Bishops run away with it
Close neighbours, keen rivals, Rondebosch and Bishops met for the 176th time on a still, sunny Saturday in an FNB Classic Clash and this time Bishops won 52-14, but it was a strange match.
Look at the score and still believe that Rondebosch could have won the match. They had the majority of possession and territory but Bishops – as Bishops can – would suddenly score tries, most of them spectacular. There is something bewildering about the way they play. They have no numbers, as is their wont in the pious belief that it is a team game, and forwards look and play like backs so that it is hard to know who is doing what but if you don't get them early they can mesmerise you.
Their first try looked so easy. They had a scrum on their left near the half-way line and passed to the right where Keenan Jacobs had an overlap. Challenged he chipped with his left foot and won the race for the ball, scoring just before the dead-ball line on the southern end of the ground. Inside centre Cornel Smit converted from far out. 7-0 after 6 minutes.
Rondebosch attacked and powerful Zain Davids got close from a line-out but Bishops ran from behind their goal-line and got a long way out of trouble.
Rondebosch camped in Bishops territory but in their own 22 Bishops won a Rondebosch line-out on their right and went left. Fullback Jesse Wilensky, a brilliant substitute for the Bishops captain Gerard Pieterse, had a long run before giving to left wing André Manuel who scored. 14-0 after 21 minutes.
Rondebosch made headway with pick-'n-go but were penalised three metres from the Bishops line. Bishops tapped and ran.
An intercept try is always exciting, heart-breaking though it is for the team conceding it. There were two intercept tries in this match.
Rondebosch were in the Bishops half and their backs were moving left when suddenly Keenan Jacobs intercepted and raced away, swerving around a defender to score a brilliant try, 21-0, which was the half-time score.
Rondebosch were certainly trying to score tries and were enterprising; they just lacked the vision and skilful execution of their opponents.
Early in the second half Rondebosch had a penalty in front of the posts and opted for a line-out. In fact neither team aimed a penalty at posts in this match.
Rondebosch were hot on the attack, five metres from the Bishops line when burly flank Mervano da Silva broke away with the ball. On and on he ran till he was tackled by Riley Louw and Amani Minani near the Rondebosch line but André Manuel was on hand to take a pop pass and give it to Keenan Jacobs who scored his third try of the match. 28-0.
From the kick-off fullback Jesse Willensky went on a long run down the left. Hemmed in he passed inside to centre Justin Heunis who scored. The conversion was just away. 33-0 after 42 minutes.
Bishops won a tighthead five metres from the Rondebosch line and battered at the line till prop William Day scored. 40-0.
Bishops came back on the attack with flank Mervano da Silva and eighthman Saud Abrahams prominent to give Keenan Jacobs his fourth try. 47-0.
Rondebosch were well inside the Bishops 22 but it was a Bishops line-out. The throw went over the top and Zain Davids grabbed it and headed for the line. Tackled he offloaded perfectly to Jamie King on his inside and the replacement flank scored at the posts. Scrumhalf Mark Thompson converted. 47-7 with 11 minutes to play.
Anything loosehead William Day can do, tighthead JP Smith can do. He took a pass from a tackle/ruck and ran some 20 metres to score as two defenders tries to stop him. 52-7.
Rondebosch, trying to the end, had the last say when substitute flank Sean Botha intercepted an inside pass just inside the Bishops half and raced through empty acres to score at the posts. Riley Louw converted.
There were just two minutes to play and that ended the scoring at 52-14.
Scorers:
For Bishops:
Tries: Keenan Jacobs 4. André Manuel, Justin Heunis, William Day, JP Smith
Cons: Cornel Smit 6
For Rondebosch:
Tries: Jamie King, Sean Botha
Cons: Mark Thompson, Riley Louw
Teams:
Rondebosch: 15 Riley Louw, 14 Amani Minani, 13 Clyde Martch, 12 Rory Thomson, 11 Kyle Ballakistan, 10 Jean Naude, 9 Mark Thompson, 8 ZainDavids, 7 Robbie Waddilove(captain), 6 Liam Greenhalgh, 5 Lihle Kula, 4 Imraan Andrews, 3 Ashwyn Adams, 2 Russell Eaby, 1 Chris Newby.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Slabbert, 17 Daniel Pearson, 18 Sean Botha, 19 Jamie King, 20 Matthew Tippett, 21 Dylan Harty, 22 Frankie Swart, 23 Leo Figueira.
Bishops: 15 Jesse Wilensky, 14 Keenan Jacobs, 13 Justin Heunis, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 André Manuel, 10 Jez MacIntyre, 9 Justin Rowe-Roberts, 8 Saud Abrahams, 7 Nic Bester, 6 Mervano da Silva, 5 Sam Mitchell (captain), 4 Max Linley, 3 Jean-Pierre Smith, 2 Justin Carey, 1 William Day.
Replacements: 16 Patrick Mitchell, 17 Luciano da Graca, 18 Tim Kuhn, 19 Jarryd Lurie, 20 Michael Inskip, 21 Luke Leach, 22 Tristan Leyds, 23 Devon Bruiners.
Referee: Matt Kemp (Western Province Referees' Society)
Bishops vs Rondebosch 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
2014: Bishops won 52-14
