Author: ralsty

Maritzburg College have extended their run of three consecutive wins after beating Pretoria Boys’ High School (43-12), the run includes victories over Affies and Northwood. The comprehensive win was a testament to their skill, teamwork, and unyielding team spirit. Setting up a commanding lead, the midlands school played with precision and intensity, leaving no room for complacency.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

From the kickoff, both teams demonstrated their determination to dominate the game. Maritzburg quickly seized control of the ball, displaying their renowned offensive prowess that they have shown throughout the season.

Within ten minutes into the first half, Maritzburg scored two quick tries to apply pressure early on with Langelihle Makhathini seizing his opportunity to weave between the Boys High defenses. South African Schools fullback Luyanda Kunene scored shortly after.

By the halfway stage the hosts were well in front with the score sitting at 31-0, putting the away side in a difficult spot.

During the second half, Boys High demonstrated a much better display, showing some grit and were able to get some much-needed points on the board. The side began to find their rhythm, gaining momentum and pushing their way into the opposition’s half. Inside centre, Rickus Wessels scored the first points of the day for the visitors.

Scrumhalf Joshua Naude scored a second try for Boys High in an attempt to put the visiting side in a position to claw their way back into the match.

However, the home team’s defence held firm, refusing to yield and ensuring the side walked away with another clinical win, mounting resolute tackles and thwarting the Candies attempts to score any further points. The damage done in the first half, proved too great for a comeback.

Both forward packs proved to be formidable forces, Maritzburg dominated the scrums and winning crucial turnovers at the breakdowns. Boys High however were more successful in winning their line outs, achieving a success rate of 62% compared to Maritzburg’s 56%.

Over the two matches played, Maritzburg have amassed a total of 90 points, demonstrating their knack for scoring points. The Candies have struggled to keep up with the intensity and physicality that the midlands side have brought to the table.

Next weekend Maritzburg take on King Edward VII, who lost to Jeppe High School for Boys 41-31. The Johannesburg school has had a good season so far and will put up a good challenge against a rampant College team.

The Candies will be facing their rivals Affies away in their annual derby match. Boys High will be aiming to turn things around when they come up against a competitive Witbulle, who are fresh off a win against Waterkloof.

With the season coming quickly to an end, the sides will all be looking to finish off on a high note.

Scorers:

Maritzburg College 43 (31) – Tries: Langelihle Makhathini, Luyanda Kunene, Phiwayinkosi Kubheka, Colm Reardon, Rhett Quinn, Sasha Kadira. Conversions: Luc Du Toit (4). Pretoria Boys’ High 12 (0) – Tries: Rickus Wessels, Joshua Naude. Conversions: Kyle Hezlett

The teams:

Maritzburg College: 15 Luyanda Kunene, 14 Colm Reardon, 13 Ayerton van der Linde, 12 Swelihle Mbatha, 11 Langelihle Makhathini, 10 Luc Du Toit, 9 Rhett Quinn, 8 Sasha Kadira, 7 Kevin Ayliffe 6 Travis Walton, 5 Bohlale Maphisa, 4 Jake Jansen, 3 Aiden Botha, 2 Elbie Mouton, 1 Phiwayinkosi Kubheka.

Pretoria Boys’ High: 15 Kyle Hezlett, 14 Itu Baloyi, 13 Christoper Smith, 12 Rickus Wessels, 11 Ntsako Ndlovu, 10 Keethan Fitz, 9 Joshua Naude, 8 Etienne du Preez, 7 Stephen Adams, 6 Thapelo Mphela, 5 Tsephpiso Shikhibana, 4 Randy Muzungu, 3 Ofentse Moeng, 2 Shaun Schurmann, 1 Kitso Mokoena.

Results:

u19A:  Maritzburg College 43 Pretoria Boys’ High School 12

u14A: Maritzburg College 34 Pretoria Boys’ High School 10

u15A: Maritzburg College 0 Pretoria Boys’ High School 17

u16A: Maritzburg College 33 Pretoria Boys’ High School 13

u19B: Maritzburg College 21 Pretoria Boys’ High School 26

 

Maritzburg College, fresh off of a compelling victory over Affies last weekend, where the side cruised to a 50-31 win.

