Having run this blog for a number of years, I’ve come to realise that trying to collect the data on all schools is a mammoth task. So rather than attempt to produce an all inclusive national ranking, I’ve decided to focus on the schools that this website generally tracks, hence the name “Radar”. It covers many of the top contenders from around South Africa but not all of them.
| 2016 | School | Rating | Reg | Type | Code | Est No. | Fixture | Handi | Top | Games | Wins | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs 2015 | Boys | diff’ty | -cap | Oppnts | Used | % | ||||||
| 01..▲2 | Affies | 10.00 | BB | Gov | Boys | 1090 | 9.00 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 02..▲21 | Glenwood | 10.00 | KZN | Gov | Boys | 1070 | 9.20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 03..▼2 | HJS Paarl BH | 9.87 | WP | Gov | Boys | 870 | 9.20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 04..▲1 | Grey College | 9.84 | FS | Gov | Boys | 1190 | 7.60 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 05..▼3 | Paarl Gim | 9.80 | WP | Gov | CoEd | 580 | 9.40 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| 06..▲12 | Garsfontein | 9.57 | BB | Gov | CoEd | 880 | 9.00 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 83% |
| 07..▲1 | EG Jansen | 9.51 | VAL | Gov | CoEd | 630 | 8.71 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 86% |
| 08..▼2 | Paul Roos | 9.27 | WP | Gov | Boys | 1230 | 8.57 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| 09..►0 | Oakdale | 8.88 | SWD | Gov | Boys | 420 | 7.50 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 10..▲4 | Outeniqua | 8.81 | SWD | Gov | CoEd | 780 | 8.60 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 60% |
| 11..▼7 | Monument | 8.56 | GL | Gov | CoEd | 690 | 8.33 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 12..▼2 | Selborne | 8.56 | BOR | Gov | Boys | 740 | 8.14 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 79% |
| 13..▲24 | Jeppe | 8.55 | GL | Gov | Boys | 960 | 8.43 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 86% |
| 14..▲5 | HTS Middelburg | 8.35 | PUM | Gov | CoEd | 590 | 8.63 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 50% |
| 15..▲13 | SACS | 8.25 | WP | Gov | Boys | 700 | 8.60 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 50% |
| 16..▲4 | Stellenberg | 8.00 | WP | Gov | CoEd | 720 | 6.50 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 17..▼6 | Grey HS | 7.92 | EP | Gov | Boys | 930 | 8.17 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 18..▲40 | DHS | 7.92 | KZN | Gov | Boys | 1090 | 8.43 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| 19..▲52 | Ben Vorster | 7.87 | LIM | Gov | CoEd | 420 | 7.60 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| 20..▲6 | Rondebosch | 7.75 | WP | Gov | Boys | 820 | 7.00 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| 22..▼1 | Eldoraigne | 7.43 | BB | Gov | CoEd | 830 | 8.50 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 50% |
| 21..▲15 | Helpmekaar | 7.52 | GL | Pvt | CoEd | 460 | 9.33 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 23..▲22 | Kearsney | 7.36 | KZN | Pvt | Boys | 570 | 7.75 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 75% |
| 24..▼8 | Waterkloof | 7.35 | BB | Gov | CoEd | 860 | 8.71 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 57% |
| 25..▲5 | Queen’s | 7.18 | BOR | Gov | Boys | 530 | 8.57 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| 26..▼11 | Boland Landbou | 7.13 | WP | Gov | Boys | 340 | 8.00 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| 27..▲16 | St Benedict’s | 7.12 | GL | Pvt | Boys | 635 | 9.00 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 00% |
| 28..▼15 | Nelspruit | 7.09 | PUM | Gov | CoEd | 630 | 8.29 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| 29..▲10 | St Andrew’s | 7.01 | EP | Pvt | Boys | 460 | 7.67 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 30..▲31 | Wynberg | 6.93 | WP | Gov | Boys | 760 | 8.20 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 70% |
| 31..▲37 | Pietersburg | 6.89 | LIM | Gov | CoEd | 560 | 7.50 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 32..▲1 | Welkom Gim | 6.88 | GRF | Gov | CoEd | 440 | 7.00 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 81% |
| 33..▲1 | Dale | 6.86 | BOR | Gov | Boys | 590 | 7.17 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 83% |
| 34..▲26 | Rustenburg | 6.66 | LEO | Gov | CoEd | 590 | 7.86 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| 35..▲15 | Strand | 6.64 | WP | Gov | CoEd | 470 | 6.00 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| 36..▲6 | Brackenfell | 6.59 | WP | Gov | CoEd | 810 | 7.43 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 57% |
