The highly successful Premier Interschools has been responsible for bring top quality schoolboy rugby back onto the tellie after a period of during which televised games had become very rare. The formula has been to focus on popular traditional rivalries.
One has to appreciate that it is not possible to cover the full spectrum of good match-ups that occur on a weekly basis around the land but in terms of overcoming the hard to please all the people all the time scenario, Premier Interschools has certainly done an outstanding job of bring in a growing audience of very satisfied viewers apart from the die-hard SBR supporters.
Very soon now the committee that decides on what games get shown on the box in 2014 will get the ball rolling.
So the question I’d like to ask is what games would you like to see broadcast in 2014? Please share you opinions.
Premier Interschools game from 2012-2013
|
Date |
School_Name |
Opp |
Result |
For |
Against |
|
2012/05/26 |
HJS Paarl |
Grey College |
Win |
28 |
18 |
|
2012/06/09 |
Glenwood |
Maritzburg College |
Draw |
16 |
16 |
|
2012/06/16 |
Paul Roos |
HJS Paarl |
Lose |
17 |
22 |
|
2012/07/21 |
Affies |
Maritzburg College |
Win |
33 |
7 |
|
2012/08/11 |
Monument |
Waterkloof |
Lose |
19 |
22 |
|
2013/04/27 |
Outeniqua |
Paarl Gim |
Lose |
25 |
37 |
|
2013/05/11 |
Paul Roos |
Paarl Gim |
Lose |
15 |
24 |
|
2013/05/18 |
KES |
Maritzburg College |
Lose |
8 |
30 |
|
2013/05/25 |
Grey College |
HJS Paarl |
Win |
35 |
28 |
|
2013/06/01 |
Glenwood |
Monument |
Lose |
20 |
26 |
|
2013/06/08 |
Bishops |
Rondebosch |
Lose |
7 |
22 |
|
2013/07/20 |
HJS Paarl |
Paul Roos |
Win |
21 |
20 |
|
2013/07/27 |
Grey College |
Grey PE |
Win |
50 |
21 |
|
2013/08/03 |
Paarl Gim |
HJS Paarl |
Win |
37 |
26 |
|
2013/08/10 |
Outeniqua |
Noord-Kaap |
Win |
36 |
23 |
|
2013/08/17 |
Paul Roos |
Grey College |
Lose |
8 |
40 |
Boland Landbou vs Oakdale Landbou
FYI guys, TV measurement is severely flawed so ‘viewership’ figures are extrapolations from set top box panels. Until everybody has digital TV no one can know for sure….Glenwood vs DHS in 2012 would have had most of higher LSM Durban watching….
@Beet: Unfortunately the NuPower is a bit watered down in the sense that you don’t hava a school spirit. Different matches played at different fields etc. The nice thing about the Premier schools is that the different sports all participate on the same weekend. The games I tried to list are those with school spirit and all the sports participating – everything coordinate to draw the crowds. I heard that Premier Schools drew more viewers than Vodacom this year.
@Djou: Yes some good games there.
I think the Nu-Power day when you have several NV teams at one venue is the equivalent to a WK in terms of super schools. It might come at a cost but there are 3-4 excellent games on one after the other that day. Would be awesome to watch.
It would also be great if PI could step in and broadcast the SA Schools games. However I’m not sure they would be as popular as school matches but if they were scheduled for any weekdays from Mon-Thu at say around 7pm, with nothing else in terms of rugby going on, this could push up TV audience.
Most watched game on this list was Grey PE vs Grey college according to Tiaan Strauss.
@Greenwood: I’m not ‘very” familiar with the Cape Sides but I’m sure these game will be great to watch:
Paarl Gim vs Paul Roos
Paul Roos vs Grey College
And also
Grey High vs Grey College
Queens vs Dale
In the Northvaal I would love to see big crowd attractions such as:
East Rand vs West Rand clash namely EG Jansen vs Monnas
A new watermouthing fixture in Pretoria: Waterkloof vs Garsies
More north: Nelspruit vs HTS Middelburg
Traditional: Affies vs Grey College and Affies vs Pretoria Boys High
Northern Cape: Diamantveld vs Noord-Kaap
Down south: Boishaai vs Paarl Gim and Paul Roos vs Grey College (central)
Outeniqua vs Oakdale; Marlow vs Boland Landbou
KZN: Glenwood vs Kearsney/MC
And Grey PE vs Queens/HTS Daniel Pienaar in the Eastern Cape
@spot: hmm, perfect opportunity for the KZN High schools to do some recruitment ;-)
Congrats and good luck to the different associations hosting youth weeks in 2014. Pumas = Craven Week, Boland = Academy Week, Bulls = Grant Khomo and Sharks = u13.
Third tragedy strikes Affies in 18 Months. Zander Delport, sa 400m u/15 champion passed away on Friday 04 October 2013. The reasons for his sudden death is still unknown. Our condolences to the community and especially to his parents. May God be with you.
Nu power finaal en selfs die Beeld finaal- Die direkteurstrofee finaal (nou Beeld) was al die jare op TV.
EG JANSEN vs Kempton park- Falcons league top 2 schools and some brilliant matches been played by these two the last few seasons.
I’ll go with Burra here – no Cape Schools though ?
@Mike: Grey PE is always a top 20 side, so yes the ‘Grey’ game should be in the mix. I actually hope Glenwood get to play Grey PE at their festival…
@Mike: @Woltrui: As far as Eastern Cape games go I would say that Grey PE vs Queens is the game to watch Queens have a much higher ability of beating Grey PE than Selborne or Dale do.
