Author: captainmorgan

Durban High School (DHS) will be aiming for a third unbeaten record at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF) in succession when the event concludes on Easter Monday.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Westville Boys’ High will have a second straight clean run on their minds, while Kearsney College will have a shot at three out of three, too.

Westville was given a thorough workout by Helpmekaar Kollege on Saturday on Stott Field in the final match of the day, winning 33-17 after Helpies pulled to within 17-19 with a penalty try early in the second half.

It was an uncompromising clash in which the Johannesburg school forced Westville into some untidy kicking, which allowed fullback Xander van Niekerk to test the Griffins with his speed and slippery moves.

Helpmekaar was also challenged on defence, especially by Jadrian Afrikaner, who scored two long-range tries, taking his tally to five for the festival. He demonstrated why he was selected for SA Schools in 2025. His balance of speed, power, vision, and moves is exceptional.

Westville shaded the set scrums, and their big no. 8, Lwandle Makhanya, made some splash players, but the Griffins‘ pack was made to graft by Helpies, who were at their best when driving the ball up near the goal line. They looked after possession well, and that brought them a try by flyhalf, Ethan Kruger, in the first half.

Fullback Van Niekerk, meanwhile, set up Zuan Krige for a try four minutes from halftime with a scorching run, which gave Krige a simple finish in the left-hand corner.

It was welcome payback for Krige, who was cleverly targeted with a pinpoint high-up-and-under by Westville flyhalf, Jade-Will Koopman, which left Krige isolated and up against three Westville attackers. When the ball went loose, Makhanya snaffled it and ran through for a try.

DHS led only 12-0 at halftime against Hoërskool Rustenburg but found traction late in the game to score a 38-7 victory. The Horseflies‘ late successes were a result of building and maintaining pressure on a stubborn, well-drilled outfit, whose only try, scored by Wicus Arnold, came from a sustained battering of the DHS try line. Eventually, a gap opened for the tall utility forward to race through.

DHS is outstanding at grinding down their opponents, dragging defenders in before releasing their runners out wide, and that’s what they did against Rusties.

Fullback Cilermo Carolus was influential, running in two tries while also setting up penetrative counterattacks, while DHS no. 8, Daniel Kazambo, demonstrated his speed off the back of the scrum and added another try to his mounting tally. He and Kearsney captain and 8th-man Nhlanhla Ndlovu are both athletic runners and pose serious questions to opposing defensive lines.

Ndlovu added a brace to the try he scored against Rustenburg in the One-Stripe‘s 33-13 win over Hoërskool Transvalia. Despite the 20-point defeat, the Vanderbijlpark school impressed with their heart. In fact, they outscored Kearsney two tries to one in the second half after falling behind 3-26 at the break.

Kearsney’s creative counterattacking again brought them some delightful long-range tries, with the spine of the team – no. 8 Ndlovu, flyalf Daniel Miskey, and fullback Lwazi Mbebe – leading the way. Another who has consistently caught the eye for the One-Stripe is their right-wing Luke Grobbelaar. Always looking for work, he’s a hard-hitting defender and every bit as impactful on offence.

Transvalia, in the second half, kept the play closer to their forwards, which kept the Kearsney defence honest, and that bore fruit. Flyhalf Jaydee Maree created another opportunity for a third try, but after he made a smooth break and passed out wide, the ball was spilt in an unforced error as the ‘Valia wing crossed the whitewash.

Peterhouse opened the day’s proceedings against Milnerton High. The Capetonians won the same fixture 34-18 in 2025, but Peterhouse turned the tables, deservedly claiming a 29-23 win.

It was a case of their attacking ambition being rewarded, with Zvinko Matipano dotting down twice as the boys from Marondera, Zimbabwe, outscored Millies four tries to three.

Their 8th-man, Prosper Zimbango, stood out with the heavy physical presence he exerted, both on attack and defence, while flyhalf and captain, Chadlin Sellidon, was the pick of the Cape Town school’s performers.

