1stXV report 2024

The SACS 1st XV had a very rewarding and enjoyable season with some fantastic highlights along the way. The boys selected ‘’Be The Change’’ as their team mantra for the season. They set out to earn the respect of the SACS community through their actions both on and off the field and I’m pleased to say that they met their objective. The team was a popular and well supported group throughout and represented their school with pride. It was a great pleasure to coach this fine group of young men. 

In every campaign there are disappointments and obstacles, none more so than the injuries to our captain Seth Bradford and vice-captain Ben van Coller. To have both unavailable for most of the season was a big blow but the resilience shown by the boys who replaced them and the rest of the squad was commendable. Despite their personal setbacks, both Seth and Ben remained 100% committed to the team and continued to be positive and supportive throughout. Testament to their strong mindsets, resilience and leadership ability which will stand them in good stead later in life.  

The pre-season started as per normal in October with Mr Steve McIntyre and Mr Daniel Heyns (‘19) conditioning the boys twice a week in the gym and later out on the field. Mr Maxwell Bokoyi and I offered further rugby specific sessions on a Monday and a Thursday for those boys able to work around their summer sports commitments which always take priority. Mr Owusu-Sekyere took squad members for speed training (as part of our summer sport athletics programme) while Mr Ashley Evert provided specialized lineout throwing expertise. Mr Phillip Masango worked hard on front row scrummaging technique and conditioning. Our SACS kickers were also exposed to a kicking clinic run by former Springbok Braam van Straaten and also had input from Jordan Chiat (‘15) during the first part of the season.

In February, the leadership group had an important session at the Tyson Properties headquarters at The Alphen in Constantia. Purpose, goal setting and team culture were just some of the topics covered as the scene was set for the 2024 season. As part of our team building, the squad joined up with our outstanding SACS music department to record a special rendition of Johnny Clegg’s iconic song ‘’The Great Heart’’. It was a unique experience and something the team will always look back on with fond memories. I’d like to thank Mr Dan Shout (‘98) for directing the production, Myles (‘99) and Callum (‘11) McDonald for hosting us at their Hey Papa Legend recording studios and Luca Boonzaaier (‘22) for his excellent video editing. 

In early March we had an internal full contact match up at UCT to prepare for our first match against Durbanville at the Wynberg festival. A week later we had a ‘’season opener’’ function for players and parents in the Brodie Room. We showcased ‘’The Great Heart’’ production for the first time and the 1st XV captain and vice captain for 2024 were announced. Springbok legend Schalk Burger handed out the jerseys and the rugby season was now officially upon us.

We had a reasonably solid first outing against Durbanville. We outscored our opponents 5 tries to 3 but missed all 6 of our kicks at goal so only ended up winning 25-22. The scoreline was closer than the match was in reality. Next we faced a big forward pack from Grey PE who a week earlier had pushed Grey College in a practice match. We disappointingly lost 7-3 in a game we wish we could have played again later in the season. Michaelhouse from KZN beat Bishops comfortably in their first match of the Bishops 175 festival so we knew we’d have to perform very well to get a win. In response to Ben van Coller’s horrific leg injury the boys rallied to score the winning try right at the death. We again outscored our opponents 5 tries to 3 but only won 27-24 in what was probably the match of the festival.

We then toured Johannesburg and visited the St John’s Easter Festival for the first time. The hospitality at St Johns was incredible and an outstanding tour was enjoyed by all. We played well enough to beat Graeme College 33-7 before surrendering a handy 19-7 lead at halftime against Maritzburg College to narrowly go down 26-24 in an exciting game of rugby. 

Our very tough WP league programme began straight after the tour with an away fixture against newly promoted Stellenberg High School. Playing with the wind we went down 12-0 before suffering another sickening injury to flanker Siphe Mbungendlu who was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. As they did against Michaelhouse the team refused to be beaten and knuckled down to the task of clawing their way back into the game. We ended up winning an arm wrestle by 24-22 with Ray Solomons landing some crucial kicks at goal in difficult conditions. 

We then took on Brackenfell away from home and played some enterprising rugby in the first half before ringing the changes at halftime in an attempt to keep some of our regular starters fresh for the remainder of the term. We ended up winning the match 54-27. 

The evening before the Rondebosch game we enjoyed another happy occasion down at SACS Junior. Our U13A / 1st XV boys and parents enjoyed a braai and a meaningful jersey handover between the teams. Mrs Sue Lucas was honoured for the role she has played in the development of SACS rugby players over the years.

