Neighbours Meet in Rondebosch Classic

Keen, but in the friendliest sort of way, for Bishops and Rondebosch tend to be the same sort of school with the same sort of parents, boys and staff. Even the river that runs through them both is the same river.

The Black River runs past the Villager Football Club, the second oldest club in South Africa, on through Rondebosch Boys' High with rugby fields on each bank, on under Sandown Road and around the Diocesan College as it goes on to meet the Liesbeeck, which has skirted Newlands rugby ground, and then the Salt and into Table Bay. If it could speak it could pass on to Bishops the plans Rondebosch has hatched for this week's FNB Classic Clash, but it is a sporting river and does not do so.

For this, the first match, an FNB Classic Clash, of 2016, Bishops boys can walk out of their school across Sandown Road and about 400 metres along Tullyallen Road and into Rondebosch. Next term, Rondebosch will do the reverse journey, for they play twice a year with the same enthusiasm each time and no animosity. And afterwards, with a reasonable time for talk and refreshment, they can go the =short distance to Newlands to see South Africa play Ireland. One Rondebosch Old Boy will make the journey with greater nostalgia than most – Deon O'Cuinneagain who captained South Africa at Sevens and Ireland at Fifteens.

The two schools have been doing with for over a century and the interest has not flagged. Thousands will gather at the game, boys, families, staff and Old Boys.

The match will be televised.

Seasons so Far

Neither side has had a great season but then they play with the big boys. Bishops has played 14 matches, winning eight. Rondebosch has played 11 matches, winning eight. Neither is ranked on the FNB Top 20. Bishops have played (and lost to) four sides on the Top 20, Rondebosch three.

Bishops could take heart from its match last week when it played brilliantly in running Wynberg off their feet to win 38-7. Rondebosch on the other hand suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Paarl Gim.

Results against Common Opponents

Paarl Gim: Bishops lost 45-10; Rondebosch lost 48-19

SACS: Bishops lost 38-19; Rondebosch drew 28-28

Windhoek High: Bishops lost 17-14; Rondebosch won 20-18

Wynberg: Bishops won 38-7; Rondebosch won 29-8

Outstanding Players

Both schools' players are eligible for Western Province's provincial teams which are to be announced only on 20 June 2016. At present there is a group of 51 players in training for the selection of the Craven Week and Academy Week teams.

Rondebosch has two players in this group: Mike Mavovana and Matthew Grobler.  

Bishops has one player in this group: Labelo Scott.

Suhaib Ajmoodien played for Western Province at Grant Khomo Week last year.

Experience

Rondebosch have two players back from last year – Mike Mavovana and Garth Shenker.

Bishops have four back -Seb Prentice, Labelo Scott, James Macdonald and JP Smith who is on the bench this year.  

1st XVs

Rondebosch: 15 Mike Mavovana, 14 Amani Minani, 13 DJ Falconer, 12 Van der Bijl Blake, 11 Dane Stevens, 10 Robbie Davis, 9 James van Rensburg, 8 Zaka Sallie, 7 Cal Smid, 6 Garth Shenker (captain), 5 Hylton Goatley, 4 Matthew Grobler, 3 Chulumanco Mputing, 2 Devon Arendse, 1 Matthew Horrigan

Replacements: 16 Suhaib Ajmoodien, 17 Tomasz de Rosenwerth, 18 Braden Tredoux, 19 Cheyne Robertson, 20 Sam Cragg, 21 Ross Roode, 22 Keegan Collier, 23 Kyle Fredericks

Bishops: 15 Brandon van der Westhuizen, 14 Tristan Hermans, 13 Labelo Scott, 12 Rob Macdonald, 11 Seb Prentice, 10 James Macdonald, 9 Harry Makin, 8 Jean Pienaar (captain), 7 Byron Cranswick, 6 Cullum Diem, 5 Luke Viljoen, 4 Christian Stehlik, 3 Alasdair Jewson, 2 Jason Hofmeyr, 1 Zico Oaker            

Reserves: Clyde de Beer, Ghaalieb Kenny, JP Smith, Matt Norton, Marcus Knight, Daniel van der Valk, Aydan Labuschagne, Rob Lancefield

Coaches: Angus Firth, Mike Bayly, Wesley Chetty

Date: Saturday, 11 June 2016

1st XV kick-off: 12.30

Television broadcast: Channel 210 from 13.50

Referee: Egon Secoinds (Western Province Referees' Society

Rugby Programme

Rugby A    

09.45: 3rd XV

11.05: 2nd XV

12.30: 1st XV

Meadow A

08.30: Under-16C

09.40: Under-16B

10.50: Under-16 A  

Meadow B

08.30: Under-15C

09.30: Under-15B

10.30: Under-15  A  

Meadow C

08.30: 4th XV  

09.40: 6th XV

10.50: 5th XV

Lower Desert A

08.30: Under-14B

09.30: Under-14A

10.30: Under-14C

Lower Desert B

09.30: Under-14D

10.30: Under-15D  

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