Author: nemslie

Queen’s College survived a two-try burst by a gutsy Dale College outfit midway through the second half to finish off a memorable year with a 31-17 win in their King Price Derby Series encounter in Komani on Saturday.

Leading 17-3 at halftime, the home team looked comfortable when they crossed for their fourth try early in the second half after Acwenga Saul broke away from a scrum and offloaded to quicksilver wing Ncutu Kepe to score under the poles.

Mveli Mqulo added the conversion, and it looked as if the match was had got away from the visitors, who trailed 3-24.

But you write off Dale at your peril and in the space of three minutes the match took on a different complexion with tries from centre Phikolomzi Mtyalela and lanky lock Ebenezer Sarpong lifting the visitors back into the contest.

On both occasions the Queen’s defence was not as sharp as usual, and the Dale players were able to break through the middle for two five-pointers, both of which were converted by Soso Dyani.

Suddenly they were within one score of drawing level with 15 minutes remaining, but the Queenians have shown enormous resolve this season on more than one occasion.

It was time to dig deep again to preserve their proud record against Border schools in 2025 and they held onto it when, with five minutes to go, they finally broke through Dale’s defence, with centre Sbabalwe Magwebu taking the final pass after several phases to crash over for the last try of the game.

Flyhalf Inga Mnunu added the conversion and a few minutes later Queen’s was able to breathe a sigh of relief as the final whistle went on a season in which they lost only to Pearson and Graeme College in the Eastern Cape.

In the first half, Queen’s was quickly off the mark, with tries from Magwebu and Kepe putting them 14-0 in front after 10 minutes.

Dale stayed in the match when Dyani kicked a penalty, but that was immediately cancelled by Mqulo’s three-pointer, which made it 17-3 at the halftime whistle.

The visitors kept pushing hard in the second half and threatened an upset, but Queen’s was able to exert enough control to keep them at bay.

In East London, Hudson Park High celebrated their Reunion Weekend on a memorable note when they proved too strong for Cambridge High, running out 45-10 winners.

Scorers:

Queen’s College 31 (17) – Tries: Sbabalwe Magwebu (2), Ncutu Kepe (2). Penalties: Mveli Mquolo. Conversions: Mqulo (3), Inganathi Mnunu. Dale College 17 (3) – Tries: Phikolomzi Mtyalela, Ebenezer Sarpong. Penalty: Soso Dyani. Conversions: Dyani (2).

Framesby battled against the elements and ferocious opposition from Nico Malan to win a thrilling clash 22-17 in a windy Humansdorp on Saturday.

With an extremely strong wind at their backs in the first half, the visitors crossed for three tries to take a handy 15-5 lead into the break and then held out against a determined Nico Malan onslaught to secure the win by five points.

After big Framesby lock Aiden Dennis had opened the scoring to make it 5-0, Nico Malan was caught playing the ball in their own 22-metre area and a knock-on resulted in a scrum to Framesby in a favourable attacking position.

From there, they were able to exploit space out wide, creating an overlap for Calestin Felkers to race over, taking the score to 10-0.

Nico Malan hit back in the 23^rd minute with a try by prop Drikus Kruger, who forced his way over from a five-metre lineout, but not long afterwards Framesby restored their 10-point lead with a forward rush ending in hooker Luke Didloft dotting the ball down.

In the second half, Framesby showed great patience playing into the wind and instead of kicking the ball into touch and not gaining much distance, they ran at the Nico Malan defenders, forcing them to make tackle after tackle.

However, it was the home side who scored first, with a try by wing Kobus Strydom, to leave the match in the balance.

Framesby’s determination to hold onto the ball rather than kick eventually paid dividends when they broke out from their own half to work their way into Nico Malan territory.

They were able to create enough pressure from that period of play for captain and No 8 Eden Calitz to force his way over for their fourth try. Scrumhalf Mondre van Heerden added the conversion to give them a handy 22-10 cushion.

Nico Malan pressed hard to close the gap and thought they had scored from a driving maul, but the referee disallowed the try, blowing them up for obstruction.

When centre Gelden van Niekerk went on a blistering run, breaking the midfield defence to score under the poles, they were back in the game, with a successful conversion reducing the deficit to five points.

However, there were less than two minutes remaining and Framesby was able to hold out for a hard-fought victory.

In their Tinara Cup match in Kariega, Muir College and Daniel Pienaar ended deadlocked at 17-17, while Brandwag had too much power and control for Pearson, winning 26-5 in Gqeberha.

