The Oldest Rivalry?

Bishops started playing its game in 1861 when there was no game called soccer and when rugby was played only at Rugby School in Warwickshire. There is an oral tradition that SACS and Bishops started playing in 1862, but so far we have found no conformation. The oldest date of a match that we have is 1873. They are each other's oldest opponents, one of the oldest schools games in the history of rugby football.

We have tried to produce a record of previous results and have placed what we have below. There are gaps and errors are likely. Anybody who has suggestions, corrections and additions should contact Paul Dobson at [email protected]

One of the problems in early years is trying to sort out what was South African College/SACS and University of Cape Town.

But – to the present. All these years later it is happening again up at SACS on Saturday when Bishops play SACS for the second time this year. In the earlier match, SACS beat Bishops 26-17. In fact SACS have been having ma much better season than Bishops have been having.

SACS have played 19 matches, winning 14 and losing 5

Bishops have played 13 matches, winning 8 and losing 5.

SACS have played 11 teams that are or have been on the Top 20.

Bishops have played 7 teams that are or have been on the Top 20.

SACS are ranked 14th on the FNB Top 290, while Bishops are in the small pressure group just below the Top 20.

Results against Common Opponents

Grey PE: Bishops lost 24-15; SACS lost 28-10

Paarl Gim: Bishops won 35-32; SACS lost 39-15

Paarl Boys' High: Bishops lost 12-7; SACS lost 30-11

Wynberg: Bishops won 26-19; SACS won 22-5

Boland Landbou: Bishops lost 39-38; SACS won 26-24

Rondebosch: Bishops won 36-23; SACS won 27-15

Paul Roos: Bishops lost 39-29; SACS lost 39-8

The difference is not all that great and the rivalry will be as tense as is inevitable when it is between neighbours, the same kind of people at the same kind of school. What one hopes is that it will remain a well-mannered encounter.

Teams

SACS: 15 Thomas Waterkeyn, 14 Tumi Mogoje, 13 Ciaran Dayaram, 12 Nick Redelinghuys, 11 Justin Benderman, 10 Jordan Chait (captain), 9 Rua-Ees Arendse, 8 Alex Halvorsen, 7 Tommy Posen, 6 Dylan Hadzigrigoriou, 5 James Brewer, 4 Elliot Avery, 3 Duncan Ferguson, 2 Liam Larkan, 1 Sihle Lonzi.

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

Date: 15 August 2015

1st XV kick-off: 12.15

Venue: SACS, Newlands

Expected weather conditions:

Referee: Daniel Fortuin (Western Province Referees' Society)

Rugby Programme

Memorial A

09.45: 3rd XV

11.00: 2nd XV

12.15: 1st XV

Memorial B

08.00: Under-16C

09.05: Under-15A

10.05: Under-16B

11.10: Under-16 A

Spencer-Smith

09.00: Under-15C     

10.00: 5th XV

11.10: 4th XV

De Villiers

08.00: Under-15B

09.00: Under-14B

10.00: Under-14A

11.00: 6th XV

De Villiers B

08.00: Under-14E

09.00: Under-14D

10.00: Under-14C

Results Down the Years

There is little record of early matches and at the time when the records start both the South African College and the Diocesan College had university classes. In those days both institutions were a mixture of school and university with all the boys eligible for any team, as were the masters. The second principal of Bishops played for the 2nd XV. Boys were chosen on ability regardless of age.

That all stopped after 1910 when Bishops ceased its university classes and its students and the university students of SACS joined to form the University of Cape Town. From then on the results here are those between schools, though sometimes in Under-19 competitions in the Western Province..

In the early matches there were no points; only goals counted. Points would vary. A try, for example, went from 1 to 3 to 4 to 5.

Again help to make this list better would be appreciated. Send it to [email protected]

1873: SACS won 2 goals to nil

1874: SACS won the first one & the second match 1 goal to nil.

1876: Bishops won goals to nil and 1 goal to nil

1877: Draw

1879: Draw 0–0 & Bishops won 5 goals to nil.

1882: SACS won

1883: SACS won

1885: Bishops won 11-0

1886: SACS won 11-0

1887: SACS won 4-1

1888: Draw 0-0 & SACS won 1-0

1889: SACS won 3-1

1890: Draw 2-2 & SACS won 2-1

1891: Bishops won 4-0 and 11-0

1892: Bishops won 8-0, 24-2 & 20-7

1893: Bishops won 17-0

1894: Bishops won 19-0 & 17-0

1895: Bishops won 11-0 & 11-0

1896: Draw 0-0 & Bishops won 6-0

1897: SACS won 16-7 & 6-0

1898: SACS won 8-0

1899: Draw 3-3, SACS won 10-3 & 5-0

1900: Draw 0-0, SACS won 7-0 & Bishops won 6-0

1901: Bishops won 10-0, SACS won 11-5 & Bishops won 13-0

1902: SACS won 6-5 & 19-6

1903: SACS won 9-0

1904: SACS won 12-0 & 11-3

1905: SACS won 10-3 & Bishops won 7-0

1906: Bishops won 6-5 & SACS won 5-3

1907: Bishops won 9-4 & 10-0 & SACS won 8-5 & 13-3

1908: Bishops won 8-3

1909: SACS won 19-3, 9-3 & 14-3

1910: SACS won 12-4 & 15-5

From now on the competition is between school teams.