| 37..▲29 | St Alban’s | 6.57 | BB | Pvt | Boys | 530 | 6.67 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| 38..▼3 | Kingswood | 6.43 | EP | Pvt | CoEd | 220 | 7.75 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 75% |
| 39..▲1 | KES | 6.43 | GL | Gov | Boys | 1010 | 8.60 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| 40..▲37 | St Stithians | 6.41 | GL | Pvt | Boys | 640 | 6.00 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 75% |
| 41..▲8 | Hudson Park | 6.39 | EP | Gov | CoEd | 540 | 7.00 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 71% |
| 42..▲31 | St John’s | 6.36 | GL | Pvt | Boys | 640 | 7.50 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| 43..▼12 | Marlow | 6.34 | EP | Gov | Boys | 230 | 7.86 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 43% |
| 44..▲31 | Lichtenburg | 6.31 | LEO | Gov | CoEd | 490 | 6.57 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 64% |
| 45..▼21 | Diamantveld | 6.18 | GW | Gov | CoEd | 340 | 7.00 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 75% |
| 46..▼24 | Hilton | 6.05 | KZN | Pvt | Boys | 560 | 8.75 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| 47..▲17 | Daniel Pienaar | 5.98 | EP | Gov | Boys | 700 | 7.80 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 60% |
| 48..▲9 | Hugenote | 5.85 | BOR | Gov | CoEd | 405 | 6.00 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| 49..▲7 | Klerksdorp | 5.67 | LEO | Gov | CoEd | 430 | 8.00 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| 50..▲3 | Drostdy | 5.60 | BOL | Gov | CoEd | 430 | 7.80 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| 51..▲12 | Jim Fouche | 5.55 | FS | Gov | CoEd | 470 | 6.00 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 63% |
| 52..▼40 | Bishops | 5.50 | WP | Pvt | Boys | 720 | 8.83 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 58% |
| 53..▼36 | Westville | 5.47 | KZN | Gov | Boys | 1260 | 9.17 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 08% |
| 54..▲15 | Durbanville | 5.32 | WP | Gov | CoEd | 410 | 6.50 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 55..▼3 | Nico Malan | 5.25 | EP | Gov | CoEd | 390 | 6.67 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 58% |
| 56..▼18 | Parktown | 5.21 | GL | Gov | Boys | 700 | 7.83 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| 57..▲19 | Transvalia | 5.01 | VAL | Gov | CoEd | 570 | 8.00 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 43% |
| 58..▼17 | Louis Botha | 4.94 | FS | Gov | CoEd | 690 | 7.63 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 31% |
| 59..▲15 | Oudtshoorn | 4.86 | SWD | Gov | CoEd | 300 | 6.00 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 67% |
| 60..▼13 | Marais Viljoen | 4.80 | GL | Gov | CoEd | 830 | 8.00 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 21% |
| 61..▲9 | Northwood | 4.62 | KZN | Gov | Boys | 850 | 8.00 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| 62..▼37 | Maritzburg College | 4.58 | KZN | Gov | Boys | 1170 | 9.20 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 20% |
| 63..▼4 | Tygerberg | 4.55 | WP | Gov | CoEd | 460 | 7.67 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| 64..▼32 | Brandwag | 4.47 | EP | Gov | CoEd | 410 | 7.83 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 50% |
| 65..▼58 | Michaelhouse | 4.40 | KZN | Pvt | Boys | 580 | 9.00 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 38% |
| 66..▼39 | Kempton Park | 4.38 | VAL | Gov | CoEd | 690 | 8.22 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 22% |
| 67..▼2 | Framesby | 4.00 | EP | Gov | CoEd | 560 | 8.71 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 29% |
| 68..▼39 | Noord-Kaap | 3.62 | GW | Gov | CoEd | 510 | 7.86 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 43% |
| 69..▼18 | Menlopark | 3.54 | BB | Gov | CoEd | 680 | 8.14 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 29% |
| 70..▼8 | Pretoria BH | 3.29 | BB | Gov | Boys | 1430 | 8.60 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 00% |
@TW BOSS: Kevin is the flank but played lock for a bit vs Framesby, not super tall. The kid who moved from Westville for grade 11, got a serious injury and missed all of last season. Westville will probably ask he doesn’t play against them.
@Grasshopper: Marco kept us busy he played against us in 2015 , is Kevin the lock ?
@TW BOSS: Glenwood have two, Marco Palvie and Kevin Smit.
