College opened the scoring with a good passage of play after a lineout drive was stopped by the PBHS forwards. The ball was recycled to Nkululeko Sithole who burst through the defence of the home team to put the visitors on the front foot. The ball was shifted to the right edge where Luyanda Kunene was on hand to finish off a smart passage of play for Maritzburg College. A misjudged restart allowed PBHS to get a lineout deep within the College half which they used effectively to mount a drive towards the College tryline. This drive resulted in them hitting back straight away with an unconverted try of their one to level the score 5-5.

The match then found an uneasy rhythm where neither side could gain any purchase keeping play in the middle third of the field. A series of breakdown infringements allowed PBHS to march up the field and a penalty within range was slotted over to give them a 5-8 lead. This characterized the half until a slipped tackle allowed PBHS to breach a resolute College defence and race away to score the easiest of tries. The kick was converted and the score was 5-15 at half time, with College needing to dig deep if they wanted any chance of winning the match.

College hit back first after a chaotic but dominant opening to the second half when hooker Siya Nyathi barged over to score. The try was converted by James Slevin and the deficit was now three points at 12-15. PBHS struck back next through the boot when another breakdown penalty was slotted over to put the score at 12-18. They looked to maintain their momentum and score again, but College held out and converted the pressure into field possession but could not retain the ball and allowed PBHS to keep College pinned deep within their own half.

A good passage of play exposed the PBHS defence and with their fullback out of position, a kick over  allowed Luyanda Kunene to score much to chagrin of the home crowd in attendance. James Slevin had a tricky conversion but, as he has done this past season, he drew strength from the College boys at his back and threaded the ball through the uprights to give College a 19-18 lead.

This galvanised the PBHS players, but they could not find a way to win as a desperate College defence held them out. College emerged victorious and now take on KES in JHB this weekend.

 Maritzburg College 19

Tries: Kunene x2, Nyathi

Conversions: Slevin x2

Pretoria Boys High 18