Graeme Rugby Festival to kickstart the Eastern Cape schoolboy season once again
It is well-known that Graeme College doesn’t shy away from a challenge during its annual Graeme College Rugby Festival in Makhanda.
This year the hosts will face Selborne College from East London in the main match of the festival. The last time these two sides met each other as part of the rugby day/festival was back in 2017.
Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).
Selborne won this clash by 20-15. Last year the annual rugby day which kick-starts the Eastern Cape’s schoolboy rugby season was converted into a festival as part of the Graemians’ 150th celebrations.
It also provides a good opportunity for players from the region to impress the Craven Week selectors from Border and Eastern Province early in the season as well as the SA Schools’ coach James Winstanley.
Winstanley coaches Kingswood College of Makhanda. They will face Marlow Landbou from Cradock on the second day of the festival. Despatch’s coach, Elric van Vuuren, who also coached Eastern Province to an unbeaten Craven Week last year in George will without a doubt be in attendance as well.
Last year the festival allowed him to see Batho Hlekani (Graeme College) and De Wet Fourie (HTS Daniël Pienaar) in action. Both flankers played a pivotal role in Eastern Province’s success in George. Hlekani was named the Craven Week Player of the Tournament for his efforts, while Fourie also made the SA Schools A-side.
Grey High School will also travel to Makhanda to face Hudson Park of East London in the main match of the second day. Another exciting match-up on the second day would be between Dale College and Nico Malan of Humansdorp. Both schools’ first teams are known for the fact that they love to run the ball.
Pearson will open their season with a tough encounter against Queen’s College.
The Fixtures
Thursday, 14 March 2024
SOMERSET FIELD
09:00 – u14 – Graeme College vs Selborne College
10:00 – u15 – Mary Waters vs Port Alfred
11:00 – u15 – Graeme College vs Selborne College
12:00 – u16 – Pearson vs Port Rex THS
13:00 – u16 – Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Cambridge
14:00 – u16 – Stirling vs Muir College
15:00 – u16 – Graeme College vs Selborne College
MARAIS A-FIELD
10:00 – u14 – Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Cambridge
11:00 – u14 – Stirling vs Muir College
12:00 – u15 – Stirling vs Muir College
13:00 – u14 – Pearson vs Port Rex THS
14:00 – u15 – Die Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Cambridge
15:00 – u15 – Pearson vs Port Rex THS
Friday, 15 March 2024
SOMERSET FIELD | u19
09:15 – PAHS vs Graeme College II
10:30 – Port Rex THS vs Mary Waters
11:45 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
13:00 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
14:15 – Dale College vs Nico Malan
15:30 – Grey High School vs Hudson Park
MARAIS A-FIELD
09:00 – u14 – Nico Malan vs Dale College
10:00 – u15 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
11:00 – u16 – Nico Malan vs Dale College
12:00 – u16 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
13:00 – u14 – Queen’s College vs Framesby
14:00 – u16 – Queen’s College vs Framesby
MARAIS B-FIELD
09:00 – u14 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
10:00 – u15 – Nico Malan vs Dale College
11:00 – u14 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
12:00 – u15 – Union HS vs HTS Daniël Pienaar
13:00 – u15 – Queen’s College vs Framesby
14:00 – u16 – Kingswood College vs Marlow Landbou
Saturday, 16 March 2024
SOMERSET FIELD | u19
10:30 – Cambridge vs Muir College
11:45 – Stirling vs Framesby
13:00 – Queen’s College vs Pearson
14:15 – St Andrew’s College vs Die Brandwag (Uitenhage)
15:30 – Graeme College vs Selborne College
