The analysis below was forwarded to blogger Steve. It’s of the schools of origin of the players in Saturdays Currie Cup final per SARFU’s data. As always it makes for interesting reading in terms of some of the “smaller” rugby schools contribution to SA rugby and certainly from a Michaelhouse perspective 5 players is a first (there were 4 in the 2011 final at Ellis Park which was unprecedented at the time). 24 out of 44!
| School | Players |
|---|---|
| Michaelhouse | 5 |
| Brackenfell | 2 |
| Standerton | 2 |
| Montagu | 1 |
| Frans du Toit | 1 |
| Pretoria North | 1 |
| Bastion | 1 |
| Brits | 1 |
| Diamantveld | 1 |
| Hentie Cilliers | 1 |
| St Johns | 1 |
| Eldoraigne | 1 |
| Uplands | 1 |
| Riebeckstad | 1 |
| Fichardtpark | 1 |
| Marias Viljoen | 1 |
| Hugenote | 1 |
| Linden | 1 |
| TOTAL | 24 |
Schools of origin of Currie Cup 2014 finalists
| Lions | School | WP | School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schalk vd Merwe | Grey College | Alistair Vermaak | Hentie Cilliers |
| 2 | Robbie Coetzee | Eldoraigne | Scarra Ntubeni | KES |
| 3 | Ruan Dreyer | Monument | Pat Cilliers | Michaelhouse |
| 4 | Martin Muller | Bishops | Jean Kleyn | Linden |
| 5 | Franco Mostert | Brits | Manuel Carizza | Argentina |
| 6 | Jaco Kriel | Standerton | Rynardt Elstadt | Montagu |
| 7 | Dereck Minnie | Marias Viljoen | Mike Rhodes | Michaelhouse |
| 8 | Warren Whiteley | Glenwood | Nizaam Carr | Bishops |
| 9 | Ross Cronje | Michaelhouse | Nick Groom | Rondebosch |
| 10 | Marnitz Boshoff | Nelspruit | Dimitri Catrikillis | St Johns |
| 11 | Courtnall Skosane | Brackenfell | Seabelo Senatla | Riebeckstad High |
| 12 | Howard Mnisi | Standerton | Jaco Taute | Monument |
| 13 | Lionel Mapoe | Fichardpark | Juan de Jong | Hugenote |
| 14 | Ruan Combrinck | Michaelhouse | Kobus Van Wyk | Paarl Gim |
| 15 | Jaco van der Walt | Monument | Cheslin Kolbe | Brackenfell |
| 16 | Armand vd Merwe | Outeniqua | Neil Rautenbach | Paarl Boys High |
| 17 | Jacque van Rooyen | Pretoria North | Oliver Kebble | Bishops |
| 18 | Julian Redlinghys | Monument | Brok Harris | Bastion |
| 19 | Willie Brits | Diamantveld | Sikhumbuzo Notshe | Wynberg |
| 20 | Warwick Tecklenburg | Uplands | Louis Schreuder | Paarl Gim |
| 21 | Mark Richards | Michaelhouse | Kurt Coleman | Grey High School |
| 22 | Harold Vorster | Frans du Toit | Michael van der Spuy | Grey College |
@Grasshopper: Hmmmm….huge call on both counts. Certainly a player of immense quality, BUT that 2nd best no 8 tag is definitely also debatable.
I’ll leave the best captain debate to those who are able to judge that.
Well done Province
@Grasshopper: Sorry…best captain my ass…good player though…Go Province…
Go Glenwood Old Boy Warren Whiteley, 2nd best no8 in the country and arguably the best captain. The Sharks need you at home! Go Lions!
@star: I’m not sure if “smaller” is appropriate but there are still only 550 odd boys so still a commendable achievement. But for the vagaries of rugby injuries etc you could potentially have added Robert de Bruyn, who started most of the Lions Currie Cup games in 2013, but has been out since the beginning of the season with injury and/or Guy Cronje to the Lions squad in addition to Pat Howard
If WP go on to win will Pat Howard not also get a winners medal. That will make it 6. Well done House. I wonder what has happened to Sithole who was involved with the Stormers Super 15 campaign.
I also agree with Amalekite about defining House as a ” smaller” school in rugby terms. Westville’s Opens did considerably better against the so called ” bigger” schools( the likes of GW , College, KES and PBHS).
Sorry Beet, but I disagree with calling Michaelhouse a “smaller” school. They regularly field 8 open rugby teams versus a “big” school like DHS who just manages to put 4 sides together. House play against the tier one teams. They have great coaching staff and facilities. It is certainly not a surprise to see their players doing well, year after year.
I cannot comment on the other schools on the list, but some of them are definitely lesser known, so well done to those boys for persevering!