Perhaps, though, the performance of the day belonged to Hoërskool Framesby. Crushed 83-0 by Westville on Thursday, they dug deep and took to Stott Field, motivated to right the wrongs of their previous outing. With lock Raynhardt Brown leading a feisty forward pack and Miles Feltham pulling the strings at flyhalf, they battled their way to a 15-14 win.

A fantastic piece of skill by centre Roan Saaiman, a grubber in behind the Glenwood defence off the outside of his boot, which set up Jaco George for an easy run over the try line, highlighted the contest.

Hoërskool Zwartkop, after a bruising, physical clash with DHS, and ahead of another big test against Kearsney College on Monday, started their substitutes against Dr EG Jansen, in a clash between Noordvaal schools that contest the Plate and Cup competitions, respectively.

It was Zwarries, though, who came away with a 41-32 victory, which included overcoming a 14-20 deficit at the break after introducing some of their frontliners at the start of the second stanza.

They tallied six tries in total, including a penalty try, to the five of EG Jansen.

Their general at flyhalf, Tilon Baron, provided the side with smoother direction after he joined the fray in the second stanza, while centre, David van Jaarsveld, a standout performer against DHS, positively impacted both their offence and defence.

He’s not afraid to get stuck in, and his power and determination brought him a try when he rode two tackles before crashing over.

SCORES

Peterhouse 29 (13) – Tries: Zvinko Matipano (2), Victor Watama, Tasso Dombropoulos. Penalties: Victor Watama (3).
Milnerton 23 (11) – Tries: Charl Michaux, Akho Mkaya, Troy Ferreira. Conversions: Chadlin Sellidon. Penalties: Chadlin Sellidon (2).

DHS 38 (12) – Tries: Cilermo Carolus (2), Sterling Padi, Hlomela Mbani, Daniel Kazambo, Richard Kriel. Conversions: Tanwil Onkers (4). Penalties. Drop goals.
Rustenburg 7 (0) – Tries: Wicus Arnold. Conversions: Ricardo Enos.

Zwartkop 41 (14): Tries: Luan Wepener, Stiaan Botha, Waylin Papier, David van Jaarsveld, penalty try, Dian du Plooy. Conversions: Ruvan Burger (2), Tilon Baron. Penalty: Tilon Baron.
EG Jansen 32 (20): Tries; Rayzandu van Wyngaard, Dian Botha, Jordan van der Westhuizen, Jaco Engelbrecht, Werner Breydenbach. Conversions: Renaldo October (2). Penalty: Renaldo October.

Glenwood 14 (0):  Tries. Conversions: Lebohang Skosana, Andile Mbokazi. Vincenzo Loutz (2).
Framesby 15 (8): Tries: Jaco George, Handré Schnetler. Conversion: Miles Feltham. Penalties: Miles Feltham.

Kearsney 33 (26) Tries: Nhlanhla Ndlovu (2), Luke Grobbelaar, Lwazi Mbebe, Daniel Miskey. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (4).
Transvalia 13 (3) Try: Anro van Biljon, Matthew van Niekerk. Penalty: Jaydee Maree.

Westville 33 (19):  Tries: Jadrian Afrikaner (2), Sandiswa Mbokazi, Lwandle Makhanya, Bukho Sotaka. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (4).
Helpmekaar 17 (10): Tries: Ethan Kruger, Zuan Krige, penalty try.

Westville Boys’ High ran riot in the second half, scoring 67 unanswered points to thump Hoërskool Framesby 83-0 on Thursday, the opening day of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF), while the hosts, Kearsney College, dazzled with some splendid tries of their own in a 43-14 win over Hoërskool Rustenburg.

Durban High School (DHS) wrapped up proceedings with a 31-14 win over Hoërskool Zwartkop after scoring a converted try late in the game. The Pretoria school delivered a proud performance, however, and contributed immensely to a physical, hard-nosed battle.

Glenwood High vs Helpmekaar Kollege

The action on Stott Field opened with Glenwood High taking on Helpmekaar Kollege. In a scrappy clash, both teams were guilty of sloppy handling in the slippery early morning conditions, but Helpies struck early through centre Ethan Lourens, and further tries from no. 8 Ruan Bester and left-wing Zuan Krige staked the Johannesburg school to a 19-0 lead at the break.

