The Cape Town Southern Suburbs season for 2023 will conclude with a cup final feel match when hosts Bishops take on Rondebosch on the Piley Rees on Saturday 26 August 2023.
Both schools have raked up four victories out of five starts in their traditional dual interschools local derbies to date. In true style the matches between the four high school 1st XV’s have been so close with an average winning margin of 6.5 points per match over ten matches. August has been even closer, where four matches have seen just a 4.5 points winning so far.
The Platinum Blues, already the winners of a Triple Crown in the first term, made sure they stayed in it to win it and be crowned Southern Suburbs champs, by digging very deep to come back from 10-22 down at the break against a pumped up South African College High School (SACS) on the Memorial A Field. SACS had been on fire and unstoppable in the first half and even extended the lead to 25-10 during the second stanza. Brilliant and dangerous Bishops fullback Gilermo Montoe then played a huge role in the comeback, assisting with a try and then scoring one himself. With the last play of the match, Bishops won a penalty in front 22m out, which star Montoe landed to break the hearts of the hosts and the big home crowd that had come out to support the Young Ikeys in this the 150th year of derbies between these two outstanding schools. It ended 27-25 to Bishops.
Rondebosch are still in line for the August Triple Crown. Their path to the top now includes a double of the highly fancied Wynberg. Bosch held on in the second match, away at Hawthorndens after Berg mounted a late challenge to try swing the result in their favour. The teams changed ends at 7-6 to Bosch with all still to play for but soon after halftime, the Bosch team which contains no real stars, just team of grafters who work so well together as good tight cohesive unit, exerted some authority and scored their second try. Less than ten minutes later they scored another well grinded out try in almost the identical spot on the left of the upright, to build what would prove to be an unassailable 21-6 lead with 25-minutes left to play. Berg, who hadn’t moved the scoreboard enough in the first half, fought back courageously with two converted tries of their own, to go down 20-21 in a pulsating game.
RONDEBOSCH DEALS WITH HUGE 1ST XV RELATED ADVERSITY IN 2023
The lead up to Rondebosch’s home match against Bishops in June 2023, was the starting point of a safety concern of massive proportions and prompted their headmaster Shaun Simpson to issue a newsletter that amongst other things contained this paragraph:
Any threats of violence, acts of intimidation or actions that impact the physical or psychological safety of the educators or learners will not be tolerated. Everyone must be treated with respect and dignity – there is no excuse for anyone to violate these fundamental values. Should it become necessary, members of staff will be instructed to cut off any further communication with parents who violate the rules of proper interaction.
Rondebosch standing tall…epic, well done.
Congratulations to Rondebosch! Another nailbiter and 1 point win after the hooter.
@Smallies: I’ll have to take your word for it, as I haven’t seen those grounds.
@Vleis: Agree, have to see that field for yourself
@Vleis: Union High and Volkskool Graaf Reinette also very beutifull
@Vleis: one of the schoolboy sportsgrounds with a spectacular veiw is the Hangklip sportsgrounds in Queenstown, it has a veiw of the Mountains surrounding the town that rivals any in the western cape ….
I attended the SACS v Bishops 1st team match on Saturday. SACS scored a try a few minutes into the game and built the lead up to 24 to 10 in the 2nd half. The only time that Bishops went ahead was via the last kick of the game – a penalty under SACS’ poles. I felt terrible for SACS, but Bishops was more dangerous on attack in the 2nd half.
I was amazed at the beauty of SACS’ campus – indeed, the 1st team field must surely be the most picturesque in the country.
Congrats to Bosch on a well deserved win. Totally dominated Wynberg in the first half and it was enough to win the game. Rondebosch lock Barnard was outstanding. It does not hurt so bad losing to Rondebosch. Both my grandsons are likely to attend Bosch in the next few years so I will have to get used to shouting for Bosch…
It feels like a competition final …