Bishops end on a high
Bishops have had a good season! Forget the long row of successive defeats their season has been a good one because they beat archrivals Rondebosch 23-11 at Rondebosch on Saturday, their last schools match for 2013.
It was such an unlikely win and yet at three tries one it looks a comfortable win. It was not.
Rondebosch were expected to win. All the indications of the season's results suggested they would win and after all they had had a handsome win at Bishops at the end of the second term.
Then if you looked at the two sides and the early run of the match and you would be convinced that Rondebosch would win. At half-time they led 11-7, which was not a fair reflection of the run of play. And then came the second half and yet another second half this year that Rondebosch have seen victory crash to defeat,
There was certainly a difference in the mode of play and the difference suggested that Rondebosch were more likely to score points. Both sides ran with the ball, Rondebosch at close quarters, Bishops out wide with long passes across the field. Bishops actually had more possession because they kept the ball well at the tackle and did not give it away after the tackle. Rondebosch kicked more and their handling was less secure.
The Rondebosch fullback, Khanyo Ngcukana, proved a handful for Bishops. He was willing to counterattack and would usually beat at least one defender, but the smaller Bishops players scrambled well on defence. The other thorn in the Bishops side was inside centre Ronnie Melck – a great Rondebosch name.
Melck in fact looked certain to score as he broke sharply and was running clear for the line when a Bishops player leapt on his back and felled him. But a penalty at a tackle gave flyhalf Hylton Gibson a straightforward kick at goal. 3-0 after 23 minutes
Melck broke again and again Bishops were penalised at a tackle. Again Gibson goaled the easy kick. 6-0 after 26 minutes and Rondebosch looked likely to score from the kick-off as their left wing, Nic le Roux, raced down the touchline. It was a miracle that Bishops stopped him but Rondebosch went wide right where Ngcukana scored. 11-0 after 29 minutes.
Rondebosch seemed to be living up to expectations, but they did not score again in the next 45 minutes.
A penalty gave Bishops an attacking line-out. From it they drove at the Rondebosch line in a pick-'n-drive series. They thought they had scored but had to be satisfied with a penalty. They tapped and captain Cuan Hablutzel was over close in. Herman Share goaled and half-time came soon afterwards at 11-7 to the home side.
After the Rondebosch boys had satisfied their roll call Rondebosch looked stronger and well organised while Bishops won the turnovers and grabbed unconsidered trifles.
Rondebosch hoofed the ball down into Bishops territory and suddenly there was left wing André Manuel scurrying down the left. He played inside and then received a return pass and was over in the left corner. The conversion hit the upright and stayed out. Bishops led 12-11 after 47 minutes – and unlikely situation which seemed to become increasingly likely , causing Rondebosch concern.
Share kicked a penalty. 15-11 after 63 minutes.
Manuel intercepted a pass inside his own half and raced 60 metres down the left wing to score far out. 20-11 with 5 minutes to go.
Bishops came back onto the attack as their confidence grew and a penalty at a tackle gave Share the chance to lift the score to 23-11 with two minutes to play.
That was the surprising final score.
Scorers:
For Rondebosch:
Try: Khanyo Ngcukana
Pens: Hylton Gibson 2
For Bishops:
Tries: Cuan Hablutzel, André Manuel 2
Con: Herman Share
Pens: Herman Share
Teams