The second half was an untidy scrap, with both teams scoring a try – Shaye Lourens for Helpmekaar and Cade Isaacs for Glenwood – to leave Helpies with a workmanlike 24-5 win.

Both sides would have left the field knowing that they also left points on the field because of their iffy handling.

Hoërskool Transvalia vs Peterhouse

In the day’s second match, Hoërskool Transvalia fell behind to a stunning counterattack from Peterhouse, which was led by left-wing Munashe Masamha and finished by Russell Musekiwa. However, the Vanderbijlpark school stuck to their structures and slowly ground out a 26-5 victory after leading 12-5 at the break.

Peterhouse gave a good account of themselves, but ‘Valia‘s committed defence shut the Zimbabweans’ attacking efforts down, and they scored four tries and added three conversions for an unspectacular but solid win.

Westville Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Framesby

Westville Boys’ High raised the tempo in the day’s third match. They led Framesby only 17-0 at halftime after scoring their third try just two minutes before the interval. After the break, they were ruthless, running in nine tries in an unrelenting assault to blow the Gqberha school off the pitch.

Jadrian Afrikaner and Avumile Lisa both bagged hat-tricks, and Lisa Sijadu added a brace as a shell-shocked Framesby – 14-29 losers to Hoërskool Nelspruit before beating Dr EG Jansen 37-31 at the NMI Toyota Noord/Suid Rugby Tournament – were run off their feet. Westville was irresistible.

Their pack laid a dominant platform, bossing Framesby in the set scrums, and their lineout delivered clean, high-quality ball, which their fleet-footed backs put to devastating use.

Flyhalf Jade-Will Koopman missed some conversions, but he ensured a smooth-flowing backline had its way with the Eastern Cape side.

Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Rustenburg

The home side, Kearsney College, too, demonstrated a sharp cutting edge in a convincing 43-14 victory over Hoërskool Rustenburg, who played some good rugby, but were caught cold on more than a couple of occasions when Kearsney turned defence deep in their 22 into sensational tries at the other end of the field.

Their industrious right-wing, Luke Grobbelaar, instigated two length-of-the-field tries just before halftime, starting the move that brought them the first one and scoring the second after an interception.

Captain Nhlanhla Ndlovu excelled, with his outstanding positional play putting the no. 8 in position to instigate attacks and finish them.

Twice, Lwandle Mkhize was on hand to provide the final touch. In the first instance, Ndlovu laid the try on a platter for the wing. In the second, Mkhize started and finished the sweeping attack down the left flank, with a couple of nasty side-steps giving him the space to evade the cover defence.

Dr EG Jansen vs Milnerton High

Dr EG Jansen took an early lead against Milnerton High and built up a 15-5 advantage until Millies struck twice in quick succession just before the break, through Yenga Moangeli and Kyle Jansen van Rensburg, with Chadlin Sellidon converting the latter with the first successful kick of the contest to give the Capetonians a 17-15 halftime lead.

When they kept it tight, though, Jansies enjoyed the advantage, and they exerted that control to create a try for Dian Botha, which the centre converted, to retake the lead. They never again ceded it, with a further try from Liam Hector sealing the deal with four minutes to play.

It was the tightest game of the day, with Dr EG Jansen winning it 27-20 and outscoring Milnerton five tries to three.

Durban High School vs Hoërskool Zwartkop

The last match, between DHS and Hoërskool Zwartkop, was a fitting finale. DHS, firmly established as a powerhouse of KZN rugby, and with successive clean records at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, faced an upstart, a team that had won 21 out of 22 matches in 2025, yet one about which many in the crowd at KERF knew little.

By the end of the contest, they had learnt a lot about Zwarries. No doubt, they were impressed.

A converted try right before the final whistle, scored by Jose Lottering and converted by Tanwil Onkers, gave DHS a 31-14 victory, but that result was perhaps a touch rough on Zwartkop. They fronted up to a very physical DHS side with a cohesive, enviable spirit and gave the Horseflies an almighty battle.