They will be eager to carry on with this good form that has been reignited as they take on a travelling Pretoria Boys’ High School, in the return leg of this annual clash.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

The first XV kicking-off at 14:00 pm on Goldstones at Maritzburg College. Boys High who makes their way down to the midlands and are expected to be met with a very warm winters day, with temperatures forecast to reach 29 degrees.

The Candies, come off the back of 32-23 defeat against King Edward VII and will be hoping to have a change in fortune this weekend. The school from Pretoria have been on the receiving end of a few losses and will be seeing this as a possibility to turn things around.

Earlier in the season, these two fierce traditional schools squared off at Pretoria Boys’ High School, where Maritzburg put on a point-scoring showcase. The midlands school eventually won the match in convincingly 47-15.

How do the teams stack up for this weekend’s fixture, from the previous match played in Pretoria? Maritzburg College have retained 11 whereas Pretoria Boys High have retained 12 players that.

Looking back at the previous match the sides have both made a number of changes to the players and positions that ran out onto the field in April. With both schools having found their best starting XV’s, Maritzburg look slightly more settled and have found a winning combination, that exploits their explosive play.

Ayerton van der Linde finds his way back into the side, while Nkuleleko Sithole is the only change made to the match-winning team, from last weekend’s clash against the Witbulle. Swelihle Mbatha moves back into the inside centre position.

Luyanda Kunene the Maritzburg College fullback, is one to keep an eye on. The South Africa Schools player has shown throughout the season that when given the chance, he can unleash some speed and possesses a good reading of the match situation at hand. 

Boys High Tebogo Nchabaleng misses out this weekend and is replaced by Keethan Fritz, who has spent most of the year coming back from a knee injury picked up during last season. Additionally, Thapelo Mphela is brought in for Ernest Van Rooyen in as a flanker.

Blue Bulls Craven Week player Ntsako Ndlovu showed his try-scoring ability last weekend, sneaking through a well-crafted run which saw him land a few points on the board against KES. He has also shown throughout the season that his defensive play is in check, having put in some big tackles.

Can the Candies bounce back this weekend and try put a stop to Maritzburg College, who seem to be playing their rugby in fifth gear at the moment?

Goldstones is a difficult field for travelling teams to play at. The hosts will back themselves with the home crowd support behind them, to slow down any team that they face. Another entertaining afternoon of school rugby awaits.

The teams:

Maritzburg College: 15 Luyanda Kunene, 14 Colm Reardon, 13 Ayerton van der Linde, 12 Swelihle Mbatha , 11 Langelihle Makhathini, 10 Luc Du Toit, 9 Rhett Quinn, 8 Sasha Kadira, 7 Kevin Ayliffe 6 Travis Walton, 5 Bohlale Maphisa, 4 Jake Jansen, 3 Aiden Botha, 2 Elbie Mouton, 1 Phiwayinkosi Kubheka.

Pretoria Boys’ High: 15 Kyle Hezlett, 14 Itu Baloyi, 13 Christoper Smith, 12 Rickus Wessels, 11 Ntsako Ndlovu, 10 Keethan Fitz, 9 Joshua Naude, 8 Etienne du Preez, 7 Stephen Adams, 6 Thapelo Mphela, 5 Tsephpiso Shikhibana, 4 Randy Muzungu, 3 Ofentse Moeng, 2 Shaun Schurmann, 1 Kitso Mokoena.

Fixtures:

u14A: 9:00 am (Snows)

u16A: 10:00 am (Goldstones)

u15A: 11:00 am (Snows)

u19B: 12:30 pm (Goldstones)

u19A: 14:00 pm (Goldstones)

 

In the context of sport, “derby day” refers to ”a specific day or occasion when two local or regional teams with a long-standing rivalry face each other in a match or competition.”