@Greenman: Off topic, I see Jerome Bossr is playing 1st team hockey now and what looks to be Carel Swart’s younger brother. He is a splitting image so assuming it’s his brother, also a big lad. The hockey boys did well down at Kingswood, winning 5 and drawing 1. 3 games played in 1 day.
vs York High School 3-3 draw
vs Cambridge won 4-0
vs Woodridge won 4-0
Previous days
vs St Andrews College won 2-1
vs Cornwall Hill College won 2-0
vs Kingswood College won 3-0
A good festival, should be a good local season. Team looks very young though
@beet: Beet Please rectify EG Jansen’s boys to 560 , total 1104 kids in school . The fact that U19 boys are allowed to play at Kearsney Fest , Wildeklawer and Beeld also counts against EG’s ranking , not looking for excuses ?. Will be nice to know how many U19 ‘s are in teams that’s ranked in Top 15.
@BOG: You reckon Bloem looks any better?
@Grasshopper: The Rev John Drysdale Stalker, became the second master at College in April 1881. All the original sporting houses originated before 1910, Nathans being the final one in 1910.
And I was wrong, the houses were Clark, Nathan, Langley, Stalker and Oxland. Shepstones was a boarding house which became Hudson House, named after the JW Husdon, head from 1941 – 1953, a DHS Old Boy.
@Cappie: Hy kuier by Tjoppa en Shirley, wie nou langs die kus van Somalie woon
@BOG: Wat het van Andre T geword? Het jy iets gesê wat hom kwaad gemaak het? Of was die Speartackle?
@Grasshopper: Again Sak Sarel! Ballito like Brandfort to Bloem? ???@Speartackle: Seker hulle kan jou akkommodeer met n paar fights in Toti as jy kykersgetalle kan waarborg. Op Toti se strande is die grootste gevaar gebruikte dwelmnaalde. Dit sal darem n gatslag wees as jy so Vigs moet kry- n steek van n naald.
@Rugger fan: Bloody hell, 10 houses! How do you get that many lanes in interhouse swimming and athletics?
@Playa: Previous (pre-2012) – there were 5 integrated houses – now 10.
@Rugger fan: @Gungets Tuft: Dale used to have the boarding houses (Joubert, College [replaced Diocesan], Patterson & Sutton [till sold in ’95]), and then 2 dayboy houses – Langham & Fuller. It was with the ever dwindling boarding numbers and the sale of Patterson House in the early 2000’s that this system was done away with and the houses got mixed. There are now 4 houses – Langham & Fuller remained, and because Joubert and College House remain, the other two houses got their name from former hostels, namely Sutton and Patterson (if not Diocesan – not sure)…eish…even me now I am full of doubt.
@Gungets Tuft: Stalkers sounds a bit dodgy
@Bush: But you were right until fairly recently. There used to be 5 sporting houses, some named after boarding houses, but day-boys were allocated as well. Clarks, Nathans and Shepstones were boarding houses (Shepstone House is now Hudson), and the other two were Stalkers and Oxlands.
There are now 10 sporting houses as Rugger Fan says. The intent is to involve more boys, because with just 5 it was found that there were always enough willing and able boys to give the slackers an out.
The competitions have been increased and widened, so there are now drama, music, art and others to add to the sporting competitions. It encourages everyone to get involved. So, while a trifle sad that my son didn’t follow in my sporting house (for long), it’s a good move I think. Along with a special Headmasters detention, where kids have to run around the grounds after the Headmaster on his bicycle.
Grassy it right though, something different happens when a kid pulls on the sporting colours of his school, straightens the spine a bit. In my day a sport was compulsary, if we weren’t off fighting the rinderpest
Edit – hell, I hope I got those sports houses correct – suddenly filled with doubt ..
@Bush: Not quite.
There are 10 “Houses” – totally independent of the boarding houses. These are fully mixed regarding grades / day boys / various boarding houses. The houses are then further split into “house classes” which have a mix of Grade 8 to Grade 12 – and the boys stay in the same “class” for their duration – thereby starting in grade 8 with a full cross section of the school in their class – and as they progress – they become the seniors.
@Bush: Yep, spot on. Earlys, Blanksby’s, McCabe’s and Kennedy’s are day dogs and settle for 2nd to Gibson by far…
@Gungets Tuft: Am I correct in saying College Day Dogs are allocated to the various BE’s. So they are part of the BE/Houses that make up the school. The College Day Dogs would build relationships with the boarders automatically. Creating great team spirit and fair competition. As the boarders would encourage participation from the Day Dogs. At GW the boarders make up Gibson House and the Day Dogs the various other Houses. So the Day Dogs are separated already.