In fact, they were the first onto the scoreboard after repulsing a DHS five-metre lineout, which had presented School with the first opportunity to score. Instead, Zwarries ground their way down the field, won a lineout in the 22 and did what DHS was unable to do when Zwarries’ outstanding hooker, Regan Blignaut, drove over the try line next to the uprights. Tilon Baron‘s easy conversion put the Gauteng side 7-0 up.

DHS responded by showing that they, too, could turn a lineout close to the try line into five points, with wing Richard Gyamfi dotting down. He soon added a second, finishing a sharp DHS counterattack down the left flank, which was initiated by a break from their burly inside centre, Byron Klaasen.

With admirable spirit, Zwarries responded by forcing their way into the DHS 22, but a loose pass resulted in an interception. After the ball was kicked through, the local side forced Zwartkop to ground the ball over their try line, and they turned that into a try for SA Schools’ centre, Nathan Aneke.

It was a sucker punch, and it gave DHS a 17-7 lead at the break.

School, with typically rabid defence, kept Zwartkop out after a period of sustained pressure early in the second half. Then, they added a try from 8th-man Daniel Kazambo, converted by Olkers, before Zwartkop struck back, with prop Matthew Smith powering his way over and Baron’s conversion making it 24-14 in favour of DHS.

That late try by Lottering made the final margin 17 points.

Afterwards, tears were in the eyes of some of the Zwartkop players, but there was much to admire about their efforts. Those were tears of disappointment, mixed with pride, after a massively committed effort which had forced DHS to dig deep to claim victory. The spirit they reflected was endearing.

DHS proved with the win that they have reloaded and they remain one of KwaZulu-Natal’s best outfits – well-drilled, fit, powerful in the set pieces, and dangerous, whether attacking with their pack or their backline.

Zwartkop proved that they’re a high-quality, all-for-one, one-for-all unit – skilful, yet abrasive, and up for any challenge. That attitude and skill contributed greatly to a fascinating clash, which DHS won, but which also ended with Zwarries walking off Stott Field as winners in their own right, too.

SCORERS

Helpmekaar Kollege 24 (19) – Tries: Xander van Niekerk, Ruan Bester, Zuan Krige, Shaye Lourens. Conversions: Ethan Kruger (2).
Glenwood High 5 (0) – Tries: Cade Isaacs.

Peterhouse 5 (5) – Tries: Russell Musekiwa.
Transvalia 26 (12) – Tries: Aldo Fourie, Jeanré Barnard, Damian van Heerden, Chester Maccamel. Conversions: Jaydee Maree (2). Chester Maccamel.

Westville Boys’ High 83 (17) – Tries: Jadrian Afrikaner (3), Avumile Lisa (3), Lisa Sijadu (2), Lwandle Makhanya, Drew Hollingsworth, Curtis Fenton, Ezra Karosilin, Rorke Stirk. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (9).
Framesby 0 (0)

Kearsney 43 (26) – Tries: Lwandle Mkhize (2), Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Fynn Verbaan, Luke Grobbelaar, Mcebisi Zulu, Sibusiso Khuzwayo. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (3).
Rustenburg 14 (7) – Tries: Dandré Graham, Wicus Arnold. Conversions: Aldin Baaitjies (2).

Dr EG Jansen 27 (15) – Tries: Werner Breydenbach, Ewan Pretorius, Jaco Engelbrecht, Dian Botha, Liam Hector. Conversion: Dian Botha.
Milnerton High 20 (17) – Tries: Chadlin Sellidon, Yenga Moangeli, Kyle Janse van Rensburg. Conversions: Chadlin Sellidon. Penalty: Chadlin Sellidon.

Durban High School 31 (17) – Tries: Richard Gyamfi (2), Nathan Aneke, Daniel Kazambo, Jose Lottering. Conversions: Tanwil Onkers (3).
Zwartkop 14 (7) – Tries: Regan Blignaut, Matthew Smith. Conversion: Tilon Baron (2).

