Kaya Malotana - Director of Rugby
Though Alan Beswick played rugby for South Africa, the school's game was really soccer till the 1920s when there were few schools to play soccer against. The problem of conversion to rugby was the absence of a grassed field. The principal, Herbert Wilkinson, promised that the conversion would be made as soon as there was a grassed field. The school acquired one and became a rugby school in 1924. That year Queen's played its first rugby match against another school - Gill College of Somerset East, who were on tour. From then on the school was committed to rugby.
Queen's play without the number 13 jersey (in the first XV only) after the tragic death of Victor Maitland (who wore the first XV No 13 jersey that year) in a motor accident in 1951.
Before World War II there was Rosy Rosseinsky (1929 - 1941), and after the War, Dummy Taylor (1947 - 1961). They have been the school's longest serving coaches.
Rugby is tough down on the Border and the competition which Queen's has had over the years from Dale, Selborne, Hangklipand, further afield, St Andrew's and Grey High of Port Elizabeth has been great and absorbing.
Rugby at Queen's College remains the school's number one sport in Winter. As the Summer season starts drawing to an end every year, there is always a buzz of excitement as the new rugby season approaches. Queen's can boast a total of 20 rugby teams; 8 open, U16A, B, C, D, U15A, B, C and D and U14A, B, C and D teams. Many other schools don't have the same number of teams, which results in the lower level teams not playing too many games in the season.
Queen's College has a total of seven rugby fields which comfortably accommodate the teams we have available. The Queen's College Victoria Recreation Ground hosts the main rugby games of the afternoon (1st, 2nd and 3rd teams). The Rec's grandstand can accommodate up to 6 000 spectators.
Queen's College has a few outside coaches who assist with the teams.
Queenians who have excelled on the rugby fields:
|
Name |
Representative Team |
Debut |
|
Allan Beswick |
Springboks (3 Caps) |
1896 |
|
Jimmy White |
Springboks (10 Caps) |
1931 |
|
Dick Muir |
Springboks (5 Caps) |
1997 |
|
Robbie Kempson |
Springboks (37 Caps) |
1998 |
|
Kaya Malotana |
Springboks (1 Cap) |
1999 |
|
Owen Lentz |
USA (12 Caps) |
2007 |
|
Carlo Del Fava |
Italy (54 Caps) |
2004 |
|
Lionel Cronje |
South Africa U20 |
2009 |
|
S'bura Sithole |
South Africa U20 |
2009 |
|
Alan Dell |
South Africa U20 (4 Caps) |
2012 |
CRITERIA FOR AWARDS IN RUGBY
First Team Blazer
A player must have played in a minimum of 7 of the matches (in the starting line up) for the First XV during the season.
Colours
A player must be of average provincial standard.
Honours
A player must be of average national standard.
