Bishops in 2017

Bishops have been playing something like rugby since 1861, and still 156 years later there is vast enthusiasm for the game in the school.

The first team field is the Piley Rees, named after a legendary schoolmaster and rugby coach, who said: "The start of the rugby season is like lancing a boil." He believed that all the unpleasantness in the school ran out and away in April when rugby season started.

In April? Bishops still tries to give cricket, athletics, tennis and waterpolo their full share of the year.

The school has strong traditions and this shows in its fixtures – the three Southern Suburbs Schools, the three Paarl Schools, the Grahamstown schools.   Five of those fixtures, including St Andrew's, date back to the 19th century, followed by Rondebosch, Wynberg and Kingswood and much later Durbanville (1977) and Boland Landbou (1982).

One tradition will be broken this year, for Basil Bey, great coach, will not be there as he died shortly before Christmas, but those who enjoy a match beer up in the Heatlie Pavilion will do so in the Basil Bey Room.

Fixtures for 2017

24 March: Porterville Festival for Under-15A and Under-14A

25 March: Porterville Festival for 1st XV, Under 16A,  Under-15A and Under-14A

1 April: Bishops vs St Andrew's (away) – 1st XV, Under 16A,  Under-15A and Under-14A

3 April: Bishops vs Kingswood (away) – 1st XV, Under 16A,  Under-15A and Under-14A

22 April: Bishops vs Stellenberg (home)

29 April: Wynberg Festival – 1st XV, Under 16A,  Under-15A and Under-14A

1 May: Wynberg Festival – 1st XV, Under 16A,  Under-15A and Under-14A

6 May: Bishops vs SACS (home)

13 May: Bishops vs Drostdy (away)

20 May: Bishops vs Durbanville (away)

27 May: Bishops vs Wynberg (away)

3 June: Bishops vs Paarl Gimnasium (home)

10 June: Bishops vs Paarl Boys' High (home)

24 June: Bishops vs Rondebosch (home)

29 July: Bishops vs Paul Roos (away)

2 August: Bishops vs Whitgift (UK) (home) – Heatlie Under-17 and Under-16 A/B

3 August: Bishops vs Oakham (UK) – Under-15 A/B

5 August: Bishops vs Boland Landbou (away)

12 August: Bishops vs SACS (away)

19 August: Bishops vs Wynberg (home)

26 August: Bishops vs Rondebosch (away)