Durban High School (DHS) stole the show at the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, emerging as the only unbeaten team at the conclusion of the event on Monday.

In fact, after a weekend of very interesting hockey and results, DHS was the only unbeaten side, including both the Nomads and Founders festivals.

They opened their challenge with a 2-1 win over Paul Roos Gimnasium, which was a key result. It gave the side an injection of confidence for the rest of their fixtures.

“That was a defining moment,” DHS coach Keegan Hezlett admitted. “We spoke a lot about it before the game, saying that it’s not going to be the biggest game of our season. It is the start of the season. Obviously, we were determined to win it.

“We tried to get into a mental state where, regardless of the result, we were still in the right frame of mind going into the season. The big thing for us was whether we won or lost that game, could we get our processes right? Hopefully, the result would take care of itself.”

DHS followed up with a 3-1 win over Paarl Boys’ High, which made it School’s second successive victory over a team that had gone undefeated at the Coastal Cup in 2025. From there, they hit the afterburners, trouncing Menlopark 6-1 before closing with an impressive 6-3 defeat of Parel Vallei High on Monday.

The Capetonians were unbeaten in Durban until that point and had played some good hockey. With an experienced line-up that includes standout performers Stephan Malan, Luka Meets, and Luca Jordaan, and coming off a hard-fought 4-3 win over a high-flying Clifton College, they presented a tough challenge.

“I don’t think people realised how good that team is,” Hezlett said. “Then, they started to put together some good results at the Coastal Cup. As the festival progressed, we realised that the game against them was going to be a big one.”

DHS was up for it. They fell behind early, but responded superbly. “We started slowly. They scored early on, just two minutes in, so we were under a little pressure. But straight after that goal, the mindset from the boys was incredible,” Hezlett said. ”

“Immediately, we went into this next level of rhythm. For the next 10 minutes after conceding the goal, it was the best we have played. We scored two goals and then scored another one to go 3-1 up. We were playing with such confidence after that, which was cool to see.”

Reflecting on a very successful run, which was shown not only in the results but in the way that DHS played, Hezlett said: “Honestly, it was awesome. We spoke about enjoying the way we play – the boys’ enjoyment, doing all the right things, playing as a team, was exciting.

In the past, we’ve probably had a few too many guys playing a little bit too individually. It was epic to see everyone playing together as a team.”

Since Michael Baker was in charge before he took up the post of Director of Hockey at Paul Roos, DHS has become one of KwaZulu-Natal’s premier outfits, but they had stumbled against Western Cape sides in previous seasons. They had also played fantastic hockey up to the 23-metre line, but then struggled to score. At the Coastal Cup, they rectified both of those problems.

Hezlett enthused: “We have 18 goals in our first five games of the season, which is awesome. We already have a player with five goals, and our top scorer last season was on nine goals only. It’s awesome to have guys scoring goals and finding the back of the net.

“We have a strong group of forwards. There are five of them, and, at almost any other school, all five of them would start. They’re starting to understand that it is about them as a group, who are not necessarily competing against each other, but trying to make each other look good, which is really cool.”

Teams’ results

Paul Roos, after their loss to DHS, bounced back nicely. They produced a superb performance to beat a good Michaelhouse team 4-1 in their next outing. Next, they added successive 3-1 wins over Westville Boys’ High and St Alban’s College.

“House, meanwhile, also enjoyed a good festival. They beat St Alban’s 2-0 in their opener before losing to PRG. But that loss was followed by a 2-1 win over Paarl Boys’ High and a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Garsfontein in a match between Michaelhouse coach Nick Bérichon‘s former team and his current side.

Clifton College, after a rollicking 5-2 win over Paarl Boys’ High and a 2-1 win over Menlopark, came up frustratingly short in successive high-scoring games, going down 2-3 to Bishops and 3-4 to Parel Vallei.

Parel Vallei, apart from their loss to DHS and win over Clifton, drew goalless with Garsfontein and trounced Glenwood 7-0.

That big loss was a bump in the road for a Glenwood side that delivered an encouraging showing. They also beat St Alban’s 3-2 and edged out Menlopark 3-2. In their last outing, they fell 1-3 to St Andrew’s School.

