Rondebosch Boys' High host Bishops for the second of their 2011 matches this Saturday, a grand schools tradition, keen rivalry with good manners.

The Black River wanders through Rondebosch and past Bishops. Tallyallen Road goes straight from Bishops to Rondebosch, a distance of some 400 metres. The people who attend the two schools come from the same sort of stock. They are the same people. It is no wonder that the rivalry is so keen but so healthy and it has been so since 1911. They play twice a year because they know there will be no bitter residue when the second match comes around. Unpleasant incidents in the last century of matches are negligible. There will be big crowd and it will be tense. The rivalry is best when the scores are close.

Both sides have great players amongst their Old Boys and actually share two Springboks, for John Apsey and Hanyani Shimange went to both schools.

They play the same sort of opponents with similar results. They both beat Paarl Gim and lost to Paarl Boys' High. Bishops beat Boland Landbou; Rondebosch lost to them. Rondebosch beat Grey PE; Bishops lost to them. They both beat Wynberg. Rondebosch beat SACS twice, Bishops once and lost to them. Rondebosch drew with Paul Roos while Bishops lost to them. But the most significant result was Rondebosch's 34-18 win over Bishops at Bishops. This time they are at home - not that the climate is much different. This year Bishops had three players in the Western Province Craven Week team - Tim Swiel, Tshepo Motale and Tarquin Carlsson. Swiel, who is playing fullback on Saturday, played flyhalf against France Under-19 in a curtainraiser to the All Black Test in Port Elizabeth.

Bishops had centre Johnny Kotze in the South African Academy side that played France. Rondebosch had three players in the Western Province Academy side - wing Selom Govar, lock Myles Tucker  and wing Giovanni Hofmeyr.

At present Bishops are 16th on the FNB Top 20, Rondebosch 20th - a small difference in the midst of hundreds of fine rugby schools in South Africa.

Who will win? Lots of people would like to know as Old Boys go in for wagers but in fact either side could win. The rain will apparently hold off but the Rondebosch field is heavy. One hopes only that it is a great game in a great tradition.

Teams

Rondebosch: 15 Brandon Volbrecht, 14 Giovanni Hofmeyr, 13 Matthew Norris, 12 William Keet (vice-captain), 11 Selom Gavor, 10 Hilio de Abreu, 9 Daniel Anderson, 8 Scott Albertyn, 7 Ross Smith, 6 Damian Verney, 5 Myles Tucker, 4 Danie Krynauw, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 Chad Pheiffer, 1 Nic Roebeck (captain)

Coaches: Clint van Rensburg, Divvie Maritz

Bishops: 15 Tim Swiel, 14 Harry Gooderham, 13 Jason Morris , 12 Johnny Kotze, 11 Greg Alexander, 10 James van Heerden, 9 Andrew Jones-Davies, 8 Tarquin Carlsson (captain), 7 Jo Miller, 6 Michael Foxcroft, 5 Ghaalib van der Ross, 4 Nick Schooling, 3 Tshepo Motale, 2 Lusanda Doli, 1 Emelio da Graca

Coaches: Dave Mallett, Kevin Foote, Gareth Hayden

Date: Saturday, 27 August 2011
Kick-off: 11.45
Venue: Rondebosch Boys' High
Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a moderate south Easter, a high of 17º, dropping to 9º.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

