Bishops vs Rondebosch
The two schools are about 400 metres apart, similar schools in many ways – boys only, boarding and day, same sort of staff and pupils and a history of playing sport against each other.
This weekend there will be 16 rugby matches. That means at least 960 boys will be playing. Think of the years and years that this has been going on twice a year in the physical and emotional rough-and-tumble of the game, and try to recall anybody whose actions were untoward. They are negligible in the context of the numbers of players.
Sadly, there is a horrible cloud hanging over this weekend's matches. During the night of Monday-Tuesday of this week, four criminals broke into the Lynfrae home of Richard Smith, the Bishops first XV coach, when he, his wife and their two children were sleeping, Mr Smith woke up and apparently confronted the intruders. He was, it seems, hit from behind and stabbed in his neck with a screwdriver. He was rushed off to Vincent Pallotti Hospital where he was operated on, sedated and kept on a ventilator. The trauma to his wife and children is enormous.
Richard Smith is a Rondebosch Old Boy. He and the Rondebosch coach played together against Bishops in the first XV match of 1997 when Rondebosch won. Mr Smith's wife Nina is the sister of Nick Maurer, the SACS first XV coach.
Before the first XV match this weekend, the teams will walk on and observe a silence to express their solidarity with the Smith family and to have a chance to pray for them.
Season so Far
Bishops have won six and drawn one of their 11 matches,.
Rondebosch have won five and drawn one of their 12 matches.
Neither team is ranked on the Schools Top 20. Bishops have played against seven teams who are ranked on the Top 20, Rondebosch against six.
Results against Common Opponents
KES: Bishops lost 35-14; Rondebosch lost 25-17
Paarl Boys' High: Bishops lost 25-0; Rondebosch lost 73-7
Paarl Gim: Bishops lost 44-24; Rondebosch lost 43-21
SACS: Bishops drew 24-24; Rondebosch drew 14-14
Stellenberg: Bishops won 29-28; Rondebosch lost 33-21
Wynberg: Bishops won 24-20; Rondebosch won 34-13
2017 Achievers
The boys of both schools are eligible for selection for Western Province Teams.
Neither school has a player in the Western Province Under-18 Craven Week side.
Academy Week
Bishops: Justin Muller, Xavier Muller, David Courie, Ghalieb Kenny
Rondebosch: Donald Falconer, Cal Smid, Mihlali Mgolodela
All of that suggests a close match, which is always good for close rivals.
The match is a Premier Interschools match and will be broadcast live on television – Supersport's channel 201.
Teams
Bishops: 15 James Ipser, 14 Murray Bruce, 13 Rob Macdonald (captain), 12 George Spencer, 11 Matt du Plessis, 10 Aydan Labuschagne, 9 Ross Goodwin, 8 Felix Burt, 7 Matt Norton, 6 Justin Muller, 5 Tim Sharples, 4 Aidan Neill, 3 David Courie, 2 Ghaalieb Kenny, 1 Ross Doyle
Replacements: 16 Alex Castle, 17 Terrence Pettersson, 18 Oliver MacRobert, 19 David Nivison, 23 Francois van der Merwe, 21 Lukhanyo Mntonintshi, 22 Reece Meyer, 23 Victor Allen
Coaches: Richard Smith, Wesley Chetty
Rondebosch: 15 Ethan Seymour, 14 Johan Strauss, 13 Donald Falconer, 12 Zaka Sallie, 11 Ross Roode, 10 Robbie Davis (captain), 9 Jaco Barnard, 8 Cal Smid, 7 Jason MacLeod Smith, 6 David Redelinghuys, 5 Braden Tredoux, 4 Matt Gray, 3 David Ige, 2 Matt Ginsberg, 1 Seth Christian
Replacements: 16 Suhaib Ajmoodien, 17 Shaakir Sallie, 18 Mihlali Mgolodela, 19 Jonny Murray, 20 Luke Cammell, 21 Greg Roberts, 22 Hugo Minnaar, 23 Oliver Daffarn
Coaches: Mark Lindenberg, Charlie Post
Date: Saturday, 24 June 2017
1st XV kick-off: 12.00
Television: Supersport channel 201
Venue: The Piley Rees field at Bishops
Expected weather conditions: Sunny with a high of 16°C and a low of 8°C
Rugby Programme for 22 June 2017
Piley Rees
08.00: 6th XV
09.15: 3rd XV
10.30: 2nd XV
12.00: 1st XV
Sahara
08.15: Under-16C
09.25: Under-16B
10.35: Under-16A
Avenue
08.15: Under-14D
09.25: 5th XV
10.35: 4th XV
Range
08.30: Under-15C
09.30: Under-15B
10.30: Under-15A
Cemetery
08.30: Under-14B
09.30: Under-14A
10.30: Under-14C
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
2014: Bishops won 52-14 & 22-21
2015: Bishops won 36-23 & Rondebosch won 55-12
2016: Rondebosch won 15-14 & 30-26