Some prominent derbies in different sporting codes include Liverpool vs Everton, Manchester United vs Manchester City and The Stormers vs The Bulls.

In a South African school sports context derbies exist due to the close proximity of one school to another or something as trivial as the school across the train-track or the school down the road.

Derby games don’t get much bigger than this. An exciting weekend is in store for Johannesburg as two of its oldest schools come face-to-face again for their second fixture of the season. King Edward VII, travel dwon the road to take on their oldest rivals Jeppe High School for Boys.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Last weekend saw KES beat Pretoria Boys High School 32-23 away in Pretoria, and Jeppe climbed into Parktown Boys’ High School to give them a 50-19 mauling. Both teams will have their sights set on winning this important classic clash.

Over the past 10 years, the Red Army have a slightly better record having won six times, Jeppe winning four and only one match playing out to a draw. In the last encounter KES snuck through with a 23-20 win at home, in what was a nail-biting finish. The last three matches played between these two giants, have ended up being wins for KES by less than a margin of three points.

Captain Thandolwethu Biyela led from the front last weekend against Pretoria Boys High School, scoring the opening try of the match. The big flanker, was recently named in the South African u18 squad which is set to face England and France in the coming months.

James Kabrowisky makes his way back into the KES line-up in place of flanker Siya Radebe, alongside lock Andrew Engelbrecht, who comes in for Tyron Smith. 

The KES forward pack was driven by Siphosethu Mnebelele, who will need to make sure that he reigns in his temper as last weekend he allowed his emotions to get the better of him resulting in an unnecessary yellow card during a crucial part of the match. 

For Jeppe Sanele Shabangu misses out, while McMillen Mongwana makes a return to the starting XV after coming off the bench during last weekends clash against Parktown. The outside center was carrying a niggle last weekend but was quick to capitalize on his opportunity scoring a fantastic try for his side.

A potential clash between the scrumhalves, could make for some interesting viewing, both Bryce Samuel (Jeppe) and Ruan Van Rensburg (KES) are diminutive in size, but play with their heart proudly on their sleeves. Expect a few words to be said when these two players feed the ball into the powerful scrumming pack. 

Based on the current records King Edward VII would fancy themselves as favorites going into this fixture, but Jeppe have shown during the season that they are as strong as any of the top sides. The black and white know how to pack a punch and their forwards have been able to keep up with the likes of Affies.

Derby’s come with a lot of hype, add the fact that the season is drawing closer to an end, expect there to be some hard and exciting rugby to unfold. The local pride and bragging rights associated with winning a derby match make it a special and memorable occasion for both the players and coaches alike.

The teams:

Jeppe High School for Boys: 15 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga, 14 Thulani Tshabalala, 13 McMillen Mongwana, 12 Exauce Kevani, 11 Bokamoso Maphisa, 10 Matthew Coetzee, 9 Bryce Samuel, 8 Mosiki Ndlaba, 7 Sean Mills, 6 Lesedi Masemola, 5 Luke Cannon, 4 Risima Khosa, 3 Luca Trevisan, 2 Kaleb Burger, 1 Ricardo Brandao.

King Edward VII: 15 Tristan Maugeri, 14 Caleb Lombard, 13 Olunje Mehlomakulu, 12 Tirhani Masondo, 11 Timi Oluwole, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Ruan Van Rensburg, 8 Kebotile Maake, 7 Thandolwethu Biyela, 6 James Kabrowisky , 5 Andrew Engelbrecht, 4 Thomas Beling, 3 Joshua Aube, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Lesedi Moloi.

Fixtures:

u15A: 9:00 (Collard Field)

u14A: 10:00 (Jake White Field)

u16A: 11:00 (Collard Field)

u19B: 12:15 (Collard Field)

u19A: 13:45  (Collard Field)

In match of the day, Maritzburg College ran havoc at Affies by securing an impressive 50-31 victory. The Witbulle were stunned by a roaring Maritzburg team who brought the heat on a chilly day in Pretoria and beat the hosts for the first time since 2014.

