At Queen’s College, the honours blazer is reserved for rare moments of rugby excellence. By tradition, the 1st XV’s mascot earns one only if the side completes the double over both Dale and Selborne in the same season, while also defeating Grey High and St Andrew’s that year. The last time that standard was met was in 2006, when then mascot Otto — now on proud display in the school museum since the 150th anniversary celebrations in 2008 — achieved the distinction. Nearly two decades on, Batty now stands just one victory away from repeating the feat.
And fittingly, the deciding moment rests on the oldest rivalry of them all: Queen’s versus Dale. The Kudus, under Clinton Loest, have been superb in the post-Covid years, restoring their reputation as one of the Eastern Cape’s powerhouse rugby schools.
Their Border dominance is hard to argue. Dale last got the better of them in 2019, Selborne in 2022, while Cambridge, Hudson Park and Stirling have all been swept aside this season. Victory over the Tickbirds this weekend would seal an unbeaten Border campaign and mark Queen’s eighth consecutive win in the derby.
The only blemish on an otherwise dream year came in Makhanda. Graeme College edged what many considered a de facto provincial decider, using sharp goal-kicking to build a 20–5 halftime lead. Queen’s rallied with two well-crafted tries to shade the try count, but wayward conversions left them three points short in a thrilling 20–17 defeat.
Had they clinched that one, Friday’s clash wouldn’t just be about Border bragging rights – it would have doubled as a shot at an unprecedented Eastern Cape boys’ schools grandslam. Already this season Queen’s have toppled a mercurial Grey High and, significantly, broken a 17-year drought against St Andrew’s on the Lower in Makhanda.
So now it’s simple. One more hurdle. A fierce old derby on the Rec. And if the Kudus deliver, they won’t just claim Border supremacy – they’ll etch their name deeper into folklore, with Batty proudly earning a brand-new honours blazer of his own.
Despite the setback against Graeme, there’s still a strong case to be made that Queen’s have been the top first team in the Eastern Cape this season. With seven Grade 11s in the run-on side and just two matrics in the pack, Queen’s are set to roll much of their firepower straight into 2026.
Well played Queens
@Spice (Comment #6)
Cry some more hater, there were only 3 under 19s in the team with two SA schools A players who are 18 and 17. First team rugby is u19 rugby in any case not u17 or u18, Queens had 10 craven week players and 2 academy, many returning players next year as well. St Andrew’s played their best players as a bomb squad against Queen’s and were easily beaten by being pumped 38 points. We struggling at pre season festivals I won’t even deny that but the bounce back has been awesome. 3 players next year will be u18 having being invited to SA high performance camps the most in any EC school, we also have the most players to make SA schools squads in the EC which means we are the glue that held it down for this province. Next year we will be more dangerous so cry us a river!
Queen’s lost to Pearson!
They couldn’t score a point against Rondebosch.
They beat SAC who didn’t have their best players.
Beating Selborne and Dale these days is almost a given.
Not convinced by all this hype. Their players who have played for three years are U19, it’s not like they were Gun U16s who had to play 1st Team.
@Meesh N (Comment #3)
Include Ncutu Kepe in that list too, that boy has everything and it’s crazy to think this is his first ever year playing on the wing as he’s usually an outside centre. Mqulo in the modern era is the 2nd greatest 15 Queen’s has produced in my opinion behind Kholo Ramashala from 2006 who was brutal when running with the ball. Definitely arguments for the centre’s too. The hooker, Bulumko Manqina is the greatest hooker Queens has produced in the modern era, so underrated but that boy has a unique ability to carry and around the ruck and break the line at crucial moments.
With that being said I believe with their full side back again QC will take it, but I’m sure the Dalians will be frothing at the mouth for a long awaited W.
SOME ALL-TIMERS IN THE 2025 QC SIDE
@RuggaFreak (Comment #1)
Should be a cracker my money on Queens finish on a high
Goodluck to the manne. Excited for Jeff and the boys. With the 2 SA schools A players back I expect Queens to be too strong for Dale but schoolboy rugby is unpredictable at times and that’s why we love it