Uplands claim bragging rights in Lowveld Derby
The first Penryn vs Uplands derby for the year was hosted on April 19 and 20, with Uplands securing most of the bragging rights on foreign soil as Penryn hosted the very special occasion.
On April 19 and 20, Penryn hosted its age-old rivals Uplands for the annual Lowveld Derby, both schools vying for the first set of bragging rights for the year.
The derby is a highlight on both Penryn and Uplands’ calendars, and each school gets a turn to host this special occasion every year. The duty of hosting the first derby of 2024 fell to Penryn, Uplands making the trip from White River in a bid to best their hosts.
The build-up to the weekend began at Penryn on Monday April 15. Each day leading up to it featured a special theme that ranged from Sunday best, a pyjama day and even a uniform swap day, which saw Penryn learners and teachers participating by dressing up accordingly.
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The weekend officially kicked off on Friday April 19, featuring matches in netball, boys’ hockey, debating and chess.
The competition on the fields was intense, but what truly stood out was the gees displayed by all involved, with great support shown by parents and fellow pupils alike. New friendships were forged both on and off the field, while existing bonds were strengthened among pupils, staff and parents from both Penryn and Uplands.
Saturday proved no different as the teams from both schools gave it their all in girls’ hockey, rugby and tennis. While bragging rights were the aim, the derby was not purely about competition.
It was a celebration of sports, friendship and community and fostering a unique and special relationship between the two schools. Uplands will play host to Penryn next in the return derby in a couple of months’ time, and Penryn will undoubtedly be hoping to reclaim some of the bragging rights.