Scorers:

Framesby 22 (15) – Tries: Luke Didloft, Calestin Felkers, Aiden Dennis, Eden Calitz. Conversion: Mondre van Heerden. Nico Malan 17 (5) – Tries: Drikus Kruger, Kobus Strydom, Gelden van Niekerk. Conversion: Leighton Lawrence.

Eastern Cape’s top guns Queen’s College are primed for a sizzling finish to their season when they take on fierce Qonce rivals Dale College at the Rec field in Komani on Friday (15:30).

Despite contrasting records this season, the two sides are on a serious collision course in a Border derby which has captured the imagination down the years, with no quarter asked for or given.

The Dalians come into the match on the back of two close defeats against Graeme College and Hudson Park in the sort of performances which mirrored their 2025 programme.

They have seldom been bullied off the field, yet when it has come to the crunch, they have just been unable to get over the line, creating a sense of frustration they will be fired up to erase in Komani.

Under captain Kamva Sithole, Dale showed what they can do with a 19-15 win over Selborne recently, and that’s the sort of sign of which Queen’s coaches Clinton Loest and Tyrone Rankin will be only too well aware.

Despite losses to Pearson and Graeme among their Eastern Cape opponents, Queen’s have set the standard with a series of outstanding wins this season.

In contrast to Dale, they have been able to find a way to win the crucial moments in many of their matches, leading to a record which has been the envy of many.

But all that will fade into nothing when the teams run out on Friday afternoon, when the only objective will be to put some sort of gloss on the 2025 season.

For Queen’s, it would be the culmination of a memorable year, while for the Dalians it would give hope for the future and a sense of satisfaction that they remain a competitive unit.

Their previous encounter – 15-13 to Queen’s – says it all in terms how close these matches can be and of the pride these teams show when they square up in the sporting arena.

In East London, Hudson Park will also be looking for a stirring finish to their season as they entertain Cambridge at 13.40.

The home team will be the heavy favourites and will want to make it a reunion weekend to remember, but Cambridge will scrap every inch of the way as they look to rain on Hudson’s
parade.

The remaining game on the programme sees Port Rex at home to Kariega outfit Bergsig.

The squads are:

Queen’s College: 15 Mveli Mqulo, 14 Ayathanda Mtyando, 16 Thina Fenako, 12 Sbabalwe Magwebu, 11 Ncutu Kepe, 10 Inganathi Mnunu, 9 Ayola Somhlahlo, 8 Acwenga Saul, 7 Sivuyise Mnyimba, 6 Jeffrey Niland (captain), 5 Sambesiwe Vetman, 4 Zeacke Mata, 3 Ahlume Gqetywa, 2 Bulumko Manqina, 1 Amyoli Ngxongwana.

Dale College: 15 Milani Madide, 14 Yamkele Molose, 13 Phikolomzi Mtyalela, 12 Nxande Ngcaba, 11 Mahle Mehlomane, 10 Soso Dyani, 9 Wethumtha Malawana, 8 Kamva Sithole (captain), 7 Liyabona Mayikana, 6 Linamandla Peter, 5 Kungawo Jaca, 4 Ebenezer Sarpong, 3 Sanele Bistoli, 2 Lakhanya Mbewu, 1 Azole Sodlaka.

Hudson Park: 15 Mahle Zinto, 14 Bahlumile Mavuso, 13 Ukhona Kama, 12 Lunathi Dolo, 11 Masibulele Kwakwini, 10 Likho Gidi, 9 Landile Gidi, 8 Sibabalwe Mtshini, 7 Likhanye Mandila, 6 Phindokuhle Mdlalana, 5 Hlumelo Gobile, 4 Tenda Saunyama, 3 Tyrique Peters, 2 Kwakokuhle Pasha, 1 Manyano Mpundu.

With fullback Wendell Uithaler demonstrating his outstanding running ability, Brandwag completed an unbeaten run in the Tinara Cup with a 26-0 win over Daniel Pienaar in a Kariega derby on Saturday.

The home team added to their earlier win over the Tigers this year – a much closer encounter they won 22-19 – and they also defeated Muir in their two matches to claim the 2025 bragging rights.

It was a dominant display by Brandwag, who had the better of possession and territory in the first half, which they turned into a 19-0 lead at the break.

