Wynberg close to Grand Slam

Wynberg go a short distance up the Peninsula to SACS for their return match for 2014, the match that ends the season for both sides.

In the contest of the Four Peninsula schools - Bishops, Rondebosch, SACS and Wynberg - Wynberg are on the brink of a clean sweep after beating Bishops twice, Rondebosch twice and SACS (10-0) the first time around.

The match is usually a tense affair.

After the rain this week - and Newlands is the wettest part of South Africa, the SACS field is likely to be heavy but the forecast suggests an otherwise perfect day for rugby beneath the buttress of Table mountain - a wonderful school in a wonderful setting.

Season so Far

Wynberg is having a glorious season, one of their best; SACS has had a far less successful season except that they have improved, which speaks a lot about the morale of the group and its leadership.

Wynberg have played 19 matches, winning 15 and losing 4.

SACS have played 20 matches, winning six and losing 14.

Wynberg are currently ranked 12th on the FNB Top 20.

Neither school had a player in either of the Western Province teams for which they were eligible. That Wynberg had no players selected while Bishops, whom Wynberg beat twice, had eight selected tells perhaps the story of Wynberg's success - a team playing together rather than individuals.

Teams

SACS: 15 Ciaran Dayaram, 14 Damian Rawstorne, 13 Dominic Sherrell, 12 Keagan de Villiers, 11 Aaqil Ebrahim, 10 Jordan Chait, 9 Michael Henning (captain), 8 Justin Williams, 7 Thomas Posen, 6 Dylan Hadzigrigoriou, 5 Robbie Mylrea, 4 Connor Osborne, 3 Alexander Duckitt, 2 Chayse Tyler, 1 Brandon Sweet

Wynberg: 15 Karl Martin, 14 Enrach Swanson, 13 Ibrahim Adams, 12 Jihaad Smith, 11 Grant Turner, 10 Mitch Lotz, 9 Ryan Southern, 8 Keagan Timm (captain), 7 Josh Helmbold, 6 Hishaam Davids, 5 Michael Pollecutt, 4 Brandon Wood, 3 Alex Goldstein, 2 Michael Koen, 1 Sam Henrique

Date: Saturday, 30 August 2014

1st XV kick-off: 13.00

Venue: Memorial A Field at SACS

Expected weather conditions: It has been cold and wet in Cape Town this week but it seems that Saturday will be sunny. The Pile Rees Field is excellently drained and one hopes the field will be dry and encourage creative rugby. The high will be 21°C and the low 10°C

Rugby Programme

Memorial A

09.00: 4th XV

10.20: 3rd XV

11.40: 2nd XV

13.00: 1st XV

Memorial B

08.00: Under-16 C

09.15: Under-15 A

10.15: Under-16 B

11.30: Under-16 A

Spencer-Smith

08.00: 5th XV

09.10: Under-15 D

10.20: Under-15 C

11.30: Under-15 B

De Villiers

08.00: Under-14 D

09.10: Under-14 C

10.20: Under-14 B

11.30: Under-14 A

A short history of rugby at SACS

(with special reference to inter-school matches against Wynberg)

SACS was founded in 1829 and Wynberg in 1841. These are the oldest two schools in South Africa, and so the contact over these years is steeped in tradition.

In 1862, it is believed, SACS played its first game against Bishops, although the first recorded match was in 1873, also against Bishops, which was won by SACS. The first ever match at Newlands (to test the ground as a venue) was a match between the second teams of SACS and Bishops, followed by a match between the first teams.

Records are not available as to the first fixtures against Wynberg. But it is said: ‘Initially Wynberg struggled against SACS’, but that situation was changed in the following years under the tutelage of Eric Tasker and Ray Connellan. The latter initiated the Cape Schools Week in 1980, now an event every two years of great prestige.

It has also been said: “Wynberg’s greatest rivalry is with SACS. The two schools….. are of similar age and wear jerseys of similar blue and white hoops. The two matches per season between the schools are intense, televised in recent years as an FNB Classic Clash.”

 

Some of the highlights of the host school SACS are the following:

1.    There are 29 players who have achieved South African national colours. Some of the famous names include Ben Duff (number 1 on the Springbok list), Billy Millar, the 3 Luyt brothers (the only 3 brothers in rugby history to play together in a test) Clive van Ryneveld, Frank Mellish, Frank Waring, Cecil Moss, Percy Montgomery record number of test caps).

2.    There are three SACS past players in the South African National sides which have won World Cups, viz. Kyle Brown and Paul Delport in the South African Sevens winning side, and Percy Montgomery in the South African team.

3.    Paul Delport is the only player in the history of the game to have captained successive winning World Cup sides : 2003 Under 19 and 2005 Under 21)

4.    Only SACS and Grey College (Bloemfontein) have players in the present two World Cup winning sides.

5.    Six past Wynberg players have represented South Africa, and include the famous Rob Louw, Dave Stewart, Lionel Wilson and Doug Hopwood.

From SACS

Recent Results

2004: Wynberg won 26-24 & 32-10

2005: SACS won 15-10 & Wynberg won 8-3

2006: Wynberg won 13-5 & 42-3

2007: SACS won 19-13 & 37-22

2008: SACS won 11-9 & 47-5

2009: Wynberg won 32-20 & 20-0

2010: Wynberg won 22-11 & 26-24

2011: Wynberg won 17-5 & SACS won 29-26

2012: Wynberg won 26-16 & 8-7

2013: Wynberg won 15-7 & 17-12

2014: Wynberg won 10-0