Results Down the Years

1911: Bishops won 18-0 & 25-0
1916: Bishops won 13-0 & the sides drew  13-13
1917: Bishops won 5-3 & Rondebosch won 14-3
1918: Bishops won 16-0 & the sides drew  0-0
1921: Bishops won 6-0
1923: Rondebosch won 9-8
1925: Rondebosch won 22-3
1926: Bishops won 10-9 & 6-3
1928: Bishops won 8-3 & 15-3
1929: Bishops won 7-3
1930: Bishops won 15-9 & 12-9
1931: Bishops won 11-3 & 16-9
1932: Bishops won 9-3 & 15-0
1933: Bishops won 11-6 & the sides drew  3-3
1935: Bishops won 6-3
1936: Bishops won 49-0 & 37-3
1937: Drew 0-0 & Bishops won 6-3
1938: Rondebosch won 8-3 & Bishops won 16-6
1939: Rondebosch won 8-0
1940: Bishops won 25-3 & 11-8
1941: Bishops won 13-9 & Rondebosch won 8-3
1942: Bishops won 16-4 & 10-3
1943: Bishops won 21-0 & 31-3
1944: Rondebosch won 21-14 & 6-0
1945: Rondebosch won 6-0 & Bishops won 11-8
1946: Drew 3-3 & the sides drew  3-3
1947: Bishops won 6-3 & Rondebosch won 9-6
1948: Rondebosch won 17-13 & Bishops won 13-6
1949: Bishops won 23-0 & 17-6
1950: Drew 14-14 & Rondebosch won 17-6
1951: Bishops won 8-0 & 17-0
1952: Rondebosch won 6-3 & the sides drew  3-3
1953: Rondebosch won 6-3 & 13-3
1954: Rondebosch won 11-3
1955: Bishops won 9-6 & 8-6
1956: Bishops won 11-0 & Rondebosch won 9-6
1957: Rondebosch won 5-0 & the sides drew  3-3
1958: Rondebosch won 8-0 & 8-6
1959: Bishops won 10-0 & Rondebosch won 3-0
1960: Drew 3-3 & Rondebosch won 12-3
1961: Rondebosch won 5-0 & 13-6
1962: Bishops won 3-0 & the sides drew  6-6
1963: Rondebosch won 11-0 & 9-6
1964: Rondebosch won 13-0 & 13-0
1965: Drew 0-0 & the sides drew  3-3
1966: Rondebosch won 14-3 & 12-3
1967: Drew 3-3 & Rondebosch won 20-0
1968: Rondebosch won 6-0 & the sides drew  8-8
1969: Rondebosch won 11-6 & 25-3
1970: Rondebosch won 14-0 & 11-9
1971: Rondebosch won 8-3 & 24-3
1972: Rondebosch won 13-4 & 13-4
1973: Rondebosch won 13-12 & Bishops won 16-13
1974: Bishops won 9-3 & 18-4
1975: Bishops won 27-3 & 22-6
1976: Bishops won 14-13 & 22-12
1977: Rondebosch won 15-12 & 33-7
1978: Drew 6-6 & Bishops won 8-6
1979: Bishops won 9-0 & 24-0
1980: Rondebosch won 22-12 & Bishops won 10-3
1981: Bishops won 12-6 & 7-6
1982: Bishops won 18-6 & Rondebosch won 12-6
1983: Rondebosch won 18-10 & Bishops won 16-6
1984: Rondebosch won 7-0 & 15-11
1985: Bishops won 12-3 & Rondebosch won 16-9
1986: Bishops won 14-4 & 13-3
1987: Bishops won 12-7 & 15-3
1988: Bishops won 10-3 & 13-3
1989: Bishops won 58-10 & 7-4
1990: Bishops 14-7 & 9-0
1991: Bishops 12-9 & 21-9
1992: Bishops 34-3 & 27-6
1993: Bishops 28-10 & 19-5
1994: Rondebosch won 6-5 & 19-9
1995: Rondebosch won 7-6 & 11-10
1996: Rondebosch won 17-7 & 6-0
1997: Rondebosch won 18-0 & 31-11
1998: Bishops won 20-0 &15-7
1999: Rondebosch 16-15 & Bishops won 24-9
2000: Rondebosch 22-19 & 27-17
2001: Bishops won 17-0 & 18-0
2002: Bishops won 52-8 & 41-25
2003: Bishops won 18-5 & 78-19
2004: Bishops won 27-8 & Rondebosch won 26-22
2005: Bishops won 31-6 & 14-12
2006: Bishops won 71-3 & 75-22
2007: Bishops won 48-27 & 27-24
2008: Bishops won 20-8 & 47-15
2009: Rondebosch won 16-10 & Bishops won 10-6
2010: Bishops won 38-10 & the sides drew 19-19
2011: Rondebosch won 34-18

Played: 180 matches
Rondebosch won 69 matches
Bishops won 93 matches
Drawn:  18 matches were drawn