KC vs Graeme College, 1st August 2015
First Half. See also: • KC vs Graeme College, ...
City Lords Field at Kingswood College on Saturday 1st August once again proved to be the venue for what had unofficially become known as the ‘Champions of Grahamstown’ 1st XV rugby match between Kingswood College and Graeme College. Both teams, who had managed to secure rare victories against St Andrew’s College earlier on in the season went into the match with everything to gain and nothing to lose.
The match proved to be one typical of an intense but treasured local sporting derby between two teams who have been playing against each other since 1917. Ironically, the score between the two 1st XVs in 1917 was a 3-3 draw! This annual fixture has seen similar such scores throughout the last century and Saturday’s match proved to be no different.
Kingswood who had most of the possession and territory managed a 16-10 victory after a determined fightback from the visiting team.
Graeme started on the back foot with a poor kick off which went straight into touch. The Kingswood forwards managed to keep the Graeme side on the back foot both in the scrums as well as in the line outs, getting the first points on the board when they were awarded a penalty in range which was converted by centre and captain Josh Shelley. Shelley was playing his 50th match for the Kingswood 1st XV, having been presented with a commemorative shirt by College Head Jon Trafford the night before.
After the restart, Kingswood were awarded a number of penalties and got up to the Graeme 22m line from where Shelley attempted to add another 3 points. Unfortunately the kick was wide and Graeme had the 22m drop out. Kingswood ran the ball back at Graeme who turned it over but knocked on giving Kingswood the scrum. After some phases, Graeme was penalized and Kingswood kicked for touch setting up a lineout on the Graeme 5m line. The Kingswood forwards continued to dominate at the lineouts and crossed the Graeme line but the ball was held up and Kingswood were awarded a 5m scrum. From the scrum the Kingswood backs set up a skip move which went out to the wing who crossed over in the corner for the first try of the game. Shelley missed the tough conversion from the touchline. After halftime, Graeme managed to stay in the Kingswood half for a good period of play and were eventually awarded with a kickable penalty which was converted giving Graeme their first points of the game. The halftime score was 8-3 to Kingswood.
The second half saw Graeme winning the first penalty and kicking for touch to set up a lineout. The lineout throw was not straight and Kingswood took back possession. After a period of play, they were awarded a penalty from which they took another 3 points from the boot of Shelley.
Kingswood dominated for another period of play but just could not seem to break the Graeme defense again. They attempted to add points from a drop kick which went wide and short. Graeme ran the ball back at Kingswood and broke down the touch line for what looked like a certain try only to knock the ball on over the try line because of superb cover defense tackle from Athi Halom. Kingswood kicked clear after the scrum and won yet another Graeme line out to spread the ball out wide where Graeme intercepted for their first try of the game. Graeme converted the kick making the scores 11-10 in favour of Kingswood.
Both teams kicked the ball back and forth and made a few half breaks until Kingswood's Shane Potgieter broke down the touchline to score Kingswood’s second try. Shelley missed the conversion keeping the score at 16-10. The clock ran down after the next few phases until Kingswood kicked the ball out of play to emerge victorious.
While the rugby played on the day could probably not be referred to as being ‘beautiful’ it certainly was very passionate and physical in nature. This very special rivalry between two esteemed rugby playing schools from the Eastern Cape seems to be in a healthy place at present and long may this last. The match signaled the end to Kingswood’s rugby season for 2015 - one that Kingswoodians can be very proud of as they look ahead confidently to 2016!