The Bloemfontein boys played some entertaining hockey. They were off the pace in their first outing, a 1-3 loss to Westville, but they bounced back with a 3-3 draw against Garsfontein, which they followed with a thrilling 4-3 win over Bishops and, in their last match, that victory over Glenwood.

It was Bishops’ first time at the Coastal Cup. Apart from their loss to Saints, they beat Menlopark 3-1, sneaked by Clifton 3-2, and drew 2-2 with Westville.

Their fellow Capetonians, Paarl Boys’ High, lost 2-5 against Clifton, went down 1-3 against DHS, but then picked up a 2-1 win over Garsfontein. Michaelhouse beat them by the same score in Boishaai‘s last match.

The event, co-hosted by Westville, DHS, and Clifton, was also an encouraging one for Westville. They had played some good hockey in the build-up to the festival but had struggled to put together a complete game. They put that right with a win over St Andrew’s in their opener on Friday night.

They also scored a 2-2 draw with St Alban’s, fell 1-3 to Paul Roos, and drew 2-2 with Bishops.

Recording winning results was challenging for the trio of Pretoria schools.

Garsfontein held the high-powered Parel Vallei to a goalless draw, drew 3-3 with St Andrew’s, then suffered tight 1-2 and 0-1 defeats to Paarl Boys’ High and Michaelhouse, respectively.

Menlopark lost 1-3 to Bishops and 1-2 to Clifton. Next, they fell 2-3 to Glenwood before being swamped 6-1 by DHS.

St Alban’s went down 0-2 against Michaelhouse, lost 2-3 to Glenwood, drew 2-2 with Westville, and lost 1-3 against Paul Roos.

The growth of the Coastal Cup

Westville Boys’ High Director of Hockey, Cameron Mackay, who has taken a step back to coach the u14A side this year, reflected on the Coastal Cup, which he helped to co-found in 2023.

“It’s exactly where we want it to be,” he said. “We’ve tried to make it bigger and better every year, and I think we have found our limit in terms of the number of players we can handle. We have now expanded to about 670 players and 80 to 100 staff involved.

“We’re at a stage now where we’re happy with where we are. We have space for 13 schools, and this year we had 14, with Pearson not coming and St Andrew’s School taking their place.

Getting a school like Bishops involved has been quite cool. We have a healthy balance in terms of the schools that we have participating, and we have generated a lot of interest.

“We want schools to want to be at our tournament, and we’re trying to be the first choice tournament at this time of the year.”

He also had kind words for DHS, the event’s top team: “They’re playing so well. I’m glad Keegan Hezlett has helped them form his own kind of identity, which is important. I hope he can kick on.

“It’s a really nice group of DHS boys. They’re sweet kids, and they’re doing a fine job playing, as well.

“They’re scoring goals, and even Michael Baker, when he was at his best there, was struggling to score goals. The fact that they’re scoring five and sixes is really good news for them.”

RESULTS

1st XI

29 March

Glenwood 3-2 Menlopark
Bishops 3-2 Clifton College
Paarl Boys’ High 2-1 Garsfontein
St Andrew’s School 3-1 Glenwood
DHS 6-1 Menlopark
Paul Roos 3-1 Westville
Parel Vallei 4-3 Clifton College
Michaelhouse 2-1 Paarl Boys’ High

30 March

DHS 6-3 Parel Vallei
Paul Roos 3-1 St Alban’s
Westville 2-2 Bishops
Michaelhouse 1-0 Garsfontein

Under-16

29 March

Bishops 3-0 Pearson
Parel Vallei 4-1 Glenwood
DHS 5-1 Menlopark
Garsfontein 0-0 Paarl Boys’ High
Westville 2-0 St Alban’s
Paul Roos 1-1 Michaelhouse
Bishops 1-0 Clifton College
DHS 1-0 Parel Vallei
Menlopark 1-0 Glenwood
Pearson 4-1 Garsfontein

