Schoolboy rugby has served as one of the cornerstones of domestic rugby dating back more than a century, and true to its slogan “Honouring Heritage. Playing for the Future”, Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools is about history, heritage and tradition. The series, now in its third year, is expected to grow even stronger.

The Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools stories are further captured in 12 Preview shows, which preview all the games and provide historical overviews of these traditional schools and highlight other academic, cultural and sporting achievements.

Maritzburg College takes on Affies on their home turf on Saturday, 25 July with kick off at 13.55pm. The match will be televised live on Supersport Select (channel 210)

The Preview Show featuring Heino Kuhn, Adrian Penzhorn and David Miller will start airing Wednesday evening, 22 July 2015 at 17.45 on SuperSport One

For all results, fixtures, videos, photos and information visit the new Premier Interschools website at http://www.premierinterschools.co.za/

All stats provided by Nelio De Sa from www.RUGBY15.co.za

Follow Interschools on: 

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/Premierinterschools

Twitter: @PremierSchools

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Historic overview

Afrikaans Höer Seunskool (Affies) vs Maritzburg College

On Saturday, 25 July Maritzburg College will meet Affies for the 21st time in an Interschools rivalry spanning over 20 years. Affies have by far the better record since 1996 and have won 17 games to Maritzburg’s three.

The average score of 27-14 in favour of Affies is a sign of just how much they have dominated their opponents from the coast.

With 10 Craven Week players and a further two Academy Week stars against Maritzburg College’s two Craven Week and one Academy player, Affies have the personnel in 2015 to make life difficult again for the KZN boytjies in Pretoria.

Seven of the Affies pack are in the Blue Bulls Craven Week team and you can bet it will be up front that they will seek to dominate. College will likely have to use all of their never-say-die spirit to come away with a positive result.

Scores Through The Years

Rugby at Affies

Affies is famed as one of the best rugby schools in South Africa. It has delivered many Springbok players and continues to supply talent to the SA Schools and SA Academy sides. Affies also produced a number of current stars at all provincial levels of rugby.

Affies has a huge talent pool and one that is rich in depth. There are more than 10 under-19 teams each year and as many as eight teams per grade 8 to 10.

Each year Affies challenge the country’s leading rugby schools such as Grey College (Bloem), Maritzburg College, Glenwood High School and KES. At these derby matches, every team gets a chance to take the field for the “Rooi, Geel and Groen”.

In the last few decades Affies has produced top quality players including Louis Schmidt, Wynand Olivier, Fourie du Preez and current Blue Bulls captain, Pierre Spies (also an Affies choir boy).

Perhaps Affies’ least known star was Francois Swart, who played fly-half for Die Witbulle alongside scrum-half Fourie du Preez. The formidable duo played for the Blue Bulls and were fast becoming the next Springbok scrum and fly-half pair.

Tragically Swart died in 2004 at the age of 21 and since then Affies has hosted an under-15 rugby tournament in the Easter Holidays bearing his name.

Rugby Alumni of Affies

South Africa Internationals from Affies

Wynand Olivier, Fourie Du Preez and Pierre Spies. Three old Affies played together for the Boks against Australia on 15 July 2006.

The 2015 Squad

Rugby at Maritzburg College

Maritzburg College is traditionally the dominant school rugby force in KwaZulu-Natal. The first recorded rugby match in the province took place in the Market Square of Pietermaritzburg in October 1870 as Maritzburg College (then known as Pietermaritzburg High School) took on Hermansburg School. Played on a sun-baked, wheel-rutted, gravel surface; the contest lasted for more than three hours and ended in a 2-0 victory for the High School.

The 1897 1st XV

The arrival of James Mervyn (Skonk) Nicholson as a master signalled a revival in the school’s rugby fortunes. From 1948 he coached the First XV for 35 seasons until 1982. In 1949 the First XV was unbeaten, as were ten other teams of his, while a further 13 First XVs during that period lost only one match each.

His overall record was:

The legendary JM (Skonk) Nicholson 

His teams in the 1950s and early 60s were particularly successful, at one stage losing only five matches in 11 years.

Skonk’s successors were scarcely less outstanding. The 1985, 1988 and 1995 sides went unbeaten and four other First XVs lost just one match apiece. Since the turn of the century, College has unsurprisingly found it difficult to match those heady statistics.

Other schools’ increasing desire for sporting success, a greater spread of talent, the erosion of the rural core of College boarders and a greatly strengthened fixture list have all pegged Maritzburg back in the modern era.

The First XV’s record, however, represents only a fraction of the rugby played at Maritzburg College. Every weekend as many as thirty teams take the field, playing the game with fierce enthusiasm and pride. The school’s rugby success is built on a firm and broad foundation.

For many years, Maritzburg College’s rugby has been characterised by the rugged qualities and outstanding supporting work of its forwards. Hard running and punishing tackling of its backs, as well as an eagerness to move the ball at every opportunity has also played a part.

Maritzburg College’s consistent record, depth of talent and enviable reputation for a hard but sporting approach to the game has made it, historically, the premier rugby school in KwaZulu-Natal.

The Skonk Nicholson Dream Team (1948-1982)

Back: PJ Lindsay (1977), LM Sharp (1972), K Oxlee (1952).

Centre: JF Eliot (1955), JGM Anderson (1971), OB Taylor (1954), GD Adam (1972), JD McIntosh (1963), IL Smith (1948).

Front: BL Dennison (1973), A van der Watt (1965), DM Anderson (c) (1963), Mr JM Nicholson, CM Jamieson (vc) (1979), BA Sharp (1964), GC de Graaf (1978).

Springbok internationals from College (Test Caps Only)

2015                Jesse Kriel

Famous Maritzburg College Springbok Flyhalves

        Keith Oxlee                Joel Stransky              Butch James                           Peter Grant

A further two players received Springbok colours for going on tour, but never played in a test match: Jeremy Thomson (1996) and Pieter Dixon (2000).

In addition, several College Old Boys have represented other countries: Hubert Freakes and Geoff Appleford (England), Juan Grobler and Chad Erskine (United States), Brenton Catterall (Zimbabwe), Wim Visser (Italy), Frank Goedeke (Germany) and Andrew Binikos (Cyprus).

Current Crop

The 2015 vintage for College boasts a number of KZN provincial representatives at either Craven Week, Academy Week or Under-16 Grant Khomo in their squad.

Wingers Xolisa Guma and Kudzaishe Munangi played Craven Week and Academy Week respectively in 2014. Hooker Samuel Swanepoel, prop Andrew Reintges, flyhalf Corey Rattray, loosie Matthew King and winger Hloni Thamahane have all represented KZN at the Grant Khomo Week.

8th man Craig Glover is the son of former Natal player and College old boy Shaun Glover. Together with Joel Stransky, they formed a formidable halfback pairing for College in the 80s.

The 2015 Squad