Spotlight on Roper Cup at Emmet Park

Kingston College (KC) and St George’s College will renew their rivalry today when they meet in the 58th staging of the Roper Cup football festival at Emmet Park starting at 4 p.m.

The North Street-based schools have more than just location in common as KC was founded by St George’s College old boy, the late Bishop Percival Gibson.

The old boys of both schools introduced the Roper Cup in an effort to foster even closer ties between the two schools. The competition was named after Father Clarence ‘Jack’ Roper, a St George’s College old boy and priest.

This year’s competition will have a new format which will see both schools under-40 and over-40 teams facing each other instead of the customary under-35 and over-35 teams.

There will be no playing of the under-14 and under-16 matches at this year’s competition.

TITLE HOLDER

KC, the reigning Manning Cup champions, are currently the holders of the Roper Cup trophy, having won the title when the competition was last held in 2019.

Today’s clash between both schools will be first of three clashes this season as the teams have been drawn in Zone A of the Manning Cup competition and are scheduled to play each other twice in the group stages.

Raymond Watson, head coach of KC, said they are looking forward to today’s contest because it promises to be a pulsating one.

“It is going to be a fun-filled affair between both teams because of the rivalry between Kingston College and St George’s College over the years,” said Watson.

“However, I think that both coaches will definitely be cautious as KC will play St George’s College twice in the Manning Cup. It is always good to win, but our real focus is on the Manning Cup because that is the real thing for us,” he added.