The 2025 Chronicle

FIRST XV RUGBY Back Row: Luke Mitchell, Noah Bates, Daniel Carr, Laird Hamilton-Brown, Thomas Peach, Reese Hill, Alexander Ardé, Rourke O’Sullivan. Third Row: Molemo Mahura, Dylan van Tonder, Oliver Guy, Ms. Marcel Cornelius, Oliver Davis, Alex Jankowitz, Mr. Ross Dubuzane. Second Row: Jack Carmody, Nicholas Baker, Max Oliva, Nicolas Salamousas, Koketso Bopape, Daniel Aissing Front Row (seated): Stefan Moolman, Mr. Kelton Thunder, William Ridl, Mr. James Fleming, Dominic Sesink Clee, Mr. Graeme Lucas-Bull, Lwandle Nzama

scored an early try and kept their lead throughout, scoring fur ther close-range tries. We fought back, scoring three convert ed tries through Ridl, hooker Max Oliva and scrumhalf Aiss ing, but unfortunately could not get ahead of them despite attacking for the last few minutes of the game. It was a very disappointing game and result for the team, especially after our form on the opening day, but congratulations to the home team on their win. We returned to school at the start of the second term and ended up playing our brother school, Peterhouse, from Zim babwe, rather than Clifton as originally scheduled. We had been hosting Peterhouse teams for our Easter festival and they stayed on to play us. It was fantastic to reignite the ri valry and change from our regular fixtures. There had been

heavy late-summer rains, and Meadows resembled a river more than a rugby field. We were forced to move the games across to Baileys after the first game had become a mud bath. The atmosphere was tangible; the boys enjoyed the change of scenery and played some superb rugby. They moved the ball around at pace and scored some brilliant tries to run out 68-0 winners. The try scorers included dou bles by O’Sullivan, Jankowitz and Aissing, plus tries by Luke Mitchell, Nichols Baker, Domnic Sesink Clee and Ridl. Mool man converted nine of them. Hilton were our next opponents on 3 May, and we prepared to play them on Baileys for the first time in about 75 years. The team were disappointed not to be playing on Meadows but appreciated that we at least had a game. There was not

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