Union High School had the privilege of hosting a ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ข this morning, arranged by X2Y Career Exhibition, bringing a wide range of tertiary institutions and opportunities onto our campus. ๐ข๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, gaining valuable insight into the many pathways available to them after school.
Despite the cold weather, our matrics spent a meaningful and engaging day in the warmth of the Tony Burrell Union clubhouse, attending a well-supported ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ.
The programme offered valuable insight into a range of post-school opportunities, with informative presentations by Michela Groener (International Hotel School, Gqeberha), Amelia van der Merwe (Eduvos, Gqeberha), Izanne Grobellaar (Uxi Sport, Gqeberha), Lindy Hulley (Stenden) and Marnus du Toit (IETI Baytech, Gqeberha).
๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐น๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข ๐ท๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ต๐บ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ด๐ต๐ถ๐ฅ๐บ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ต๐ฉ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด, ๐ง๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฑ๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ค๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต-๐ณ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐จ๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ด.
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐. Opportunities like these play an important role in helping our matrics make informed decisions about their futures and we thank our presenters for sharing both practical guidance and real-world insight.
A huge ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ to Grade 8 learner ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ on being awarded his EP colours for representing the U16 Eastern Province Elephants team at the Junior National Indoor Cricket South Africa tournament this past April.
๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ด ๐ข ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ญ๐บ ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ.
๐ช๐ฒโ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐, ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฒ, and wish you all the best as you continue to enjoy your cricket.

This past weekend saw a proud showing from our Grade 7 learners, with ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ (loose forward) and ๐ฌ๐ผ๐น๐ผ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐น๐ฎ (hooker) representing us in Makhanda at the Eastern Province Rugby Unionโs second round of trials for the EPPSRA U13 team.
At the same time, ๐๐บ๐บ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ and ๐๐ฎ๐๐น๐ฎ ๐ข๐๐ flew the Union flag high in Gqeberha as they took part in the second round of EP U13 hockey trials.
๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฃ๐ญ๐บ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐บ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ด๐ค๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ญ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ด๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฉ๐ถ๐ด๐ช๐ข๐ด๐ฎ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ.

A big ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐จ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ to our Union High School rugby boys on their well-deserved selection to various representative teams.
We are incredibly proud to see ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฎ named in the U16 Grant Khomo Invitational Team, which will compete in Durban during the June holidays, as well as ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ท๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ and ๐๐๐๐ผ๐น๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ถ (U16 Karoo) and ๐๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ต๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฆ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ฒ, ๐ง๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ, ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ, ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ and ๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ (U18 Karoo) earning their places.
๐๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐จ๐ฐ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ธ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ถ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ 2 ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ต๐ณ๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ถ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฅ๐ข๐บ, 5 ๐๐ข๐บ.

We were deeply grateful to receive a supply of Gilbert match balls last week, kindly sponsored by GBG Graaff-Reinet in partnership with Xero.
The handover took place during a delightful gathering on Thursday afternoon at The Coldstream Restaurant – a relaxed and meaningful occasion that brought together local schools and community partners around a shared vision: ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป.
These match balls, along with the thoughtful goodie bags, represent far more than a generous gift. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐, our programme and the important role that sport plays in shaping characterinstilling discipline, resilience teamwork and pride.
๐๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ณ๐ถ๐ญ๐บ ๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ด๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ข ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ท๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ช๐ต๐ด ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅโฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ต๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ๐ง.
It is with deep sadness that we share news of the passing of ๐ ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ป – a much-loved member of the Union family, an educator of rare dedication and a gentleman whose quiet impact will be felt for generations to come.
An ๐ข๐น๐ฑ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ, Roryโs connection to Union was lifelong. From his own school days, through to attending his ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐๐ต ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ผ, he remained closely bound to his classmates and to the spirit of the school he loved so dearly.
After studying geology at Rhodes University, Rory returned to education with purpose, later completing further studies in mathematics and teaching through UNISA. In ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ญ๐ต๐ด๐ต, he began his teaching journey at Union – one that would span over two decades and leave an indelible mark on countless young lives.
He went on to serve as ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ and during a pivotal time in the schoolโs history, stepped in to act as Headmaster, leading with steadiness and integrity until the appointment of Mr Pringle. He retired at the end of 2011.
Yet, beyond the titles and years of service, it is the ๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ we remember most vividly.
Rory had a remarkable way of making the complex feel possible. In his classroom, ๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ – not just as subjects, but as shared discoveries. He brought humour into the lab, patience into every explanation and a genuine care for each learnerโs journey. Stories shared on social media over the past week speak of a teacher who made time, who listened, who debated and who believed deeply in fairness and understanding -๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฏ๐ข๐ท๐ช๐จ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ถ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ, ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ข๐ด๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ.

