Author: L. Crankshaw

On Saturday, 16 August, Union High School’s 1st XV team faced off against the Hoër Volkskool 1st XV in a much-anticipated derby that had the whole town buzzing all season.

Union dominated both territory and possession throughout the first half but struggled to convert their efforts into points, thanks to a resilient defensive display from Volkskool. The only points in the first half came from a penalty kick by Shaakir Kazi. However, a costly mistake in Union’s in goal area allowed Volkskool to score a try, giving them the lead at halftime.

In the second half, Union maintained control of the ball and territory and were eventually rewarded with a try from Makukhanye de Beer, which Shaakir Kazi successfully converted. Despite this, Volkskool proved clinical, scoring two more tries to extend their lead and secure a 21-10 victory.

It was a hard-fought match, but ultimately Volkskool came out on top in this season’s intense rivalry.

Congratulations to 𝗝𝗮𝘆𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗢𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗮𝗹 on reaching an incredible milestone – taking the field for Union High School’s 1st XV as tighthead prop for the 50th time this 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦!

Other results 
U/11B lost 5-20
U/11A lost 5-38
U/13C lost 26-28
U/13B lost 5-31
U/13A won 14-5
In a tightly contested encounter, Union’s U/13A side delivered a strong and physical performance to secure a 14–5 victory. Tries were scored by Lukhona Bulembu and Liyabona Magqabi.
U14 drew 3-3
U15 lost 8-48
U16 won 39-10
2nd won 12-10
U/7B drew 15-15
U/7A won 10-5
U/9B drew 14-12
U/9A lost 7-14

UHS scores first:
U14: 17-17
U15: 28-19
U16: 36-12
2^nd: 31-5

1st XV Match Report:
Union High School’s 1st XV delivered a dominant first-half performance to secure a 34-12 victory over York High School from George in their home fixture on Saturday.

Union came out strong, controlling possession for much of the first quarter, although some handling errors allowed York to briefly regain momentum. The breakthrough came when Makukhanye de Beer crossed the line for the opening try, giving Union a 5-0 lead after an unsuccessful conversion. Issy Ahmed followed up with another well-worked try, extending the lead to 12-0.

Union continued to apply pressure on York’s defence, resulting in two more tries before halftime — Makukhanye de Beer grabbing his second of the match, and Elvandre Meyer adding another. The hosts went into the break with a commanding 24-0 lead.

Facing a strong wind in the second half, Union found conditions more challenging but managed to add to their score through a try by Peter-Daniel Clegg, followed by a superb solo effort from Liam Hornabrook, who broke away from a lineout maul to score.

Despite several promising opportunities, Union struggled to convert pressure into further points due to injuries disrupting the team’s rhythm. York capitalised and managed to score two tries of their own, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

The match ended with Union securing a well-earned 34-12 victory, showcasing strong teamwork, individual brilliance, and a solid first-half performance.