@Gungets Tuft: Compulsory extra-mural even if it is tiddly winks or jukskei, that is how it was in my day. Ghosts had to run, drafted into the Cross Country team…
@Grasshopper: Sure, the boarders treat school like their homes, so there is a bit more pride and loyalty. But don’t sell the day-boys short, there are ways and means of getting them drawn in.
From last year College has included day-boys in many of the traditional boarder activities at the start of the year, specifically to change this. Time will tell what difference it makes, but I don’t think there’s a lack of commitment from the day-boys. Every school has it’s ghosts – waft in at 7:30am, do school, waft out again at 3pm and don’t contribute overly much outside class. The key is to minimise that.
@Grasshopper: I think we all agree on that fundamental
@Grasshopper: no doubt – but it needs to be backed up with the gees traditions.
Bekker Skool in Pilanesberg is pretty much all boarders – as is Weston and Treverton – bit not on the same level? They have a different focus (remember Weston up until the mid to late 80’s were considered a Tier 1 school and played the likes of College & Hilton
@Gungets Tuft: Yes yes, but admit a large BE usually means more camaraderie, more gees and boys committed to the school 24/7. Day dogs switch off after the practice or as the gates open at 2pm with their surfboards (Kayak’s or skate boards in PMB’s case). Even with compulsory attendance, boarders are there anyway. It takes quite a bit to get the day dogs in….
@Grasshopper: You’ll have to quote me for when I said only College has what I’ve spoken about. You’ve said that College and others succeed because of their big BE. I say those schools have a big BE because of demand, and that demand is there because of the heritage of the school. I’ve never claimed College is alone, or perfect Roger, another thread covers the skollie angle nicely.
A big BE does nothing unless is backed by something, otherwise Pollsmoor would be producing outstanding sportsmen. Dig a little deeper, past the preconception.
@Grasshopper: well – as headboy – College taught him perseverance, that much I will give him …….
@Roger: @Playa:
@Roger: Ey! We all have our rogues
@Roger: hahahahah, gosh I heard the bugger has spent 23 bar on legal costs….
@Playa: me too – was crying into my cornflakes – I wonder how often Gary Porritt recited that quote whilst defrauding grannies of their life savings
@McCulleys Workshop: Yes, that’s correct. BOG’s post re GCB numbers threw me off
@Playa: Was that not meant to read 520?
@Playa: Agreed, or you get a good balance of sportsman with brains eg Gibson House at Glenwood
@Roger: @Grasshopper:
playing the man and not the point. I thought that was great marketing for College…I even shed a tear. 
Look what I took out of that is the whole thing about a reason for doing something – and the result thereof. I remember, in the 90s when we would get boys from all over the show – especially Gauteng – who came to Dale purely for rugby…most didn’t last beyond Std 6. There were also a number who having gone through Dale Junior left for other high schools, carrying all the wrong reasons – some disappeared from the ‘radar’, some returned, and some flourished. If your BE’s main purpose is to house 260 sportsmen – you will be smashing everyone on the sports field, but if it is to house the growing number of qualifying out of town applicants – without considering their sporting abilities – you may well end up with 420 nerds in the hostels.
@BOG: Ballito is 60km from Durban CBD and Hillcrest 35km. They have never been apart of Durban or it’s suburbs. Ballito is like Bloem to Brandfort…
@BOG: Ai tog ou Bog en ek trek einde van die maand Toti toe……lyk my ek moet bulletproof klere gaan koop
@Playa: for fear of upsetting GT, I heard there were 800 applications for 250 places last year, hence the school took on 10 extra to have it’s biggest intake ever.
@Grasshopper: So, those suburbs which you mention, are no longer part of Durban? I suppose the suburbs in Bloem could distance themselves from the city then, too? Oh and Ive never seen dirtier beaches. And if you want to take the family for some wholesome entertainment, like a good old knife fight, take a drive down the coast to Margate beach. You are guaranteed to see some blood flow. Yesterday, only 3 dead, but the bodies should increase with more support from the public.
@Playa: Glenwood isn’t under-subscribed at all, I was told it has waiting lists to get in. I think the scouting has to do with the 50 odd bursaries/scholarships they give out each year. These are not all 100% either. I’m only guessing now, but what they are looking for is 30 or so sporting stars with decent academics, this can be hard to find locally with the huge competition between the schools, so they look further afield. It’s really down to the huge competition for a limited number of sportsman, supply & demand situation. It’s a fine balance, be like PBHS and rely on a good intake and risk sports heading south or be proactive and try and get a good crop of sportsman with a normal intake. I think Glenwood are doing the latter. Some of the boys from far afield get free boarding but have to pay school fees. I don’t know the details of each bursary. I think it’s perfectly fine to do this at grade 8 level, fair marketing.