Affies lead the charge scoring within two minutes of the match and looked poised to put on another cracking offensive performance when they scored a second try shortly after.

Wingers Eagan Roux and Stephan Brits helped themselves to two tries each during the course of the match for the Witbulle.

However, Maritzburg’s Luc Du Toit had a fantastic day with the boot, and had the Midas touch, turning everything into gold. He made the best of every opportunity by converting a whopping 10 kicks (5 penalties and 5 conversions) and scoring a try, leaving with a personal tally of 30 points.

It was a clash of two schoolboy titans, and supporters were treated to a spectacular match of rugby. Try of the day went to South African Schools Luyanda Kunene, who gathered a neatly placed grubber kick which the speedster made sure didn’t go to waste.

Maritzburg have shown their class during the season, but this sums up how well it has gone, winning away on exchanges are always a highlight for any schoolboy.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

On the other side of the train track Pretoria Boys’ High School faced a rampant King Edward VII. The Red Army brought a strong side across in what was an action-packed match which resulted in 32-23 win, seeing the side win for a second time this season.

The visitors packed a punch scoring two early tries in the first half, where they quickly applied pressure on the hosts, flanker Thandolwethu Biyela broke through the defensives of the hosts and found the first points of the day.

Vusi Moyo was back to his ways and impressed with his kicking for KES, but Boys High number ten Tebogo Nchabaleng was not to be out matched as he showed his running and handling skills.

The match-up between the two hookers, proved to be an exciting sub-plot to an exciting match of rugby. With ten minutes to play South African Schools hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele received a yellow card for a late tackle on his counter-part Shaun Schurmann, who was more than capable of putting up a tough challenge for the burly number two from KES.

In Johannesburg, Jeppe High School for Boys cruised to a 31-point victory over Parktown Boys’ High School, and carried on their form from where they left off in June.

The day started off with a tribute and salute to Parktown’s Andrew Van Zyl (Deputy Headmaster), as he stepped down from his position as the first XV coach which has spanned over the past 15 years.

The rugby got underway to a flying start with Jeppe throwing the kitchen sink at the hosts and coming hard early on in the match, which made it difficult for any sort of comeback, with the score reading 35-7 at halftime.

Jeppe were brutal on their offensive play as they accumulated eight tries amongst themselves and ran merry amongst themselves with both centres Exauce Kevani and Khuthadzo Rasivhaga scoring two tries each.

It would have been tough for the departing Van Zyl, to watch his side go down like this, but the players showed some fightback scoring a try in the final minutes to reduce the deficit through winger Reval Meth.

It was another jammed packed weekend, full of surprises. Next week will bring new challenges for all the schools as the season draws closer to an end. Expect more entertaining matches that will take place in the coming weeks.

Scorers:

Affies: 31 (14) – Tries: Eagan Roux (2), Stephan Brits (2), Migael de Lange.

Conversions: Ruben Pienaar (3).

Maritzburg College: 50 (23) – Tries – Luyanda Kunene, Jake Jansen, Langelihle Makhathini, Elbie Mouton, Luc Du Toit. 

Penalites: Luc Du Toit (5) Conversions: Luc Du Toit (5).

Pretoria Boys High School: 23 (11) – Tries: Ntsako Ndlovu, Christoper Smith, Itu Baloyi.

Penalites: Tebogo Nchabaleng (2) Conversions: Tebogo Nchabaleng (1).

King Edward VII: 32 (21) – Tries: Thandolwethu Biyela, Siphosethu Mnebelele, Tristan Maugeri, Timi Oluwole.

Penalites: Vusi Moyo (1) Conversions: Vusi Moyo (4).

Jeppe High School for Boys: 50 (35) – Tries: Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (2), Exauce Kevani (2), Bryce Samuel, Mosiki Ndlaba, Sean Mills, McMillen Mongwana.

Conversions: Thulani Tshabalala (2).

Parktown Boys’ High School: 19 (7) – Tries: Bukhosi Moyo, Chris Junio Maile, Reval Meth.

