Hockey and rugby players revel in annual festival

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GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - This past weekend, Union High School once again welcomed several schools to their annual Caltex/College Motors Senior Rugby and Hockey Festival held from Friday, 15 March to Monday, 18 March.

This annual festival, now in its 32nd year, is hosted at the school's campus in Graaff-Reinet on their world-class hockey AstroTurf and well-prepared rugby fields.

As one of the highlights of the Union High School calendar, coaches and players welcome participants to enjoy the wonderful natural environment and join in the fun, yet very competitive spirit, of the wonderful games of hockey and rugby. This year, Union was very pleased to host 20 rugby and 16 hockey teams, from schools around the country.

"This was a very memorable festival, with remarkable sportsmanship, camaraderie and enjoyable rugby and hockey encounters all round", commented Raymond Hamilton, Union's Senior Sports Administrator.

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The festival commenced shortly after the SPAR Eastern Cape Schoolgirls Hockey Challenge concluded on Friday, with a cocktail party at The Tony Burrel Union for the parents, sponsors and invited guests.

Here the school's headmaster, William Pringle, bid everyone welcome and paid tribute to the official sponsors - Caltex Eastern Cape Marketer as well as Caltex/College Motors, Hyundai, Pick n Pay, Merino Pharmacy, Graaff-Reinet Mica, the Desert Springs Spur and Supa Quick - without whom the event would not have been such a success.

A convivial evening was enjoyed by all, catered for by a hard-working team of committed Union parents.

The next morning, play started in earnest, with fierce competition reigning on the hockey and rugby fields throughout the following three days.

Hoër Volkskool's Devon Oormeyer running with the ball.

For teams visiting from the city, this festival is especially fun to attend in that the young hockey and rugby players get to know one another both on the field and socially in a safe and beautiful environment.

To accommodate about 650 children for a whole weekend is no mean feat, nevertheless, the hosting boarding houses did a terrific job ensuring all were well nourished for the taxing games to be contested with many visitors commenting on how impressively smooth and efficient the entire festival's activities operated overall, with generous tea eats provided every day and delicious lunches served.

Local participating schools, Spandau Secondary, Union and Hoër Volkskool, watched and supported one another's games keenly, anticipating later clashes to follow this season.

Upon conclusion of the festival, busloads of tired, satisfied youngsters, filled with lactic acid and precious memories, left Graaff-Reinet on Monday afternoon after a weekend of exciting physical activity.

There was great hockey and rugby on display for spectators.

The results of matches contested by the local teams, were as follows:

Rugby
Union High School lost their first match of the festival against Charlie Hofmeyer 12-28, while the final rugby match of the festival, between Union and Andrew Rabie, was a humdinger with Union emerging the victors with a score of 43-0. The game was a fitting and satisfying end for the hosting school.

Hoër Volkskool beat Cambridge 44-15 while losing to Charlie Hofmeyer 20-25.

Spandau lost 3-24 against Cradock and 7-14 against Camps Bay.

A Union's 1st XV team talk with coaches Raymond Hamilton and Stephen Bezuidenhout.

Hockey
Union beat Victoria Girls 1-0, Paarl Gim Inv 2-0 and Settlers 3-0, losing 3-4 against Kingsridge. Brandwag withdrew against Union Volkskool beat Brandwag 2-0, Victoria Girls 1-0 and Settlers 3-0, losing 0-1 to Stirling and 0-2 to Paarl Gim. The Union Invitation team beat Cradock 1-0 and Brandwag 1-0 while losing to Merrifield (2-3), Stirling (0-4) and Nico Malan (0-2).

Hoër Volkskool's captain Inge van Rooyen in action during the festival. Photo: Sonette Crouse