1911: SACS won 6-5

1912: Draw 3-3 & Bishops won 19-5 & 10-0

1913: Bishops won 21-0 & 6-0 & SACS won 6-3

1914: Bishops won 11-8 & SACS won 3-0

1915: Draw 0-0, SACS won 12-9 & 3-0 & Bishops won 9-4 & 11-5

1916: Bishops won 13-0 & 8-0

1917: SACS won 25-0

1918: SACS won 14-0

1920: SACS won 11-0

1921: Draw 12-12

1922: Draw 8-8

1923: SACS won 9-8

1924: Bishops won 10-3 & 19-5 & SACS won 10-0

1925: Bishops won 16-3 & 16-6

1926: Draw 3-3 & SACS won 19-5

1927: Bishops won 18-3

1928: Bishops won 8-3

1929: Bishops won 14-0

1930: SACS won 8-3 & Bishops won 13-0

1931: Bishops won 23-6 & SACS won 8-6

1932: Draw 13-13, Bishops won 12-7

1933: SACS won 12-0

1934: Bishops won 24-9 & SACS won 25-3 & 29-7

1935: Bishops won 16-6 & 26-3

1936: Bishops won 16-0 & SACS won 15-7

1937: SACS 12-11 & 11-9

1938: Bishops won 12-3

1939: Bishops won 11-0 & 36-3

1940: Bishops won 31-8 & 6-3

1941: Bishops won 19-3

1942: Bishops won 20-5 & 12-0

1943: Bishops won 13-0 & 3-0

1944: Draw 3-3 & Bishops won 14-6

1945: Bishops won 9-3 & 3-0

1946: Bishops won 37-0 & 6-3

1947: SACS won 12-11& Bishops won 9-0

1948: Bishops won 32-3 & 22-11

1949: Bishops won 57-0

1950: SACS won 14-8 & Bishops won 11-5

1951: Bishops won 17-3 & 8-0

1952: Bishops won 18-3 & 13-11

1953: Bishops won 32-0 & 15-3

1954: Bishops won 17-3 & 6-0

1955: Bishops won 20-3

1956: SACS won 8-5 & 10-6

1957: Bishops won 9-0 & SACS won 12-3

1958: Bishops won 11-0 & 19-3

1958: Bishops won 16-6 & 18-0

1960: Bishops won 11-0 & 12-3

1962: SACS won 11-0

1963: Bishops won 9-0 & 11-3

1964: Bishops won 26-3 & 6-5

1965: Bishops won 29-3 & 18-0

1966: Bishops won 17-15 & SACS won 6-3

1967: Draw 6-6 & SACS won 8-6

1968: Bishops won 8-3 & 6-3

1969: SACS won 12-6

1970: Bishops won 18-9 & 16-6

1971: SACS won 15-13

1972: SACS won 8-4 & 3-0

1973: SACS won 11-6 & 29-0

1980: Bishops won 14-0 & SACS won 9-0

1975: Bishops won 4-3 & SACS won 8-7

1976: SACS won 9-7 & Bishops won 12-8

1977: Bishops won 37-6 & 23-6

1978: Bishops won 26-9 & SACS won 18-13

1979: Bishops won 15-0 & 23-12

1980: Bishops won 34-7 & 19-9

1981: Bishops won 12-10 & 21-10

1982: Bishops won 23-6

1983: Bishops won 14-3 & 20-7

1984: Draw 10-10 & Bishops won 24-4

1985: Bishops won 29-3 & 34-0

1986: Bishops won 40-3 & 15-3

1987: Bishops won 46-3 & 26-4

1988: Bishops won 36-6 & 31-9

1989: Bishops won 12-7 & 38-3

1990: SACS won 12-10 & Bishops won 16-10

1991: Bishops won 41-6 & 35-3

1992: Bishops won 35-6 & 13-6

1993: Bishops won 64-3 & 20-9

1994: Bishops won 29-19 & 27-11

1995: Bishops won 9-3 & 10-7

1996: Bishops won 6-3 & SACS won 25-8

1997: Bishops won 44-17 & 26-15

1998: Bishops won 29-7 & 34-12

1999: Bishops won 20-19 & 27-15

2000: Bishops won

2001: Bishops won

2002: Bishops won 32-19 & SACS won 15-13

2003: Bishops won 43-12 & 22-14

2004: Bishops won 10-0 & SACS won 32-3

2005: Bishops won 50-3 & 26-7

2006: Bishops won 26-14 & 20-10

2007: Draw 22-22 & Bishops won 41-17

2008: Bishops won 56-19 & 40-27

2009: Bishops won 27-0. The match at Bishops was cancelled because of the weather.

2010: Bishops won 43-18 & 46-17

2011: Bishops won 68-27 & SACS won 20-13

2012: SACS won 34-3 & 21-8

2013: SACS won 22-5 & 21-16

2014: Bishops won 26-12 & 80-5

2015: SACS won 26-17