K-Day- Grahamstown's Biggest Day
It's a huge day in Grahamstown when Neighbour plays Neighbour, Anglicans meet Methodists, St Andrew's vs Kingswood, a match that has been played since 1898, when Kingswood just four years old.
It is a day of great enthusiasm for the town and all its folk, from leafy suburbs to locations.
K-Day has more than rugby. Since Kingswood went co-ed and St Andrew's established a working relationship with DSG, girls have also been involved.
But the climax of the day is certainly the rugby match between the two 1st XVs.
The grounds – this year Lower Field at St Andrew's – are jam-packed and every spectator is a participant, to the extent of much enthusiastic betting.
Picking a winner has usually been easy, as St Andrew's the bigger school, has won more often but then in 2011 Kingswood won 23-22 – not a huge victory but all the more exciting for being close and filling Kingswood past and present with glee. After all there had been 17 lean years for Kingswood before that.
Last year, on City Lords, Kingswood led 18-8 at half-time but St Andrew's came back strongly and won 42-28 in a spectacular game.
This Season
Kingswood look as if they have been better than usual, winning eight of their 12 matches. St Andrew's have looked weaker than usual, winning four out of 11. But then St Andrew's play stronger opponents, including three teams on the FNB Top 20, losing all three. Kingswood have played just one Top 20 team and lost.
Common Opposition
Oddly enough for two schools well within walking distance they have only one opponent in common – Pearson whom both beat by three points _ St Andrew's 26-23, Kingswood 18-15
Just perhaps that confirms that this year's encounter could be close.
Achievers
St Andrew's have one player in the Eastern Province Craven Week side – prop Zaci Sandi. Kingswood has none.
St Andrew's have three players in the Eastern Province Country Districts side; Kingswood have six.
St Andrew's: Anthony Dakin (captain), Xolile Mdlokovana and Grant Dixie.
Kingswood: Athi Halom, Siba Mzanywa, Mike van Breda, Ewan Pieters, Thembi Mangwana and Jason Liezemore.
Experience
Both schools have players who played in the 1st XV match last year.
Kingswood: Ezra Mager, Josh Shelley, Ryan Victor, Jeff Theron and Mike van Breda.
St Andrew's: Grant Dixie and Thomas Lane.
Teams
St Andrew's: 15 Murray Long, 14 Grant Dixie, 13 Ross Ferguson, 12 Tom Lane (captain), 11 Timothy Bloem, 10 Anthony Dakin, 9 Rorke Broad, 8 Gordon Everard, 7 Seb Mulders, 6 Chris Sherratt, 5 Daniel Tiffin, 4 Mathew Stopforth, 3 Sazi Sandi, 2 Mich Müller, 1 Sam Vrhovec
Kingswood: 15 Athi Halom, 14 Shane Potgieter, 13 Joshua Shelley, 12 Siba Mzanywa, 11 Ezra Mager, 10 Garrick Mattheus, 9 Mark Webber, 8 Ryan Victor, 7 Jimmy Sholto-Douglas, 6 Jeff Theron, 5 Mark Mutuku, 4 Jason Liezemore, 3 Thembi Nongwana, 2 JP Barkhuizen, 1 Mike van Breda
Rugby Programme
Lower
08.30: St Andrew's U14A vs Kingswood U14A
09.30: St Andrew's U15A vs Kingswood U15A
10.30: St Andrew's U16A vs Kingswood U16A
11.40: St Andrew's 4th XV vs Ukhanyo 1st XV
12.50: St Andrew's 3rd XV vs Kingswood 3rd XV
14.00: St Andrew's 2nd XV vs Kingswood 2nd XV
15.30: St Andrew's 1st XV vs Kingswood 1st XV
Knowling 1
08.30: St Andrew's 6th XV vs Kingswood 4th XV
09.30: St Andrew's 5th XV vs Ukhanyo 2nd XV
10.30: St Andrew's U15B vs Ntaba Maria
11.40: St Andrew's U15C vs Kingswood U15B
12.50: St Andrew's U16D vs TBC
Knowling 2
08.30: St Andrew's U16C vs TBC
09.30: St Andrew's U14C vs Ukhanyo A
10.30: St Andrew's U14B vs Kingswood U14B
11.40: St Andrew's U16B vs Ukhanyo