@Grasshopper: I can’t imagine a school of 1000+ boys being under-subscribed. Is the venture of recruiting outside of KZN one of looking for numbers to fill, or one of looking for sportsmen/tiddly winklings/strong academics? To place on record…there is absolutely nothing wrong with travelling the country looking to recruit kids with potential – many a school have been doing it for decades and still are – I just want to drive home the difference between a school marketing themselves all over the country because they have 4 boarding houses to fill so they can pay their bills, and one that offers ‘free schooling’ to boys in order to raise their sporting/tiddly winks/academic profile, and as such having to expand on their boarding capacity.
@Speartackle: Once that Protea jumper comes off the talent returns…
So the KES boytjie cracked 108 off 50 balls yesterday………even de Villers and Faf making 50’s again……….Morris all of a sudden can bowl full and straight………………..strange how good you can be if paid in a foreign currency
@Roger: hahah, well it seems only schools that are over 150 years old have morals, values, traditions etc.
@BOG: It is a dump, hence everybody lives in Hillcrest, Umhlanga or Ballito. You be surprised how many boys from Ballito go to Kearsney and Glenwood
@Gungets Tuft: that is disrespectful to me and you know who I am, treating me like an idiot. I do have an Honours in Economics so no fool. My uncle is DHS Old Boy and involved in the DHS revival, so I know what is going on there. Your College morals and values maybe coming forward now. Remember and I have to plug this on nearly every post, College is not the only school with traditions, morals, ethos etc. College OB’s seem to think this is the case. Glenwood maybe 40 years younger but they too have these same morals, values etc instilled by great men like Dixon, Nupen, Maher, Hortop etc. This is not a Glenwood thing it’s about BE’s and their contribution to a schools sporting prowess
@Grasshopper: Those three hostels have been around for more than a century, due to the demand from all over the country and even beyond. And they have only increased capacity in the last two years, to accommodate around 420, if Im not mistaken. But speaking of the attributes of Bloem. I was in Durbs in the last month and not being funny or vindictive, but hey man, what a dump? Its in a worse condition than I have ever seen it. Granted, its probably due to the general decline, country wide, but I would not crow too loudly if Durbs was my home town.And you may be shocked to discover how many learners in Bloem are from Durban.
Hopper – google sanctimonious at the same time and post the definition here for @Gungets Tuft:
@Grasshopper: You’ve made what you think is your point, all based on false assumption.
College is 2.5 times oversubscribed with boarders and dayboys. The BE is being expanded, due to demand from KZN regional area’s, not because they’re trying to avoid some sort of urban decay.
The notion that Glenwood always attributed other schools consistency to their BE means that they’ve missed the point, it’s not us missing it. Consistency comes from tradition, purpose. A College quote, one every boy knows by heart, goes “But there are certain things that do not change and must not change. The basic human values of truth, courage, kindness and manliness, for which this school has stood, will be just as important in the future as they have been in the past, and it is the duty of those of us that love this school to see that it’s noble traditions remain unchanged”.
The same goes for DHS – to say it’s just about Blackmores is twaddle. There was a mission to improve School that started with the intake of 2011 (I can give you the names of those that lead the charge if you like), Blackmores was part of that, but not all. You depreciate the efforts of those that lead the resurgence, but strangely you do not do the same for Glenwood.
I suggest that if you pay more attention to the traditional ethos of the school you’d be a lot better off. Search YouTube for the College Head Boys speech in 2010, it’ll give you a clue. It’s why College are extending their BE, and why boys want to go there.
Then, while Google is open, check out Correlation vs Causation.
@Grasshopper: Thats not true, all the Senior Schools target all the Prep schools for talented players. Its open gates. A number of the talented Merchiston boys went to MHS this year. (I think 6 from the U14 A side). Glenwood prep is the natural area feeder to GW as Merchiston is the natural feeder to MC.
@Playa: Boet, it’s easy to get KZN boys, I’m talking about the KZN rep boys for under13. College have Merchiston and DPHS as feeder schools playing rugby, they also pick up Highbury, Kloof etc boys. Glenwood only really have Glenwood Prep and Penzance as rugby feeders.