Their dangerous backline was complemented by the thrust of Uithaler from the back and he showed superb footwork to dance his way through the Tigers’ defence to score Brandwag’s first and last tries.

As Brandwag poured on the pressure, gaps appeared in the visiting defence and this enabled big lock Damian le Roux, who runs like a centre, and wing Rezanio Petrus, to cross the whitewash.

Angelo Adams, often an attacking factor in midfield, added three conversions to their tally for a decisive victory.

Daniel Pienaar fought hard to gain some sort of parity in the second half, but they lacked the finesse and precision on attack to worry their opponents. Nonetheless, they showed great heart to limit the damage after halftime.

The other big match in Kariega saw Graeme College hold on against a determined Muir College outfit to secure a narrow 29-26 win. Graeme led 17-14 at the break.

In Gqeberha, Framesby shrugged off a few weeks on the sidelines by putting together a convincing performance to blank Marlow Agricultural 27-0.

It’s rare for a team as competitive as Marlow to go scoreless, and that speaks volumes about Framesby’s physical defensive work.

At the other end of the field, the home team seized their chances, with wing Damien Witbooi crossing for two of their five tries.

In Somerset West, Keano Beling scored all of Pearson’s points with a try, a conversion and penalty, as they went down 10-20 to Parel Vallei.

Nico Malan was made to work hard on their trip to Mossel Bay, but they triumphed in the end, scoring a hard-fought 24-17 win over Punt.

Waldo Krige scored a brace of tries and Pietman Kleinhans and Siya Heugh also went over, while Leighton Lawrence added two conversions.

Scorers:

Brandwag 26 (19) – Tries: Wendell Uithaler (2), Damian le Roux, Rezanio Petrus. Conversions: Angelo Adams (3). Daniel Pienaar 0.

Graeme College 29 (17) – Tries: Asakhe Ranuga (2), Lebo Mahasele, Akho Tonjeni, Ayola Mali. Conversion: Ethan Bokbaard (2). Muir College 26 (14) – Tries: Tyler Jansen (2), Onke Marola, Siyahluma Ralo. Conversions: Bulumko Kilani (3).

Framesby 27 – Tries: Damien Witbooi (2), Mondre van Heerden, David Matyani, Luke Didloft. Conversion: Jayden Brewis. Marlow Agricultural 0.

Selborne College continued to reign at their home-ground, “The Fortress” and finished their season in memorable fashion with a well-earned 27-14 win over Grey High in their King Price Derby Series clash, in East London, on Saturday.

In a match in which both sides were outstanding on defence, but not quite as clinical on attack, Selborne scored a crucial try on the stroke of halftime to make it 14-14 at the break and then kept their Gqeberha rivals scoreless in the second period.

On top of that, they seized their moments to outmanoeuvre the Grey defence at a lineout, which led to hooker Liam Hansen charging over for his second try.

Complementing their try scoring efforts was the boot of fullback Bungqina Nuku, who had a brilliant day kicking for posts, slotting two penalties and three conversions for an unblemished record.

Taking points when they were on offer, Selborne was able to build scoreboard pressure, and they then relied on their committed defence to keep the Grey attackers at bay.

Grey was equally solid in protecting their line and the attempts by both sides to attack from close range were mostly nullified by the committed defending tacklers.

After Hansen opened the scoring in the 16^th minute with his first try, Grey hit back as the halftime whistle loomed when centre Bradley Myburgh conjured up a brilliant midfield break and went on a solo run to the line.

Three minutes later, Grey hit the front when hooker Evan Mucka went over for five, but Selborne made it all square with flank Travis Enslin‘s try on halftime. After the break, they controlled the contest to pull away and grab the win.

In Qonce, Hudson Park High emerged with the victory in an extremely tight contest against Dale College, taking the match 16-10.

The star for Hudson was wing Masibulele Kwakwini, who crossed for two tries, while Landile Gidi kicked two penalties.

Dale mustered only a try by captain and No 8 Kamva Sithole in reply, while flyhalf Inga Mafanga added a conversion and a penalty.

Queen’s College got back on the winning track in emphatic style after the previous weekend’s loss to Graeme College, outclassing Cambridge High 59-6 after leading 19-0 at halftime.

Josh Jordaan crossed for a brace as the Queenians went on a second half rampage, which led to seven more tries.

Although well beaten, Cambridge kept trying and made it onto the scoreboatd through two penalties by Mange Mlonyeni.

