The Sportmans Warehouse Premier Interschools 2024 season kicks off this weekend, 6 April, in what is set to be another epic chapter of this traditional KZN rivalry between two schoolboy rugby powerhouses. Glenwood High School hosts Maritzburg College on their home turf.
The first match between the two schools was played in 1921 at Glenwood, which was won 5-0 by Glenwood. College dominated the earlier exchanges and held their current winning margin thanks to long-term dominance during the 50’s, 60’s 70’s and 80’s.
Since the late 90’s however, Glenwood has developed and began to get results and has since been leading, winning eight of the last 10 games.
However, 2024 might just be the year of Maritzburg College. Although Maritzburg lost to Kearsney and Boland Landbou earlier this year they looked impressive in their win over SACS at the St John's College Easter Rugby Festival. Maritzburg College also comprehensively beat Clifton and a Golden Lions XV.
Glenwood on the other hand lost to Westville, Welkom Gim, EG Jansen and Nico Malan while beating Marlow and Wesvalia in games which could have gone either way. It is rumoured that Glenwood gave a lot of exposure to their U17 players explaining their "bad start".
Will we suddenly see a Glenwood team that starts to swept aside one of the better teams in not only KwaZulu Natal but also in South Africa? I seriously doubt it and think Maritzburg College will continue throughout the season and must be a favourite to end 2024 as the top KwaZulu Natal 1stXV.
