Bosch Bash Bishops

It is a match that will become a part of Rondebosch legend. Shaky old men will one day say: "In my day…"

It was a victory nobody could have forecast. Rondebosch's biggest margin of victory over Bishops before this was 33-7 in 1997. The margin of victory this time was 17 points greater at 43. Rondebosch's previous highest score was 34 when they won 34-18 in 2011. This score was 21 points higher. It was a famous occasion.

Both sides had had similar seasons and Bishops had won the first match 36-23.

Rondebosch had had a good win over SACS last week and Bishops had given Wynberg a hiding. One could expect that both sides would go into the match with confidence. Rondebosch certainly did while Bishops looked like lost little lambs.

It took Rondebosch, playing in white, 13 seconds to establish a lead, and all they did after that was build on it till at half-time they led 45-5 – and all sorts of records were on the cards, but either they tired or Bishops gathered a bit of wit, but the second half was more circumspect, Rondebosch's winning it 10-7. They would probably have accepted 10-7 as a match score, for 55-12 must have been beyond their wildest dreams.

Features of the match were the superior confidence, energy, skill and support play of the Rondebosch side, while Bishops's handling fell apart, normally their most famous skill.

Home side Rondebosch kicked off into the Bishops 22. Bishops got the ball and started passing, as is their wont, but the passing did not last long for almost immediately the ball was on the ground and Zain Davids zoomed into gather and plunge over for a try which Yaseen Jacobs converted, as he did all nine of his kicks at goal, including two conversions from touch.

Rondebosch dominated possession throughout the first half. They won the only two throws Bishops had into line-outs, took a tighthead at a scrum, and profited from a 6-0 penalty count in their favour. Rondebosch also won the turnovers from tackles hands down.

The tighthead set up the second try when flank Edward Stiles surged over near the posts. 14-0 after 12 minutes.

Bishops again set up a Rondebosch try when flank Mojalefa Mosia grabbed the ball and forced his way over far out on the right. 21-0 after 15 minutes.

The next try was not long in coming. Rondebosch attacked again as the forwards took the ball up with prop Ashwyn Adams and lock Byron Bowes prominent. They went right and their cool general, Rory Thomson scored at the posts. 28-0 after 18 minutes. It was almost bizarre.

But then Bishops suddenly looked like Bishops when they threw in quickly from touch and attacked down their left. Tristan Leyds chipped and the next thing lanky centre Seb Hanekom was striding down the touchline, beating one and scoring  in the left corner. 28-5 after 21 minutes.

Rondebosch got possession from the kick-off and attacked till Bishops were penalised at a scrum (for standing up, which is not penalty offence to be found in the law book) and Jacobs goaled. 31-5 after 24 minutes.

Rondebosch were back heads up and passing. They won a Bishops line-out on their left and went right where Thomson dummied to pass inside and instead accelerated over for his second try. 38-5, en tog was dit het einde nicht.

The maul from a line-out was a profitable manoeuvre for Rondebosch. A penalty gave them a line-out five metres from the line and they mauled over the line but the referee decided that they had been held up. From the subsequent scrum they attacked and Davids was close. Captain Liam Greenhalgh was tackled at the line, released the ball, got to his feet, picked up the ball and scored. 45-5 and, breathlessly, it was half-time.

Rondebosch started on the attack and two penalties produced two line-outs and two mauls, the second five metres from the Bishops line. They went over but again 'held up' was ruled. But Jacobs goaled a penalty. 48-5.

Rondebosch came close to scoring when Bishops chipped and Davids caught and charged onto the attack. Rondebosch went left and then far right where Greenhalgh put a foot on the touchline as he went over to score. Bishops knocked the ball back over their goal-line from the line-out and conceded a five-metre scrum. Thomson held the ball up and then gave to inside centre Jamie King who sailed untouched through a generous gap. 55-5 with 8 minutes to play.

By now Rondebosch had flooded their replacements onto the field so that as many as possible could join in the fiesta.

But Bishops had the last say as they, belatedly, found their passing rhythm and Hanekom passed inside to Smith and the big prop burst through two defenders to score. Tristan Leyds converted.

The match over, the Rondebosch horde, boys and Old Boys, burst from the huge crowd and invaded the field with glee. It was a day for rejoicing. It is a day to cherish.

Scorers:

For Rondebosch:

Tries: Zain Davids, Edward Stiles, Mojalefa Mosia,  Rory Thomson 2, Liam Greenhalgh, Jamie King

Cons: Yaseen Jacobs

Pens: Yaseen Jacobs 2

For Bishops:

Tries: Seb Hanekom, JP Smith

Con: Tristan Leyds

Teams

Rondebosch: 15 Mike Mavovana, 14 Yaseen Jacobs, 13 Zain Davids, 12 Jamie King, 11 Ryan Klein, 10 Rory Thomson, 9 Nic Potgieter, 8 Liam Greenhalgh (captain), 7 Mojalefa Mosia, 6 Edward Stiles, 5 Garth Shenker, 4 Byron Bowes, 3 Jordan Diekmann, 2 Josh Emslie, 1 Ashwyn Adams

Coaches: Clinton van Rensburg, Mark Lindenberg

Bishops: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Seb Prentice, 13 Seb Hanekom, 12 Lubelo Scott, 11 André Manual, 10 James Macdonald, 9 Brandon Salomo, 8 Francois Stassen, 7 Jarryd Lurie (captain), 6 Joel Paarwater, 5 Connor Osborne, 4 Luciano da Graca, 3 JP Smith, 2 Gregory Willcocks, 1 William Day

Coaches:  André Jacobs, Mike Bayly

Referee: Pierre Rodgers

Assistant referees: Khwezi Mqomboti, Cullum Johnston

Results Down the Years

It was the 189th match between the two schools. Bishops have won 98, Rondebosch 73. 18 have been drawn.

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