Scorers

Selborne College 27 (14) – Tries: Liam Hansen (2), Travis Enslin. Penalties: Bungqina Nuku (2). Conversions: Nuku (3). Grey High 14 (14) – Tries: Bradley Myburgh, Evan Mucka. Conversions: Meyer Prinsloo (2).

Queen’s College 59 (19) – Tries: Jeffery Niland, Ayola Somhlahlo, Josh Jordaan (2), Thina Fenako, Zeake Mata, Mveli Mqulo, Bongolwethu Nyakaza, Sambisiwe Vetman. Conversions: Mqulo (5), Nyakaza (2). Cambridge High 6 (0) – Penalties: Mange Mlonyeni (2).

Hudson Park High 16 (11) – Tries: Masibulele Kwakwini (2). Penalties: Landile Gidi (2). Conversion: Gidi. Dale College 10 (7) – Try: Kamva Sithole. Penalty: Inga Mafanga. Conversion: Inga Mafanga.

Brandwag will be aiming to put the finishing touches on their Tinara Cup challenge and to establish themselves as the top guns in Kariega when they host Daniel Pienaar in their final game on Saturday.

The competition involving the top three sides in Kariega was established last year and involves home and away matches between Brandwag, Daniel Pienaar, and Muir College.

There have been some intense battles for the top honours this year, but Brandwag held sway in the opening rounds with hard-fought wins over the Tigers (22-19) and Muir (26-10).

They, then, went on to wrap up the competition two weeks ago with a resounding 62-3 result over a hapless Muir team, who failed to show their earlier competitiveness.

But even with the competition decided, the Daniel Pienaar Tigers are sure to come out firing as they attempt to take something positive from the season.

That means Brandwag will have to be fully focused on the task ahead of them for a showdown which, generally, captures the imagination of the whole town. These matches have a long history of intense rivalry.

There are a number of other mouth-watering showdowns in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro on Saturday, none more so than the annual derby between Framesby and Marlow Agricultural, in Gqeberha.

The home side will go into the game lacking match practice, having not had any matches for the two weeks since their loss to Grey High.

Nonetheless, coach Louis Gerber is astute enough to have his men in the right frame of mind for what is always a tough challenge against their Nxuba rivals.

Marlow will be hurting from two narrow losses in recent games, to Queen’s College by three points and to Pearson by two points. That will have them primed to prove a point against Framesby.

Graeme College, fresh off a notable win over Queen’s, travels to Kariega for their annual clash with Muir. The Makhanda visitors will be favoured, but there will be no room for complacency against a determined home team.

Two other Eastern Cape schools are on the road this weekend, with Pearson in Somerset West for their derby against Parel Vallei, and Nico Malan taking on Punt, in Mossel Bay.

Teams

Brandwag: 15 Wendell Uithaler, 14 Rezanio Petrus, 13 Angelo Adams, 12 Derono Potgieter (captain), 11 Dwayne Louw, 10 Leewin Kammies, 9 Keeran Kayster, 8 Duane Meyer, 7 Erik Rudman, 6 Nathan Fraser, 5 Damian le Roux, 4 Hanre Oberholzer, 3 Francu Fouche, 2 Liam Erasmus, 1 Zandre van der Mescht (vice-captain).

Daniel Pienaar: 15 Mauriano Pillay, 14 Zinzile Mtoywa, 13 Mkencele Siphuxolo, 12 Luyanduhlanga Ndzimande, 11 Raqiel Jaftha, 10 Ashley Liesing, 9 Rozario Grootboom, 8 Josh Steyn, 7 Etto Mapapu, 6 Luphawu Manzine, 5 Caleb Prince, 4 Ntsako Maimela, 3 Clewin Papenfus, 2 Denovan Booysen, 1 Mihle Busakwe.

Pearson: 15 Denilo Jordaan, 14 Matthew Els, 13 Sibu Mkhontwana, 12 Hanro Botes, 11 Siya Ncwadi, 10 Keano Beling, 9 Kadin Kretzmann, 8 Robert Harris, 7 Cameron Knoetze (captain), 6 Siphe Myataza, 5 Mlibo Toni, 4 Ryan Herbst, 3 Jordan Bruintjies, 2 Nicholas Gillespie, 1 Joshua Pienaar.

