Rondebosch and Wynberg enter the August phase of the traditional Cape Town SS4 derbies, facing the prospect of being without four key players apiece for the last two rounds of matches. This is due to SA u18 international call-ups for the two schools who are stacked with talent this season.
RONDEBOSCH
1 Alutha Wesi – SA u18
2 Josh Neill – SA u18
3 Tom Barnard – SA u18 A
4 Dylan Miller – SA u18 A
WYNBERG
1 Yaqeen Ahmed – SA u18
2 Luquobo Makwedini – SA u18 A
3 Xabiso Mkiva – SA u18 A
4 Adan da Costa – SA u18 A
If there is any consolation, the first of the two weakened team matches will be against each other. So its really going to a massive test of depth and in particular digging extra deep to get something out of their final games of the season against close to full strength rivals, when Bosch will be home to Bishops and Wynberg will visit SACS.
| SOUTHERN SUBURBS 2024 | BISH | BOSCH | SACS | BERG | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat.20Apr | Rondebosch | 55-22 | SACS | – | 6 | 0 | – |
| Sat.27Apr | Bishops | 08-35 | Wynberg | 0 | – | – | 6 |
| Sat.04May | Wynberg | 27-49 | Rondebosch | – | 6 | – | 0 |
| Sat.04May | SACS | 29-07 | Bishops | 0 | – | 6 | – |
| Sat.01Jun | Bishops | 16-31 | Rondebosch | 0 | 6 | – | – |
| Sat.01Jun | Wynberg | 29-30 | SACS | – | – | 4 | 2 |
| Sat.03Aug | SACS | vs | Rondebosch | – | – | – | – |
| Sat.03Aug | Wynberg | vs | Bishops | – | – | – | – |
| Sat.10Aug | Rondebosch | vs | Wynberg | – | – | – | – |
| Sat.10Aug | Bishops | vs | SACS | – | – | – | – |
| Sat.17Aug | Rondebosch | vs | Bishops | – | – | – | – |
| Sat.17Aug | SACS | vs | Wynberg | – | – | – | – |
| POINTS | 0 | 18 | 10 | 8 | |||
| WINS | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Position | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| BISH | BOSCH | SACS | BERG | ||||
Scoring
MOST VICTORIES WINS THE SS4 CHAMPIONSHIP
4pts for a win, 3pts for a draw
Margin of victory points:
Greater than 14 = 2pts to the winning team
Between 8 & 14 = 1pt to the winning team, 1pt to the losing team
Less than 8 = 2pts to the losing team
Would be interesting to know the criteria and reasoning behind these decisions, I mean they’re not exactly accountable to us but a little transparency and accountability would be nice…SBR fans should set a pack of hungry journalists on them.
Like I mentioned in my post, opinions on him will vary & you seem to know him very well. Maybe you could answer the original query seen as most of the people I have spoken to can’t as we haven’t achieved anything in rugby to judge.
How can a player who doesn’t make either the SA Schools or SA Schools A team polevault all the other loosies who did make the team to move straight into the SA U 18 side? Surely you would take the A side player & move him up & the player you bring in would play in the A side. Once you finished answering that, could you arrange tickets for the Wynberg players you referring to who played 2nd side against him to join the gravy train.
@yesnomaybe (Comment #9)
And what have you ever achieved in rugby to judge that he’s been so average? He had a major operation last year which is why he started the season in 2nds but still made AW as a loose forward. Also just to add, playing 2nd team as a grade 11 is nothing to ashamed about. If I’m not mistaken a few of Wynbergs Sa Schools players were also in the 2nd team last year???
@Buthelezi2 (Comment #7)
I meant to say the other day that UCT played Hammies u20 recently and feedback was that Matthew Malherbe had a top match.
@yesnomaybe (Comment #9)
Sometimes players are disadvantaged by their own versatility.
Alutha Wesi was off the charts during the DHS match and against Westville as no.8 and it wasn’t long after that when Bosch asked him to do a job as a 12.
Luann Olivier of Garsfontein surely has to be one of the best players in SA when he wears 6 but he too gets the work done at 12 when called on. I recall Christo Grobler the Framesby captain from 2019 being dynamite at 6 but having to fill in at 12 often. In all three cases the coaches are top quality and know the value of having a dependable 12 but can’t be easy for the players to adjust or readjust.
Can’t disagree that Bosch have some fab loosies. When Colin Paul Kemp is fit, I think it makes the decision to play AW at 12 a little easier so that Bosch can start with their best XV on the park.
@Ystervark (Comment #8)
Opinions wrt Alutha vary immensely, yes he did get to Bosch in Grade 8, however, I think you bought the same lottery ticket as he did if you think that he is the fastest or even the most skillful loosie at Bosch. I can name a few that are far superior. When Alutha was U14 & U15 he was great but from U16 onwards, he lost his speed & size advantage & he’s been average ever since, even playing 2nds for Bosch last year.
@Buthelezi2 (Comment #7)
He hasn’t even been at Rondebosch his whole high school career.
@yesnomaybe (Comment #1)
He has played as a loose forward for WP and Rondebosch his whole high school career. Rondebosch just moved their fastest, most skillful loose forward to 12 as they’ve been doing for years
It also cant be politically motivated because the A side captain from Jeppe who happens to be a loose forward hasn’t been called up to the main side.
@Ystervark (Comment #3)
I cant believe that as 95% of the other selections are exactly the same, sounds very dodgy to me.
@Ystervark (Comment #3)
But what is the reasoning behind having two selection panels. Why not have just one.
To me it looks like the tradition of SAS is being kept alive but its SA u18 that is the prized opportunity. What they need to do is evolve the name SAS to incorporate u18 and so become something like SA Schools / u18. From there revert to selecting one team that can include boys who did not participate at Craven Week.
@yesnomaybe (Comment #1)
Different selection panels. SA Schools sides are chosen by the SA Schools Rugby Association. SA u18 sides are chosen by SARU.
@yesnomaybe (Comment #1)
I will do a post about this because I also struggle to come to terms with SAS and SA u18 not being one and the same. The only exception I can understand is an u18 who is not in school and therefore cannot participate in Craven Week or technically be declared an SAS player.
Nothing against the boy as he doesn’t pick himself, Alutha Wesi, has played 12 all season for Bosch yet gets chosen at as an opensider for WP at Craven Week. He didn’t get as much game time for WP considering he was wearing 6 for WP, which is strange, as the WP coach is the DOR at Bosch. He then doesn’t make any of the SA schools sides but polevaults straight into the main SA U18 side, yet Torren February, makes the SA Schools side & gets polevaulted the other way as he doesn’t make either SA or the SA A team. Wow, ok? I just don’t know how you can go from not being in the picture, then bypassing all the other loosies in the SA A side & jump straight into the main side. Somethings just don’t make sense & its decisions like this that are part of the problem as to why we have the strongest schoolboy rugby system in the world & then it all falls apart at U20 level.