Old Blog from before the letter above was written.
Hilton has let DHS know that their 1st XV interschools fixture which had been set last year sometime at the annual KZNRU High Schools fixtures meeting, will not go ahead on Saturday 17 March 2018. This is as a result of possibly five Hilton 1st XV rugby players competing in a national T20 cricket competition which overlaps with the DHS rugby fixture date.
Hilton offered DHS 1st XV a midweek game, to which DHS agreed, provided this 1st XV match took place in Durban as opposed to at Hilton where the other interschools Saturday rugby matches from under-14 up to 2nd XV will go ahead as planned. However Hilton refused to accommodate this DHS compromise request.
@beet: He’s certainly set a dangerous precedent for himself. But we hope that any future pressure applied by old boys will be in similar spirit to this one and not for egotistic reasons.
Well done Hilton. You made a mistake but rectified it & I respect you for that. Here’s hoping it’s a great match.
@beet: It hurts him if he is being managed by complaining old boys.
Well done Hilton. Let the Polony Roll
Well this is good news indeed.
I wonder if this change of heart helps or hurts the Hilton headmaster in the long run?
Well done Hilton old boys !! Your voice was heard !!
HILTON COLLEGE
PRIVATE BAG 6001 HILTON 3245 KWAZULU-NATAL SOUTH AFRICA, TELEPHONE : +27(0)33 383 0100 email : headmaster@hiltoncollege.com web : http://www.hiltoncollege.com HEADMASTER: GJ HARRIS B.A. Hons (Wits)
8th March 2018
Dear Parents and Hilton Community,
After further consideration and certain changes that have transpired in the past few days, we have reconsidered our decision not to play the 1st XV match on Saturday 17th March.
We have decided to proceed with this fixture against DHS as originally planned.
We apologize for the change in arrangements and thus for the somewhat mixed messaging. Please know that there have been many aspects that have needed consideration, some of which have changed very recently.
We are excited by the prospect of watching our 1st XV run on against DHS.
The 1st XI Hockey match against Glenwood will still be held at 16:00 on Tuesday 13th March, as this suits both schools.
Kind regards,
George Harris Headmaster
Tony Shuttleworth Director of Sport
MEMBER OF THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA MEMBER OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICA HEADS OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Game on! Just read letter sent out. Some story about certain changes in the last few days! Yes a social media outrage and strongly worded letter from a group of concerned Old Boys.
@Bwana: Lekker Bwana, in their defense College is about 3 times the size of College. They wouldn’t have such great depth as you guys. But it’s piss poor they won’t travel down to Durban with one team to play that fixture. If they worried about home ground advantage. They (HC) can bus the whole school to Durban, claim it as a Polony Enterprise Ride To Durbs.
In 2013 College played Hilton up on Gilfillan. On the day of the match a bug had decimated the entire BE at College. 9 Boys in the 1st XV had to pull out. Did College cancel the game? No. College called up replacements from the 2nd XV and ensured the game continued. Some of the boys were sick during the warm up. Goodson, the captain in 2014, managed a whole 10 minutes of game time. College ultimately lost the game, no excuses were made. The result is printed in the School magazine. Obviously Hilton only back their first choice players/mercenaries and have no confidence in their 2nd XV. This is a damning indictment on their perception of the rugby playing depth at the school. Surely with all their recruitment and spending on professional coaches they should back their kids? Hilton are a bunch of hypocrites by not playing Glenwood due to their professional approach to Rugby.
@McCulleys Workshop: Lekker McCulley. I’m here. Stopped rolling polony as it makes you sick. Rolled my Jeep reading this thread. Can’t believe it’s in English. Really happy for Hilton to be representing KZN at the T20 National. For Flap Jack Sakes. HC can afford to drive to Durban to play this game or has all the recruiting reduced the cash?? What’s wrong with KZN Schools??? Everybody loves Rugby. Kids will play this game in the snow, hail and even if there’s lightening. Why aren’t the schools the same???? Come on HC get the game on.
Watch the communication networks at HC! I predict a letter announcing a turnaround. Apparently Old Boys group wrote a letter expressing grave concerns etc etc. Hopefully the correct decision will be made.
