Author: ralsty

The start of the rugby season was marked by a barrage of points in three early season fixtures featuring some of South Africa’s premier all-boys’ schools.

St Stithians started off their season by making amends for last year’s two defeats to St Benedict’s by hammering the visitors by 59 points on Saturday.

With 20 minutes remaining, the score read 22-3, and Bennies might have thought they were still in with a chance, if they could string a few good plays together.

Saints, however, had other ideas, with side adding 40 points in a points-scoring frenzy, as the flood gates opened.

Seven different players scored tries, with three of them dotting down twice, while flyhalf Chris Anderson, one of those two-try scorers, produced a brilliant individual performance, and added a conversion to his tally.

Meanwhile, St John’s College claimed a 29-21 win over St David’s Marist Inanda in a scrappy contest.

Riley Elliot, Malan du Plessis and Jacob Smith crossed the whitewash for The Blues, before Kakuhle Tunguta made it four five-pointers for St John’s, right at the end.

Bryson Walker showed off his kicking abilities by slotting three conversions and a penalty.

St David’s would have felt they were within reach of a victory throughout. They ran in three tries of their own – by Theo Fonternel ,Kuzi Majuru and James Pearson – but some tight defence when it mattered kept them just out of reach of the St John’s total.

In the final match of the day, St Alban’s dampened the Old Boys’ celebrations of Parktown Boys’ High School by beating the hosts 37-20.

The Pretoria side scored seven tries through seven different players, but their goal kicking was not as impressive, with only one of the five-pointers being turned into a seven-point play.

Lethoko Mallane ran in a double for the home team, but that was not enough to put Parktown in with an opportunity to overcome the large deficit created by a rampant St Alban’s.

Scorers

St John’s College 29 (19) – Tries: Riley Elliot, Malan du Plessis, Jacob Smith, Kakuhle Tunguta. Penalties: Bryson Walker, Conversions: Bryson Walker (3). St David’s Marist Inanda 21 (14) – Tries: Theo Fonternel ,Kuzi Majuru, James Pearson. Conversions: Diego Ferreira (3).

St Stithians College 62 (22) – Tries: Sicelo Sakawuli (2), Chris Anderson (2), Keabetswe Mapukana (2), Ross Turner, Josh Meyer, Hlelo Ngwenya, Nthabeleng Mafole. Conversions: Joshua Meyer (2), Chris Anderson. Penalties: Joshua Meyer (x2).

St Benedicts College 3 (3) – Penalty: Braeden le Roux.

St Albans College 37 (15) – Tries: Patrick Weir, Verster, Ward, JJ Steenkamp, Sema, Nelson, Gosling. Conversions: Patrick Weir. Parktown Boys’ High School 20 (15) – Tries: Lethoko Mallane (2), Calestin Felkers, Mundilu Emmeraude.

Amidst a backdrop of solemn remembrance and deep respect for the late Kaiden Bowie, Pretoria Boys’ High School and Jeppe Boys High School clashed with the hosts securing a 36-20 victory.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Emotions ran high and the boys’ mental mettle was put to the test. Jeppe managed to hang onto an impressive winning streak against the visiting boys from Pretoria.

For Boys High, the match held added significance as they sought to break free from a string of defeats against their formidable opponents, Jeppe Boys High, who have dominated the fixture in recent years.

For the first 12 minutes of the match, the hosts pushed deep into the Candies half and applied pressure as the visitors struggled to move forward resulting in Jeppe opening the match with a converted try by McMillen Mongwana.

Boys High opened their account through the uncanny conversion of a penalty struck by flanker Seth Venter who timed the ball sweetly through the posts – he soon added a further conversion after a sublime team effort that saw Ompfuna Tsanwani cross the try line for the first time in this match.

Scrumhalf Tumisho Motswi found himself in the sin bin for a minor offence, reducing Boys High to fourteen players which created space for Jeppe, which they duly took advantage of by pressing hard, deep into their opponent’s half.

McMillen Mongwana scored a neat try after a great bit of ball handling from Nathan Classen who provided the inside centre with a backhanded pass before getting taken out into touch.