Conversions: Sebastian Sekoto (2)

Hero of the previous match Vusi Moyo finds himself making his way back into the side after picking up a broken jaw right before the holidays and his ability to read a game will be welcomed back by the coaching staff.

King Edward VII will look to close out their return fixture against Pretoria Boys’ High School away this weekend, with a second win this season.

Kick-off this weekend is at 13:00 for the 1^st XV’s taking place on Brooks Field.

Earlier in the year, the Reds put on a good show for their home crowd beating the Candies 28-19 in Johannesburg.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Comparatively, both teams have not had their best seasons and will be hoping to close out the remainder of the 2023 season in style and try to add a few more wins to their names.

The hosts have shown earlier in the season that they are not afraid to play an attacking style of play to get points on the board. KES this season have played in a similar manner trying to rack up the points on their opposition and to build pressure from early on.

It is highly doubtful that either side would change this style of play going into this fixture, which should be action-packed with fantastic runs, plenty of point-scoring opportunities and ferocious big hits.

Each of the school’s will be looking at their provincial players to provide some impetuous into their teams with each side having 3 (Pretoria Boys’ High School) and 6 (King Edward VII) players representing the Blue Bulls and Lions respectively.

An anticipated match-up that will be closely followed, will be that of Boys High captain Shaun Schurmann and South African Schools hooker Siphosethu Mnebelele. 

However, both schools have the depth within their squads not to be reliant on these star players and the difference could be seen within the squads as to what could be a defining factor in this match and potentially the strength of their benches, where fresh legs could be key.

It’s these sorts of players who fly under the radar, put in the hard yards at training, during the season but can make a big impact when the moment is required.

Pretoria Boys’ High have shown that they possess a robust backline which is made up of some hardworking individuals such as centers Christoper Smith and Rickus Wessels.  

With Moyo’s return, Tristan Maugeri finds himself back in the fullback position where he has had a successful season governing the back three, which includes the pace of Timi Oluwole.

Although KES might go in as favourites based on their previous outing, don’t rule out the hosts as they enter the match as underdogs and have nothing to lose.

Every dog has its day, and the hosts will be hoping to have the last bark, as they look to win one over their long-time rivals in front of a full house in Pretoria.

The teams:

Pretoria Boys’ High: 15 Kyle Hezlett, 14 Itu Baloyi, 13 Christoper Smith, 12 Rickus Wessels, 11 Ntsako Ndlovu, 10 Tebogo Nchabaleng, 9 Joshua Naude, 8 Etienne du Preez, 7 Stephen Adams, 6 Ernest Van Rooyen, 5 Tsephpiso Shikhibana, 4 Randy Muzungu, 3 Ofentse Moeng, 2 Shaun Schurmann, 1 Kitso Mokoena.

King Edward VII: 15 Tristan Maugeri, 14 Caleb Lombard, 13 Olunje Mehlomakulu, 12 Tirhani Masondo, 11 Timi Oluwole, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Ruan Van Rensburg, 8 Kebotile Maake, 7 Thandolwethu Biyela, 6 Siya Radebe, 5 Tyron Smith, 4 Thomas Beling, 3 Joshua Aube, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Lesedi Moloi.

Fixtures:

u14A: 09:00 (Ohealy Near)

u15A: 10:00 (Ohealy Far)

u16A: 11:00 (Ohealy Far)

u19B: 12:00 (Brooks Field)

u19A: 13:10 (Brooks Field)

With a blink of an eye and just like that the school holidays are over and teams across the country will be battling it out over the weekend again, with some highly anticipated fixtures taking place.

Affies will be playing host to Maritzburg College, who make their way up the escarpment to enjoy a weekend of action-packed sporting fixtures, with the first XV kicking off at 13:30 p.m.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

 

Affies have had a season of highs and lows this season but have come out on top as victorious 7 out of 12 times, with their most recent loss coming against a very strong Grey College, where the side lost by 41 points.

However, during the season, the Witbulle have shown that they possess a very strong forward pack that is well aided by a skilful backline, with a never-die attitude which was evident in the final-minute winner against Jeppe High School for Boys.