30 March

Pearson 4-2 Glenwood
Clifton 2-2 Parel Vallei
Paul Roos 5-0 St Alban’s
Bishops 2-1 Westville
Michaelhouse 2-0 Paarl Boys’ High

Under-14

29 March

Bishops 3-1 Clifton
Pearson 1-0 Glenwood
DHS 7-1 Paarl Boys’ High
Westville 1-0 St Alban’s
Paul Roos 1-0 Michaelhouse
Clifton 4-3 Parel Vallei
Glenwood 3-1 Menlopark
Garsfontein 1-0 Paarl Boys’ High
Bishops 3-2 Pearson
Paul Roos 4-1 Westville
DHS 2-1 Parel Vallei

30 March

Menlopark 2-1 DHS
Paul Roos 5-0 St Alban’s
Garsfontein 1-1 Michaelhouse
Westville 2-0 Bishops

Local teams sparkled over the first two days of the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup in Durban, with Clifton College and Durban High School (DHS) among the most impressive performers. Both laid down markers from their opening matches on Friday, scoring eye-catching victories.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Clifton opened their campaign against Paarl Boys’ High, who were unbeaten at the Coastal Cup in 2025, and one of the season’s feel-good stories after an excellent run, which concluded with a victory over Paarl Gimnasium in the big Paarl derby.

Coach Calvin Price‘s boys had been in good form in the lead-up to the tournament, impressing with their dangerous counterattacking play, and they again showed a sharp edge to hand Boishaai a 5-2 defeat, slotting two penalty corners and scoring three times on the counter. In 2025, Boishaai beat Clifton 4-2 at the Coastal Cup.

DHS, meanwhile, faced Paarl Roos Gimnasium (PRG), another team that went undefeated at the 2025 Coastal Cup. It was a meeting between coach Michael Baker‘s former school, DHS, and his current school, Paul Roos.

PRG played some fine hockey and took a 1-0 lead early in the game. DHS, though, demonstrated outstanding character, fighting back to grab a 2-1 win. For the Horseflies, facing a team coached by their former mentor was all the motivation they needed.

That big result – DHS has shone in recent seasons in KZN but come up short against Western Cape opposition – boosted their u16A side hugely, and they responded with an eye-catching 5-1 win over PRG on Saturday.

Westville Boys’ High beat St Andrew’s School 3-1 on Friday, with the Bloem boys showing the effects of a long drive and playing soon after arriving in Durban.

On Saturday morning, Saints took on Garsfontein in their second outing. They were more cohesive and forged a 3-1 lead at the break, but Garsies, with typical grit, battled hard and came from behind to grab a 3-3 draw.

In the afternoon, St Andrew’s showed their character against Bishops, who had beaten Menlopark 3-1 in their first outing on Friday evening. The Cape Town school opened up a 2-0 lead, but Saints didn’t blink, exhibiting a neat mix of individual flair and swift ball movement. Just before the break, they replied. Then, in the second half, they added three more goals to take a 4-3 win.

Westville, meanwhile, was held to a 2-2 draw by St Alban’s College, who lost 0-2 to Michaelhouse on Friday evening, and then fell 2-3 to Glenwood High. It was an encouraging performance from Glenwood, but they were smashed 7-0 by Parel Vallei High later in the day.

Parel Vallei had opened their campaign with a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Garsfontein. The Capetonians will bear watching this season. They feature many players who starred throughout their strong 2025 campaign.

Clifton followed up their impressive win over Paarl Boys’ High with a 2-1 victory over Menlopark. The Durban side moved the ball well and created good opportunities in the first half.

Luke Carolan and Dan Rea provided the finishes to give them a 2-0 lead. Menlo, with Heinz Kunzmann, leading the way and scoring, pulled one back, but it wasn’t quite enough.

They controlled the third chukka, but Clifton tightened up in the last quarter to bag a second win.

Kunzman was superb. His vision, which allowed him to pick out sure passes, and the time he appeared to have on the ball, along with his beautifully controlled close skills, caught the eye.

Paul Roos captain Seth Paterson was, meanwhile, the driving force for the Stellenbosch boys in their second outing, a 4-1 win over Michaelhouse.