Grey PE will be one of the teams to watch in SA in 2014.
Don’t count out the Grey College vs Grey PE game for 2014 in PE. These two age groups are about even in wins and losses against each other since u9. I might be under correction, but the matrics of Grey College have only ever lost as an age group to Grey PE. Their u16 year, grey college won 20-18, Lamond Bouwer (went to PE, then to Bloem, now back in PE ) scoring the winning try for Bloem last year with two minutes to go. U15 game was drawn 18-18 in Bloem. Penalty for Bloem to square it up on full time. Can’t wait
Without a doubt
Glenwood vs Westville
Glenwood vs Maritzburg college
Maritzburg vs Hilton (Reunion)
Kearsney vs Westville
Affies vs Grey College
PBHS. Vs Affie
Affies vs Monnas
The boer war, Affies vs PBHS! Dale vs Queens and SACS vs Bishops….
Sorry, Queens / Dale en Grey PE / Selborne
-Glenwood/Maritzburg
-Grey Bloem / Affies
-Affies / Kloof
-Kloof / Boishaai
-Nellies / HTS Middelburg
-Grey Bloem / Monnas
-Perel Gim / Boishaai
-Paul Roos / Grey Bloem
-KES / Jeppe
But otherwise, the matches I would like to watch, are the following: GCB vs Affies; vs PBHS; vs MC; vs Boishaai; vs PRG; vs GW; vs Grey HS; vs Selborne ect—
Something that most, if not all, have overlooked, is the fact that contractual obligations of some schools, exclude them from participating in Premier Schools. Or am I wrong in thinking so? If you want local derbies, watch “Classic clashes” and tolerate the “commentary” that comes with it.
Here are the main KZN ones;
History
College vs DHS ( proper classic clash)
Michaelhouse vs Hilton (proper classic clash)
Glenwood vs College (92 years)
Glenwood vs DHS (oldest Durban derby – 93 years)
New Derbies/Best contests
Glenwood vs Westville
Kearsney vs Westville
These would be my KZN contenders!
I think college v glenwood is going to be one hell of game and should be considered as a premier fixture. Kearsney coming off the number 1 status for 2013 should be in the mix but then I am biased. Kearsney v Westville will be hotly contested as this was the one fixture that would have ultimately decided the No1 spot in 2013 for sure.
KZN game for me has to be Glenwood – Westville as it will be a cracker next year . Of course the top ranked schools should be a given when they play each other. If you restricted televised games to teams in the top 20 ( whoose ranking though???) then there would be extra motivation as every boy want to be on TV . It would also be benneficial to select games that fall on founders days etc as you are guarenteed a big crowd and a good atmosphere . We must also not losse sight of the fact that a lot of these games are actually of a better quality than some of the currie cup first devision rubbish that is shown . Before certain people start jumping ( Cheeky Watson ?) I am only saying the the skills on display are superb with any of the top school sides and they most likely would not beat the Southern Kings Super rugby side but you never know
@Gungets Tuft: Reunion day already identified as a possibility for 2014..
What about the 2 or 3 biggest clashes/oldest rivalries out of each region?…
WP:
HJS vs Gim
Paul Roos vs SACS
Bishops vs R’Bosch
EP/Border
St Andrews vs Kingswood
Grey PE vs Selborne?
Queens vs Dale
North
Pret Boys vs Affies
Waterkloof vs Monnas
EG Jansen vs Kempton
KES vs Jeppe
??????
Central:
Grey Bloem vs ?
??????
KZN:
GW vs MC
Hilton vs MH
Kearsney vs WV
If College vs Glenwood could ever repeat that epic that they had on Goldstones at this years Reunion, then I would vote for that every time.
They would be missing a massive occasion if they ever miss a College Reunion day – this year will be Hilton. It never fails to deliver in terms of passion and atmosphere. No doubt the same for House vs Hilton, Glenwood vs DHS. They aren’t on the list, they should be.
@beet:
Grey College vs Affies
Queens vs Dale
Selborne vs Grey HS
Kingswood vs St Andrews
Glenwood vs Maritzburg
Michaelhouse vs Hilton
Affies vs Waterkloof
Bishops vs Rondebosch
Monnas vs Waterkloof
HJS vs Gimmies
KES vs Jeppe
KES vs PBHS
Dan Pienaar vs Framesby
@beet: It pretty much clear which games most will prefer to see..the problem comes when Grey vs Affies is on the same day as HJS vs Gim…Which game gets preference if you can only televise one?…There are actual scenarios like that already next year with the limited feedback we received so far on fixtures…i.e. on 12th April College is playing Pretoria Boys and Paul Roos is playing Grey PE..on 24th May it is College vs Glenwood and Paarl Boys vs Grey Bloem!…Who gets the vote?..
EG Jansen vs. Kempton Park. ( League Match )
Always a good match.
Not the final, as this is normally a slow tactical match.
I’ve gotta say I wouldn’t change too much.
Grey College vs Affies
The NuPower semi-finals or finals day
Queens vs Dale
Kingswood vs St Andrews
Glenwood vs Westville
Michaelhouse vs Hilton
Affies vs Waterkloof
Outeniqua vs Oakdale
Monnas vs Waterkloof
HJS vs Gimmies
HJS vs Paul Roos
Gimmies vs Paul Roos
KES vs PBHS
Grey HS vs Paul Roos