College crush rivals, Affies annihilate and Jeppe steals the centurion show
The King Price Derby Series shines bright in four separate provinces as derbies deliver once more
A proud Affies support surrounds the 1st XV after another outstanding victory for their side. Credits - https://www.instagram.com/affies_1920_/
While understandably all eyes seemed locked on Interschools this past weekend, three other derbies took place. Spread out from Gqeberha to Pretoria to Johannesburg, the three complemented Paarl’s drama perfectly. Grey High hosted Grey College, Affies challenged Waterkloof and Jeppe and KES played out for the 100th occasion.
Beginning on the Kolisi Field, Grey High were playing hosts to one of the toughest opposition our country can offer. Grey College, so often jostling for number one in the country, had seen disappointing losses to both Paarl sides earlier in the year which had set their challenge on the back foot. Despite this, College entered the game boasting a proud head-to-head record. You’d have to go back to 2014 for the last time they had lost to their hosts, having since racked up over 130 points in the last three games. Likewise, despite not being in the fight for best of the best this time round, Grey PE’s coach (Matt King) was quick to herald College’s past exploits earlier this week. Labelling them as “historically the greatest rugby school in the world” (https://ssschoolsplus.co.za/grey-high-braced-for-grey-college-onslaught/ ).
Ultimately, the game would turn into a tale of two halves. The visitors stormed out into a commanding lead within the first 20, leading 21-0. Dominance continued as the side scored three more times before the break. Grey High didn’t know what had hit them, and a relative silence had captured the home support. 36-0 down and College crushing it. Credit is due however for the hosts. A Noah Mbizi brace and a Bradley Myburgh try would see them remarkably win the second half. Scoring all 15 of their points in the second period, Grey High would win the 2nd half 15-10. Giving some solace to their faithful. Nevertheless, College would still grab a comfortable victory. 46-15 it ended as the visitors hit a 35+ point score for the seventh game running in this match-up.
Over in Pretoria, the sun shone brightly upon the capital’s main rugby side. A great season so far for Affies had included an incredible 16-16 draw to Paarl Gim and a victory against Paul Roos. Thanks to some other dominant results, Affies were sitting amongst rugby greats in the current rankings. Paarl duo out in front, Affies sandwiched between Grey College and Paul Roos in 4th. This time out; the white, green and red shirts were
engaged against fellow capital side Waterkloof. A side outside the top 35 this season, they were always primed to be second fiddle under the Pretoria sunshine. An onslaught of note followed as predicted. Ten tries to three in favour of the hosts. A triple for Charl Els as the home support had much to cheer about. Ill discipline didn’t help Waterkloof either as two yellow cards and red card self-destructed any sort of resistance. A final score of 64-19 as Affies march towards the end of a successful 2025 campaign.
In the final KP Derby Series game, Jeppe and KES played things out on a historic day. A century of matches filled with tradition, passion and rivalry was brought up on Saturday. Poised to play out on the classic Collard Field, the past ten results between the pair were exactly even. Five apiece as Saturday's 100th game between the two also met the two currently on a 50% 2025 win rate. Jeppe having won 8 and lost 8, and King Edward School having won 7 and lost 7 this year. An awesome contest was set and raring to go. By the end of which, one name was on everyone’s mind. Nehemia Hollenbach doing what the best do, deliver on the biggest of stages. The Jeppe man almost single handedly helped his school win on the epic occasion. Twenty-four points for Hollenbach with 19 coming in the second half. It was KES who stole the show at first, with a strong first half giving them a lead of seventeen points to ten. However, the Hollenbach show took over from that point on. Ndimphiwe Mjiji would score early on in the second, before Hollenbach would score the game’s next 11 points. Needing to get back into the game as the clock found the fifty mark, KES’ Junior Shivuri would notch a vital try. A conversion just after from Dalitso Milanzi would see scores reach 26-23 in favour of the hosts. Still more action was lying in wait as Jeppe scored once more in the last 10 with Hollenbach converting the 5 pointer and notching another penalty. A late KES try would follow on from Regan McGurk, but would prove too little too late. Jeppe clinched a thoroughly entertaining game, and a true poster game for school boy rugby in our country. Things ended in the 100th game between the rivals, 39-31 to the black and white of Jeppe.