Affies will be without Janco Purchase, who recently made the South African Schools side, along with the u18 Blue Bulls Craven week captain, Dieter Schubert, who has been out of action since sustaining a shoulder injury picked up in the Bulls clash in Sasolburg against the Sharks at the Noordvaal Bondedag.

The side will be captained by Steyn Truter and will be hoping that hooker FC van Rooyen puts in another big performance.

Winning 11 out of 16 matches thus far this season, the midlands school are bringing up a strong side, who will be looking to lock horns with the hosts, as they try to get one over the boys from the north. Five of the starting fifteen represented the Sharks Craven Week team.

Aiden Botha, Elbie Mouton and Phiwayinkosi Kubheka make up the Maritzburg front row and are players to keep on the radar as they will be gearing up for a classic head-to-head clash with a powerful Affies front row.

Kubheka and fullback Luyanda Kunene, both recently made the South African Schools side after some stellar performances at Craven Week. Kunene showed his promise in the recent match, where the South African Schools side came up against a

For many of the Maritzburg boys, this will be their last trip up to Pretoria and will want to leave their mark in the school’s history books as they strive to earn a victory up against a formidable Witbulle team.

When Maritzburg faced off against Pretoria Boys High School earlier in the season, the team cruised to an easy victory winning 47-15.

Can the team walk away with a second victory in the jacaranda city, making it two out of two from their exchanges?

The teams:

Affies: 15 Migael de Lange, 14 Stephan Brits, 13 Theuns Maritz, 12 Antonie Fourie, 11 Eagan Roux, 10 Ruben Pienaar, 9 Hendre Schoeman, 8 Ruan Lippold, 7 Juan Vorster, 6 Braam Swanepoel, 5 Jonathan Eloff, 4 JD Hattingh, 3 Ethan Smuts, 2 FC van Rooyen, 1 Steyn Truter.

Maritzburg College: 15 Luyanda Kunene, 14 Colm Reardon, 13 Swelihle Mbatha 12 Nkululeko Sithole, 11 Langelihle Makhathini, 10 Luc Du Toit, 9 Rhett Quinn, 8 Sasha Kadira, 7 Kevin Ayliffe 6 Travis Walton, 5 Bohlale Maphisa, 4 Jake Jansen, 3 Aiden Botha, 2 Elbie Mouton, 1 Phiwayinkosi Kubheka.

Fixtures:

All fixtures are taking place on Affies A-Field.

u14A: 8:00 am

u15A: 9:00 am

u16A: 10:00 am

u19B: 12:20 pm

u19A: 13:30 pm

Johannesburg is set to witness one of the fiercest rivalries between two of the city’s most prominent boys’ schools, with Parktown Boys’ High School hosting a powerhouse Jeppe High School for Boys.

The first XV gets underway at 13:00 pm.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

The first teams have met on 58 separate occasions where scores have been recorded, the last time hosts Parktown beat Jeppe was back in 2018, where the side won comfortably winning that match 38-24.

Between 2020 – 2021, no matches were played between the two schools due to the COVID pandemic, which wreaked havoc across the country. In 2022, Jeppe won the match in fashion crushing Parktown 38-7 at home on Collard Field.

Parktown have struggled this season to find a consistent winning formula and have tried using various players in different roles during the year to fill various gaps.

Captain Sandsiso Sitole has been impressive in both offensive and defensive play during the season and has shown his kicking ability, the side is without Lions Academy player Azola Peter.

Jeppe has had a solid 2023 season and have shown their grittiness when it comes to playing deep into the dying minutes of the match. This was evident when they nearly held off a rampant Affies for nearly the entire match, only to lose the match in the dying minutes of the game.

The side however found themselves on the other end of the stick where they were able to beat Pretoria Boys’ High School the following week in the last two minutes of the match, winning 22-16.

Two of Jeppe’s players represented the Lions at the Craven Week which included outside centre Khuthadzo Rasivhaga and McMillen Mongwana, who starts from the bench this week after picking up a niggle during training.