We then took on a high flying Rondebosch team with a long list of WP and SA Schools players in their midst. As always we prepared thoroughly and felt if we played well we could cause an upset. Unfortunately it was not to be and we were soundly beaten by the better team. After a disappointing loss it’s sometimes best to break the monotony of the weekly routine and to lift the spirits by doing something different. We headed out to Groot Constantia for a team hike and some soul searching. With an away trip to Paarl Gim on the horizon we needed to make some urgent fixes both from a technical and mental point of view. The breakaway proved just the tonic. 

Juan Benade whose SACS 1985 1st XV beat Paarl Gim, handed out the jerseys at a function at the Bradford’s house the night before the match and the boys ran out the next day suitably motivated to win back some pride. The first half against Gim was probably the best half of rugby of the season both from a tactical and physical point of view. The boys were immense to lead the fixture 7-0 at halftime. You always expect a response after the break from a school like Paarl Gim which did transpire but we were still within a score with 15 mins to go before they ran in a few late tries to inflate the scoreline. Gim knew they had been in a very physical game of rugby and despite losing I was very proud of the team’s effort. 

A home fixture against Bishops is always a wonderful occasion. In conjunction with the SACS OBU, the school hosted another incredible event. A big thank you to Mr Craig Banks (Chairman of the OBU) and his team for putting together such an impressive day. The 1st XV really came to the party on the day. Tactically superb in the first half, playing with the wind, they pinned Bishops inside their half and were ruthless in their execution when close to the line. We deservedly led 22-0 at half time. Early in the 2nd half Jack Benade scored one of the tries of the season to extend the lead to 29-0. Final score 29-7. A great day for SACS Rugby. 

Paul Roos were unbeaten in 2024. In their final match of the season against Grey College they won 36-3. We put in another spirited performance to go down 28-10 in a very creditable performance on Memorial A in front of our home supporters.

Milnerton High School provided the shock of the season when they beat Rondebosch on the Tinkie Heyns field. They followed that up with another away win against Bishops before turning their attention to SACS in an attempt to win a ‘’Triple Crown’’. Our boys had other ideas. In a tremendous allround performance they beat Milnerton 59-19 scoring some beautiful tries in front of a big crowd in Newlands.

Despite a competitive scoreline against Boland Landbou (40-27) I was disappointed with certain aspects of the performance. We missed easy kicks at goal and also didn’t cover ourselves in glory with some of our defence on the day. 

The Benade’s hosted the team and their parents the evening before the final game of the term v Wynberg. Former Springbok captain Corne Krige handed out the jerseys at another enjoyable function. Wynberg, also with a long list of WP and SA Schools players, were always going to be a tough proposition especially away from home but I just had a good feeling that it was going to be a special day. It doesn’t always turn out the way you hope but on this occasion it certainly did! In a ding dong tussle we triumphed by 30-29 and it was tremendous to see all the players celebrating with fellow students and old boys after the match.

The team enjoyed celebratory 600g T-bone steaks at the Hussar Grill and then it was time for a well deserved holiday break. Ikhona Maxegwana and Sango Zangqa both represented the WP XV team at Craven Week during the holidays but for everyone else it was an opportunity to rest, recover and get stuck into holiday training so that we could hit the ground running in the 3rd term. 

Unfortunately after the holidays winter really set in and most matches and practices were marred by inclement weather. Slippery underfoot conditions and rain did not suit our backline in particular. With no backline player over 80kg and two under 70kgs it’s fair to say that we relied on skill, nippy footwork and pace from the back. In all of our best victories of the 2024 campaign we were able to unleash our backs to good effect but unfortunately in boggy/rainy conditions our backs’ strengths were largely nullified. 

Our first game after the holiday was against Bellville and it was nearly postponed due to the weather. We brought the kickoff earlier to try and find a reasonable window of opportunity to at least have some semblance of a rugby match. We ran out comfortable 27-10 winners against a committed opponent and were pleased to get a game under the belt before taking on Boishaai the following week. 

We allowed Boishaai into a 17-0 first half lead which was disappointing but then proceeded to play arguably our best 2nd half of the season, dominating all facets of the game and the final scoreline of 20-12 doesnt paint the full picture of how close the game actually was at the end. Another admirable performance against strong opposition.

We looked forward to our final 3 fixtures of the season and each individual worked hard to improve on something small from a skill, physical and mental perspective. We started like a house on fire against Rondebosch at home scoring a superb early try. We then had another golden opportunity to go two tries up but squandered the chance and Bosch pounced with the turnover to score at the other end. We had other chances on the day but didn’t execute in the big moments which cost us dearly. Bosch are a quality side and to win those games you need to be nearly perfect on the day. We weren’t close to the level needed to cause an upset with Bosch eventually running out comfortable winners.

