Co-ed Clash in East London

On Saturday 23 August, Cambridge High School will be hosting the First National Bank sponsored Classic Clash against Hudson Park. This will be the fourth year that First National Bank will be sponsoring this fixture. Last year, Hudson Park hosted the match.

The derby against Hudson Park began in 1977 soon after the establishment of Hudson Park High School. Cambridge was the only large, mainstream co-educational school in East London before then. Hudson soon established itself as a school to rival Cambridge for size and rugby prowess.

Co-educational schools’ rugby in East London is of a very high, competitive standard, with rivalries running deep. The fact that they play all the main colleges in the Border area on an annual basis forces them to raise their game. Not many city co-educational schools elsewhere in South Africa have this opportunity. This, together with good coaching structures and a sporting ethos in our two schools, has resulted in a high level of quality rugby been played over the last 37 years.

It is not only rugby that will be taking place, but also boys’ and girls’ hockey with the First Teams playing on Friday afternoon at the KLP Astro surface in Bunkers Hill. Netball matches will be taking place on Saturday morning.

Cambridge and Hudson play each other twice every season. The traditional dates are the first Saturday of Term 2 and the last fixture that the two schools play in August (term 3). The most important fixture is the last one of the season. Results are compared over the course of the year as to who has the best chance of victory. The turnout of spectators and learners from both schools on the day is exceptional.

By Mark Berndt

The Cambridge High vs. Hudson Park fixtures are always intense affairs with the points difference between the two teams always been marginal. Regarding the FNB Classic Clashes specifically, Hudson have won two and Cambridge have won one.  Cambridge and Hudson play each other twice every season, once for the first school derby match of the season, and once for the last. The matches played between the two schools started in 19   with a total of 60 matches played , Cambridge winning  30, Hudson Park winning 27 and 3 matches drawn.  In the first fixture played in April this year, Cambridge turned around a 15-3 half-time deficit to win 17-15.

Cambridge started the season strongly winning six of their first seven games before coming unstuck against some of the big rugby colleges in the province.  They have however finished strongly winning four of their last five games scoring 38 tries in the process.  Hudson have steadily improved their results and have had some good wins against common opposition.  Both teams come into this fixture off of reasonably big defeats to local rugby powerhouses (Cambridge lost to Queens and Hudson to Dale).  Saturday will prove to be a very close and intense affair with neither team being willing to give an inch, as FNB Classic Clashes should always be.

From Cambridge

Season so Far

The two teams have met already this year, Cambridge winning 17-15.

Hudson Park have played 14 matches this year, winning five. Their best win of the season was probably over Marlow but they also had great matches in running Border-s Big Three close – losing 20-18 to Queen's, 18-10 to Selborne and 14-8 to Dale.

Cambridge have played 19, won 11 and lost eight. They did not fare as well against tough opposition as Hudson Park did.

Common Opponents

Queens: HP lost 20-18; Cambridge lost 34-7

Stirling: HP won 55-0; Cambridge won 68-17 & 31-5

Port Rex: HP won 48-5; Cambridge won 53-0

Pearson: HP won 12-10; Cambridge won 23-12

Muir: HP won 16-11; Cambridge lost 22-13

Grens: HP lost 26-25; Cambridge lost 45-15

Dale: HP lost 38-5 & 14-8; Cambridge lost 41-13  

Selborne: HP lost 18-10; Cambridge lost 74-10

Representative Players

The players of both schools are eligible for Border.

Academy Week

Cambridge:  Lusanda Badiyana, Siphamandla Mbusi

Hudson Park: Zipho Hena, Bulela Sotyelelwa

Craven Week

Neither school has a player in the Craven Week team.

Teams

Hudson Park: 15 Keanon Mandean, 14 Siba Mbinda, 13 Mihlali Boqwana, 12 Oyisa Hakula, 11 Mitchell Best, 10 Bulela Sotyelelwa, 9 Lwazi Mnyute, 8 Pumelelo Tongo, 7 Piwe Mdyesha (captain), 6 Lazola Nunwana, 5 Brandon Hobbs, 4 Shane Weweje, 3 Jason Ihlenfeldt, 2 Zipho Hena, 1 Tristan Frans

Cambridge:  15 Ludwe Badiyana, 14 Lutho Magopeni, 13 Mduduzi Ntongana, 12 Siphosethu Tom, 11 Xolisa Mato, 10 Sandile Mantantana, 9 Dwaine Bowles, 8 Lusanda Badiyana (captain), 7 Musa Mahlasela, 6 Unathi Ntwasa, 5 Devon Botha, 4 Ntsika Tsotso, 3 Siphamandla Mbusi, 2 Nande Qabakai, 1 Mpumalanga Malangeni

Coaches: Tony Koch, Marcelle van der Walt

Date: Saturday, 23 August 2014

1st XV kick-off: 14.00

Venue: Cambridge High School

Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a 10% chance of rain, a high of 18°C and a low of 12°C

Rugby Programme

TB Scott Field

09.00: Under-14A

10.00: Under-15A

11.15: Under-16A

12.30: 2nd XV

14.00: 1st XV

B Field

09.00: Under-15B

10.00: Under-16B

11.15: 3rd XV

C Field

09.00: Under-14C

10.00: Under-14B

11.15: Under-15C

Results Down the Years

1977: Cambridge won 13-6

1978: Cambridge won 33-0

1979: Cambridge won 23-4

1980: Cambridge won 11-3

1981: Draw 0-0

1982: Cambridge won 6-3

1983: Draw 3-3

1984: Cambridge won 24-3

1985: Cambridge won 3-0 and 11-3

1986: Cambridge won 26-3

1987: Cambridge won 4-3

1988: Cambridge won 3-0

1989: Cambridge won 11-0

1990: Hudson Park won 12-7 and Cambridge won 9-0

1991: Cambridge won 12-9

1992: Hudson Park won 51-0

1993: Hudson Park won 10-7

1994: Hudson Park won  11-8 and Cambridge won 13-3

1995: Hudson Park won  11-8 and Cambridge won 13-3

1996: Cambridge won 12-0 and 24-16

1997: Cambridge won 22-7 and 19-10

1998: Hudson Park won  29-8 and 15-5

1999: Hudson Park won 20-7 and 20-0

2000: Cambridge won 19-10 and drew 3-3

2001: Cambridge won 15-10 and 26-15

2002: Hudson Park won 20-5 and 22-6

2003: Hudson Park won 31-0 and Cambridge won 17-10

2004: Hudson Park won 20-10 and 28-0

2005: Hudson Park won 25-15 and 13-6

2006: Hudson Park won 13-11 and Cambridge won 16-8

2007: Hudson Park won 15-10 and 40-12

2008: Hudson Park won 24-8 and Cambridge won 13-8

2009: Cambridge won 7-3 and 16-12

2010: Hudson Park won 25-0 and 27-17

2011: Hudson Park won 52-7 and 34-3

2012: Hudson Park won 14-12 and Cambridge won 20-12

2013: Hudson Park won 32-23 and 26-12

2014: Cambridge won 17-15