Hilton College’s unbeaten record on the line against Bishops
Hilton College hosts Bishops on Saturday. The Capetonians make the long trip from Cape Town, with 20 rugby teams set to take on their black-and-white clad opponents.
It’s an exciting new addition to the rugby calendar, and Hilton is set to return the favour in 2027 by heading to the Western Cape to tackle the 177-year-old school.
No doubt, the home supporters will expect their 1st XV to deliver a victory. With high-profile wins over Westville Boys’ High in March and over Nudgee College, two days after the Australians had beaten Grey College, Hilton boasts an impressive record. They’re one of the few remaining undefeated sides in a topsy-turvy season in which shock results have been common.
Apart from their aforementioned wins, Hilton has recorded convincing victories over Hoërskool Middelburg (49-10), Heidelberg Volkskool (38-3), and Hoërskool Nelspruit (65-14).
Bishops, meanwhile, opened their season with four successive wins, beating Worcester Gimnasium (31-26), Hoërskool Strand (31-24), St Andrew’s College (28-24), and St John’s College (24-7). They’ve lost their last two, however, going down to Graeme College (26-39) and SACS (17-22).
Coach Brad Macleod-Henderson‘s charges will, thus, be favoured, but they have been out of action since Easter. They will want to avoid joining the list of teams that have suffered shock defeats.
They have the game plan to prevent such upsets. They’re exceptionally well drilled. What they bring is no secret. The question for their opposition is, can they stop it?
In their wins over Westville and Nudgee, Hilton’s forward power stood out in the set pieces and, most compellingly, in the cohesion of their pack when mauling and operating a hard-hitting pick-and-go approach. Behind them, the halfback pairing of Benoit Rey and John Grubb flourished.
Last season, Grubb was mostly used on the wing, with SA Schools’ flyhalf Liyema Nela pulling on the no. 10 jersey. Since taking over from Nela, Grubb has caught the eye, pulling the strings superbly to release a dangerous backline. He’s also shown he is willing to take it to the opposition himself, and he’s got a touch of pace about him.
James Peattie, at fullback, has a good eye for attacking opportunities, and he offers Hilton a further cutting edge.
In the Bishops’ backline, Boytjie Fyfer is a key player. He possesses a diverse all-round skill set, making him capable of unlocking tight defences, while Connor Clark, who represented Western Province u16 at the Grant Khomo Week last year, handles the flyhalf duties. His opposite number, John Grubb, turned out for the Sharks at the u17 AFGRI Week last year.
The touring side boasts plenty of experienced 1st XV players, but so, too, does Hilton. One of those is their captain, lock Andrew Schnell, a Sharks u17 representative last year, who has Zander Muller, a Sharks Craven Week player behind him, at 8th-man.
Bishops’ Alex Vintcent, who also wears no. 5, captains the visitors. While he and Schnell share the same number, they possess different skill sets away from the rugby field, both of which come in useful: Schnell is a standout water polo player, while Vintcent is a top cricketer.
The Capetonians are renowned for their 15-man game and their willingness to let the ball do the work. They also hail from a region where rain and heavy underfoot conditions are common, thus requiring a more conservative, forward-based approach. On Saturday, the conditions on Gilfillan Field should be dry and warm.
The big question Bishops will need to answer, though, is about their forwards. Will they be able to disrupt Hilton’s powerful pack and its ability to exert consistent heavy pressure?
Their coach, Sam Mofokeng, was previously on staff at Michaelhouse. He will know better than most what to expect from Hilton. It won’t be a surprise. Will his charges be able to douse Hilton’s firepower?
Kickoff on Saturday is at 13:00. The answer will soon become evident.
TEAMS
Hilton College vs Bishops at 13:00 on Gilfillan Field
Hilton College: 15 James Peattie, 14 Tomupeishe Gurupira, 13 Guy Fender, 12 Ruan Mulder, 11 Liyema Gasi, 10 John Grubb, 9 Bemoit Rey, 8 Zander Muller, 7 Ross Steyn, 6 Callan Kenmuir, 5 Andrew Schnell (c), 4 Hartman Fourie, 3 Mholi Khuzwayo, 2 Kyle-Reese Clements, 1 Aidan du Plooy
Bishops: 15 Christian Towell, 14 Danny Newton, 13 Eljaron Geduld, 12 Boytjie Fyfer, 11 Lulibo Nyawula, 10 Caleb Clark, 9 Jack Fleck, 8 Jack Venter, 7 James Gordon, 6 Connor Clark, 5 Alex Vintcent (c), 4 Dan Coetzee, 3 Jarred Kowen, 2 Joe Lanning, 1 Jack Hibling