At halftime, the game very much hung in the balance with the score reading 12-10 to Jeppe.

Jeppe however had other ideas, spurred on by a pumped-up supporters stand, a dummy try scored by substitute Imivuyo Kwenxe all but sealed the match taking the lead to 23 points with less than five minutes to play.

Flyhalf Mathew Coetzee looks like a good prospect as he converted 83% of his placement kicks for the day and guided the team to a convincing win in the end.

Despite the result Pretoria Boys played with determination which was evident in the final minute where the team scored a consolation try through hooker Thapelo Mphela.

The fightback was clear and will be integral for this side’s performances going forward.

As the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the contest, it was clear that the true victory lay in the camaraderie and sportsmanship displayed by all who participated.

It will be interesting to watch both sides as the season develops, the return fixture later in the year will be one to keep a close eye on.

Scorers:

Jeppe High School for Boys 36 (12) – Tries: McMillen Mongwana (2), Andre Poulton, Risima Khosa, Imivuyo Kwenxe. Conversions: Matthew Coetzee (4) Penalties: Matthew Coetzee. Pretoria Boys’ High 20 (10) – Tries: Ompfuna Tsanwani,  Thapelo Mphela. Conversions: Seth Venter, Tebogo Nchabaleng. Penalties: Seth Venter, Tebogo Nchabaleng.

The teams:

Jeppe High School for Boys: 15 Sanele Simelane, 14 Lesego Zungu, 13 Kuthadzo Rasivhaga (captain), 12 McMillen Mongwana, 11 Leruo Dithagiso, 10 Matthew Coetzee, 9 Talent Sithole, 8 Risima Khosa (vice-captain), 7 Nathan Classen, 6 Wanga Ndou, 5 Luke Cannon, 4 Nathan Boyder, 3 Luca Trevisan, 2 Bonga Nxumlao, 1 Andre Poulton.

Pretoria Boys’ High:  15 Luyanda Khumalo, 14 Itu Baloyi, 13 Ntsako Nhlovu, 12 Londie Nemudzivhadi, 11 Ompfuna Tsanwani, 10 Rickus Wessels, 9 Tumisho Motswi, 8 Katlego Shebu, 7 Seth Venter, 6  Panyaiotis Ellinas, 5 Tshepiso Shikhibana 4 Stephen Adams 3 Ofentse Moeng, 2 Thapelo Mphela, 1 Matthew Parrot.

Results:

u19A: Jeppe High School for Boys 36, Pretoria Boys’ High School 20.
u19B: Jeppe High School for Boys 36, Pretoria Boys’ High School 20.

Jeppe High School for Boys has endured some tough off the field in recent weeks, as the school mourns the passing of Kaiden Bowie.

A talented young rugby player, he tragically passed away after a trial match against Hoërskool Die Anker on the 5th of March.

Kaiden Bowie was a promising player who was described as a selfless young man, who would go the extra mile for his teammates, according to a recent article published by News24.

The school will have a number of initiatives happening throughout the day to pay respect to the young man.

Before every game, a moment’s silence. Both the second and first XV will observe a full minute’s silence.

A lone piper will play before the second’s match. The full pipe band will play before the first team game as well.

Additionally in the school hall, there will also be a memorial site for people to pay respects throughout the day as well.

The Candies will be hoping to put to to bed a long run of poor form against the hosts Jeppe High School for Boys who have won nine out of the ten last matches played between these two sides.

In what was an epic encounter, last year’s second fixture saw Boys High lose narrowly in the dying minutes of a really exciting match which ended 22-16 at home.

Tomorrow’s kick-off takes place at 13:45. Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Pretoria Boys’ High will be squaring off against Jeppe High School for Boys in what has been a long-standing clash between these two schools.

The first match was played way back in 1961. Boys High currently holds a win ratio of 53% compared to Jeppe’s 39% spanning across 89 matches that have been played.

