SA School Sports

In a match played in hot Queenstown conditions, Selborne had the better of what is always a tough encounter against one of the top Border hockey schools to emerge with what was their best away win over Queen’s for some years.

The game was always going to be a cracker with the Queen’s side having won the first encounter at Reunion 1-0.

The St Andrew’s College 1^st XI lost the toss vs. Queen’s College on Saturday th 8th February,  and was put into bat on fresh Lower Field pitch at St Andrew’s College.

For much of the year the race for the No.1 spot was a three horse race with Waterkloof taking the early lead with a powerful start to the first term and going into the last month of the season it looked like the Pretoria team might have done just enough to secure the top spot for 2013.

BORDER SCHOOLS TREATED AS FAIR POACHING GAME- A Headmaster's Prospective

Some students of English may remember the ‘Faust Legend’ in which Mephistopheles sold his soul to the devil for the mortal life gains of immense wealth, unbounded knowledge and skills, and success in all pursuits on earth. The short-term gain during this worldly life clearly came to an abrupt end when the realities of the price to pay for all eternity inevitably saw Satan claim payback. One may wonder how this legend may have any relevance to education in general, and sport in particular, in South Africa now and in recent years. Let the rest of the article paint the picture for the reader to be the judge.

With the start of the final cricket season of 2013 there is plenty of cricket that is about to be squeezed into a few very competitive months and if the weather plays the game we are in for a treat of schoolboy cricket.

Match Report: QUEEN’S COLLEGE VS DALE - 16 AUGUST 2013

The Queen’s First XI travelled to King William’s Town for the annual Derby fixture. The game was played under appalling lighting throwing large sections of the field into shadow, making it a challenge.

A season of some of the world’s best school boy rugby has all but come to a close and for the players who ran out for the last time for their school they will be left with that supreme pride that comes from wearing their teams badge and playing to their best ability. A memory that will live with them for decades.

It was a tightly fought season which saw three teams vying for the top spot almost from the start of the season and at various stages all three, Affies, Outeniqua had a taste at being the number one side in the country.

However it is perhaps fitting that it is Affies who can lay claim to the top team in South Africa after completing the season without being defeated, without drawing and winning every single match. It is a supreme effort by a side that played the country’s most powerful teams and still remained competitive scoring heavily in most of their matches.

It is perhaps a pity that somewhere along the line Affies and Paarl Gim never met, as on paper there was very little to choose between the two teams, however Gimmies were held to a surprise draw by Oakdale in what was their only ‘blemish’ on an otherwise spotless season so perhaps finishing in second spot is justified.

A strong finish by Grey College, after an indifferent start to their season put pressure on Outeniqua for the third spot, but the consistency of Outeniqua helped them to finish in the Top three after suffering just the one defeat at the hands of Paarl Gim.

It was another great season and our thanks to the thousands of players, coaches and the avid fans of schoolboy rugby that showed sustained interest in the rankings, offered advice and suggestions and supported us. Rankings are not an absolute science but by factoring in the strength of the opponents, margin of victories and the actual results it is hoped that a team’s current form can be judged.

Feel free to contact us with your thoughts on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , we enjoy the feedback.

The Queen’s First XI played their last home game of the 2013 season on the Chris Harker Astro with a mission to end their home games of the 2013 season as unbeaten.

The Queen’s side knew not to underestimate their opponents as Cambridge, under coach Tim Stirk, are always a team to be reckoned with and the game was to reflect this. Queen’s came out with fire and were to dominate possession in the game continuing to build off their Selborne win by playing good structured hockey and working together as a team. QC were rewarded with a short corner in the first few minutes of the game but the shot was wide. The combination of Cheslyn Neethling with Ryelan Hardnick and Jono Cloete has proved a thorn in the side of their opponents in most games with their ability to launch counter attacks from their baseline and to use their speed and skill to control the centre field and set up attack after attack.