@Grasshopper:
GT – “College has an overwhelming number of boys from KZN, very very few from outside the province.”
GH – “That’s because most of the KZN schools players go to Kearsney or one of the other privates. The gov schools have to look further and wider.”
I reckon maybe you just specifically speak to Glenwood’s circumstances and not generalise.
@Grasshopper: You doing the Houdini, GrassyGate style or #GuptaHopper
@Gungets Tuft: That’s because most of the KZN schools players go to Kearsney or one of the other privates. The gov schools have to look further and wider.
@Gungets Tuft: boet, all of you are missing the point. A bigger BE creates depth and consistency. College is famous for it’s depth due to a large BE. Isn’t College extending it’s BE right now as we speak? The reason or a reason is the decline of PMB and the need to bring boys in from outside of PMB. At Glenwood we always associated strong College, House, Kearsney and Hilton teams to their BE’s. Look at DHS, Blackmores was once the lifeblood of the school and won everything inter house. The decline of DHS had something to do with the decline of Blackmores and the resurgence of DHS has something to do with the improvement of Blackmores. Anyway, point made and flogged to death now..
@Grasshopper: This isn’t about when the boys join the school but rather about the size of the school’s BE, and more importantly the make-up, i.e. the common fee paying kid vs the recruited sports/academic star – doesn’t matter whether they join the school in grade 8 or 11.
@Grasshopper: I’m aware of that. I never saw the movie as a marketing gig though. Dead boys, boys shagging teachers wives, drunken English teacher. I’m pretty sure that the movie wasn’t going to change the mind of anyone that was not already thinking about House.
As for the correlation between BE and dayboy. Perhaps at Glenwood it is, College has an overwhelming number of boys from KZN, very very few from outside the province. You’re assuming a correlation that probably doesn’t exist. It’s far more likely to be the recruitment policy and the number of bursaries bringing in the best nationally. Why not try finding out how many of last years U14A and B were from KZN, and how many are fee paying, you might have an answer. The BE is an enabler, not the root cause.
@McCulleys Workshop: Luckily enough my profession is market research, so I might do it. There are of course many other factors like coaching, facilities, flash pan years etc. I still think the more boarders the better the team sport, obviously this doesn’t reflect on individual sports like swimming, surfing, badminton, tiddly winks etc…
@Grasshopper: This isn’t an attack on GW nor your BE, nor questioning when your sports stars arrived at the school. But rather a discussion around schools with the biggest BE’s being the best at rugby. The argument doesn’t hold. Do the research and prove the correlation. There are many factors that result in year in year out top rugby performance and I am not convinced the size of the BE is one them.
@McCulleys Workshop: if you guys can’t see the correlation then I give up. Remember the acquisitions you speak of are grade 8 intake. The two big stars in the 1st team Palvie (from northern suburbs, Cape Town) and JJ van der Mescht (Pretoria, I think) have been at Glenwood from grade 8. What is the difference between them and the boys that go to House from Pridwin etc? Glenwood’s last three SA Schools players, Morne Joubert, Jaco Coetzee and Kenny Van Niekerk all started at Glenwood in grade 8…
@Gungets Tuft: Spud the movie was shot at Michaelhouse so they got great exposure internationally from it. It would be interesting to know how many UK kids attend House, far cheaper than some of the independent schools in the UK
@McCulleys Workshop: With the highest academic results, so maybe an Allround Academy…
@Gungets Tuft: I chose life rather than going there
@Grasshopper: “Spud helped them there a bit.” …. what??
@Grasshopper: Your BE is your rugby academy (as per this discussion) where you house your out of town scholarship acquisitions and sports stars. It would be interesting to note how many boys in your BE play A/B team sport. In todays day and age of schoolboy professional rugby, which BE kid wants to train more after an already gruelling training routine and match schedule? I agree with Playa, I see no correlation in your assertions.
@McCulleys Workshop: I believe he answered that with his line…
“The BE is like a Sports Academy/Institute of sorts, probably with Afrikaans as the main language”
@McCulleys Workshop: explained it above, the BE boys participate & practice more, are usually the sports stars, have better gees etc. Day dogs prefer to surf and chase the chicks. I think a better question is why a school with 500 boarders & naturally attract the cream of the crop don’t smash other schools with no BE? Boland Landbou probably have 350 boarders and they always up there, probably 100% participation in rugby
@Grasshopper: Have you worked out why at schools like Glenwood, the BE beats the other houses at inter house sport?
@akw: Ek dink hy bedoel Windhoek Gim.