Jeppe’s captain and outside centre Khuthadzo Rasivhaga who featured for the Lions Craven Week last year will hope to dominate teams this season again – the young player is strong and packs a mean punch in his offensive play.

In a midweek fixture, Jeppe played up against a loaded Garsfontein side, where Garsies won 37-31.

Boys High has a formidable side this year with ten players returning who all made appearances last year, which includes 2023’s leading point scorer Ntsako Ndlovu who will be rearing to get more points in the bag.

The side is skippered by Thsepisio “Legs” Shikhibana, the lanky lock will be dangerous in the lineouts as the tall player will look to make use of his height advantage – winning balls for his side in 50/50 throws will be a big factor this season.

In what is expected to be a tough and competitive match, both teams will run out and cherish the opportunity to play the game we all dearly admire.

The teams:

Jeppe High School for Boys: 15 Sanele Simelane, 14 Lesego Zungu, 13 Kuthadzo Rasivhaga (captain), 12 McMillen Mongwana, 11 Leruo Dithagiso, 10 Matthew Coetzee, 9 Talent Sithole, 8 Risima Khosa (vice-captain), 7 Nathan Classen, 6 Wanga Ndou, 5 Luke Cannon, 4 Nathan Boyder, 3 Luca Trevisan, 2 Bonga Nxumlao, 1 Andre Poulton.

Pretoria Boys’ High:  15 Luyanda Khumalo, 14 Itu Baloyi, 13 Ntsako Nhlovu, 12 Londie Nemudzivhadi, 11 Ompfuna Tsanwani, 10 Rickus Wessels, 9 Tumisho Motswi, 8 Katlego Shebu, 7 Seth Venter, 6  Panyaiotis Ellinas, 5 Tshepiso Shikhibana 4 Stephen Adams 3 Ofentse Moeng, 2 Thapelo Mphela, 1 Matthew Parrot.

Fixtures:

COLLARD FIELD 

13:45 – u19A – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
12:15 – u19B – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
11:00 – u16A – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
10:00 – u19C – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
09:00 – u19D – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
08:00 – u19E – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High

WHITE FIELD 

12:00 – u16C – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
11:00 – u15B – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
10:00 – u15A – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
09:00 – u16B – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High
08:00 – u14A – Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs Pretoria Boys’ High

Exciting rugby matches fill the menu for the kick off of the rugby season in Johannesburg on Saturday, with the “City of Gold” ready to welcome the winter fireworks with open arms.

Parktown Boys’ High will celebrate their Old Boys weekend in style, with the school band set to get the adrenaline flowing 30 minutes before their match against Pretoria’s St Alban’s College.

The Hoops face an energetic and youthful Parktown Boys’ team, but they have a number of returning players from last year’s side, and they should feel confident in the ability of their experienced players to lead the way on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 12:00 on the A field. Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

An exciting prospect to keep an eye on is St Albans’ outside centre JJ Steenkamp. Coach Ofentse Moeng said of his midfielder: ” He is a complete player, offering versatility in the backline.” Last year, he played fullback.

Parktown’s scrumhalf Thepiso Tladi operates at the heart of the action, and he’ll orchestrate plays and provide a tidy service to his fellow teammates. Being a scrumhalf, he will, no doubt, try to get under the skin of the opposition.

St John’s College also has an early start against St David’s Marist Inanda, with the action beginning at 12:30.

Kyle Watson will lead the Blues from his position at hooker, while his deputy, Dominique Kamangu, packs down in the second row.

St David’s will be counting on a big performance from their forward pack, which includes captain D’Andre Mushonga. He fronts up at loosehead, alongside Connor McWilliams, at hooker, and Marco Bitter, on the tighthead.

Teams

Parktown Boys High School: 15 Kgotso Tumahole, 14 Muna Imenda, 13 Calestin Felkers, 12. Lisasa Mnukiso, 11 Prince Kanda 10 Kelvin Kotey, 9 Thepiso Tladi, 8 Kingsley Okonkwo, 7 Keith Ncube, 6 Lethabo Sikhudo, 5 Vuyo Ndlovu, 4 Disema Mofokeng (c), 3 Mundilo Emmeraude, 2 Lethoko Mallane, 1 Unathi Haas.