Bishops: 15 Jesse Wilensky, 14 André Manuel, 13 Justin Heunis, 12 Mike Mynhardt (vice-captain), 11 Ant van Ryneveld, 10 Herman Share, 9 Sean van Rensburg, 8 Saud Abrahams, 7 Wes White, 6 Nic Bester, 5 Shane Smith, 4 Sam Mitchell, 3 Tariq Allen, 2 Cuan Hablutzel (captain), 1 Dan Russell, 16 Gerard Pieterse
Coaches: Dave Mallett, Gareth Hayden
Rondebosch: 15 Khanyo Ngcukana, 14 Devon van Rensburg, 13 Clyde Martch, 12 Ronnie Melck (captain), 11 Nic le Roux, 10 Hylton Gibson, 9 Stef de Gouveia (vice-captain), 8 Jay Stevens, 7 Philip Jankielsohn, 6 Graham Geldenhuys, 5 Christoph Blake, 4 Luke Stringer, 3 Kyle Whyte, 2 Alan Eaby, 1 Rian Barnard
Coaches: Clinton van Rensburg, Rod Labuschagne
Referee: Stefan du Toit
Results Down the Years
1911: Bishops won 18-0 & 25-0
1916: Bishops won 13-0 & drew 13-13
1917: Bishops won 5-3 & Rondebosch won 14-3
1918: Bishops won 16-0 & drew 0-0
1921: Bishops won 6-0
1923: Rondebosch won 9-8
1925: Rondebosch won 22-3
1926: Bishops won 10-9 & 6-3
1928: Bishops won 8-3 & 15-3
1929: Bishops won 7-3
1930: Bishops won 15-9 & 12-9
1931: Bishops won 11-3 & 16-9
1932: Bishops won 9-3 & 15-0
1933: Bishops won 11-6 & drew 3-3
1935: Bishops won 6-3
1936: Bishops won 49-0 & 37-3
1937: Drew 0-0 & Bishops won 6-3
1938: Rondebosch won 8-3 & Bishops won 16-6
1939: Rondebosch won 8-0
1940: Bishops won 25-3 & 11-8
1941: Bishops won 13-9 & Rondebosch won 8-3
1942: Bishops won 16-4 & 10-3
1943: Bishops won 21-0 & 31-3
1944: Rondebosch won 21-14 & 6-0
1945: Rondebosch won 6-0 & Bishops won 11-8
1946: Drew 3-3 & drew 3-3
1947: Bishops won 6-3 & Rondebosch won 9-6
1948: Rondebosch won 17-13 & Bishops won 13-6
1949: Bishops won 23-0 & 17-6
1950: Drew 14-14 & Rondebosch won 17-6
1951: Bishops won 8-0 & 17-0
1952: Rondebosch won 6-3 & drew 3-3
1953: Rondebosch won 6-3 & 13-3
1954: Rondebosch won 11-3
1955: Bishops won 9-6 & 8-6
1956: Bishops won 11-0 & Rondebosch won 9-6
1957: Rondebosch won 5-0 & drew 3-3
1958: Rondebosch won 8-0 & 8-6
1959: Bishops won 10-0 & Rondebosch won 3-0
1960: Drew 3-3 & Rondebosch won 12-3
1961: Rondebosch won 5-0 & 13-6
1962: Bishops won 3-0 & drew 6-6
1963: Rondebosch won 11-0 & 9-6
1964: Rondebosch won 13-0 & 13-0
1965: Drew 0-0 & drew 3-3
1966: Rondebosch won 14-3 & 12-3
1967: Drew 3-3 & Rondebosch won 20-0
1968: Rondebosch won 6-0 & drew 8-8
1969: Rondebosch won 11-6 & 25-3
1970: Rondebosch won 14-0 & 11-9
1971: Rondebosch won 8-3 & 24-3
1972: Rondebosch won 13-4 & 13-4
1973: Rondebosch won 13-12 & Bishops won 16-13
1974: Bishops won 9-3 & 18-4
1975: Bishops won 27-3 & 22-6
1976: Bishops won 14-13 & 22-12
1977: Rondebosch won 15-12 & 33-7
1978: Drew 6-6 & Bishops won 8-6
1979: Bishops won 9-0 & 24-0
1980: Rondebosch won 22-12 & Bishops won 10-3
1981: Bishops won 12-6 & 7-6
1982: Bishops won 18-6 & Rondebosch won 12-6
1983: Rondebosch won 18-10 & Bishops won 16-6
1984: Rondebosch won 7-0 & 15-11
1985: Bishops won 12-3 & Rondebosch won 16-9
1986: Bishops won 14-4 & 13-3
1987: Bishops won 12-7 & 15-3
1988: Bishops won 10-3 & 13-3
1989: Bishops won 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 won 6-5 & 19-9
1995: Rondebosch won 7-6 & 11-10
1996: Rondebosch won 17-7 & 6-0
1997: Rondebosch won 18-0 & 31-11
1998: Bishops won 20-0 &15-7
1999: Rondebosch 16-15 & Bishops won 24-9
2000: Rondebosch 22-19 & 27-17
2001: Bishops won 17-0 & 18-0
2002: Bishops won 52-8 & 41-25
2003: Bishops won 18-5 & 78-19
2004: Bishops won 27-8 & Rondebosch won 26-22
2005: Bishops won 31-6 & 14-12
2006: Bishops won 71-3 & 75-22
2007: Bishops won 48-27 & 27-24
2008: Bishops won 20-8 & 47-15
2009: Rondebosch won 16-10 & Bishops won 10-6
2010: Bishops won 38-10 & the sides drew 19-19
2011: Rondebosch won 34-18 & Bishops won 37-12
2012: Bishops won 15-3 & Rondebosch won 19-11
2013: Rondebosch won 22-7 & Bishops won 23-11
