Bishops -Rondebosch thriller

On a beautiful morning at Rondebosch Boys’ High the home team nearly turned the tables against Bishops who need a try at the gasp to beat Rondebosch.

It was a beautiful morning, that just-warm Cape winter’s day with the mountains clear and just a slight breeze from the north. There was a huge crowd many deep right round the ground, an enthusiastic crowd.

The whole of Rondebosch was there and they formed a long, snaking tunnel to bring their team onto the field. They were certainly enthusiastic despite their team’s poor season and the great hiding (48-19) they had had at the hands of SACS the previous weekend.

Bishops were overwhelming favourites but it was Rondebosch who looked likely to overwhelm Bishops as they attacked sharply, tackled with determination and ferociously contested every tackle/ruck, forcing many turn-overs.

Bishops for their part only rarely awake from their somnolence and the fluid Bishops play which gave wings an equal opportunity to play hardly existed and yet the side had the character to pull through in the end.

As this was the last match for coach Andre Jacobs, there was an extra reason for Bishops to strut their paces but Rondebosch disrupted their party plans from the start.

Rondebosch scored in the first minute. They had a scrum well infield and chunky scrumhalf Nic Groom broke strongly going wide on the left and nippy Shaafiek Nordien darted over for a try in the left corner.

They were close again when the splendid Nordien broke towards the posts as he came off his left wing. But a penalty by flyhalf Dean Grant made it 8-0 and Bishops were not in the game.

Then Bishops came back into the game. First Douglas Mallett kicked an excellent penalty goal, proving again his ability to kick important goals under pressure and then they raided down the left and Jacques Swart nipped over far out. Mallett converted and Bishops led 10-8.

Both sets of spectators were now chanting with a will as they continued to do as the excitement grew and grew.

Grant made the score 11-10 with a penalty and then hit the upright with a third penalty kick at goal. He did the same in the second half, two telling misses.

Bishops started the second half on fire and a great interpassing movement on the left turned inside to send outside centre Nico Loizides on an easy run to the posts. Mallett converted. 17-11.

Bishops were intent on running everything but then decided to kick a penalty. It was a bizarre kick from far right and well within their own half that went low across the field to where right wing Bongani Mvumvu was waiting. The tall win accepted the ball, raced, chipped, chased and gathered to score a try near the posts. Grant converted, and Rondebosch were back in front. 18-17.

The referee was playing advantage when Grant dropped at goal. He did it, unusually, with his left foot and it wobbled its way over the crossbar. 21-17.

Bishops had two great chances to score tries after Greg Mallett, Douglas’s flank cousin, had a great run down the left but they were held up over the line. Instead Rondebosch scored a penalty goal to make it 24-27. Douglas Mallett made it 24-20 as he gave his side a chance to win the match. Then Grant hit the woodwork again.

Bishops attacked with might and main as the excitement screeched around the ground.

Nic Koster seemed certain to score as he raced down the right but a great tackle stopped him. But Rondebosch were penalised five metres from their line. Bishops tapped and spread the ball wide to the left where they had a two-man overlap. Michael Nel scored the easy try far out. Mallett calmly slotted the conversion. There was little time left and when Bishops kicked the ball out soon after the kick-off the final whistle sounded.

Scorers

For Bishops
Tries: Swart, Loizides, Nel
Cons: Douglas Mallett 3
Pens: Douglas Mallett 2

For Rondebosch :
Tries: Nordien, Mvumvu
Con: Grant
Pens: Grant 2

Teams

Rondebosch : 15 Shareef Ismail, 14 Bongani Mvumvu, 13 Ghalieb Frieslaar, 12 Mark Winter, 11 Shaafiek Nordien, 10 Dean Grant, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Ross Albertyn, 7 Stuart Hablutzel, 6 Mat Hitchens, 5 Simon Miszewski, 4 David Roux, 3 Ziyaad Fredericks, 2 Ryan Fuller (captain), 1 Neil Naude.