St Alban’s College: 15 Matthew Nelson, 14 Ofentse Sema, 13 JJ Steenkamp, 12 Tumelo Mohale, 11 Aiden Kloppers, 10 Matthew Ward, 9 Joshua Verster, 8 Daniel Bouwer, 7 Thabiso Mbembele 6 Patrick Weir, 5 Jandré Botha 4 Tim Garnett, 3 Neo Gama, 2 Craig Milne 1 Andreas Philippou.

St David’s Marist Inanda: 15 Tristan Lambe, 14 Kuzivakwashe Majuru, 13 James Pearson, 12 Theo Fonternel (vc), 11 Owami Maropola, 10 Teegen Rossini, 9 Diego Ferreira, 8 Daniel Fellingham, 7 Tahin Patel, 6 James Askew, 5 Jack Brady (vc), 4 William Allemann, 3 Marco Bitter, 2 Connor Mc Williams, 1 D’Andre Mushonga (c).

St John’s College: 15 Riley Elliot, 14 Bryson Walker, 13 Gerald Van Wyk, 12 Malan du Plessis, 11 Jacob Smith, 10 Joe MacRobert, 9 Tom Kruger, 8 John-John Bierman, 7 Kakuhle Tunguta, 6 Grant Barnes, 5 Zain Newman, 4 Dominique Kamangu (vc), 3 Matthew Kaplan, 2 Kyle Watson (c), 1 Joshua Shannon.

St Stithians College will be seeking redemption when they face their rivals St Benedict’s College, who twice defeated them last season.

When last the teams met, in June 2023, Bennies won 33-15 at home. At the beginning of May, they triumphed 26-17 on Jamieson Field.

That’s where the sides will meet on Saturday. Home ground advantage will be in Saints‘ favour come the midday kick-off, and they’ll be motivated by their twin setbacks of last year.

St Stithians College players to watch include flyhalf Chris Anderson, whose tactical kicking game is a key asset.

Last year, Tashinga Chichgonzo dotted down twice against Bennies. Now the Saints’ vice-captain, he would love to replicate that individual performance, but this time with a win attached to his individual success.

Spearheading the visitors’ effort will be their captain and 8th-man, Jason Cutler, whose leadership will be instrumental in driving his team forward.

In the Bennies’ backline, keep an eye-out for the Le Roux twins, Declan and Braeden, who will man the critical scrumhalf and flyhalf positions respectively.

“They will play a crucial role in dictating the pace and direction of play for St Benedict’s, who will have a different looking backline when compared to last year’s,” said coach Andrew Barnes.

Saturday’s match will be the first of the season for St Stithians. St Benedict’s have played one game, but it wasn’t much of a tester, as they cruised to a 67-7 win over Queens High School.

With Easter festivals looming, Saturday’s showdown is also a key opportunity for the teams to find their form ahead of the showcase events which, of course, include the Saints Easter Festival, now into its 40th year.

Teams

St Stithians College: 15 Sicelo Sakawuli, 14 Helo Ngwenya, Nthabeleng Mafole (VC), 12 Gabriel Hore (C), 11 Tyler Maclennan, 10 Chris Anderson, 9 Josh Meyer, 8 Jono Caveney, 7 Tashinga Chichgonzo (VC), 6 Ross Turner, 5 Ryan Zvinavashe, 4 Francois Botes 3 Keabetswe Mapukana, 2 Ethan Jacobs, 1 Braden Lighfoot.

St Benedict’s College: 15 ⁠ Lex Pilling, 14 Anagona Marufu, 13 Matthew Hovelmeier, 12 Iviwe Mlilo, 11 Wade Ramsay, 10 Braeden Le Roux (vc), 9 ⁠Declan Le Roux, 8 Jason Cutler (C), 7 Matthew Joubert 6 Tebogo Phukuile 5 Luke Carr 4 Nick Moravec 3 Victor Goncalves 2 Chad Urquhart 1 Rudzani Tshivhase.