Roryโs legacy is also woven through his family. Together with his wife Pam, they raised four children – Margot, Ted, Steve and Kathy – all of whom matriculated from Union, continuing a proud and enduring family connection to the school.
As we reflect on his life, we are reminded that the true measure of a teacher is not found only in results or accolades, but in the ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ. In this, Roryโs legacy is extraordinary.
To the Kroon family, we extend our heartfelt condolences and hold you close in our thoughts and prayers.
For those in Graaff-Reinet, an ๐ถ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐น ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ will be held on ๐ง๐ต๐๐ฟ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น ๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐ญ:๐ฌ๐ฌ at the ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น, ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐, where friends are invited to gather, share stories and celebrate Roryโs life.
ย For those further afield, the family has created a space to share messages, memories and photos: ย https://forms.gle/X9kxAKKogg37C9Ah6
๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ต ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ญ๐บ, ๐๐ณ ๐๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฏ.
๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐ญ๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ – ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด, ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ฉ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ต๐ข๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ๐ต.
Rugby Report
The team faced two tough fixtures against strong local opposition, gaining valuable experience and lessons along the way.
Match 1: Union vs Langenhoven Gimnasium (Final)
The hosts came out firing from the start, applying relentless pressure through well-executed up-and-under kicks that unsettled Unionโs back three. Costly errors allowed Langenhoven to capitalize, racing to a commanding 34โ7 lead at halftime.
Union, however, showed immense resilience in the second half. By changing their attacking strategy, they clawed their way back to level the score at 34โ34. Unfortunately, fatigue set in, and two lapses in concentration led to quick tries for the hosts. The final whistle saw Union defeated 48โ34, but the spirited comeback highlighted the teamโs adaptability and fighting spirit.
Match 2: Union vs Oudtshoorn High School
Unionโs second fixture was against Oudtshoorn High, who entered the game brimming with confidence after a big win over Fish Hoek. Anticipating wide attacks, Unionโs defense closed down the wings effectively, but this left gaps in midfield which Oudtshoorn exploited twice.
In the second half, Unionโs reserves made a strong impact, dominating possession. However, forced errors and โwhite line feverโ proved costly. Despite their efforts, Union went down 35โ12. While not the desired result, the match showcased the teamโs ability to adapt defensively and highlighted areas for growth.
Positives and Highlights
Resilience & Adaptability: The ability to change attacking strategies mid-game and fight back from a large deficit.
Defensive Lessons: Exposure to varied opposition tactics will strengthen Unionโs defensive responses in future fixtures.
Player of the Tournament: A special congratulations to Josh Arends, whose outstanding performances earned him this accolade.
Off-Field Experiences
The tour was not only about rugby. The team enjoyed a memorable outing to an ostrich farm, learning about different species and products, and even feeding the ostriches. Recovery sessions with compression boots and massages were a special treat, ensuring the players were well looked after.
Hockey Report
This was our first time attending the Langenhoven Gymnasium Festival. Initially, there was some disappointment around sacrificing a long weekend for only three games. However, once we arrived, the festival atmosphere quickly changed our perspective and it became clear that the girls truly needed this experience.
From the start, we established ourselves as the team to beat at the festival.
Results:
โข UHS 1st Team Girls vs Langenhoven Gymnasium: UHS won 1โ0
Our girls dominated from the start to secure a 1โ0 victory. Despite some challenging decisions from the umpires throughout the game, what stood out most was the teamโs composure. The girls remained calm and did not allow external factors to affect their performance. A true mark of the First teamsโ class and maturity.
โข UHS vs Dirkie Uys: UHS won 10โ0
โข UHS vs King Edward High School: UHS won 8โ0
Across all matches, the UHS displayed excellent attacking hockey and disciplined structures.
Man of the Match Awards:
โข Leigh-ann Murray (x2)
โข Amy Waddelow
โข Katelyn Trollip
It was especially rewarding to hear positive feedback from other coaches and spectators, who described our brand of hockey as exciting to watch. More importantly, they acknowledged the respect and humility shown by our players throughout the tournament. We are proud not only of the results, but of the manner in which our girls represented the school, playing with intensity and always upholding the school values.
Well done, girls!

