Who, who watched them play, could forget the scintillating and successful rugby delivered by the 2018 Durban High School first XV.

Head coach Scott Mathie, forwards coach Ronnie Uys and manager Lyle Matthysen were gifted with a remarkably talented, enthusiastic and dedicated group of DHS rugby boys, but their guidance was surely the catalyst that set up the consistently high quality of play through the season.

Here are just some of the milestones I gleaned from the DHS archives of the compilation by Mr Matthysen.

The DHS 1^st XV was unbeaten at home in 2018, the first time since 2003 that a DHS 1^st XV was unbeaten on Van Heerdens.

The 60-10 victory over Westville was the first time that a DHS 1^st XV had scored 60 points against Westville; this also resulted in the greatest winning margin (50 points) since this particular inter-school match began.

The 2018 “Double” was achieved over Westville; the last time back-to-back victories were recorded against the Westville 1^st XV was in the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

 

 

The 50-27 victory over Northwood was the first time a DHS 1st XV scored 50 points on Northwood’s main rugby field, Reece-Edwards.

The 2017 season was the first time a DHS 1st XV had scored more than 40 points against Maritzburg College – and this was achieved on Goldstones. The 2018 season saw another win for DHS – and on this occasion it was the first time that a DHS 1st XV had scored more than 40 points on Van Heerdens against a Maritzburg College 1^st XV.

Although DHS no longer play College twice a year, the 2-17 and 2018 victories ensured the first back-to-back victories against College since 1999

The 41-34 win over Kearsney College 1^st XV in 2018 was the first time that a DHS 1^st XV had scored over 40 points against Kearsney. The victories over Kearsney in 2017 and 2018 made it the first back-to-back victories over Kearsney since the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

The two victories over Michaelhouse in 2017 and 2018 also ensured the first back-to-back victories since 2010 and 2011.

The DHS 1^st XV was unbeaten at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, winning their games against Selborne College, Queens College and Dale College.

This was the first time since 1995 that a DHS 1st XV were unbeaten at an Easter Rugby Festival, and only the second DHS 1^st XV to do so. They 2018 side were also the first DHS 1^st XV to beat Selborne since 1996.

The boys of School, in their Old Gold and Oxford Blue colours… a mighty long way since modest beginnings with 7 boys in 2 classrooms in Smith Street back in 1866.