Fixture: 

u19A: 12:00 (Jamieson Field)

King Edward VII School (KES) returns 23 players from last season’s squad of 35 players, including nine regular starters, for the 1st XV’s 2024 rugby season. 

It’s a tight-knit group of players, intent on supporting one another and producing another good year on the field.

The Red Army roster is brimming with talent, backed by a talented coaching staff, and they should be ready for any challenges that are thrown their way. 

Under the stewardship of KES old boy Marco Engelbrecht, the team is gearing up for what they hope will be an electrifying season. 

In a recent interview with SuperSport Schools, Engelbrecht commented on the make-up of his squad: “They are very blessed. Last year, the side was made up of predominately young players in grade 11, so they do bring experience into this season.”

After ending 2023 with a win percentage ratio of 66.67%, there is room for improvement in 2024. If the side can convert some of the narrow losses that they suffered last year into wins this season, that winning percentage could rise significantly.

This year, the Red Army opens its season with a tricky encounter away from home against Hoërskool Noordheuwel, on 16 March. Then, they’ll be back home for the annual KES Easter Festival.

The event includes some of South Africa’s premier rugby-playing schools, among them Paarl Boys’ High, and Selborne College and Queen’s College, from the Eastern Cape. The festival has been a feature on the South African schoolboy calendar since 2002 and many big names in South African rugby have represented their schools at the prestigious event. This year, it implements a new two-day format.

Last year, KES wrapped up the weekend on the final day with a 20-0 crushing of Selborne College, and they would be thrilled to produce a similar performance this year. On day two, in 2023, the Red Army gave Paarl Boishaai a big fright, eventually going down by only two points, 8-10.

Other key KES fixtures during the season include their long-standing traditional meetings with their local rivals Jeppe High School for Boys, Pretoria Boys High School and Maritzburg College.

Five Players to Watch:

Siphosethu Mnebelele: The formidable hooker has already made waves with his dominant presence on the field. Known for his tenacity in defence and his prowess in the set-pieces, Mnebelele is a force to be reckoned with. He’ll be aiming to take yet another step up from a successful 2023 during which represented the South African Schools side after a brilliant Craven Week with the Lions. 

Tristan Maugeri: A rising star in the backline, Maugeri’s speed and agility make him a potent attacking threat. The number 15’s ability to find gaps in defences and create scoring opportunities will be invaluable to the team. Last year, he was also often given the goal-kicking responsibilities. According to coach Engelbrecht, Maugeri could be used in either of the centre positions this season. 

James Kobrowisky: A dynamic flanker, Kobrowisky showcases grit and determination on the field. He has a knack for scoring crucial points and making impactful tackles, which adds an edge to the Red Army’s game.

Thomas Beling: A standout in the forward pack, Beling brings power and skill to the game as a tall lock. His ability to disrupt opposition plays and contribute on the scoreboard makes him a key player for the Red Army.

Vusi Moyo: At flyhalf, Moyo holds the reins of the KES offence. With his strategic kicking and playmaking abilities, he is instrumental in dictating the pace and direction of the game. Moyo missed out on being accorded higher honours last year after sustaining a broken jaw late in the season.

Two players who were on the fringes last year, Chinedu Amadi and Sam Brewer, have been earmarked for a step-up this year. They both featured at the Grant Khomo Week, wearing the number 8 and number 6 jerseys respectively. They had a taste of what it means to represent the Red Army in 2023, now they’ll be aiming to regularly leave their marks on the 1st XV’s games.

With seasoned “veterans” and rising talent, KES brings together an exciting mix of players who are confident in their ability to impact the schoolboy landscape in 2024. Building on their past successes and learning from their setbacks in 2023, the Red Army is set to excite on the field. 

Fixtures:

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After being reduced to 14-men, Marlow Landbou pulled off an 11-point victory over Duineveld on Saturday, with the final score reading 16-5 in their favour.

It was a difficult start for Marlow, who picked up a red card after 14 minutes, which meant it was 14 versus 15 for the remainder of the contest on their home turf.