Graeme College: 15 Lucritia Magau,  14 Asakhe Ranuga, 13 Inathi Planga, 12 Torres Fourie, 11 Elgin Fanton, 10 Alden Walters, 9 Ethan Bokbaard, 8 Ayamile Bill, 7 Ayola Mali, 6 Lwandle Dlamini, 5 Mikhulu Yolani, 4 Akho Tonjeni, 3 Athi Bonga, 2 Lebo Mahasele, 1 Bagcine Njengele.

Marlow Agricultural: 15 Du Preez Vermaak, 14 Pierre Marais, 13 WJ Pienaar, 12 Ockert du Preez, 11 Jurgens van Staden, 10 Cole Hurter, 9 Logan van Vuuren, 8 GD Jordaan (vice-captain), 7 Adrian Joubert, 6 CJ Botha, 5 Marnus Malan, 4 Burgert van Heerden, 3 Herman le Roux, 2 Markus Bester, 1 Zian Jacobs.

Nico Malan: 15 Regan Stone, 14 Kobus Strydom, 13 Gelden van Niekerk, 12 Enzo Machaba, 11 Tequane Koopman, 10 Leighton Lawrence, 9 Lleyton Mienie, 8 Neil Lategan, 7 Chrisjan de Lange, 6 Ruben van Dijk, 5 Merwe van der Merwe, 4 Ulrich van Zyl, 3 Andre van der Merwe, 2 MC Ferreira, 1 Waldo Krige.

In an incredibly tense finish, Graeme College stood firm on defence in the closing stages to end Queen‘s College’s long run of success this season with a dramatic 20-17 win on the Somerset Field, in Makhanda, on Saturday.

The Graemians built up a handy 20-5 lead by halftime and then withstood a typically determined fightback as the visitors gave it all they had to preserve their proud record.

In the Eastern Cape, before Saturday’s setback, they had lost only to Pearson, while their last defeat had occurred way back in April, at the hands of Rondebosch, in the KES Easter Festival.

Saturday’s match was on a knife’s edge in the final 10 minutes, with Queen’s camped in Graeme’s territory, launching attack after attack, only to be repelled time and time again by a committed and determined home defence.

Eventually, with the score 20-17, Queen’s hooker Bulumko Manqina went on a bullocking run, but was hauled to ground mere metres from the try line. From the ensuing ruck, Graeme infringed, and Queen’s opted for a scrum in an attempt to secure another victory.

When they spread the ball wide, it seemed that they had created space on the right, only for the final pass to be knocked on with the tryline in sight, and with that the final hooter blew.

It was jubilation for the Graeme supporters, while the never-say-die attitude of Queen’s should be applauded. Arguably, they remain the best team in the Eastern Cape this year.

Graeme’s victory was founded on an excellent first half during which they took their chances to build up a relatively substantial lead.

They were on the score board within the first five minutes when flank Ayola Mali burst away from a ruck on the Queen’s 22-metre line to score the hosts’ first try, which was converted by flyhalf Ethan Bokbaard.

Later in the half, burly prop Athi Bonga was put into space near the try line and, to the delight of the spectators, he sped over to dot down, with Bokbaard again adding the extra two points.

The Graeme flyhalf also slotted two penalties, while Queen’s fullback Mveli Mqolo went over for a try, which left the home side 15 points to the good at the break.

Four minutes into the second stanza, Queen’s narrowed the deficit when a backline move saw wing Boikaho Motlohi cut smartly inside to slip through the defence for their second try. Then, in the 52nd minute, loose forward Acwenga Saul added a third five-pointer, which was converted by Mqolo.

After that, the momentum swung and Graeme spent the next 10 minutes deep in their opponents’ half and, although they were not able to crack the Queen’s defence, they ate up valuable time while defending their lead.

Eventually, Queen ‘s extricated themselves from their half and went on the attack, but Graeme’s committed and stubborn defence held out and the Graemians celebrated a cherished victory.

In Humansdorp, Brandwag hit back in the second half against Nico Malan to win 19-12 after trailing 0-12 at the break.

It was a tale of two halves because the home side was unable to get anything right in the second half after tries by Gelden van Niekerk and Pietman Kleinhans had put them ahead at halftime.

They were plagued by errors and missed three kicks at goal. Brandwag took full advantage of those breaks to run in three tries and score a hard-earned win.

Grey High paid a visit to Kariega to take on Muir College. They came away with a one-sided 60-7 victory ahead of their final match next weekend against Selborne College.

Muir’s only points came from a try by Onke Marola, which he converted.

