The coming weekend will be one of the biggest on the schools calendar, with the Wildeklawer Festival and big derby games in Cape Town and Joburg taking place. THEO GARRUN reports.
The Wildeklawer weekend has become a gathering of just about all the top rugby schools in the country. The games are on Thursday and Saturday at Hoërskool Diamantveld in Kimberley.
Saturday sees the first leg of the derby double-header between KES and Jeppe in Joburg, while in Cape Town SACS host Bishops, and Rondebosch travel to Wynberg for the first of their respective annual double derby clashes.
The big result of the past weekend was King Edward’s 33-29 win over Pretoria Affies in Pretoria. This was the 11th time that the two schools have played against each other, and the first time that KES has won. The Joburg school was leading in the 2017 clash between the two, but the game was called off because of lightning and declared a no-result.
Jeppe and Pretoria Boys’ High produced a 14-try spectacle, won 57-35 by Jeppe. Jeppe were totally dominant for most of the game, but let Boys’ High in for two late converted tries that flattered them on the scoreboard.
The stage is set for another epic clash between KES and Jeppe when they meet at Jeppe this Saturday.
In the absence of the Boland WP schools – away at Wildeklawer – the Cape Town attention focuses on the southern suburbs where SACS vs Bishops is the main attraction. This is the oldest officially recorded schools game – they first met in 1873 – and one of the biggest on the schools calendar.
It’s the first leg of a double header, they meet at SACS on Saturday, with the return match at Bishops in July. Bishops won both legs last season, 19-7 at home and 22-20 at SACS.
Wynberg host the 1st round of their double fixture with Rondebosch. The second leg is at Rondebosch on 30 July. In other notable results last weekend, Hilton beat Northwood 29-15 and Michaelhouse beat Westville 31-20.
Selborne beat Queens 36-17 in the big Eastern Caple clash, while in Cape Town there were wins for SACS, Rondebosch and Paarl Gim. Wynberg Boys’ High drew 27-all with Grey High School.
The Wildeklawer Festival is full of intriguing clashes. On day one those that catch the eye are Paarl Boys’ High against Glenwood, Affies vs HTS Drostdy and Monument vs Boland Landbou.
On Saturday the Grey College vs Paarl Gimnasium and Affies vs Paarl Boys’ High clashes are the big ones.
Wildeklawer fixtures
Thursday
8am Menlo Park vs Framesby
9:20am Welkom Gim vs Waterkloof
10:40am Oakdale vs Garsfontein
12pm Transvalia vs Paarl Gim
1:20pm Monument vs Boland Landbou
2:0pm Grey College vs Outeniqua
4pm Paarl Boys’ vs Glenwood
5:20pm Affies vs Drostdy
6:40pm Noord-Kaap vs Helpmekaar
Saturday
8am Boland Landbou vs Transvalia
9:10am Monument vs Drostdy
10:20am Framesby vs Helpmekaar
11:30am Welkom Gim vs Stellenberg
12:40pm Menlo Park vs Oakdale
1:50pm Garsfontein vs Glenwood
3pm Paarl Boys’ vs Affies
4:10pm Grey College vs Paarl Gim
5:20pm Noord Kaap vs Outeniqua
6:30pm Diamantveld vs Waterkloof
Picture: Ian Harris/Reds Rugby Facebook
