All set for 16th annual Graeme College Rugby Day

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Graeme College will host their sixteenth Rugby Day in Grahamstown on Friday 21 March 2014. This is a unique one-day schoolboy rugby festival, bringing together eighteen 1st XV teams from the Eastern Cape and Border regions. The Graeme College Rugby Day continues to grow in excellence and we expect to witness great talent on the fields, as well as provide an opportunity for all participants to enjoy the special camaraderie and fellowship that goes with a rugby contest played in the right spirit.

Much time, dedication and hard work goes into organising a rugby festival of this magnitude and Mr Peter Reed, Graeme College Headmaster, would like to take this opportunity to commend the organising committee, under the enthusiastic leadership of our Head of Sport, Nico van der Meulen on what is sure to be another outstanding day. A special welcome and warm Graemian gratitude is extended to Pam Golding (Grahamstown) for their enormous contribution and organisation of sponsorship. In addition, Graeme College has a special guest referee officiating the game between host Graeme College and Dale College. Mr Jonathan Kaplan, a former international rugby union referee, holds the record for the most international matches (68) as referee has kindly agreed to assist Graeme College.

Mr Kaplan began refereeing in 1984, while still a high school student, and made his first-class debut in 1991. He was appointed to South Africa's national panel of referees in 1993 and on 4 May 1996 he made his international debut in a match between Namibia and Zimbabwe in Harare. Mr Kaplan was appointed as a touch judge for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, and as a referee for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia - where he took charge of three pool games and the quarter-final between France and Ireland - and was one of the twelve referees appointed to officiate at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France - taking charge of four pool games and the semi-final between England and France - becoming the first South African to officiate at three World Cups.

Some of Mr Kaplan's other notable games in charge include the first ever game in the Six Nations Championship, between Italy and Scotland in 2000, the second test between the British and Irish Lions and Australia in 2001 and the third test between the Lions and New Zealand in 2005. In October 2008 he took charge of the final of South Africa's premier domestic competition, the Currie Cup, for the fourth time, and was the referee again for the 2009 final. On 12 February 2013, Mr Kaplan announced his retirement from refereeing.

A comment from Mr Reed: "On behalf of all at Graeme College, I extend a hearty welcome to all players, officials, supporters, spectators and friends, and I hope that you will leave Graeme with only happy memories."

A comment from Daphne Timm, Pam Golding Properties, Grahamstown: "We are extremely thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work so closely with Graeme College, putting this popular rugby Derby together. Being the 16th year that schools from Eastern Cape will be attending, we are excited and look forward to seeing and meeting many old and new faces. We would like to thank all the other sponsors for their generous support, without which a day like this cannot happen. Friday 21 March promises to be an action-packed day, do come and join all from our office and support Graeme College on this day."

RUGBY DAY PROGRAMME -
Friday 21 March 2014

SOMERSET FIELD
08h00 Muir College 1st XI vs. Port Alfred High School 1st XI
09h10 Cambridge High School 1st XI vs. Pearson High School 1st XI
10h20 Hudson Park High School 1st XI vs. Hoërskool Nico Malan 1st XI
11h30 Grey High School 1st XI vs. Hoër Landbouskool Marlow 1st XI
12h40 Selborne College 1st XI vs. Hoërskool Framesby 1st XI
13h50 St Andrew's College 1st XI vs. Die Brandwag Hoërskool 1st XI
15h00 Kingwood College 1st XI vs. Queens' College 1st XI
16h10 Graeme College 1st XI vs. Dale College 1st XI

MARAIS A FIELD
09h30 St Andrew's College U15 vs. Die Brandwag Hoërskool U15
10h30 Hoërskool P.J. Olivier 1st XI vs. Nathaniel Nyaluza Senior Secondary 1st XI
11h30 Cambridge High School U15 vs. Pearson High School U15
12h30 Hudson Park High School U15 vs. Hoërskool Nico Malan U15
13h30 Kingswood College U15 vs. Queens' College U15
14h30 Selborne College U15 vs. Hoërskool Framesby U15

MARAIS B FIELD
08h30 Graeme College U14 vs. Hoër Landbouskool Marlow U14
09h30 Graeme College U15 vs. Hoër Landbouskool Marlow U15
10h30 St Andrew's College U14 vs. Die Brandwag Hoërskool U14
11h30 Selborne College U14 vs. Hoërskool Framesby U14
12h30 Kingswood College U14 vs. Queens' College U14
13h30 Cambridge High School U14 vs. Pearson High School U14
14h30 Hudson Park High School U14 vs. Hoërskool Nico Malan U14