Rewatch all the action on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

Velties also drew first blood, scoring the opening try of the match by making good use of the additional space created by their one-man advantage after profiting from a Marlow error at a lineout, which resulted in a turnover.

Marlow recovered quickly and went over for five points of their own through a powerful drive from the big prop Hermanus Steyn, who looked almost unstoppable on offence. He’s a player to watch out for this season.

Flyhalf Gideon Jordaan then landed a much-needed conversion to give the home team a narrow lead at halftime. 

The second half was a more measured affair, with the pace having slowed considerably. Despite their one-man advantage, Velties were unable to make it count.

Jordaan picked up more points for his personal account by converting three penalties to stretch Marlow’s lead bit by bit. Meanwhile, the visitors were kept from scoring.

The defeat was Duineveld’s first of the season. They’ll be aiming to bounce back to winning ways when they head to the NMI Toyota North/South Tournament next week, where they’ll face Menlopark and Noordheuwel.

Marlow will be in action at the Graeme College Festival this coming weekend, with a clash against Kingswood College on the schedule for Friday.

Scorers:

Marlow Landbou 16 (7) – Tries: Hermanus Steyn. Penalties: Gideon Jordaan (3). Conversions: Gideon Jordaan. Duineveld 5 (5) – Try: AJ Burger.

Teams 

Marlow Landbou: 15 Kunga Venkile, 14 JJ Erasmus, 13 Theunis Botha, 12 Christiaan v/d Merwe, 11 Teagan Wiessener, 10 Gideon Jordaan, 9 Gian Steyl, 8 Jan-Hendrik Els, 7 IB van Heerden, 6 Robert van Zyl, 5 Danté Roux, 4 Wilco Nel, 3 Hermanus Steyn, Francois du Toit, 1 Zeiss Jordaan.

Duineveld: 15 Gregan Jansen, 14 Jaquin Jasson, 13 Henry Page, 12 PJ Smit, 11 AJ Burger, 10 Ethan van Zyl, 9 Franco Erasmus, 8 Wihan Liebenberg, 7 Jandries Potgieter, 6 Alek Andrianatos, 5 Jan-Carel Claasens, 4 Arno Luttig, 3 Ethan Prins, 2 Phillip van As, 1 Adriaan Botha.

St Andrew’s College clung on to record a three-point win at home on Saturday against a very good Nico Malan team, with the final score reading 24-21.

A fantastic gather by hooker, Joe Wostenholm, saw the forward advance on the try line and score the opening try of the match. The easy conversion kick, from directly in front of the posts, was converted by Scott Miles.

Nico Malan was then reduced to 14 players when Reegan Stone picked up a yellow card.

Building on the momentum from scoring the first try, St Andrew’s extended their lead. After spending some time in their opponent’s half, College took a quick tap-and-go penalty, stabbed through a clever grubber kick, and it bounced favourably for the chasing Thato Machaba, who gobbled up the ball to take it over the line.

Nico Malan struck back almost immediately, making good use of their kick-off to score a try in the corner and reduce the deficit to just seven at halftime. Crisjan de Lange dotted down while scrumhalf Jean Joubert added the extras.

After the break, St Andrew’s struck first, with a penalty kick right in front of the posts adding a further three points to their tally.

Nico Malan kept throwing the kitchen sink at them, trying to find a way through the rugged St Andrew’s defence. Eventually, they broke through, with Pietman Kleinhans going over to pull his team to within a single score.

Then, when St Andrew’s was awarded a penalty, they opted to kick for touch and set up a lineout within 10 metres of the Nico Malan try line. After securing the throw-in, the hosts brilliantly engineered a scoring opportunity, which was taken by flanker Phillip Maske.

With time running out, Nico Malan added another penalty goal, but it was not enough to bring them the win.

Both packs will take a lot out of the match after some very tightly contested scrums by two strong sets of forwards. Playing on a hard surface at the start of the season, both sides did well.

St Andrew’s will feel relieved to have led throughout the match and to have hung onto their lead until the end. Nico Malan was, however, never far behind and was always in the contest.