Cambridge maintained their composure and absorbed the pressure applied by the Queen’s lads not hesitating to launch their own attacks at the Queen’s goals whenever they had the opportunity. Both sides were to be awarded short corners which they were unable to capitalise on. The score line was to remain nil all at half time a testimony to the excellent composure and defence of the Cambridge men under concerted pressure from the Queen’s side. Queen’s came out after the break with intent and a good team effort was rewarded when QC Captain Ryelan Hardnick collected a loose ball in the circle and drove the ball home with 23 minutes still on the clock to take Queen’s 1 – 0 up. Cambridge were not to be outdone and with 19 minutes on the clock launched a fast attack down the right hand side with the cross into the Queen’s circle being driven home to level the scores at 1 all. The game flowed from one end of the field to the other with Queen’s enjoying more possession and territorial advantage.

A number of excellent attacking opportunities and a short corner came to nothing with the balls sailing wide of the goals. Queen’s continued however to maintain their composure and continued to stick to their game plan and with 5 minutes remaining Solulwe Bless launched a fast run down the field to see Aubrey Ferreira slot his cross into the circle into the bsck of the box to take Queen’s to a 2-1 lead. Cambridge refused to give up and were rewarded with 4 consecutive short corners within the last 3 minutes but the speed of the Queen’s rush by Jono Cloete was to deny them the equaliser and allow Queen’s to emerge as victors on the day. The Cambridge men are to be commended for their superb defence and certainly gave the Queen’s side a game to remember.

The season moves to its climax with the return derby day against Dale College. Hats off to Coach Luke Makeleni and Capatin Ryelan Hardnick for giving the home crowd a season to remember.

Queen’s College hosted Cambridge High School on Thursday for their annual derby match.

After just over 15 000 votes have been cast it is The Victoria Recreation Ground at Queen’s College that was voted the Best Sports Field in our recent poll by visitors to the website.

In what was a tense and closely fought encounter, on a warm windy Saturday afternoon on the 27th July, 2013, which saw Queen’s beat their traditional rivals Selborne by 14 points to 13.

The Xerox Selborne 1^st XI suffered their first loss since March 2012 when they went down 2-1 at Queen’s College on Saturday. It was a closely- contested match in which Queen’s made better use of their opportunities and defended with composure when protecting their lead.

The unbeaten run continue for Paarl Gim and Affies who brushed aside this week’s opposition with very little worries.

Rondebosch were in a rampant mood at the Cape Town International Festival as they swept all and sundry aside, handed Wynberg their first defeat of the season and won the final to move them ever closer to the top spot.

Victories by Paarl Gim, Affies and Grey College consolidated their status as the leading teams in the country as the second half of the school rugby season kicked off this past week.

A high pedigree Cape School’s Week dominated proceedings in the SA School Rugby scene this past week where there were one or two surprise results and some expected victories for the big names.

The top five all recorded wins over the weekend which ensured that their positions didn’t change and it is a pity that the much anticipated Kearsney v Maritzburg College had to be cancelled due to a flu epidemic.

Please note that two outstanding results for Pretoria Boy’s High have been included which had a small bearing on this week’s rankings. This weekend there is the big “Battle of the Jukskei” when Pretoria Boy’s meet St. John’s College which will give both teams a chance to move up the table.

Thanks for all the astute feedback we receive each week and feel free to contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your thoughts.

The Wynberg machine continues on its merry way with yet another victory in what is turning out to be an outstanding season for the Cape Town outfit.

It was yet another emphatic win by Paarl Gim who managed to steam roll their way over Wynberg to keep their dream of remaining unbeaten very much alive at this stage of the season.

There is some massive hockey taking place this week and it is the Girl’s in particular that will be very busy with several high profile matches on the go and the much anticipated ISSF Festival taking place in Pietermaritzburg.

Facing the possible thought of slipping out of the Top 10 Maritzburg College faced a mighty challenge from Glenwood who on their day are able to mix it with the best in the business.

Waterkloof fought bravely in their match against Affies and almost pulled off one of the upsets of the season this past weekend.

Wynberg clinched two comfortable victories in the past week to cement themselves on the No.1 spot although the chasing pack is not far behind.

Affies didn't play this weekend which gave their players what many would say was a well earned break after playing several gruelling matches on the trot. Even though this was apparently not Affies choice they did get the opportunity to recharge the batteries for a demanding season that lies ahead.

