from https://sacsrugby.com
SACS VS BISHOPS
On Saturday 6th May we celebrate 150 years of the oldest schoolboy rugby derby in the country – SACS vs Bishops.
History:
The first officially recorded game between SACS and Bishops was held in 1873. The first match ever played at Newlands Rugby Stadium, in April 1890, was contested between the two schools. SACS versus Bishops also served as the intervarsity match of the day when both schools had yet to cede their college classes.
In 1891, the SACS man Ben Duff played three rugby union Test matches in a home series against the British Isles. These were the first ever official Tests that South Africa played and due to the order in which players’ names were listed on team sheets for a match at the time, Duff has the distinction of being the first Springbok. Western Province, winners of the Currie Cup in 1892, wore SACS jerseys because their captain Ben Duff was a SACS man and they have worn the blue and white hoops of SACS ever since.
In 1896 South Africa wore the myrtle green shirts for the first time, which their captain, Barry Heatlie, borrowed from his Old Diocesans club (Bishops). The Springboks play in the same green jersey to this day.
Saturday 6th May 2023:
To commemorate this special occasion, the 1st XV’s of the respective schools and their coaches will line up on each side of the halfway line facing the Heatlie Pavilion. This will happen at 12:15pm (15 mins before the kick off of the main game). The announcer will begin with a period of silence to honour the legendary Bishops coach Mr Andre Jacobs who sadly passed away last week.
The Headmasters plus Robbie Fleck (Bishops) and Percy Montgomery (SACS) will then shake hands and wish each player good luck for the match. Coaches will do the introductions.
The announcer will give information to the spectators about the history of the match while handshakes are taking place.
We look forward to seeing you at Bishops on Saturday!
Last 10 results AWAY at Bishops:
- 2012: SACS won 34-3
- 2013: SACS won 22-5
- 2014: Bishops won 26-12
- 2015: SACS won 26-17
- 2016: Bishops won 43-28
- 2017: 24 all draw
- 2018: Bishops won 19-7
- 2019: Bishops won 47-17
- 2020: COVID
- 2021: Bishops won 29-20
- 2022: SACS won 15-10
From Beet
The match will be the first of the 12 Southern Suburb derbies for 2023.
Wynberg and Rondebosch are the favourites to end the season with the best records. No one is discounting Bishops while SACS finds themselves as the underdogs just as they were in 2022. However the derbies are fierce rivalries and often results are determined by which team has the form and fortune on the day.
Southern Suburbs completed years 2010 – 2022
(using this website’s point scoring formula)
@Kaya 85: Gert Smal did not take prisoners ….🤣🤣
@Smallies: awesome memory…i was sitting a few rows up from where Gert Smal dropped Gary Knight, 1986 Ellis Park.
@Deon: who won the altercation between Gert and Pote?
@Deon: Ek was daar daardie dag….Sal dit nie sommer vergeet nie
@Smallies: Sy naam was reeds hoog opgeskryf, op die rugbyveld, vir ‘n 45 sekondes 400 meter, as mens. RIV.
@Grizzly: twee van my kolegas hier het daardie tyd saam het hom vir DKD gespeel….Ruben se dogters is ook uithaler tennis spelers
@Smallies: @Asterix: Ja nog een waarmee nie moeilikheid gesoek is nie.Sy seuns was in Pta Noord hoerskool en ek dink sy dogters Menlo.Sy seun 8 van USA en die jonger een n masjien tennis speler.
Ja hy was,discus,likewaan soos jy.Ruben was met sy suster getroud,hy en Dricus baie naby.
@Smallies: Sorry Tiaan Strauss nie Atter nie
@Asterix: Hy was n yster nationale vlak veld atleet ook gewees nie waar nie…
@Grizzly: Adri Geldenhuis en Adolf Malan was n puik slot paar gewees ,later was Adri net so effektief as enforcer by die OP gewees,By die WP was daar later n flank Schalk Burger jnr ,so n blondekop ,Kliphard gewees,hy en Adriaan Strauss was n dodelike kombinasie gewees
@Grizzly: Nog een wat baie geinforce het op die ou manier, net na daai groot name wat jy noem was Drickus Hattingh.