Five of the players represented the Lions u19 Academy side, which was excellently led by inside center Exauce Kevani.

Jeppe will be looking at scrumhalf Bryce Samuel to provide an injection of energy into the backline, the diminutive number nine had a successful u19 Academy Week where he was named player of the match against Western Province.

With such a long history between these two schools, one can expect to see a packed stand of Parktown supporters with the beating of drums going on in the background.

Can Parktown dance to the rhythm of their own beat and cause an upset against a dominant Jeppe team?

The teams:

Parktown Boys’ High: 15 Sihle Mncube, 14 Karabo Phokwane, 13 Bhukiso Moyo, 12 Lissasa Mnukosi, 11 Reval Meth, 10 Sebastian Sekoto, 9 Thembela Folo, 8 Siya Dlamini, 7 Olwenkosi Sibeko, 6 Busisiwe Mngomezulu, 5 Joshua Yoane, 4 Sandsiso Sitole, 3 Joshua Yoane, 2 Chris Junio Maile, 1 Kabelo Matabola.

Jeppe High School for Boys: 15 Sanele Shabangu, 14 Thulani Tshabalala, 13 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga, 12 Exauce Kevani, 11 Bokamoso Maphisa, 10 Matthew Coetzee, 9 Bryce Samuel, 8 Mosiki Ndlaba, 7 Sean Mills, 6 Lesedi Masemola, 5 Luke Cannon, 4 Risima Khosa, 3 Luca Trevisan, 2 Kaleb Burger, 1 Ricardo Brandao.

Fixtures:

u14A: 9:00 am (B Field)

u16A: 10:30 am (A Field)

u15A: 11:00 am (B Field)

u19B: 11:45 am (A Field)

u19A: 13:00 pm (A Field)

The recently retired Managliso Mosehle, has been appointed as the new cricket professional at Queen’s College. 

Moshele, a brilliant gloveman who hails from Duduza in the East Rand, is no stranger to the game of cricket.

He was a bit of a journeyman on the South African cricket circuit having represented a number of teams over his 15-year career including Easterns, Titans, Lions, Dolphins and Knights.

He will bring a wealth of experience to the school, having represented the Proteas in seven T20 International matches, his last match being played against Bangladesh in 2017.

Managiliso represented South Africa u19 at the 2008 World Cup, which featured the likes of Virat Kolhi, Kane Williamson and Wayne Parnell. 

He finished up his career having come full circle and playing for Easterns in Division 2 of the newly restructured provincial system. In between starting his career at the province where he was identified by Ray Jennings as an upcoming talent he scored 3748 first class runs before announcing his retirement from all forms of the game in June 2023. 

An acrobat behind the stumps and what some would describe a Caribbean-esque approach to batting, full of flair and natural aggression, the boys at Queens College will have a great opportunity to pick the brains of someone who has captained a number of provincial teams. 

Managliso was recently quoted as saying that, “He is looking forward to the journey ahead and is excited to be a part of a school that has a great history.”

Queen’s College has a rich cricket history in the Eastern Cape producing  a number of provincial players over the years. The school has produced two Proteas including Daryl Cullinan, Justin Kemp, along with brothers Tony and Ian Greig who represented England. 

With the winter sports season wrapping up, and summer fast approaching Queens College will be eagerly looking at securing a few wins under their belt as the weather warms up. The side will come up against rivals Dale College and Grey High School, both of whom they have a proud long-standing rivalry.

Eton College’s overseas tour to South Africa saw the prestigious school visiting from the United Kingdom winning two out of two matches against both of their opponents.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Playing up against St Alban’s College late last Thursday afternoon saw the away team winning impressively 45-22 and kicking off the start of the tour with some sensational attacking play.

At the halfway mark the away team were sitting comfortably in front with the score reading 26-5. The Hoops managed to claw their way back into the game scoring 17 points but were never in a position to win it.

Although St Alban’s lost the match, the coaching staff walked away from the game having had a chance to look at what is currently in their pantry for next year and key areas which might need some refining. Fortunately, there is plenty of time before the first kick-off of next season.