There are now two unbeaten teams occupying the top two positions and virtually nothing separates them at this stage of the season.

  The Xerox Selborne 1^st XI put in a solid performance to come through a hard-fought encounter with a

   2-0 win over the talented Queen’s College team in a match which featured constructive hockey from

   both sides.

   The first half was a fairly even affair with both teams working hard to create opportunities which

   they were unable to finish. Selborne were more measured in their approach and used the width of the

   field well in keeping possession, while Queen’s were effective in transferring play from the back to their

   forwards with accurate direct passes.

After the interval, Selborne stepped up a gear and gained an edge in midfield which 10 minutes into the

half, brought them a field-goal by Mark de Lacy, who worked space for himself in the circle and finished

with a good shot. 5 minutes later, Craig Morgan scored the second goal after excellent lead-up play by

Tyler Sims and Reece Pienaar. With no further scoring, the match ended at 2-0 to Selborne. The game

was played in a good spirit and credit must go to both teams for their part in making it an attractive

match to watch.   

Paarl Gim managed a clean sweep at the Wildeklawer tournament to keep their number one spot secure after having now strung together a run of eight wins on the trot.

A supreme effort from Paarl Gim against Outeniqua over the weekend catapulted Gimmies into pole position and in the process extended their unbeaten run this season.

Yet another crushing victory for high riding Outeniqua see the Kwagga’s firmly entrenched at the top of the table and few will argue that it is well deserved.

Yet another win for Northwood this time over Hilton College saw the KZN outfit extend their unbeaten run to 11 matches and leap in to the No. 1 spot!

The majority of the teams have now played the minimum of four matches to be included in the rankings and this saw several teams make some steady advancement.

Among the many matches that were played out over the past week it was perhaps the Wynberg v Rondebosch and Pretoria Boy’s High v Maritzburg College clashes that were the most eagerly anticipated.

The hockey season promises to deliver some spectacular play and already we are seeing some traditional powerhouses losing ground to other teams who have seemingly closed the gap.

The rugby season is in full swing with most of the teams having started their 2013 campaign and as the second school term starts there is going to be nonstop action for several months to come.

Day Two of the Maritzburg College 150th Festival was packed with brilliant rugby from start to finish. Check out the match reports from the day's play.

Having been established in Queenstown in 1858, Queen’s College Boys’ High School celebrated its 150th anniversary in April 2008. Queenstown is situated in the Eastern Cape, some 200 kilometres from East London.

The first term is over and the cricket kit is put away for a few months before old rivalries resume near the end of the year.

A thumping victory by Rondebosch over Bishops sees them edge ever closer to the number one spot as the season draws to an end and it underlines the depth of the ‘Bosch to be competing at the very top for the past three years.

For many teams it was the first match of the season but already there are some positive signs that the coaches and players have put in some serious off season training with some spectacular rugby predicted for the season.

Although the usual suspects continue to show why they are at the very top of school rugby it is encouraging to see the traditionally small teams stepping up and we can expect not a few surprises this season.

There was considerable movement on the table over the past week as most of the teams were engaged in numerous matches in a short space of time which tested the depth of the various sides.

Waterkloof who were the finalists against Rondebosch in the Coke T20 Challenge cling on to the top spot although the gap between them and the rest has shrunk appreciably. Affies take the second best slot thanks to a win against Waterkloof and a good showing during the Independent Schools Festival. Rondebosch who are now the champions of the T20 format, deservedly get back into the top three and had it not been for their surprise loss against St.Andrew’s Bloem they could have been challenging for the No.1 position.

One of the big movers is St.Andrew’s College who are now on a seven match winning streak and they burst into the Top 10 after enjoying an excellent week which included a stunning nine wicket win over Affies. St.Alban’s also have put together some good results and went undefeated at the Independent School’s Festival . Paul Roos Gym also break into the Top 10 after stretching their winning streak to four matches which has included brushing aside Wynberg twice.

