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Rugby has been a part of the fabric of the school since its founding in 1873. One of the earliest 1st team captains was WP Schreiner, who went on to become the prime minister of the Cape as well as the president of the South African Rugby board.
The first recorded match was played in September 1886 against St Andrew’s College. 130 years later you will still find rugby matches being played, with Saturdays perhaps being the highlight of the school week. These days, on any given Saturday, you will find around 10 teams representing the high school with the junior school fielding 8 sides.
In 1962 a leopard badge was introduced to the famous blue and gold jersey. The 1st team sides of the 70s and 80s give inspiration to Graemians of the 21st century, who seek to rub shoulders with the best that the Eastern Cape, and South Africa, has to offer.
The 1980s saw the emergence of Graeme College’s – to this date – most famous rugby son. Hennie le Roux played for the 1st team from 1983 to 1986. Mr le Roux’s name will forever be writ large for the instrumental role that he played in the Springboks 1995 World Cup victory. As a school we will fondly remember how he was chosen by his teammates to present President Mandela with a Springbok cap after a practice session, which he later wore to the final against New Zealand’s All Blacks. One son of the soil paying homage to another.