We regrouped before Bishops and spent the Friday before the game in the Brodie Room together before heading onto the field for our final practice of the week. The weather conditions were once again not in our favour but we believed if we were tactically good and played with the necessary attitude and intensity we would prevail. There were a few things out of our control on the day but the reality is we needed to accumulate more points with the wind in the first half. We led by only 10-5 at halftime. Any lead of less than 7 points is precarious at the best of times but in a low scoring game in tricky conditions you are always opening yourself up to potential heartache. So it proved to be with Bishops scoring and converting in the dying minutes to win the game 12-10. 

The weather looked like it was going to play ball for our final Classic Clash against Wynberg on Memorial A. The forecast looked fine but on the day it was a deluge and the match became a lottery. Wynberg played with the wind and rain in the first half and led 6-0 with a few minutes left of the half. We then scored a miraculous try down the left and also converted to lead 7-6 at the break. With an unlikely lead and turning to play with the wind in the 2nd half we felt we had a great chance of closing out the game. Like so often happens when playing with the wind we failed to dominate the territory with the majority of the rugby being played in the middle 3rd of the field. Wynberg managed a single entry into our 22m but earned a penalty in front of the sticks which they duly converted to lead 9-7. The first time we entered the Wynberg 22m area was right near the end and we did end up earning the penalty that could have potentially won us the game. With slippery underfoot conditions and a heavy ball, it was always going to be a tall order to get the ball over the bar and so it proved to be. 9-7 the final score. No shortage of effort and commitment but not quite good enough on the day.

In the absence of Seth Bradford and Ben van Coller, Nic Reynolds took over the captaincy for the majority of the season and was incredible both as a leader and as a player. Nic was a consistent performer throughout, punching well above his weight in all fixtures. His tries against Boishaai and in the final game against Wynberg showcased his elusiveness and amazing strength in contact. Nic was a loyal supporter of both myself and Mr Bokoyi and made a big contribution to our outstanding team environment.

Our tight 5 were incredible all season. They played almost every minute of every game and seldom took a step backwards. In fact they dominated more fancied opposition in many fixtures. The scrum, led by Ikhona Maxegwana, was a solid platform and Pierre Van Selm was imperious in the lineout on top of his yeoman work in the loose. Ethan Combrink was the find of the season. It was his first season playing prop but he more than held his own in the scrum and was powerful and industrious in the loose. Callum Hirst developed into a fierce ball carrier who could always be relied upon to get us over the gainline. Sango Zangqa in his first year as a 1st XV player contributed positively both with his throwing in at the lineout as well as in general play. 

Loose-forward was the area where we got hit hardest from an injury point of view but fortunately we had good depth in that department. Daniel Grant was a reliable lineout jumping option and contributed positively around the park throughout. His experiences from the season will stand him in good stead for 2025. Zac Wilson was a popular member of the team who always gave his best both at training and in matches. An honest grafter, I’m glad Zac got to achieve his dream of playing 1st XV rugby at SACS. Tashriq Bailey was selected for his first game vs Paarl Gim and never looked back. A physical player with a high workrate who made a great contribution to the cause. 

Connor King started the season well but unfortunately was concussed in the first game against Bosch and never quite regained his fitness to earn his place back in the starting team. Qawe Sawuka started out in the 3rd team and worked his way into the starting lineup as the season progressed. He is strong and physical and grew as a player and a person in 2024. Siphe Mbungendlu and Thando Sitole also represented the 1st XV but injuries unfortunately affected their seasons but much is expected from them in 2025.

Matt Forbes came into the important no9 jersey a little earlier than he expected but he certainly didn’t let anyone down with his performances in 2024. Forbsie has a crisp service and is a natural sportsman. His easy going nature and unselfish attitude made him a very popular player in the team. Max Bester in his first season playing scrumhalf did very well under difficult circumstances. He will look back with pride on his contribution to the 29-7 victory over Bishops in particular.

Rayaan Solomons is another great team man with an exemplary work ethic. Blessed with an educated left foot and a natural flair for attack, he orchestrated some fantastic tries during the season and helped win some important games with his judicious tactical kicking. Despite inconsistencies off the kicking tee, Ray was always on hand to take on the responsibility and his 4/4 kicks at goal vs Stellenberg were exceptional in those windy conditions. 

Jack Benade thrilled the crowds with his elusive running and speed off the mark. Whether it was running the length of the field from a quick tap penalty or counter attacking from kicks and turnovers, Jack was lethal with ball in hand. He scored some incredible tries during the season and will be remembered as one of the most exciting runners to play for SACS in recent times. Endi Sidnile adapted very well to his new position on the wing. Endi is a very clever player and had some outstanding moments down the left of the field. He is small in stature but frequently made good meters with ball in hand and mastered the art of plucking a well weighted cross kick out of the air. 

