Monument High vs Glenwood High Historic Overview

Jun 1 • General News, Premier Schools • 3620 Views • Comments Off on Monument High vs Glenwood High Historic Overview

On Saturday June the 4^th 2016 the seventh edition of Premier Interschools moves back up north to Krugersdorp for the match between Monument High (Monnas) and Glenwood High. The latter coming back after winning the Sanix World Youth tournament for schools in Japan in April. Glenwood is having a stellar season so far and is seen as one of the possible contenders for the Number 1 spot in South Africa at the end of the season.

Monument on the other hand had great prospects at the start of the season given the talent and team they have. They became a bit unstuck during the Easter Festival games at St Johns and again at Wildeklawer picking up some injuries to key players. They did hit back in the best of fashion beating Nelspruit 25-17 in a tough encounter to claim the Tuks Series as overall rugby champs.

This encounter is relatively new on the calendar as both schools saw the need to exchange pleasantries over a weekend of competition to the benefit of all learners. They previously only met on festivals and on the rare occasion at the Easter Tournaments. Since 2010 however they have played each other regularly and while Glenwood have only won once, the encounters have always been tough and uncompromising.

Results through the years

The game will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1 (channel 201) from 12.55.

You can also catch the build-up Premier Interschools Magazine Show from Wednesday 1 June at 17:15 on SuperSport 1 featuring Warren Whiteley and Burger Odendaal.

Rugby at Monnas

When the school opened in 1921 ML Brink held a meeting of boys to find out what games they wanted to play.  They all opted for soccer, as was the custom on the bare fields of the Highveld at the time, and he then democratically decided that they would play rugby! The school played its first match on the 1^st of April in 1921 and drew 3-3 with Krugersdorp High School.

Since then the school has had many great sides – as in 1924, 1953, 1979, 1980, 1984 and 1993 when the team scored 143 tries in 28 matches.

Monument first won the Administrator’s Cup in 1953.  They won again in 1973 and then again in 1992 and for the seven years which followed. In 2003 they were Media 24 National Schools champions. These are all huge achievements given the number and quality of the competing schools.

After Brink famous coaches have been Jan Lange (1936-53), Pa Pelser, the famous Transvaal loose forward and coach, as well as Hans Coetzee who still has a finger in many of rugby’s pies. Coetzee says nobody is compelled to play rugby but the players live for the game.

In 1993 the 1st XV toured France and Britain and went unbeaten.

Monnas, as the school is usually known, has by far the largest representation of any school north of the Vaal River at Craven Week and in SA Schools.

List of Monnas Springboks

Rugby at Glenwood

Rugby at Glenwood is the major sporting code. It is a sport that instills values such as integrity, sportsmanship, loyalty, discipline and hard work. Glenwood’s policy of participation in extra mural activities as well as the passion shown by the boys enables almost five hundred youngsters the opportunity of experiencing the ultimate team sport.

Glenwood fields thirty teams on a regular basis. This allows boys from all levels and ability to be part of this wonderful game. The sports department endeavors to provide games for all teams, this has allowed Glenwood to embark on tours out the province to play fixtures against some major rugby playing schools in South Africa such as Affies from Pretoria and Grey College from Bloemfontein.

The player base at other schools is diminishing at an alarming rate. Schools, educators and parents owe it to our children to provide them with an environment that will foster a healthy life style and the opportunity to experience a real childhood. Perhaps instead of instilling a win at all cost attitude we should rather emphasize the fun part of playing rugby.

The School represented South Africa at the Sanix Youth tournament in Japan in 2008 and again in 2016 and won top honors on both occasions.

The first 90 years (1910 to 2000)

Glenwood has produced some really good sides and players over the years, particularly 1954, 1957, 1965, 1972, 1978, 1979, the late 90s and in the past decade. The 1965 side is still considered by most Old Boys and KZN pundits as the best ever produced by Glenwood, playing 14 and winning 14, scoring 283 points while only 50 points were scored against. Seven players represented Natal Schools that year and included great names like Kevin Sclanders (capped 3 times for Natal Schools), Hylton Aylward (capped three times for Natal Schools & Captain in 1964 & 1965), Dennis Morrissey (capped 2 times for Natal Schools), R.D Shaw, E Sclanders, A.J Delport, A.R Wallace, D.M Lawson and C.R Chambers.

1979 saw Glenwood produce their best side since 1965. Although two games were lost by the narrowest of margins, there was little doubt that they were the best side in Natal. They played magnificent rugby, combining superb forward power with intelligent backline play. Their margins of victory over some of the best sides in Natal say it all, College 33-6, DHS 32-4, Westville 44-9 and Hilton 53-12. Derek La Marque was simply superb. Probably the only schoolboy to represent South Africa at waterpolo while still at school and captain both SA Schools rugby and waterpolo in one year. He was capped 3 times for KZN Schools in 1977, 1978 and 1979. He went on to have a good career with Natal and helped Natal make the 1984 Currie Cup final, playing with greats like Wynand Claasen, Craig Jamieson and Hugh Reece-Edwards.

The next great side came in 1984 where Glenwood had three boys picked for Natal Schools of which one was probably the best backline player ever to play for Glenwood, Dennis Baronet. Seldom has a schoolboy caused so much panic in an opposition backline, carving them to pieces with his speed and guile. He was rewarded in 1985 with an SA Schools cap, Glenwood’s second. From 1985 to 1997 Glenwood produced some average sides who had some great individuals like T. Labuschange and P.Senekal.

The 1992 side could have been Glenwood’s biggest pack of all time with Leyton Pardey the 120kg loose head prop making KZN Schools along with David Terblanche (No8). 1997 was probably the turnaround after the ‘darker’ early to mid 90’s where Glenwood lost more than they won. It heralded the rising of a rugby beast. Victor Tsewu, Nicholas Strauss and Cedric Mzolo kicked started a new generation and one that continues today.

The 2000s

Since 2000, Glenwood has produced 47 KZN Schools Craven Week ‘A’ team representatives, including five SA Schools players (Petros Methula, Shaun Malton, Jayden Hill, Ricky Schnetler & Siyabonga Tom) and 2 SA Academy players (Nteta & Makhabela). This is probably the biggest contribution by any school in KZN with Westville and Maritzburg College 2^ndand 3^rd respectively. The 2000 side played 37 and only lost 2! Unfortunately Glenwood rise has seen a decline in the rugby standard of their biggest rival, DHS or Horseflies from the across the Berea! In the past Glenwood have battled to beat this great Durban school but in the last decade it’s been pretty one sided. Glenwood have created a great rivalry with Westville and College in the past five years and always seem to be fighting out with them for top honours in KZN. Glenwood have won the best performing rugby school award in KZN for the past four years. Many an envious parent from opposition schools has claimed Glenwood ‘buying’ players and recruiting players with bursaries. Glenwood have been clever and promoted the school at primary school level and by having a winning 1^st team has attracted the best players in the province. Having a Boarding Establishment that can house over 200 boys helps here too. With success brings demand for other provinces schools to play Glenwood. For the past five years, Glenwood has set up home and away traditional fixtures with Affies and Grey Bloem, two of the countries best rugby schools without a doubt. Glenwood’s finest rugby hour came in 2006 when they beat the mighty Grey Bloem for the first time on fortress Dixons, 14-10! A great achievement and something that will be remembered for generations to come.

List of Glenwood Springboks (Test Caps Only)

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