Grey College will not be attending the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival for a seventh consecutive year in 2016. Nor will they be at any other Easter Festival next year. This is a school decision.
Two factors have contributed to this decision.
Firstly Easter Sunday, around which the school holidays and the rugby festivals are planned falls on 27 March 2016, which is very early.*
Secondly Grey will not compromise their summer sport programme for the sake of rugby. Many top rugby players at Grey play summer sports, which are only scheduled to end on the last weekend of the first term. As a result many of the 1st XV players will only become available for rugby practices during those last few school days before the holidays begin on Saturday, 19 March. There would have been a limited amount of time and match practice opportunity to adequately prepare for their typically demanding three matches over Easter.
Even without Easter Festival rugby, Grey will still have one of the most challenging fixture lists in the country.
Although plans are yet to be finalised, consideration is being given to a type of pre-season tour of the Eastern Cape in 2016. Grey has even expressed an interest in playing at the Graeme Rugby Day again.
*FYUI (for your useless information):
The earliest Easter ever recorded in the Gregorian calendar from 1753 onwards was on March 22, both in 1761 and 1818.
A March 22 Easter will not happen until the year 2285.
The Easter date is set around the time of the vernal, or spring, equinox, when the length of day and night is nearly equal in every part of the world.
School calendar
Hi fellow bloggers a good 2016 to all
Big change of life for me moved from Pinetown(known as crime town)
to Winston Park, Hillcrest close to Kearsney Moved after 4 family members hijacked in one year including me
Looking forward to supporting the green machine who should have a stronger team this year To me Kearsney Easter is by far the best in Kzn – can’t wait
@Playa Agree QC had great potential this year, not easy with all the injuries .The quality of returning players, and the quality of the players and depth in the age groups will always make Selborne a force in the Eastern Cape, a winning culture in all the teams, is there every year. If QC gel well next year they will make it tough for all teams.Dale will always play good hard running rugby thats their tradition and traditions die hard ,not to worry.
@spilly: QC were unfortunately plagued by injuries this year. It would be interesting to see how they would have gone had they not had so many of them. Selborne don’t have many returning next year, but do have a handy 2nd team and a very good under 16 A team. God help my beloved Dale next year
Hoping QC have a great season 2016/17 ,only one observation, Selborne over the last few years, with their combination of year 12 and 11 players returning each year , have developed a culture of winning most games ,QC have not.
I applaud the decision by Grey.These kids play enough games as it is.Always amuses me when people carry on about their school playing more out of province games etc without ever considering the logistics of it.Some teacher has to be responsible for a group of kids and all that goes with it.The cost that goes with these trips.I know what my brother has to pay every time his son at College goes to JHB/PTA.These kids get back knackered.
When are the rumours starting about the various Easter tournaments and who is playing?
also – any news on a special DHS 150th Rugby day?
@Barry: Agree there you spot on.
Another case in point. This is one of many reasons why I say the entire rugby calander nationwide needs a new approach / look at. There are just things that does not add up. The structure of the competitions does not make sense.
There are boys that wish to take part in different sports, however they are forced to choose between sports. The opportunity is taken away from these kids and who knows what the sport eventually looses.
Schools might as well stretch a particular sport for the duration of a year the way that things have been going on. I’m not negative I just trying to understand why things are the way they are, and maybe guys like Beet, MikeT and others can make me understand why sports are overlapping each other. A solotions needs to be found, cause more and more schools might go the direction of Grey to stay competitive on the long run.
So with an early Easter – does that mena a short Term 1 – longer term 2 (and therefore an extra weekend or 2 of SBR)?
@Playa: There is defiantly talk of a game against QC next year what I heard it was going to be a warm up type game so maybe that will happen at Graeme or a few days before hand what I gathered it would be 1st/Under 16.
Would be interesting as buy all accounts what I can see Queens might have a decent team in 2016/17
They would certainly be a wonderful addition to the Graeme Rugby Day! A fixture against their old foe QC, perhaps? Given the QC’s prospects for 2016, I would certainly want to be around Grahamstown at that time. Maybe they can even do a drive by at the Graveyard before trekking back to Bloem