@oldschool: Be interesting to see what happens in the KC House game on saterday.
Great compromise by DHS, being prepared to play them in the middle of the week, I don’t understand why Hilton didn’t take the opportunity, they leave for the Easter tournaments the following week followed by HJS 150. The DHS game would have added to their preparation.
As an aside, has anyone noticed what has transpired to the National Polony industry since Bush and Spear started a “rolling Polony” enterprise?
@beet: any news on this ? Many old boys are embarrassed by this and apparently aired their thoughts to the school , i heard the game may in fact play ?
@KES Oldboy: well said!!
@Playa: @beet: Our side they still seem to be busy with it, or have been this past weekend so I guess my timing could be out then and that is not the reason
This is a ridiculous decision! Hilton have lots of depth. They are looking for a return on ego with all their bursary boys. It’s childish. Play the game and if you lose, you will at least be proud that your cricketers are at Nationals.. winning a rugby match really isn’t everything!
@Quagga: 3 March was the official end of summer sports date. But like Deecee mentioned it’s highly unlikely for sports officials from one code to stand in the way of dual school sportsmen playing outside the season cutoff time, enjoying their moment in the sun for another other code.
It’s just that there are still 2/3rds of a 1st choice rugby team who’s interests have been pushed aside while the honoring of a commitment, which is a fundamental of a good education process, has been broken.
@Playa: Yeah good points by @oldschool: and @deecee: for sure and definitely a valid point by you regarding the season ending Paul Roos vs Grey Bloem match where there is a lot at stake but the match always goes ahead regardless of which star players are away on SA Schools duty.
@beet: He would have approved, or at least “okayed” the performance clauses in the coaches’ contracts. He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. I agree that he should, but hell, he’ll have a tough time endorsing a reversal when he had a say in performance clauses.
@Quagga: Small detail missed: Cricket season runs from September to February. Rugby from March to August. Further, the majority of KZN schools’ (Hilton and DHS included) rugby season ends in June. They have traditionally started their seasons in March for as long time can recall. Technically, it’s the T20 series that is chowing into rugby time. The right thing to do here is give the boys an option to either play in the T20 or the rugby derby, and play with what you have on the day.
P.S. We don’t see the August derbies being cancelled due schools like Grey College, Paarl Boys, Paul Roos etc having players on SA Schools Rugby duty. @oldschool: and @deecee: have raised some seriously good points worth reflecting on.
Come now Beet!! You presume that the Headmaster actually calls the shots? History will show otherwise.
@beet: fat chance of that. This is my perception having been involved with privates for some time : rugby does not outrank other sports in many of these institutions. It’s still first term. Rugby is a second term priority sport. I think it may be that simple for them.
Irrespective of the pro coaches and their own incentives or motives, this decision surely boils down to the Hilton headmaster. He simply has to take charge of the situation and reverse his decision. It’s that easy.
Pathetic to say the least. Hilton have spent copious amounts of money in recruiting the best from all over. Secondly they have far more open age group rugby teams than DHS. This decision is all about marketing and not putting themselves out there to possibly lose. I feel for those kids in the 2nd XV who have all but been told that they are not good enough to replace the cricketers. What on earth is school sport coming to?
@oldschool: ?????
Wow……
I find this very difficult to believe. I am involved with another school playing in the T20. We will be honouring our fixtures minus the cricket players as they get their moment in the sun. We will miss three First XV players and at least two First team hockey players. There has been absolutely no discussion about these boys not being available. In fact our Winter coaches are nothing but supportive. The big difference I suggest is that our coaching staff are School masters!!
WOW! Hilton, WOW!!!
@oldschool: Well said!!
ha ha ha ha , this is ridiculous , where is your Honor ? what are you telling the boys , especially the rest of the squad ? …. sorry lads you guys are not good enough to play DHS , we cant chance a loss , sorry to have not given you the opportunity to play first team , as we have reserved this for an elite few !!
it will be interesting when they get a spate of injuries and are forced to play with 4/5 second team lads … will they then cancel their upcoming fixture ?
rugby is a game of honor and teaches boys a set of values which other sports don’t …Im afraid in this situation the lessons learnt by the boys are not good at all !!
Poor, poor form by Hilton!!