The oldest game in South Africa?
On Saturday SACS move from Newlands to the Diocesan College in Rondebosch for matches which may well have been the first in South Africa.
In 1861 Canon Ogilvie, the principal of Bishops, got the boys to play his form of the handling, running, tackling game to curb their energies. SACS followed suit soon after and oral tradition has it that they started playing each other in about 1865. There is no written record but they are at it again this week and the game is now rugby union football, and it will be played with creative enthusiasm and in a sporting spirit, as it usually is twice a year.
It is late in the season, a time when the Top Four of the Cape Peninsula settle down to a second round of matches against each other.
Season So Far
Bishops has been having a better-than-usual season, SACS a not-as-good-as-usual season.
Bishops is ranked 11th on the Schools Top 20, SACS in the pressure group below the Top 20.
Bishops have played 12, winning eight and losing four. They have played against five Top 20 sides.
SACS have played 13 matches, winning seven and losing six. They have played against six Top 20 sides.
When the two sides met up at SACS, Bishops won 39-21.
Results against Common Opponents
Bellville: Bishops won 48-20; SACS won 19-7
Boland Landbou: Bishops won 53-19; SACS lost 20-17
Paarl Gim: Bishops lost 31-10; SACS lost 41-19
Rondebosch: Bishops won 36-26; SACS lost 27-8
Wynberg: Bishops won 60-40; SACS won 20-6
Achievers
The players of both schools are eligible for Western Province teams.
Craven Week Representative
Western Province had two teams at Craven Week this year.
Bishops: Connor Evans, Liam Kloosman, Sacha Mgomezulu, Isaiah Wharton, Keagan Blanckenberg
SACS: Enos Ndiao
In addition Connor Evans has been chosen for the SA Schools team to play Argentina, England, France and Wales in August.
Teams
SACS: 15 Duran Koevort, 14 Kyle Kreymborg, 13 Rihaz Fredericks, 12 Robin Aspeling, 11 Thomas Doyle, 10 Nicholas Haasbroek, 9 Steffan James, 8 Brent van Niekerk, 7 Mikhail Moosa, 6 Nicholas Boden, 5 Jordan Thomas (captain), 4 Enos Ndiao, 3 Joshua Datnow, 2 Hlumelo Ntweni, 1 Constantin Eick
Coaches: Nick Maurer, Warren Griffiths
Manager: Harold Kessler
Bishops: 15 Matthew Lennett, 14 Luca Liebenberg, 13 Oliver Jones, 12 Michael Ford, 11 Samuel Marthinussen, 10 Sacha Mngomezulu, 9 Liam Kloosman, 8 Isaiah Wharton (captain), 7 Connor Evans, 6 Matthew Smith, 5 Jack Hampshire, 4 Samuel Rudston, 3 James Bolton, 2 George Kappatos, 1 Aidan MacDonald
Coaches: Wes Chetty, Dylon Frylinck, Charlie Post, Chris Ekron
Date: 27 July 2019
1st XV kick-off: 12.10
Venue: Piley Rees Field, Bishops
Expected weather conditions: Sunny with a high of 17°C and a light southeaster
Rugby Programme – 27 July 2019
Piley Rees
09.30: 3rd XV
10.45: 2nd XV
12.10: 1st XV
Avenue
08.30: 4th XV
09.40: 5th XV
10.50: 6th XV
Sahara
08.30: Under-16B
09.40: Under-16C
10.50: Under-16A
Range
08.30: Under-15B
09.30: Under-15A
10.30: Under-15C
Cemetery
08.30: Under-14B
09.30: Under-14A
10.30: Under-14C
Lutgensvale A
08.30: Under-14D
09.30: Under-15 D
Lutgensvale B
08.30: Under-16D