Scorers:

Graeme College 20 (20) – Tries: Ayola Mali, Athi Bonga. Penalties: Ethan Bokbaard (2). Conversions: Bokbaard (2). Queen’s College 17 (5) – Tries: Mveli Mqolo, Boikaho Motlohi, Acwenga Saul. Conversion: Mqolo.

Brandwag 19 (0) – Tries: Dwayne Louw (2), Leewin Kammies. Conversions: Angelo Adams (2). Nico Malan 12 (12) – Tries: Gelden van Niekerk, Pietman Kleinhans. Conversion: Leighton Lawrence.

After some relatively comfortable results in recent matches, Nico Malan and Die Brandwag are gearing up for a contest of far higher intensity in Humansdorp at 13:30 on Saturday.

The home side has impressed this season and they’re coming off big wins over DF Malherbe (50-5) and HTS Daniel Pienaar (38-8), but they will be only too well aware of the threat they face from the Kariega outfit.

Heine Erasmus‘s Brandwag side has topped 50 points in their last three matches, culminating in them overwhelming the hapless DF Malherbe 109-0.

The clash in Humansdorp will have the coach calling for his charges to focus strongly on the basics of the game and to limit their errors as they attempt to withstand the challenge that Nico Malan will undoubtedly pose.

This game looms as an important one for Nico Malan in defining their season because they have been on a good run in the past few months, scoring solid victories over Pearson and Marlow while losing by only a single point to Graeme College in Makhanda.

If they can get one past the strong Brandwag outfit, who have not lost since the Oakdale Festival at the end of March, it will put them in the right frame of mind for their remaining matches against Punt, in Mossel Bay, and Framesby.

In Kariega, both Muir College and Grey High will be aiming to pick themselves up after suffering heavy defeats last weekend – Muir falling 3-62 against Brandwag and Grey losing 15-46 against Bloem powerhouse, Grey College.

The Grey team shows a number of changes, but they still have the depth to make it a long day for Muir, with players such as Meyer Prinsloo, Noah Mbizi, and Bradley Myburgh, if given any attacking space, sure to pose serious problems for the home team.

After being competitive in their first match this season against Brandwag, which they lost 10-26, Muir was given a rude awakening last week. They will need to be on point against Grey, who have yet to fire on all cylinders this season.

In another fixture in Kariega, Marlow will be hoping their players have recovered from a tummy bug which swept through the school during the week. They take on the challenge of Bergsig.

Teams:

Nico Malan vs Die Brandwag in Humansdorp on Saturday at 13:30

Nico Malan: 15 Regan Stone, 14 Kobus Strydom, 13 Gelden van Niekerk, 12 Enzo Machaba, 11 Tequane Koopman, 10 Leighton Lawrence, 9 Lleyton Mienie, 8 Pietman Kleinhans (captain), 7 Chrisjan de Lange, 6 Neil Lategan, 5 Ruben van Dijk, 4 Ulrich van Zyl, 3 Waldo Krige, 2 MC Ferreira, 1 Janu Janse van Rensburg.

Brandwag: 15 Wendell Uithaler, 14 Rezanio Petrus, 13 Angelo Adams, 12 Derono Potgieter (captain), 11 Dwayne Louw, 10 Leewin Kammies, 9 Keeran Kayster, 8 Duane Meyer, 7 Erik Rudman, 6 Nathan Fraser, 5 Damian le Roux, 4 Hanre Oberholzer, 3 Francu Fouche, 2 Liam Erasmus, 1 Zandre van der Mescht.

Muir College vs Grey High in Kariega on Saturday at 14:15

Grey High: 15 Meyer Prinsloo, 14 Noah Mbizi, 13 Bradley Myburgh, 12 Ciaran Killian, 11 Michael Oosthuizen, 10 Adam Holmboe, 9 Ray-Dylan Wilkinson, 8 Sibonelo Stuurman, 7 Jean Nel, 6 Blake Parker, 5 Osvaldas Diedonis, 4 Riley Higgs, 3 Ross Atkinson, 2 Evan Mucka, 1 Silindezihle Ntshokoma.

Muir College: 15 Lusapho Mtwa, 14 Siyahluma Ralo, 13 Onke Marola (captain), 12 Oyama Jama, 11 Buhle Rale, 10 Anzo Daniels, 9 Romano Richards, 8 Khwezi Mafongosi, 7 Riahaan Kayat (vice-captain), 6 Kamvelihle Poyo, 5 Zingisa Mdidimba, 4 Liyabukwa Zokwana, 3 Sithenkosi Mgobo, 2 Sonwabe Matika, 1 Nu’maan Jappie.