@Smallies: Die laat 80 Bulle was n klomp ysters.Maar vir my die vuilste speler was Adri Geldenhuis.Uit die perd se bek het ek verneem dat dit van bo gekom het om te enforce.
Die ding was daai tyd was die enforcer se rol anders,jy moes fiesies bliksem.In die ope,los scrums net waar jy kon.
Daai span kon hul tricks en trades met ander spanne try maar was ligtig vir Province…oor Gert Smal.Vra vir ek dink Gary Knight..
@Grizzly: Drie goed wat ek uit my jong dae onthou
1 Morne Du Plessis wat Naas plat hol
2 Jannie Els wat Naas plat slaan
3 Brian Beanhoff se kaalgat tackle op FC Smit🤣🤣🤣🤣
@BoishaaiPa: Trek net jou been,weet jy laaik dit nie as ons die old boys aan vat nie…onthou nog my post oor Corne🤣
Wiet nie vir Uli gelaaik nie?
@Deon: https://youtu.be/LQpF940B6fQ
Rrrrrrrrrrrr……
@Deon: net een frase wil ek noem ,dit sal als se oor wie ek dink die beste vleuel in sa was ….
HIER IS SPOED HIER IS SPOED HIER IS SPOED HIER IS SPOED…..as hy nie tragies oorlede is nie sou sy naam hoog op geskryf gewees het….Jaco Reinach….
@Grizzly: Hoe lei jy van 3 woorde af ek hou nie van Uli nie?. Hy was my dokter in 1Mil toe ek my enkel gebreek het op Vootrekkerhoogte se rugbyveld.
@Smallies: Pote was ook fantasties. Onthou jy die tyd van die Noord Suid wedstryde? Pote Fourie en Gert Smal het mekaar voor my op Nuweland “gegryp”. Ek het reg voor gesit en cheer.
@Grizzly: Jy stel dit mooi. Ek dink darem nie Die Prins het hom laat afknou deur enige-iemand nie. Was altyd goed om Carl, sy broers Willie en Michael saam met Niel Burger (met die boomstompe vir bobene) saam in die agterlyn te hê. En natuurlik, Goggie van Heerden ( Grey College indien ek reg onthou) met al sy “nederigheid”. Daardie eerste drie in die 1982 Curriebeker finaal. !!!!! Henning, Hempies en Shaun Povey voor. Divan, Hennie, later Faffa.
@Grizzly: Bismark is n baie vuiler speler as Ulie gewees maar ek laaik beide kwaai….Ntvl van die laat 80,s en vroe 90,s was besaai met harde manne ….twee wat altyd vir my Uitgestaan het was Pote Fourie en Krynauw Otto Otto was die oorspronklike enforcer van die moderne era
@Grizzly: En een van die min (eintlik die enigste wat ek kan onthou) spelers wat ‘n jong Danie Gerber in toom kon hou, was sy broer Willie
@Deon: Moenie reply dat ek nou n woordeboek moet gaan soek nie maar jys reg omtrent Uli.
BHP hou nie van hom nie want hy het vir Carel du Plesis af geknou.Die du Plesis is soos die bastion van BH🤣
Het jy geweet dat Carel nog nooit gedyk het in die 17768 driee wat hy gedruk het nie😁😁😁 behalwe miskien die een teen die KAVALIERS.
Die prins van vleuls,een van my gunsteling spelers.
@BoishaaiPa: Hahaa, ok, dis waar.
@tzavosky: Klassiek. Enig is sy soort, ongelukkig.
@Deon: Tony Watson remembers…
@Deon: ‘n Stukkie nuttelose inligting:
Op Tukkies het ons vroeg in die jaar ‘n interklaskompetisie gehad, wat gedien het as proewe vir Medies se koshuisliga spanne – die 2de jaars speel teen 3de jaars, 4de teen 5de jaars, en die wenners teen mekaar om te bepaal wie speel in die finaal teen die 6de jaars.
