Rugby History Highlights

• 1861 – Dale College founded.

• 1876 – First rugby played in King William’s Town.

• 1880 – Dale’s first recorded rugby match against Ever Ready Club.

• 1891 – First schoolboy match vs Queenstown Public School (later Queen’s College).

• 1892 – First match vs East London Public School (later Selborne College).

• 1894 – School colours changed from Chocolate & Blue to Red & Black.

• 1906 – “Shamrock Rugby Club” formed by Dale boys, reigniting rugby at the school.

• 1929 – Famous Dale isiXhosa war cry introduced by teacher N.C. Dugmore.

• 1934 – CB Jennings captains an unbeaten First XV.

• 1938 – Dale side scores 200 points in interschool games; tours Northern provinces.

• 1963 – HO de Villiers captains Dale before becoming a Springbok.

• 1964 – Unbeaten season under Headmaster Russell Searle.

• 1990 – Another unbeaten First XV, captained by Andrew Bennet.

• 2003 – Keegan Daniel captains a talented side including Bjorn Basson and Bandise Maku.

• 2017 – Aphelele Fassi captains Dale; later debuts as a Springbok in 2021.