Next week St Andrew’s find themselves up against Brandwag, while Nico Malan takes on Dale College at the Graeme College Rugby Festival.

Scorers: 

St Andrew’s College 24 (14) – Tries: Thato Machaba, Joe Wostenholm, Phillip Maske. Conversions: Scott Miles (3). Penalty: Miles. Nico Malan 21 (7) – Tries: Crisjan de Lange
Pietman Kleinhans, Francois Smit. Conversions: Jean Joubert (3).

Other Results: 

u16: Nic Malan 41, St andrew’s College 33.

u15: Nico Malan 15, St Andrew’s College 7.

u14: Nico Malan 59, St Andrew’s College 14.

The teams:

Hoerskool Nico Malan: 15 Brenda Owen, 14 Reegan Stone, 13 Enzo Mchaba 12 Gelden Van Niekerk, 11 Tequine Koopman, 10 Ruan du Preez, 9 Jean Joubert, 8 Pietman Kleinhans, 7 Crisjan de Lange, 6 Hannes Kleinhans 5 JP Hendricks, 4 Edrich Kleu 3 Victor de Villiers 2 MC Ferreira 1 Francois Smit.

St Andrews College: 15 Karabo van Heerden, 14 Julian Mapoore, 13 Nicholas Hall, 12 Aphindile Ngcuka 11 Aza Nonxuba (Vice-capt) 10 Scott Miles, 9 William Stern, 8 Ucwambu Mgudlwa, 7 Matthew Harvey, 6 Philipp Maske, 5 Robert Faber, 4 Roman van Zyl, 3 Thato Machaba, 2 Joe Wostenholm (Capt), 1 Mark Were.

St Andrew’s College and Nico Malan are set to ignite the rugby season with an exciting match filled with many questions their supporters would like to see answered.

Both schools boast a rich rugby history, and spectators can look forward to an exhilarating clash.

The highly anticipated 1st XV game starts at 14:30 on Lower Field at St Andrew’s.  Expect some big hits, close calls, and plenty of action.

For the visitors, Nico Malan, several standout players will lead their charge. Hannes Kleinhans, a seasoned veteran, with three years of first-team experience under his belt, brings a wealth of skill and leadership to the pitch.

At the heart of Nico Malan’s game plan is the dynamic scrum-half Jean Joubert. As a Craven Week prospect and team captain, Joubert’s leadership and playmaking abilities will be instrumental in orchestrating his team’s attacks and maintaining control of the tempo of the match.

Backing up Joubert’s leadership is Pietman Kleinhans, a former Eastern Province Grant Khomo captain, whose experience and tenacity make him a formidable force at number eight.

Alongside him, Crisjan de Lange, who, according to coach Jaco Negpen,  narrowly missed out on Grant Khomo selection last year, will be eager to showcase his skills and prove his worth on the field.

The hosts, St Andrew’s College, will also turn to some of their own experienced players to lead the way in the early-season clash, with Joe Wostenholm taking the captaincy reins.

Last year, St Andrew’s had no players in either the Eastern Province Craven Week or Academy Week teams, but there will be a number of players who will be eager to change that state of affairs this season.

Nico Malan might be slightly favoured in the contest, but playing St Andrew’s College in Makhanda is going to be a tough challenge. In last year’s encounter, Nico Malan claimed an 18-17 win in an absolute cliffhanger.

Teams

Hoerskool Nico Malan: 15 Brenda Owen, 14 Reegan Stone, 13 Enzo Mchaba 12 Gelden Van Niekerk, 11 Tequine Koopman, 10 Ruan Du Preez, 9 Jean Joubert, 8 Pietman Kleinhans, 7 Crisjan De Lange, 6 Hannes Kleinhans 5 JP Hendricks, 4 Edrich Kleu 3 Victor De Villiers 2 MC Ferreira 1 Francois Smit.