Dale College will be chasing a double celebration when they renew one of the oldest rivalries in Border schools’ rugby with a showdown against East London’s Selborne College taking place in Qonce on Saturday at 15.00.

Dale is celebrating Women’s Month with their traditional Pink Weekend theme, running out in those colours instead of their traditional black jersey with red stripes.

It’s a commitment to show their support for women, which has been running since 2012, and the home side would like nothing more than to mark the occasion with a win over a tough Selborne outfit.

Earlier in the season, when the sides met, Selborne eked out a 15-13 and, although Dale has suffered a number of defeats this season, they will be determined that “The “Graveyard” nickname of their home fortress lives up to its name.

Selborne has made some changes, but they remain a formidable outfit and players such as Robert John-Osunkwo, Dominic Stegmann, and Bungqina Nuku will lead from the front.

In the home team, captain and No 8 Kamva Sithole will be urging his team to rise to the occasion on a significant weekend for the school that goes beyond rugby.

If Dale plays to their potential, the visitors could be in for a gruelling afternoon in Qonce.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape’s top side, Queen’s College, has been living on the edge in recent matches, and they will need to have their wits about them when they travel to Makhanda for what should be a thrilling showdown against Graeme College.

On a previous visit to the Somerset Field, at the Graeme Festival, in March, Queen’s suffered their only loss to an Eastern Cape school this year, going down 17-20 to Pearson.

They have grown considerably as a team since then, but they have been pushed hard in their most recent matches, which resulted in narrow three-point wins over Marlow and Selborne.

Graeme has shown good form all season and demonstrated their grittiness when they held off Dale in the last 10 minutes a week ago to secure a 17-10 victory in Qonce.

They will need to show similar defensive commitment against a dangerous Queen’s team, who are strong up front and have a backline capable of unlocking most defences.

In East London, Ooskus Gymnasium will have their hands full when they host Hudson Park in a Friday afternoon encounter, while there should be a real arm wrestle when Cambridge entertains Stirling in their annual derby on Saturday.

Teams:

Dale College: 15 Inga Mafanga, 14 Achumile George, 13 Nxande Ngcaba, 12 Phikolomzi Mtyalela, 11 Yamkele Molose, 10 Soso Dyani, 9 Wethumtha Malawana, 8 Kamva Sithole (captain), 7 Liyabona Mayikana, 6 Linamandla Peter, 5 Kungawo Jaca, 4 Ebenezer Sarpong, 3 Sanele Bistoli, 2 Lakhanya Mbewu, 1 Azole Sodlaka.

Selborne College: 15 Bungqina Nuku, 14 Troy Senar, 13 Njongo Mbanga, 12 Aaron James, 11 Iviwe Kabale, 10 Samuel Jacobsen, 9 Aaron Senekal, 8 Uviwe Jikwana, 7 Dominic Stegmann, 6 Travis Enslin, 5 Luca Liebenberg, 4 Matthew Bean, 3 Seth Smith, 2 Matthew Tarr, 1 Robert John-Osunkwo.

Graeme College: 15 Lucritia Magau,  14 Alden Walters, 13 Inathi Planga, 12 Torres Fourie, 11 Elgin Fanton, 10 Ethan Bokbaard, 9 Luke Doyle, 8 Ayamile Bill, 7 Ayola Mali, 6 Lwandle Dlamini, 5 Mikhulu Yolani, 4 Akho Tonjeni, 3 Athi Bonga, 2 Lebo Mahasele, 1 Bagcine Njengele.

Queen’s College: 15 Mveli Mqolo, 14 Ayathanda Mtyando, 16 Thina Fenako, 12 Lithemba Maxegwana,  11 Boikaho Motlohi, 10 Inganathi Mnunu, 9 Ayola Somhlahlo, 8 Acwenga Saul, 7 Sambesiwe Vetman, 6 Jeffrey Niland (captain), 5 Kaunda Billie, 4 Zeacke Mata, 3 Ahlume Gqetywa, 2 Bulumko Manqina, 1 Amyoli Ngxongwana.

