exceptional in
the sense that we coached a magnificent group of talented boys who were
mature, confident young men capable of creating champagne rugby from
nothing. Whenever they took the field they were fully aware that they were
representing the team rather than the individual. Although there were many
times that an individual stood out and produced a great performance, the
team was always at the forefront of everyone’s focus and attention. We
were blessed to have great leadership in the squad, namely the captain,
L Johnson. He is the type of player that leads from the front. He led by
example and made it easy for the team to follow him. We were blessed
with so many natural leaders in key positions that the team knew exactly
what it was working towards and every player would play exceptionally
well to achieve those common objectives. The number of players who arrived on trials day was encouraging and is
probably the highest turnout for years. The trials were held over a number
of days and it was soon evident that the 3rd and 4th squad were very
similar in potential and capabilities. This was good as far as keeping the
boys competitive amongst themselves was concerned. The 4th team had a
good season but sadly the 3rds were found wanting at times.
The 2016 season was a long and strenuous one with the first fixture against
Grey College, away. It was always going to be a very trying fixture –
the 2nds came up short but gave a really spirited performance which set
the tone for the season to come. After the Grey College fixture, the 2nds
were able to get their season on track and create a winning culture in the
squad. PBHS were to bear the brunt of a rebound from the Grey fixture.
The ‘Sasha Dog’, as the team were dubbed due to their spirit, came out
and PBHS were well beaten in what was one of the best performances of
the season. After that there was a tricky fixture against Michaelhouse which
again saw a good team performance from the boys and they achieved a
well-deserved victory.
The 2nd XV embarked on a tour to Wynberg to play in their 175th birthday
festival where they came up against some of the best schools in the Western
Province. Our boys acquitted themselves very well in some tough fixtures
beating the hosts, Wynberg, and another difficult opposition in SACS.
From the tour the team set a winning culture and this built their confidence
which spilled over and