Bishops v Rondebosch Historic Overview

Jun 20 • General News, School • 1211 Views • Comments Off on Bishops v Rondebosch Historic Overview

Background – Bishops vs Rondebosch Boys’ High

Saturday 24 June Premier Interschools present one of the oldest school derbies in the country. Diocesan College or Bishops as they are more commonly known as versus Rondebosch Boys’ High is one of the most highly anticipated schoolboy games in the Western Cape.

Old boys from all corners of the world will be at the Piley Rees to witness the 192^nd game between these two great schools, the first being played in 1908. They only played the one-off match in 1908 and then resumed their yearly derbies from 1911.

The first match between the two schools saw Bishops running rampant on that day winning the encounter 112-0 with Painton Cowen scoring 86 points in the match. Bishops have older rivalries against SACS, St Andrew’s College, and Paul Roos Gimnasium but it can’t compare against the rivalry they have against Rondebosch Boys’ High.

This is one of the longest run interschool derbies in the country and because they regularly play it twice a year, a number of games played against each other is high. There are pride and bragging rights at stake for the next year in the leafy suburbs of Rondebosch and Newlands. The two schools are only about 400m apart and are situated in the shadows of the home of WP Rugby, Newlands Stadium. Many a schoolboy from these two schools moved from their home turf over to Newlands to represent Western Province on the hallowed Newlands ground.

The encounter is played with the most beautiful background in South Africa with Table Mountain casting its shadow over the Piley Rees field. It is also fittingly that Bishops plays some of the most beautiful running rugby in the country. Rondebosch Boys’ High also plays an open style of rugby which makes this clash one of the most exciting matches to watch.

Bosch has won 75 games with Bishops dominating the clash, sitting on 98 wins thus far. These two sides have also drawn 18 times.

An interesting note is that the Rondebosch 1^st team coach, Mark Lindenberg, and the Bishops 1^st team coach, Richard Smith, were teammates who played together for the Rondebosch 1^st team in 1997. Mark was at hooker and Richard at center; on both occasions, Bosch beat Bishops at home and away. Mark and Richard then studied Human Movement Science together at Stellenbosch University and spent many an evening discussing rugby while watching “Boots & All”. This adds an interesting dynamic for both coaches approaching this match.

Another notable fact is that Wesley Chetty has represented both schools 1st teams – playing for Bosch in 2005 and as a post-matric student at Bishops in 2006. Wesley is currently the Bishops forwards coach.

Results Down the Years

Year	No	R Bosch Score		Bishops Score		RB Won	B Won	Draw
1908	1	RBHS	0	112	Bishops	0	1	0
1911	2	RBHS	0	18	Bishops	0	1	0
	3	RBHS	0	25	Bishops	0	1	0
1916	4	RBHS	13	13	Bishops	0	0	1
	5	RBHS	0	13	Bishops	0	1	0
1917	6	RBHS	3	5	Bishops	0	1	0
	7	RBHS	14	3	Bishops	1	0	0
1918	8	RBHS	0	16	Bishops	0	1	0
	9	RBHS	0	0	Bishops	0	0	1
1920	10	RBHS	3	22	Bishops	0	1	0
	11	RBHS	9	3	Bishops	1	0	0
1921	12	RBHS	0	6	Bishops	0	1	0
1923	13	RBHS	9	8	Bishops	1	0	0
1925	14	RBHS	22	3	Bishops	1	0	0
1926	15	RBHS	9	10	Bishops	0	1	0
	16	RBHS	3	6	Bishops	0	1	0
1928	17	RBHS	3	8	Bishops	0	1	0
	18	RBHS	3	15	Bishops	0	1	0
1929	19	RBHS	3	7	Bishops	0	1	0
1930	20	RBHS	9	15	Bishops	0	1	0
	21	RBHS	9	12	Bishops	0	1	0
1931	22	RBHS	3	11	Bishops	0	1	0
	23	RBHS	9	16	Bishops	0	1	0
1932	24	RBHS	3	9	Bishops	0	1	0
	25	RBHS	0	15	Bishops	0	1	0
1933	26	RBHS	6	11	Bishops	0	1	0
	27	RBHS	3	3	Bishops	0	0	1