St Andrews College: 15 Karabo Van Heerden, 14 Julian Mapoore, 13 Nicholas Hall, 12 Aphindile Ngcuka 11 Aza Nonxuba (Vice-capt) 10 Scott Miles, 9 William Stern, 8 Ucwambu Mgudlwa, 7 Matthew Harvey, 6 Philipp Maske, 5 Robert Faber ,4 Roman Van Zyl, 3 Thato Machaba, 2 Joe Wostenholm (Capt), 1 Mark Were.

Fixtures

u19A 14:30 (Lower Field)
u19B 13:20 (Lower Field)
u19C 12:10 (Lower Field)
u16A 11:00 (Lower Field)
u15A 10:00 (Lower Field)
u14A 09:00 (Lower Field)

It’s almost Autumn, but it is, most definitely, that time of the year when players dust off their togs ahead of the kick-off of the rugby season, with Hoër Landbouskool Marlow playing host to a formidable Hoërskool Duineveld on Saturday. 

The first XV match kicks off at 13:15, with all the matches on the Willie Meyer Field being covered live on the SuperSport Schools platform. 

Catch all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com).

It’s an away game for Duineveld, the Velties, who make the “groot trek’ of almost 700 kilometres from Upington to Cradock.

The visitors’ lineup includes some talented players to watch out for. In the pack, they have Wian Liebenberg, who will be wearing the all-important number 8 jersey. Supporting him in the loose trio is flanker Alec Andrianatos, will also be out to impress this weekend.

In the backline, Ethan van Zyl will be aiming to keep the game moving and will be taking on the kicking responsibilities for his side – with goalkicking maybe all that will separate two well-matched sides at the end of the game. Speedy fullback Gregan Jansen patrols in the last line of defence and he’ll be eager to show his ability on attack, too.

The stands are expected to be filled, and Marlow will be eager to impress their home supporters.

In 2023 the team had a mixed run of form but scored some fine victories over top Eastern Cape sides, including St Andrew’s College, Selborne College and Nico Malan.

When asked about the players to watch out for this season, Marlow’s coach Derik Olivier said: “This is one team united, no individual”, which echoes the “all for one, one for all” mantra. 

Last weekend, Marlow ran out 22-point winners in their first match of 2024, defeating Hoërskool Upington 34-12.  

Given that boost of confidence, and the backing of the home supporters, Marlow will be confident they could add win number two. Duineveld, however, has already played three games and they boast a 3 and 0 record, with victories over Kalahari, Kathu and Jim Fouché.  

With Saturday signalling the true start of the 2024 season, there’s going to be a serious buzz around the country when the first whistles sound. 

Teams 

Hoër Landbouskool Marlow

15 Kunga Venkile, 14 JJ Erasmus, 13 Theunis Botha, 12 Christiaan v/d Merwe, 11 Teagan Wiessener, 10 Gideon Jordaan, 9 Gian Steyl, 8 Jan-Hendrik Els, 7 IB van Heerden, 6 Robert van Zyl, 5 Danté Roux, 4 Wilco Nel, 3 Hermanus Steyn, Francois du Toit, 1 Zeiss Jordaan.

Coaches: Derik Olivier and Dale De Wet
Team Manager: Korsie

 Hoërskool Duineveld

15 Gregan Jansen, 14 Jaquin Jasson, 13 Henry Page, 12 PJ Smit, 11 AJ Burger, 10 Ethan van Zyl, 9 Franco Erasmus, 8 Wihan Liebenberg, 7 Jandries Potgieter, 6 Alek Andrianatos, 5 Jan-Carel Claasens, 4 Arno Luttig, 3 Ethan Prins, 2 Phillip van As, 1 Adriaan Botha.

Coaches: Stefan van Wyk and Ruan Venter
Team Manager: Etienne Havenga

Fixtures

u19A: 13:15 pm (Willie Meyer Field)
u16A: 12:00 pm (Willie Meyer Field)
u19B: 10:50 am (Willie Meyer Field)
u19C: 9:40 am (Willie Meyer Field)
u15A: 10:50 am (Willie Meyer Field)
u14A: 8:30 am (Kala Field)