In Eton’s second match of their Highveld trip, the team came up against St John’s College on a typical South African winter Saturday afternoon, where the hosts put up more of a fight narrowly losing the match 19-17.

The matches were played on Gaudy Day, in addition to St John’s College celebrating its 125 years, the first gathering took place in 1912.

Assistant coach Graham Hill from St John’s College stated that ”Having seen Eton’s impressive performance against St Alban’s College we knew we had our work cut out.” He further went on to say ”What stood out for us was their physicality, especially at the breakdown (which is a Northern Hampshire trend) and their speed in the backs.”

The Blues have shown during the past season that their more defensive style of play has often put them in strong counter-attacking positions which could have well paid off in this match. The u17 stayers side showed some fightback coming from 19-5 down at halftime.

The side would have felt that a win would have been well within their grasp as they held the majority of the possession in Eton’s half in the final 10 minutes of the match.

However, the visiting team were strong in defence not giving away any potential penalty opportunities showing the value of keeping it tidy in the dying minutes of a match.

Joshua Shannon and Gerald Van Wyk stood out during the St John’s fixture and will be players to look out for during next season.

Eton College faces Woodridge College from the Eastern Cape this Saturday on the 15 July 2023. Woodridge will be hoping to bounce back from a recent narrow loss against Kingswood College (22-19).

Rugby has been an integral part of Eton’s sporting traditions for many decades, it has been an in important part of Eton’s schooling much like many of the schools in South Africa, where rugby remains a popular sport in the rainbow nation.

International tours like these play a crucial role in the development of the boys, exposing them to different styles of play as well as the enjoyment of meeting and hosting foreign players. For many of the players, this would have been their first taste of playing against someone from another country.

Many an international career has stemmed from these sorts of tours where players are left feeling inspired and hungry for more. These tours regardless of the overall results contribute to the development and globalization of sports while fostering international cooperation and understanding.

This firsthand experience complements academic learning and enriches a student’s overall education. In 1907 The Education Times quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson stating that ”Education is that which remains behind when all we have learned at school is forgotten.”

”The experience gained, and the lessons learnt by our boys are greater than the end result” exclaimed assistant coach Hill. ”These matches are extremely valuable, to give the stayers an opportunity to play together and for the coaches to look at various combinations.”

Long may international sporting school tours continue as they nurture future players and grow the fantastic game of rugby.

St Alban’s College and St John’s College will be hosting Eton College from the United Kingdom over the next three days in what is expected to be some enjoyable schoolboy rugby.

St Alban’s will be the first to face the visiting side at the Moshate Field in Pretoria on 6 July 2023, with kick-off taking place at 2:50 p.m.

Eton will then make the trip across the Jukskei River, to face St John’s College on the 8 July 2023.

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Eton College is a renowned and prestigious independent boarding school located in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom. Established in 1440 by King Henry VI, the college has a rich history and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious schools in the world.

The college’s traditions, such as the wearing of tailcoats and the recitation of Latin prayers, continue to be upheld, creating a unique and distinctive atmosphere for the boys attending the prestigious school.

It has educated generations of influential figures, including numerous British prime ministers, writers, and members of the royal family including Prince William and his brother Harry.

The school only started playing rugby in 1911. Prior to the Great War, the school faced up against other famous schools including Wellington and Radley College. An interesting fact is that the school has produced more British Prime Ministers (21) than international rugby players.

The commitment to rugby is evident in the school’s sporting calendar, which includes regular fixtures against other renowned rugby-playing schools in the United Kingdom.

Looking at St Alban’s College and St John’s College both teams have had a mixed 2023 season, with both teams winning and losing some crucial but tightly contested fixtures throughout the year.

St Alban’s College ended the season on a high note beating their rivals St Stithians College and will be eager to have a look at the depth of their squad going into the 2024 season.

Perhaps the boys from the north will give the South African schools a lesson in world politics whilst learning how to play rugby in foreign conditions.