In ’81 was ek die skeidsregter tussen die 2de en 3de jaars (die enigste wedstryd wat ek ooit geref het). Uli het vir die 3de jaars gespeel (ons het geweet hy sou nooit koshuisrugby speel nie). Hy het die arme 2de jaars so fisies oorheers dat ek hulle jammer gekry het.
Op ‘n stadium het ek hom eenkant toe geroep, en gesê, “Kyk, ons weet jy is goed, maar skaal dit net so ‘n bietjie af, jy is besig om die outjies te boelie”, wat hy nogal gedoen het. 3de jaars het steeds gemaklik gewen, en as ek reg onthou die finaal teen die 6de jaars ook.
@Kaya 85: For a moment my mind drifted and I read your post as “Dirty rotten scoundrel” lol. Anyway, you are entitled to that image of Uli. I would have agreed long ago, watching through my WP tainted glasses. When I learnt more about the man, I suddenly could not recall a single Burger Geldenhuys/ Andy Dalton like moment in which he played a part. What an embarrassment that was. Cheers
@Deon: physically powerful, exceptional endurance, mentally strong, and highly intelligent…agreed.
Yet a Dirty bastard
@Kaya 85: Uli Scmidt morally weak? The epitome of the strength of character and moral fortitude you claim he lacks really manifest as a 90 kg hooker dominating and bullying really dirty, underhanded opposition up to 30 kg heavier than him , the discipline, brutal physical and more so cerebral toughness to run ultra marathons 80km plus three weekends in a row, the academic intelligence, cogitation, discipline and psychological toughness to specialise in medicine while doing all that and to become much loved and well known for exceptional, including philanthropical community service, not only, but especially with regards to handicapped children.
Perhaps it is time for you to set your own “moral parameters” more wisely and better informed and recalibrate that weak-vs-strong-character-detector you flaunt here in a fashion those not familiar with who you really are, may regard as morally weak.
@Grasshopper: @Kaya, interesting discussion on boarding numbers and potential link to rugby strength. Just for interest sake, up North, the oldest school derby is Affies vs Pretoria Boys High with 117 matches, since 1920 when the 1st one was played. These two schools are literally seperated by a railway line and both schools have 350 borders (more or less) and are situated in the older but still “good” part of town.
@Deon: Strength of character and moral fortitude not to be confused with ‘rough and tough’ – the latter a euphemism for dirty play. There were probably even dirtier, cheap-shot takers in that Northern Transvaal team of the mid-late 1980s (Adri Geldenhuys, Burger Geldenhuys) but Uli Schmidt was dirty, i.e. morally weak.
@Kaya 85: Yep, similar to Grey Bloem boarder numbers, I think. A large boarding group make the schools sport strong and deep. Glenwood have about 200 max in their boarding establishment, Gibson House
@Grasshopper: those are big numbers, assuming they’re at full capacity…
@Kaya 85: Yep, 500
Nathan House – 105
Hudson House – 130
Shepstone House – 90
Elliot House – 80
Clark House – 100
@Kaya 85: I think it’s 500 plus
@Djou: Plesier ou Djou.
@Kaya 85: If you study the history of Moravians, Hernhutters, you will learn that they would probably tell Uli he was not tough and hard enough. Remember, they were Protestants even before Martin Luther and have been persecuted since forever and had to fight all the time. Uli and Oom Louis (RIP) the original Blou Bul got it from them: lol: What a fantastic man he was. I was honoured enough to know him well.
@Kaya 85: Yes. Paul ran the schoolboy section on Rugby365 before this site existed, and many of us from those days came to know him in different ways. Paul was a teacher of Latin at Bishops, and also coached rugby there. Also a referee in WP for many years. A true gentleman, if one ever had contact with him.
@Deon: Really insightful, thanks!
@Deon: thanks for the insights. … On another note, Uli Schmidt’s Moravian ancestors must have turned in their pacifist graves at his ‘rough and robust’ approach to the game
@tzavosky: and Paul Dobson was the late father of our Stormers coach?
@Grasshopper: BE capacity?
I think the notion that the green jersey of the Springboks came from Bishops is somewhat misleading. Well, it does, but in an indirect way.
