The schools rugby programme switches into interprovincial mode from this weekend, writes THEO GARRUN.
The last of the interschool games for the first part of the season were played last weekend.
The provincial teams will complete their pre-tournament preparations with matches this Saturday, and training camps the week after.
The U18 Craven Week and Academy Week will run concurrently at Paarl Boys’ High in the week of 9-14 July, preceded by the U16 Grant Khomo and U13 Craven Weeks at Hoërskool Diamantveld in Kimberley from 2-5 July, and the national girls U16 and U18 weeks at Jeppe High School for Boys in Johannesburg from 25-28 June.
The only interschool action still on the go this weekend is the biennial Independent Schools Festival, which takes place at Kingswood College in Grahamstown from Saturday, 23 June to Wednesday, 27 June. Most of the private schools will be there, although they will all be missing their provincial players and, in some cases, matrics will not be playing because of the looming preliminary examinations.
In last weekend’s action, St Andrew’s College retained the Grahamstown bragging rights by beating Kingswood 25-5 in the K-Day derby. Hilton did the double against Michaelhouse, following up their 22-5 away win in May with a 26-11 victory at home.
REPORT: St Andrew’s win Grahamstown derby
In Durban, DHS rounded off their season with a 41-34 win over Kearsney. This meant that they only lost twice to local schools – Hilton and Glenwood – and four times in all (they went down to St Andrew’s and Garsfontein at the Grey High Festival). They were unbeaten at home.
Glenwood keep marching on. They thrashed Martizburg College 41-0 to keep their unbeaten record intact and have three big games to go. They meet HTS Middelburg and Waterkloof next term, and the big one – Grey College – at home on 4 August.
In other games, Monument and Helpmekaar both won to keep their Virseker Cup hopes alive, while St Charles (31-15 vs St David’s), St John’s (23-21 vs St Benedict’s) and St Alban’s (34-24 vs St Stithians) were winners on a weekend when private schools were the only ones in action in Joburg.
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The St Alban’s win rounded off what has been their best season in a long time. This is the first time that they have beaten St Benedict’s, St John’s, St Stithians and St David’s in the same year.
Eight Craven Week teams will be in action at the Northern Unions Day in Nelspruit on Saturday. The Blue Bulls play the Sharks and the Golden Lions meet Free State in the two big games of the day.
Northern Unions Day:
Saturday, 23 June
9:40am: Griquas vs Valke
11am: Blue Bulls vs Sharks
12:20pm: Golden Lions vs Free State
1:40pm: Pumas vs Limpopo Blue Bulls
Independent Schools Festival:
Saturday, 23 June
11.15am: St John’s vs Graeme College
1.20pm: St David’s vs St Andrew’s (Bloemfontein)
1:45pm: Michaelhouse vs St Stithians
3pm: CBC Bulawayo vs Clifton
4:15pm: Hilton vs St Alban’s
5:30pm: St Andrew’s College vs Kearsney
6:45pm Kingswood vs Bishops
Monday 25 June
11:15am: Bishops vs Hilton
12:30pm: St John’s vs CBC Bulawayo
1:45pm: Clifton vs St Andrew’s (Bloemfontein)
3pm: Graeme College vs St Stithians
4:15pm: St Andrew’s College vs St David’s
5.30pm: St Alban’s vs Michaelhouse
6:45pm: Kingswood vs Kearsney.
Wednesday 27th June
Knight Field
9am: CBC Bulawayo vs St Stithians
10:15am: Kearsney vs St John’s
11:30am: St David’s vs Michaelhouse
City Lords
9am: St Andrew’s (Bloemfontein) vs St Alban’s
10:15am: St Andrew’s College vs Hilton
11.30am: Kingswood vs Clifton
Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