@Grasshopper: I am fully conscious of the fact that GW has always had a boarding house…my response was simply based on your own words…
“…Hence, the school increased the capacity of the BE to bring boys in from afar. Glenwood cleverly started scouting for kids in Pretoria, JHB, PE and all over. Kids usually making provincial level in stronger Unions. These kids are then hosted in the BE. So many of these kids play A team rugby, cricket etc. The BE is like a Sports Academy/Institute of sorts, probably with Afrikaans as the main language.”
In the interest of not repeating myself, my conclusion is that yes…expect a school with a big boarding contingent to have massive participation in sport, a lot of depth, and a lot of camaraderie. This does no necessarily mean that the school will become a world beater. Let’s have the research done, then debate the results.
@beet: Welkom is not in SA???
@BOG:
Brill?
Leith?
Murray?
Must be around 150 each…
@BOG: It was a guess, how many boarders? And of course there are many factors to success, like living in a desert where there is nothing else to do but play rugby
If I had not known better, I could have sworn that this list was compiled, by Tjoppa, Shirley and some friends, during a card game in the garage- with a significant input from Duppie.@Grasshopper: SAk Sarel- dont exaggerate the number of boarders. Their success runs much deeper that just hostels.
@Wyvern: Totally agree with you, girls are certainly not a good influence for some boys. I think my point is boarders in their spare time practice their sports, so they usually playing touch all afternoon late into the evening. They are fitter and know each other well. Team ‘moves’ and çalls’ are second nature to them. Boys know exactly what little Johnny does when he has the ball and are prepared for it. Day dogs are not as well drilled. In fact I can hardly remember a day dog playing A team in 2nd form. They did eventually catch up by 4th form. With regards to a schools depth, having a larger BE certainly reflects here eg Grey Bloem with probably 500 boarders…
@Playa: I think you might have mistaken me, the Glenwood BE has been around a while, it is a traditional boarding house and it’s not only for sport, I believe they won the Academics interhouse trophy too; http://www.glenwoodhighschool.co.za/interhouse-academic-results-term-1-2016
A bit of history on Gibson House;
Gibson House, the School Boarding Establishment, was completed in 1934 and has served this school ever since. Originally, the House had a capacity of only 60 boys but was enlarged in the early 1970’s to accommodate 151 learners. It has recently expanded to accommodate 270 boys. The House was named after one of the first boarders Roy Gibson, son of Durban’s “Lady in White” Perla Siedle Gibson. Roy had a distinguished military career during World War II until he met an untimely death whilst serving with the Black Watch in Italy. Gibson House takes part in all School activities as a single unit, and, it is a credit to the fine spirit and enthusiasm of the boarders that it is able to compete very favourably with the four day scholar houses. One of the key features of life at Gibson House is the friendly spirit of camaraderie which exists. This has been built up over the years and the homely atmosphere which prevails is as a result of the conscientious effort to minimise the institutional atmosphere which exists in many other school boarding establishments. Naturally, a high standard of politeness and good manners has always been emphasised and the boarders are always a credit to the School.Gibson House has a fine tradition of sporting and academic achievement; this is reflected in many well-known names appearing on the Honours Boards in the Dining Hall.
Lastly, I can tell you Michaelhouse do care about sport and already attract the cream of the allrounders, Spud helped them there a bit. Oversubscribed maybe 4 times over every year. Not sure if every family can afford the R240k a year though……..eeekkkk!
@Playa: @Grasshopper: I don’t think there’s definitive proof to confirm that if a school has a higher % of boarders it should thus be better at any given sport. There are a lot more other factors that come into it i would imagine.
However, if there is one thing i personally can confirm having been to a “big” boarding school
, is that it does help when it comes to camaraderie and how you work with the teammate next to you. Maybe KC is bit different since day boys generally stay on campus until the evening and often come back on weekends to hang around with the boarders. I have a feeling that this is one of the key reasons why the relatively smaller traditional private schools punch above their weight generally speaking.
It would be interesting to see some research done on what impact (if any) % of boarders has on a schools overall (including academics) performance. Dare i say that coming from a co-ed school the influence of the opposite sex has more of an influence in this regard (either negatively or positively)
@Grasshopper: But that does not apply to every school…in fact I’m inclined to say most. You have to separate schools which have traditionally been ‘boarding schools’, from those who have only recently increased boarding capacity for specific reasons, e.g. to grow a sports academy. The latter, in my view is the exception rather than the rule. If a school has increased boarding capacity because they have taken a focus to attracting more sports stars from all over the country, then you are right – they should be stronger, and I guess Glenwood is right to be second on this ranking. But a school with double Glenwood’s BE numbers, who are not bothered by filling up a boarding house with sportsmen will be lingering at about 65 on this list, and would have taken 50 points from Glenwood over the last weekend
@beet: Beet, is this going to be SBR-blog’s rankings for the year, replacing BHP’s ranking?