Hudson Park: 15 Bahlumile Mavuso, 14 Bubu Mzamo, 13 Lunathi Dolo, 12 Sibabalwe Mtshini, 11 Masibulele Kwakwini, 10 Mahle Zinto, 9 Landile Gidi, 8 Likhanye Mandila, 7 Sange Gwarube, 6 Phindokuhle Mdlalana, 5 Hlumelo Gobile, 4 Tenda Saunyama, 3 Manyano Mpendu, 2 Kwakokuhle Pasha, 1 Khanya Mazulu.

Ooskus Gym: 15 Chivago Petrus, 14 Stefan de Jager, 13 Josh du Plessis, 12 Sabian Rieck, 11 Xavier Smith, 10 Kwagga Liebenberg, 9 Jaun Nel, 8 Jandre le Roux, 7 Tyran Kotze, 6 Cole van der Merwe, 5 Roussow Nel, 4 Eben Viljoen, 3 Gustaf Brink, 2 Bruwer Smit 1 Zander Brink.

Cambridge: 15 Lithemba Mpikwa, 14 Lisakhanya Magoxo, 13 Liqhame Mkanzana, 12 Somili Pityi, 11 Imange Roto, 10 Alizwa Cekiso, 9 Manga Mlonyeni, 8 Aaron Ray, 7 Othandwayo Mtotoba, 6 Hlonipha Zweni, 5 Nakwesi Masiso, 4 Luxolo Mashaba, 3 Lwandle Rasi, 2 Kwakhanya Nweba, 1 Iviwe Mzingayi.

Stirling: TBC

In a dramatic final passage to their clash in East London on Saturday, Queen’s College held out wave after wave of Selborne College attacks to narrowly emerge as 31-28 victors in their return fixture.

There was little to choose between the sides and this was shown when, immediately after Queen’’ had taken the lead in the 65^th minute, the home team fought back with enormous courage to force their way onto the visiting team’s try line.

There, they pressed for the winning try on numerous occasions, only to be continually denied by an extremely committed and stubborn Queen’s defence.

Eventually, Selborne was awarded a penalty in front of the poles with less than a minute remaining. But they weren’t prepared to settle for a draw, and they took the courageous position of going for a quick tap and yet another charge for the line in search of a victory.

Unfortunately for them, the ball was knocked on as they drove over the line and from the ensuing scrum, Queen’s was able to kick the ball dead to secure the victory.

Despite the result, the Selbornians’ bravery in aiming for the win in the final stages should be applauded. It turned out to be one of those matches neither side deserved to lose.

The record, though, will show that Queen’s continued their outstanding season, and while they were often put under pressure by the intensity of the Selborne play, they always found a way to get points on the board.

They trailed 17-18 at halftime but quickly re-established a lead when a brilliant backline move saw them cut through the Selborne defence for Ncutu Kepe to cross the line, only to unselfishly offload the ball to Sbabalwe Magwebu for his second try.

When Selborne hit back through a converted try by Liam Hansen and a penalty by Bungqina Nuku to lead 28-24, Queen’s swung into action from a scrum close to the Selborne line.

Again, their elusive backs were able to work their magic for fullback Mveli Mqolo to score, adding the conversion to make it 31-28 with five minutes left.

Selborne deserves great respect for the way they fought on for victory, even if it eventually was Queen’s who grabbed the bragging rights.

Another terrific duel took place in Qonce, where Graeme College survived a trip to Dale’s “Graveyard” to take a 17-10 win.

The visitors lead 17-7 at the break and, besides being kept scoreless in the second half, they had to withstand a massive Dale onslaught in the final 10 minutes to hold onto their lead.

In a close contest in East London, Port Rex withstood a determined effort from Cambridge High to score a 22-17 win in their annual derby, while Cathcart put up a brave performance against Ooskus Gymnasium, but eventually went down 22-35.

Hudson Park controlled their game against Stirling and ran out comfortable 33-5 winners.

Scorers:

Queen’s 31 (17) – Tries: Sbabalwe Magwebu (2), Ncutu Kepe, Mveli Mqolo. Penalties: Mqolo. Conversions: Mqolo (4). Selborne 28 (18) – Tries: Uviwe Jikwana, Dominic Stegmann, Liam Hansen. Penalties: Bungquina Nuku (3). Conversions: Nuku (2).

Graeme 17 (17) – Tries: Erin Nelson, Elgin Fanton. Penalty: Ethan Bokbaard. Conversions: Bokbaard (2). Dale 10 (7) – Try: Ebenezer Sarpong. Penalty: Soso Dyani. Conversion: Dyani.