K-Day: St Andrew’s and DSG take on Kingswood for Makhanda honours
The small town of Makhanda, formerly known as Grahamstown, will come to a standstill this weekend when Kingswood College hosts St Andrew’s College and The Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) in the annual K-Day derby.
In fact, it’s a five-day sporting extravaganza that sees the three schools compete against each other in hockey, squash, netball, rugby, chess, golf, music, and the arts.
The campuses will be buzzing with activity, and among the most highly anticipated events will be the first team hockey fixtures.
The boys’ clash between St Andrew’s and Kingswood takes place on Thursday, 12 June, at 17:15. The girls’ sides meet on Saturday at 13:15.
Ahead of those clashes, we take a look at the teams’ current form, past results, and what they’ll need to do to get one over on their fierce rivals.
St Andrew’s vs Kingswood
St Andrew’s enters the derby as the favourites to win it, and some would suggest they should win comfortably.
The side, led by coaches Dean Ferreira and Reece Buchan, has enjoyed a stellar season, despite some disappointing results in May.
Their last outing resulted in a 7-0 whipping of Cambridge High in East London. Luke Mason scored a brace in that clash, while the other goals were netted by Daniel Meihuizen, Sid Fishlock, Greg Rodwell, Angus Glen and the skipper, Connor McNamara.
Before that win, St Andrew’s suffered narrow losses against Grey High and Selborne College – both ended 0-1 in favour of their opponents.
Coach Ferreira’s players are focusing on what’s in front of them, however, and they’re excited to be a part of the big clash.
“K-Day is always a great occasion and something the players look forward to every year, so there’s some extra excitement around the fixture,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“We are approaching it like any other game, and I would describe the team atmosphere as positive and exciting.
“Of course, there is a sense of tradition and pride around K-Day, but it’s just another opportunity for the team to play the sport they love together.”
Securing a win away from home won’t be easy for St Andrew’s, who take on a Kingswood outfit that’s put together a pretty decent run in 2025.
Led by coach José Smith, the boys in red and black have been consistent, losing only six of their 24 matches.
In the Eastern Province region, they’ve beaten Pearson High, Westering High, and Victoria Park High, but they were well beaten by Grey High, going down 0-4.
Despite his side being favoured to win, coach Ferreira said they won’t underestimate their rivals.
“Kingswood have proven that they are a capable team this season, and we expect them to bring plenty of intensity and energy.
“Our goal will be to stay composed throughout the match, make good decisions with and without the ball, and avoid the frantic, emotional hockey that is typical of derbies.”
St Andrew’s recorded a 2-0 win on K-Day last year, and they’ll be eager to keep their winning record against Kingswood intact.
DSG Makhanda vs Kingswood
There is no doubt that the Kingswood first-team girls’ side faces their toughest match of the season when they take on DSG.
That’s because their opponents are in scorching-hot form. They’ve played some outstanding hockey, resulting in a flowing, free-scoring game, which has seen them stack win after win against opponents within and outside of the province.
Late last month, DSG laid claim to being the best team in the Eastern Cape after outplaying Collegiate Girls’ High 4-1 in Gqeberha.
Following that clash, they put on a masterclass and recorded a stunning result against Cambridge High School, powering their way to a jaw-dropping 22-0 victory.
On K-Day, they’ll face a Kingswood College team that has struggled to find form and consistency in 2025. To date, they’ve played 23 matches, suffered 12 losses, and won nine matches. The last time they took on DSG, in a pre-season friendly, DSG cruised to a 7-0 win.
Kingswood has gone down in their past two outings, but by a single goal only on both occasions, losing 0-1 to Union High and 1-2 to Pearson High.
Coach Jason Maclachlan will have faith that his girls can pull off a massive upset on derby day. If they did, it would be a seismic shock, indeed.
Other Eastern Cape fixtures
While K-Day will hold the spotlight in the province, there are other derbies taking place.
In East London, Hudson Park hosts Stirling High while Selborne College takes on Cambridge High.
Woodridge College will test their mettle against Gqeberha’s Westering High School.
