Wetpups Centenary Rugby Festival
Look up from Western Province Preparatory School in Newlands and there is the massif of Table Mountain – always the same and always changing, telling you so much of life's detail, from directions of where to go to what clothes to wear – rather like Western Province Preparatory School, popularly known as Wetpups, which celebrates its centenary this year.
Part of that celebration is its Centenary Rugby Festival, starting with the arrival of the teams on Friday, 25 April 2014 with three match says on Saturday 26th, Sunday 27 and Monday 28th, a public holiday because Freedom Day falls on the Sunday.
Teams are from near and far – Highbury, Durban High Prep, and Merchiston from KwaZulu Natal, Selborne Prep and Grey Prep from the Eastern Cape, Trinityhouse from Johannesburg and several from around about – Bishops, Wynberg, Rondebosch, and Sweet Valley to join hosts WPPS.
Great players have come from WPPS, including many internationals. The great Bennie Osler played in the Wetpups 1st Team in 1914. And there have been other Springboks – Tommy Gentles, Peter Whipp, Dugald Macdonald and Nick Mallett who became a celebrated coach and TV commentator. Several Old Boys have played for England – Kenneth Sellar, John Keeling, Fraser Waters and Stuart Abbot, MBE, who played for England when they won the World Cup in 2003. Donald Macdonald, brother of Dugald, played for Scotland. Deon O'Cuinneagain captained Ireland at the World Cup after captaining South Africa at Sevens. Roddy Grant captained Scotland at Sevens and Matt Turner plays for England at Sevens. Many others have played top rugby.
Wetpups has had several caches but none as famous as Mrs Mac – Adéle McNaughton whose enthusiasm for rugby football knew no bounds.
Fixtures
Saturday 26 April
11.00: Highbury vs WPPS
12.00: Sweet Valley vs Merchiston
13.00: Rondebosch vs Trinityhouse
14.00: Wynberg vs Bishops
15.00: Grey vs SACS
16.00: Selborne vs Durban Prep
Sunday 27 April
11.00: SACS vs Merchiston
12.00: Sweet Valley vs Trinityhouse
13.00: Durban Prep vs Wynberg
14.00: Rondebosch vs Highbury
15.00: Selborne vs Bishops
16.00: Grey vs WPPS
Monday 28 April
08.00: Rondebosch vs Sweet Valley
09.00: Selborne vs SACS
10.00: Grey vs Durban Prep
11.00: Bishops vs Highbury
12.00: Wynberg vs Trinityhouse
13.00: WPPS vs Merchiston
