Another schoolboy rugby weekend has been and gone, and another round of upsets around the country! That just about wraps up schools action for the term, with some schools even having now finished their season! While there are only two schoolboy games this weekend, they are two of the highest profile grudge matches in the country. It is the second edition of both Hilton/Michaelhouse and St Andrew’s v Kingswood, in the legendary K-Day.
There are a number of Craven Week and Grant Khomo warm up fixtures this long weekend as sides up and down the country look to fine tune their preparations.
* Grant Khomo takes place at Hoërskool Diamantveld from 27 – 30 June.
* Craven Week is being held at Rondebosch from 4 – 9 July.
St Andrew’s v Kingswood
St Andrew’s have had a season to forget, including big defeats to their two biggest rivals, conceding 40 against both Bishops and Grey, but surely the nadir of their season was losing to Graeme on Lower for the first time in living memory. They have already lost to Kingswood at the start of the season and have not won a game since Day 3 of the Saints Festival at Easter, a run of 6 defeats. Historically St Andrew’s have had the better of K-Day on Lower and will need to rouse themselves before they can regroup for their final three matches next term, which includes daunting fixtures Marlow and Bishops.
Kingswood have a 50% record this season, winning 6 and losing 6. Four of these defeats have been by 7 points or less so things could have been very different. They went down to Dale last weekend in a classic Heartbreak Hotel, defeat coming via a last minute penalty from far out. They will be fired up to get a double over their bitterest rivals and will never have a better chance, not only to win on Lower, but make it emphatic.
There will be a huge crowd on hand, with reunions from 3 schools (St Andrew’s, Kingswood and DSG) congregating in Makhanda.
Winner: Kingswood
Michaelhouse vs Hilton
Michaelhouse go into their home clash against arch-enemies Hilton fresh off of a 50 point thrashing of St Charles last weekend. Michaelhouse also have a few players back from injury from the reverse fixture which they lost comfortably on the scoreboard, but where they created enough chances to believe they can spring a surprise in Balgowan this weekend.
Hilton have had an excellent season, as can perhaps be expected having invested in the 2022 side for their 150 Jubilee. The one frustration is that they have played so few schools out of KZN, their one big clash out of the province was against the formidable Paarl Boys’ High in the mudbath at St John’s so it is difficult to read too much in their narrow defeat in this game. Hilton have the carrot of a double over House and confirmation of their status as the province’s best First XV side for 2022, as both schools wrap up their season.
Both sides may be hamstrung by the Sharks Craven Week side having a warm up game on Youth Day. Let’s hope the players involved from both sides come away unscathed and we can have an entertaining game to end the schoolboy rivalries for the next 5 weeks.
Winner: Michaelhouse