@beet: Understandable…but under our fixture’s you recorded a 5 – 24 lost against Walvisbaai PS, but should be a 5 – 24 win for Menlo. Thank you!
@Playa: OK, let me explain from a Glenwood perspective. Glenwood as a suburb used to be middle to upper income area, it has declined to properly middle to lower income. The once wealthier families have moved away so local intake is not what it used to be. Hence, the school increased the capacity of the BE to bring boys in from afar. Glenwood cleverly started scouting for kids in Pretoria, JHB, PE and all over. Kids usually making provincial level in stronger Unions. These kids are then hosted in the BE. So many of these kids play A team rugby, cricket etc. The BE is like a Sports Academy/Institute of sorts, probably with Afrikaans as the main language. So for Glenwood without the BE their A, B and 1st/2nd teams wouldn’t be as strong. This has been the case for Glenwood for over 90 years since their BE, Gibson House was opened. Traditionally we have always had kids from Northern KZN sugar farms and down to Port Shepstone attend. They have now just extended this beyond KZN borders.
@AbsolutMenlo: @Skopgraaf243:
I have fixed Menlo 272 to 680.
@AbsolutMenlo: The only out of SA school that counts is Welkom Gim because they have a track record that makes them easier to rate. So some of the Woestynfees are games played but not Games used
@beet: I could do it, might need the Excel from you to add it in, then a column for % of school who are boarders.
@Grasshopper: I’m not disputing that having boarders strengthens participation in sport – in fact that is one thing I agree with you on. Just saying that it has no impact on the strength of the 1st XV. Or to anything inter-school for that matter. Boarders at School A walking away with everything at inter-house events does not mean that School B with no boarders will be weaker come inter-schools. I fail to see the correlation.
Maybe the research is worth doing in case I am the one who is getting this terribly wrong.
@Grasshopper: Someone has to do the research and I’ll gladly add it as it is a stat worth noting.
@bloedwors: I 100% agree. I think most who follow SBR will too. The issue here is that with only a few games to work off, Helpmekaar’s 50+ point loss to Affies, counts a lot against them as they scored no rating points there whereas teams ahead of them have benefited from being competitive in all their games. As the season goes on, I believe Helpies will rise however once they get to the 3rd term and start playing the big schools as opposed to the macros, well I’m not sure what happens then.
@Playa: let’s just say in most schools the boarding house walks away with every inter house trophy, athletics, swimming etc. Glenwood have around 260 boarders, without them they wouldn’t even feature in the top 50. Boarders are essential to sports strength, especially depth. Look at College and Grey Bloem, probably the most boarders (bar private schools) and they traditionally have the best depth. There are some exceptions where the school is very suburb based so most of the kids live within 5 kilometers so can participate eg Westville. Schools like Glenwood, College and Grey Bloem rely heavily on their boarders
@Grasshopper: I seriously doubt the picture will look like what you imagine it would. In as much as number of boarders will speak to the number of boys involved in sport, I don’t think it will speak to the strength of the school’s 1st XV. If your assumption was true, Hilton and Michaelhouse would be at the top year-in-and-year out.
Add a column for number of boatders and a picture will be painted…
Helpmekaar also a bit too low, I was really impressed with them at St Johns Beet…
….maybe somebody dropped the Radar
@Beet…I really would like to ask if this wasn’t another thumb suck?…St.Benedicts, Marais Viljoen, Michael House, Westville to name a few highly questionable?
@bloedwors…agree with that one too!
Beet, why is Borland landbou so low. They are 26th with only one loss after beating SACS, who finds themselves in 15th position having lost 2 and drawn 1. Does not sound right…
@Vyfster: Menlo 600- 620
Very interesting…..so PBHS, then Westville, then Paul Roos most boys in school, according to this….
Menlo must surely be a typo, no way do they have only 272 boys?…..772 probably, I presume.
@beet: Menlo 3 wins before this weekend: Woestynfees Walvisbaai PS was a 24 – 5 win for Menlo.
@beet: Thanks beet
Anyone not on the list given 5 I assume?
Fixture difficulty avg of their opponent handicap?
@Garsie gees:
How’s it now
Hi beet
If the stats is for this year then you have Garsies wrong, they played 6 and won 5.