The equation used for these rankings are not based purely on a win/loss ratio and in order to grade the various wins against stronger or less stronger teams a formula has been used to give as realistic evaluation of the team’s form. Click here to see how the rankings are worked out.

Please continue to send us your thoughts, opinions and suggestions on the rankings to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    We are looking forward to hearing from you!

After another full week of cricket it is still Waterkloof you remain unbeaten and are firmly entrenched at the top of the table although several interesting results have caused some movement in both directions.

Wynberg have tumbled down the table after suffering what must be viewed as a surprise defeat by the rapidly improving Paul Roos side who outplayed Wynberg to record a comprehensive five wicket victory. Wynberg are now grimly fighting to stay in the top ten and the win has rocketed PRG into the top 20.

Kingswood has also enjoyed a good week after thrashing Muir College and has managed to punch their way to the top half of the rankings. KZN powerhouse Westville, after a somewhat indifferent start to the season seem to be back to full strength now and they have made up some ground to get back into the top 10 after a welcomed win over Northwood who they beat by six wickets. This now extends their winning streak to seven matches as they look to forget their poor early season tour to the Cape.

Jeppe Boy’s continue to impress as they took care of business against the young Pretoria Boy’s outfit who are yet to show the form of last year but the experience will no doubt forge them into a stronger team in the matches ahead.

Please continue to send us your thoughts, opinions and suggestions on the rankings to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    We are looking forward to hearing from you!

This week’s rankings have a new look as more teams have played the minimum of four matches to be included and several other teams have submitted their up-to-date results.

With the cricket season now in full swing this week produced some solid performances from the strong teams but there was also a suggestion that the playing fields are fairly level with no clear favorite to claim the top spot at this stage.

Check out the results as they come in here:

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So how are the rankings worked out? In consultation with a panel of analysts and statisticians a formula was agreed upon which would allow as realistic a representation of a team’s current form as possible. In essence the formula works as follows:

At the start of the year teams are “seeded” based on how they finished last season. They are seeded from 10 to 1 with 10 going to the teams that are judged the strongest. (This seeding is adjusted after the first term and at the end of the year depending on how well the teams finish.)

Points are awarded for “Win”, drawn matches and teams are also awarded “Bonus Points”. The “bonus points” are awarded depending on the margin of victory that has been obtained. 10 bonus points are given for a 10 wicket win and a 100 or more runs win, 9 bonus points for a 9 wicket win and 90 run win etc.

However in order to grade the win the particular “seeding” of each team plays a part. For example: Paarl Boy’s (seeded 9) beat Pinelands (seeded 7) by 100 runs. Paarl Boys are therefore awarded points for the win, however instead of receiving 10 bonus points for winning by 100 runs, they get 10 points x 0.7 (Pineland’s seeding of 7) = 7 bonus points. If Pinelands were seeded 6 the bonus points for Paarl Boy’s would be 10 x 0.6 = 6 bonus points. This helps to grade the win which was against a weaker team and therefore Paarl Boy’s do not get the full allotment of 10 points. However the converse is also true. If Pinelands (seeded 7) beat Paarl Boy’s by 100 runs, their bonus points would be 13 because they beat a team that was seeded 10. The weaker team is therefore rewarded for beating a higher seeded team.

The win points and bonus points are divided by the matches played to give an average which ultimately ranks the team. Statistics of course only can tell half the story although we do believe that having a quantitive formula and not just relying on a “Win ratio” model is a fairer reflection of the strength of teams.

We are continually looking to improve and tweak the formula and welcome your input. Thank you to the literally hundreds of emails from players, coaches and fans and your unending suggestions, your support and interest is greatly appreciated.

It was another packed weekend on the cricket fields around the country with some big match ups that have  provided some very interesting results.

The table was affected with last weekend’s results which saw most of the stronger teams finding their feet and recording some good results.

After years of waiting; years of populist opinion calling for his appointment; years of biding his time, the incomparable mastermind of South African rugby, Heyneke Meyer, took the reins of the Springboks and it seemed all was right with the world.

They missed 24 tackles but still managed to keep the wood on Dale for at least another season as Queens managed to beat Dale 28-17 in what was an excellent advert for schoolboy rugby.