Bishops : Michael Nel, Chezre Arendse, Nico Loizides, Trent Jenkinson, Mikhail Messaris, Douglas Mallett, Jacques Swart, Nic Koster (captain), Greg Mallett, Zandy Macdonald, Tom Horne, Grayson Wright, Zach Brake, Dylon Rodriques, Justin Thorne

Results down the years:

1911: Bishops 18-0 & 25-0
1916: Bishops 13-0 & drew 13-13
1917: Bishops 5-3 & Rondebosch 14-3
1918: Bishops 16-0 & drew 0-0
1921: Bishops 6-0
1923: Rondebosch 9-8
1925: Rondebosch 22-3
1926: Bishops 10-9 & 6-3
1928: Bishops 8-3 & 15-3
1929: Bishops 7-3
1930: Bishops 15-9 & 12-9
1931: Bishops 11-3 & 16-9
1932: Bishops 9-3 & 15-0
1933: Bishops 11-6 & drew 3-3
1935: Bishops 6-3
1936: Bishops 49-0 & 37-3
1937: Drew 0-0 & Bishops 6-3
1938: Rondebosch 8-3 & Bishops 16-6
1939: Rondebosch 8-0
1940: Bishops 25-3 & 11-8
1941: Bishops 13-9 & Rondebosch 8-3
1942: Bishops 16-4 & 10-3
1943: Bishops 21-0 & 31-3
1944: Rondebosch 21-14 & 6-0
1945: Rondebosch 6-0 & Bishops 11-8
1946: Drew 3-3 & drew 3-3
1947: Bishops 6-3 & Rondebosch 9-6
1948: Rondebosch 17-13 & Bishops 13-6
1949: Bishops 23-0 & 17-6
1950: Drew 14-14 & Rondebosch 17-6
1951: Bishops 8-0 & 17-0
1952: Rondebosch 6-3 & drew 3-3
1953: Rondebosch 6-3 & 13-3
1954: Rondebosch 11-3
1955: Bishops 9-6 & 8-6
1956: Bishops 11-0 & Rondebosch 9-6
1957: Rondebosch 5-0 & drew 3-3
1958: Rondebosch 8-0 & 8-6
1959: Bishops 10-0 & Rondebosch 3-0
1960: Drew 3-3 & Rondebosch 12-3
1961: Rondebosch 5-0 & 13-6
1962: Bishops 3-0 & drew 6-6
1963: Rondebosch 11-0 & 9-6
1964: Rondebosch 13-0 & 13-0
1965: Drew 0-0 & drew 3-3
1966: Rondebosch 14-3 & 12-3
1967: Drew 3-3 & Rondebosch 20-0
1968: Rondebosch 6-0 & drew 8-8
1969: Rondebosch 11-6 & 25-3
1970: Rondebosch 14-0 & 11-9
1971: Rondebosch 8-3 & 24-3
1972: Rondebosch 13-4 & 13-4
1973: Rondebosch 13-12 & Bishops 16-13
1974: Bishops 9-3 & 18-4
1975: Bishops 27-3 & 22-6
1976: Bishops 14-13 & 22-12
1977: Rondebosch 15-12 & 33-7
1978: Drew 6-6 & Bishops 8-6
1979: Bishops 9-0 & 24-0
1980: Rondebosch 22-12 & Bishops 10-3
1981: Bishops 12-6 & 7-6
1982: Bishops 18-6 & Rondebosch 12-6
1983: Rondebosch 18-10 & Bishops 16-6
1984: Rondebosch 7-0 & 15-11
1985: Bishops 12-3 & Rondebosch 16-9
1986: Bishops 14-4 & 13-3
1987: Bishops 12-7 & 15-3
1988: Bishops 10-3 & 13-3
1989: Bishops 58-10 & 7-4
1990: Bishops 14-7 & 9-0
1991: Bishops 12-9 & 21-9
1992: Bishops 34-3 & 27-6
1993: Bishops 28-10 & 19-5
1994: Rondebosch 6-5 & 19-9
1995: Rondebosch 7-6 & 11-10
1996: Rondebosch 17-7 & 6-0
1997: Rondebosch 18-0 & 31-11
1998: Bishops 20-0 & 15-7
1999: Rondebosch 16-15 & Bishops 24-9
2000: Rondebosch 22-19 & 27-17
2001: Bishops 17-0 & 18-0
2002: Bishops 52-8 & 41-25
2003: Bishops 18-5 & 78-19
2004: Bishops 27-8 & Rondebosch 26-22
2005: Bishops 31-6 & 14-12
2006: Bishops 70-3 & 75-22
2007: Bishops 47-28 & 27-24