Old rivalries and friendships revived at Old Boys Tens Tournament hosted at Pirates Club

GREENSIDE – Hoërskool Monument takes the Old Boys Tens Cup from defending champions Hoërskool Middelburg.

November 21, 2018

Sarah Koning 1 minute read

The Old Boys Tens tournament was all about renewing old friendships. St Andrews Old Boys congratulate Stirling Old Boys following their win in the bowl final. Photo: Sarah Koning

Old rivalries and friendships were revived through rugby and netball at the Stor-Age Old Boys Rugby Tens tournament hosted at Pirates Club on 9 and 10 November.

Hoërskool Monument Old Boys won the much-anticipated cup final 7–0 against defending champions Hoërskool Middelburg Old Boys. During the last play of the first half, Hoërskool Monument scored a converted try.

The physicality and intensity of the Krugersdorp-based school won them the game after producing an excellent defensive display in the second half. Despite Middelburg’s territory dominance in the second half, they could not penetrate the physical defence of ‘Monnas’.

Scrumhalf for Monnas André Esterhuizen, better known as Spyker, who is also a teacher at the school said, “We came here today with one goal, to win this thing for our school and community and we did it. Hoërskool Monument was unbeaten for many years and I’m so proud of the boys who worked hard despite injuries.”

The vibrant community event which unites schools from across the country functions as a fundraiser for the Education Endowment Fund which assists disadvantaged children with scholarships and funds community-led educational programmes.

St John’s Old Boys (blue) defend against Michaelhouse. St John’s won the spoon final 12–0. Photo: Sarah Koning

Dale College cannot penetrate the defence of St Alban’s in the shield final. Photo: Sarah Koning

Eastern Cape sides St Andrews (blue) and Stirling have a close game in the bowl final. Stirling won 19–12. Photo: Sarah Koning

Local teams, Parktown Old Boys got through to the cup quarter-final but lost 19–21 to Masakhane Old Boys, King Edward VII Old Boys lost to Queens College in the plate semi-final 5–7 and St John’s College Old Boys won the spoon final beating Michaelhouse 12–0.

Tournament director Marcel Malherbe said, “It is a wonderful tournament where cultural differences and where you come from doesn’t matter. It is great to see friendships between such diverse teams like Hoërskool Middelburg and Stirling High being revived each year. I believe that it is one of the only truly representative South African sports festivals.”