In his book A History of Rugby in SA: 1861-1988 the late Paul Dobson tells the story. Up to 1903 the captain of the South African team against the touring Home Unions (Anglo-British, or any other name they went by.) came from the union where the game was played, and he chose which jerseys they would wear – usually that of his club..
Barry Heatley, who with three of his brothers were schooled at Bishops, had a dream of founding an Old Diocesans club, which came about in 1895. Barry’s wife Jessie designed the jersey of the OD club, and stitched them together from pieces of material, of which the dominant colour was green. So, in 1896 Heatley chose that jersey for the SA test in Cape Town, which they won (for the first time ever IIRC).
In 1903 they again won the test wearing the exact same set of jerseys chosen by Heatley. That 2nd win in green became the deciding factor in the permanency of the green Boks’ jersey, so we actually have to honour Jessie Heatly!
@BoishaaiPa: Ah nice, gives me some context. So 173 games for Glenwood vs College is a big number, maybe top10 for volume in SA. We regularly play College twice a year, home and away. However, the depth is getting smaller as the lower teams are starting to stagger, we don’t have the massive BE capacity of College. I’m astounded how parents send their kids to one of the most dangerous towns/cities in the world. Scumbilo isn’t any better…
@Grasshopper: Grassy..dont have the Sacs vs Bishops detail but I know Bishops vs Rbosch played their 200th game last year but they play twice a year.
@Kaya 85: Just for instance, there was no South Africa to represent in 1891, and there were no Springboks until 1906, for starters. The rest is politics, race, ethnicity, language- not to be discussed here, but very relevant. Read for instance the history of Laerskool Groote Schuur (Woelinge langs die Liesbeeck). At least SACS now do not claim to be the oldest school in SA as previously (about 100 short of a few others), but even the oldest high school claim is not so “lekker”. The explanation by the headmaster of the history of segregation in SA schools is shockingly, bizarrely fraudulent. But let us ignore that. Fun fact before I sign out. Oldest school in SA , LR Scmidt Primary 1738 was founded by and named after Uli Schmidt’s ancestor, and if you pierce the veil of technicalities Kwaggas, Outeniqua , celebrating 100 this year, is the oldest high school still in operation. The first multi-racial school in SA was the Amersfoort school, opened by Jan van Riebeek , 18 April 1658.https://www.news24.com/life/archive/this-list-with-200-of-south-africas-oldest-schools-may-surprise-you-20180409
Also, does anyone know the overall match count, wins, losses and draws? I wanted to see how it compares to the number of times Glenwood has played College, which I believe is 173 times. Must be the most between two schools in KZN, bar maybe DHS vs College
@Deon: what are these half and quarter truths / trusts?
Then we have Maritzburg College vs Hermannsburg in 1870, a few years earlier. Only not the longest derby because Hermannsburg is no longer; https://maritzburgcollege.co.za/2020/10/09/celebrating-150-years-of-rugby-on-the-african-continent/
@Kaya 85: Don’t read too much into the historical aspects of the article. Lots of half and quarter truths and even qualified trusts in there, just like on SACS’s official website.
Go SACS. Die SACS kom weer.
@Kaya 85: what makes me a bit sad is the fact that the first game was played at Newlands ….the oldest rugby venue in SA ,and that venue is about to become a carpark…
I will be heading to watch the under 14a/15a games being played on adjoining fields and then will catch the first team game. Initially rain was predicted but I see the forecast has been updated that the rain will now only be in the late evening. No wind and rain should lead to a great game. I watched the SACS games at the recent festivals and while they seem to have a competitive team some of the backline defense was poor, in my opinion and unless they make tackles against Bishops they will be badly beaten.Derbies can however be unpredictable. My feeling is Bishops will win this comfortably.
Thank you for sharing this. Wow… an insightful and valuable post about THE two schools that set the tone for rugby in all of South Africa….it’s amazing how much we take for granted without knowing origins, so thanks for connecting us with the story behind the history. 150 years later they are still going strong. Big respect, both teams are Winners in the deeper sense, but I think SACS can score the victory tomorrow!!