Kloof High celebrates rugby season victories

KLOOF High School enjoyed another successful rugby season under the auspices of Neil Smallfield (head of sport) and Jeremy McLaren (head of rugby). The dynamic duo, backed by a team of qualified and enthusiastic coaches, has created a brand of rugby at the school that is exciting to watch and a ‘rugby culture’ that pupils want to be a part of.

Over the past three years, the school’s coaching team has aimed to coach an expansive style of rugby that is not only pleasing on the eye, but fulfilling for the players as well, and with a third of the school’s boys taking part, this certainly seems to be the case. Head of rugby, first team coach and KZN U16 (Grant Khomo) head coach, Jeremy McLaren, said, “If there’s something I’ve learnt from coaching at Kloof these past four years it’s that there are great players in all environments. There are many boys out there who can reach the highest level, and this doesn’t only include those that have been brought up with the game. If they’re willing to work with you, they can get there. We trust our structures to help them along the way.”

The 2015 season has seen the Kloof High School first XV go unbeaten in their league. Along the way have been many noteworthy performances, including a first-ever win against Port Natal (17-15), memorable matches versus DHS seconds (19-0), Thomas More College (15-8) and St Henry’s (32-12), as well as thrilling match-ups against Gelofte (28-19) and, more recently, Hillcrest at the annual Derby Day between the two schools (26-19).

Outside the league, the Kloof side also secured a third straight Gelofte Night Series title earlier in the season, beating Ashton College, Durban North College and Hillcrest in the pool stages and edging out the hosts 12-7 in the final. The team was also unbeaten at the Easter Rugby Festival back in March, where they put on a ‘try fest’ against Edenglen (Gauteng) 83-7 and won a nail-biting affair against Port Shepstone in the tournament’s feature fixture (18-16) to conclude a very successful tournament.

The school’s U16A and second teams have also had very successful seasons, losing just one match each.

The school now looks forward to the sevens rugby season next term, when the first team will be participating in a number of tournaments.