Matt Carrick made the no12 jersey his own until injury curtailed his season. Matt is a hard runner and fierce competitor who, with Nic Reynolds, made a very good centre combination. Mikey Skeeles came in for Matt towards the end of the season and his opportunity will benefit him immensely for next season. Imtiaz Abrahams is another grade 11 who performed well on the wing and at centre during his 1st XV appearances this season. We saw glimpses of what Quewinn Lackay has to offer after he returned from injury. Quewinn has excellent footwork and is deceptively quick and we are looking forward to seeing magic from him in 2025. Junior Moyo and Sam Berman also represented the 1st XV this season and they will also be back in 2025.

Zinzan Paulsen, Umtha Daza and Nathan Potgieter were all part of the initial squad and contributed in the early festivals and on tour so I’d also like to acknowledge their involvement and contribution. 

A big thank you to Mr Maxwell Bokoyi who coached the team with me this season. On top of his rugby knowledge, Mr Bokoyi brings with him a passion and enthusiasm for the sport. He has a good rapport with the players and this contributed positively to a pleasant working environment. Well done and thank you coach!

A massive thank you to all the parents for the unwavering support and enthusiasm throughout the season, especially those that hosted functions and traveled up to Johannesburg to support the team. You can all be proud of your son’s efforts this season. A special thank you to Neil and Shona Bradford, as parents of the captain, for everything extra you did to create a great ‘’gees’’ amongst the parents and in service of the team. It is greatly appreciated.

Mr Ghaleel Achmat was present on match days, providing strapping to the players and running the line. Mr Hummel managed the team on tour up to Johannesburg and as 2nd XV coach gave me selection advice and support throughout. Luca Boonzaaier (‘22) did incredible work on ‘’The Great Heart’’ production and created some outstanding motivational highlights videos during the season. 

A huge thank you to sponsors,Tyson Properties. Nic Pearson (‘08) and his team were a constant support and nothing was too much trouble. SACS Rugby is lucky to have such a fantastic company behind them. Special thanks to Natasha Barbosa who helped with eye-catching presentations and Debbie Schouw with organization and logistics for our leadership session earlier in the year. 

Hussar Grill has once again gone above and beyond their sponsorship agreement. On top of hosting us at their restaurants, they sponsor events and are also a presence and support on match days. Thank you to Justin Fortune and his team for the ongoing support. Hussar Grill is certainly the go-to venue for all SACS supporters. 

Behind the scenes, so much appreciation must be shown to our First Aiders, the ground staff and every person that contributed towards fundraising for the Percy Montgomery Foundation. Thank you to every single SACS Rugby supporter that watched our games and offered words of encouragement and support during the season.

The support given by the Spirit Committee was tremendous throughout the season and it was lovely to see so many boys from our Junior school joining their older ‘’brothers’’ in support of the 1st XV each Saturday. Well done and thank you to all those boys who sang with spirit and gusto every Saturday in support of our team.

A final thank you to our Headmaster Mr Grant, Head of Rugby Mr Van Selm and Chairman of the SGB Mr Ashley Kantor for their support of the 1st XV and of rugby in general at SACS. 

On a personal level, I’d like to wish all the matrics everything of the best as they embark on the next chapter of their lives. Thank you for your contribution to SACS Rugby over the past 5 years. I look forward to seeing you on the sidelines in your old boys’ ties in the years

 ahead.

There is much to look forward to in 2025. On top of our normal tough local fixture list is an invitation to the Noord/Suid festival to be held at Paul Roos next year and another visit to the St John’s Easter Festival. The hard work starts now!

Spectamur Agendo

Head coach 1st XV: Mr Nick Maurer

 

1st XV results 2024
Date	1st XV	Result	F	A
16-Mar	Durbanville HS (A)	Won	25	22
21-Mar	Grey PE (A)	Lost	3	7
23-Mar	Michaelhouse (A)	Won	27	24
28-Mar	Graeme College (A)	Won	31	7
30-Mar	Maritzburg College (A)	Lost	24	26
6-Apr	Stellenberg HS (A)	Won	24	22
13-Apr	Brackenfell HS (A)	Won	54	27
20-Apr	Rondebosch BHS (A)	Lost	22	55
27-Apr	Paarl Gymnasium (A)	Lost	10	35
4-May	Bishops (H)	Won	29	7
11-May	Paul Roos (H)	Lost	10	28
18-May	Milnerton HS (H)	Won	59	19
25-May	Boland Lanbou (A)	Lost	27	40
1-Jun	Wynberg BHS (A)	Won	30	29
13-Jul	Bellville HS (H)	Won	27	10
20-Jul	Paarl Boys, High (H)	Lost	12	20
3-Aug	Rondebosch BHS (H)	Lost	5	43
10-Aug	Bishops (A)	Lost	10	12
17-Aug	Wynberg (H)	Lost	7	9