Rugby
The U/11A team delivered a dominant performance to win 24โ0, displaying excellent teamwork and defensive discipline. The U/13A side continued the winning momentum with a strong 19โ0 victory, controlling the game from start to finish.
Hockey
In hockey, the U/11A team produced an outstanding performance against Kroonvaleโs U/13A side, securing an emphatic 8โ0 win. Their attacking play and finishing were exceptional, highlighting a well-rounded team effort.
๐ฆ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐ฏ๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ.
For Union High School, the enduring relationship with Astron Energy Eastern Cape and its local brand partners stands as a powerful example of what sustained community investment can achieve.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐, ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ณ๐น๐ฎ๐ด๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ – the Senior Rugby & Hockey Festival, now in its 37th year, and the Anne Beagley Junior Rugby & Hockey Festival, celebrating its 24th milestone. Together, these festivals have grown into some of the most respected school sporting gatherings in the Eastern Cape, welcoming over 600 learners from across South Africa to the heart of the Karoo for days of spirited competition, camaraderie and unforgettable memories – twice a year.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. Originally established by Old Unionite Clive Berlyn during his tenure as CEO of Caltex Eastern Cape Marketers, the partnership laid the foundation for what would become a defining feature of Unionโs sporting calendar. From those early days – when Caltex and College Motors first came on board – to the present, the commitment has remained unwavering, even as the brand evolved into Astron Energy in South Africa.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ-๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ โ a full-circle moment that reflects both continuity and growth. Today, alongside Astron Energy Eastern Cape, the partnership is proudly strengthened by local stalwarts Astron Energy Graaff-Reinet (College Motors), represented by ๐ ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐๐๐ฎ, and Astron Energy Bothas Market Square (Bothaโs Garage), represented by ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฒ๐น๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐บ๐ถ๐.
College Motors, located on College Road, has established itself as a distinguished initial destination for travellers entering Graaff-Reinet.
Acquired by Pierre Le Grange in 1999, the business entered a new chapter in March 2024 under the ownership of his son-in-law, Stephan de Souza. With more than 20 years of industry experience, De Souzaโs journey has come full circle – from starting his career under Le Grange, to refining his skills in Cape Town and ultimately returning to invest in and lead the business alongside family.
Recent upgrades, including a modernised facility and an expanded FreshStop offering, have transformed the site into a 24-hour convenience hub. With well-loved additions such as Seattle Coffee Co. and FreshStop favourites like Crispy Chicken and Grill to Go, College Motors continues to serve both locals and travellers with the same welcoming, family-oriented approach that has defined it for decades.


๐๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ถ๐ Bothaโs Garage ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฆ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ – a true Graaff-Reinet institution. With a history stretching back more than a century, the site has long been woven into the fabric of the town. Since taking ownership in June 2024, Johan and Michaela Smit have embraced this legacy while bringing fresh energy to the business.
The recent redevelopment of the premises, including a modern retail space, coffee offering and improved facilities, reflects a thoughtful balance between heritage and progress – a commitment that mirrors the spirit of the festivals they support.
The impact of this long-standing sponsorship reaches far beyond the boundary lines of the fields. It enables Union to host large-scale, high-quality events that would otherwise not be possible – events where young sportsmen and women experience not only competition, but the warmth of Karoo hospitality and the unique charm of a town that opens its doors to them. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐, ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐, ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐.
For Graaff-Reinet itself, the ripple effect is significant. These festivals bring vibrancy, visitors and economic activity to the town, while showcasing the Karoo as a destination of both natural beauty and community spirit.
Quite simply, this is a partnership that has stood the test of time. The longevity of Unionโs Rugby & Hockey Festivals is inseparable from the loyalty and generosity of Astron Energy Eastern Cape and its local partners. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ช๐ณ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ญ๐บ ๐ด๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด – ๐ช๐ต ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ญ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ.
๐๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ ๐ฎ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น๐, ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ. Because behind every whistle blown and every try scored lies the quiet, steadfast support of partners who have believed in the journey from the very beginning.