‘House took an early lead, PRG equalised, and the Balgowan boys carved open another opening to retake the lead, but goalkeeper Jeandré van Zyl pulled off two spectacular saves in quick succession to keep the scores level.

From that point on, with Paterson providing forward momentum, PRG took charge and pulled clear to record an outstanding win.

DHS, after their victory over Paul Roos, added another Western Cape scalp, handing Paarl Boys’ High a 3-1 loss.

RESULTS

1st XI

Friday, 27 March

Bishops 3-1 Menlopark
Westville Boys’ High 3-1 St Andrew’s School
Clifton College 5-2 Paarl Boys’ High
DHS 2-1 Paul Roos Gimnasium
Garsfontein 0-0 Parel Vallei
Michaelhouse 2-0 St Alban’s

Saturday, 28 March

Garsfontein 3-3 St Andrew’s School
Glenwood High 3-2 St Alban’s
Clifton College 2-1 Menlopark
Paul Roos 4-1 Michaelhouse
St Andrew’s School 4-3 Bishops
DHS 3-1 Paarl Boys’ High
Westville Boys’ High 2-2 St Alban’s
Parel Vallei 7-0 Glenwood

Under-16

Friday, 27 March

Paarl Boys’ High 3-2 Clifton College
Westville Boys’ High 2-0 Pearson

Saturday, 28 March

Parel Vallei 3-1 Garsfontein
Michaelhouse 5-1 St Alban’s
DHS 5-1 Paul Roos
Bishops 2-1 Menlopark
DHS 2-2 Paarl Boys’ High
Glenwood 3-0 St Alban’s
Clifton College 3-0 Menlopark

Under-14

Saturday, 28 March

Glenwood 1-0 St Alban’s
Garsfontein 5-2 Parel Vallei
Michaelhouse 4-1 Paarl Boys’ High
Menlopark 1-0 Clifton College
Paul Roos 3-2 DHS
Pearson 2-1 Westville Boys’ High
Michaelhouse 2-1 St Alban’s
Glenwood 2-1 Parel Vallei
Bishops 2-1 Menlopark
Clifton College 1-0 Paarl Boys’ High
Garsfontein 1-0 Pearson

In 2025, Michaelhouse had an experienced 1st XV, but, as sometimes happens with teams that are good on paper, they struggled to click.

Three tight losses at the start of the season to three strong opponents set off a domino effect. In their opener, ‘House went down 10-17 to Helpmekaar after leading at halftime. They led Northwood in their second outing into the last minute of the match before losing to a last-second penalty, with the contest ending 13-15.

Then, at home, on Meadows, they led Durban High School (DHS) 11-0, but the Horseflies turned the tide to snatch a 17-14 lead at halftime. It was 22-22 late in the second half before DHS slotted two late kicks to win 28-22.

Draws against Grey High (28-28) and St Andrew’s College (22-22) sandwiched a 17-25 loss to Bishops, and it was only in the seventh game of the season that Michaelhouse won for the first time, swamping St John’s College (Harare) 65-14.

By then, though, the damage had been done. Michaelhouse finished the season with four wins, two draws and 10 losses.

They enter 2026 with less experience, but they have players with 1st XV experience in crucial positions, with four of the front five – prop Nicola Salamousas, hooker Max Oliva, lock Oliver Vickery, and lock/flank Reese Hill – having run out last year. Add Oliver Guy, who will play either flank or 8th-man, and you have the potential for a solid pack.

In the backline, flyhalf Jack Carmody, wing Laird Hamilton-Brown, and fullback/centre Alex Jankowitz all offer 1st XV experience and bite.

Jankowitz’s father, Anton, represented SA Schools in 1989, but not as a Michaelhouse boy. He attended Hilton College!

Laird Hamilton Brown’s father, David, represented South Africa in sprint paddling, while Doug Carmody turned out for the Kearsney 1^st XV for three years. Reece Cole played for the 2^nd XV last year, and his brother, Jared, is the u16A team’s flyhalf. Their dad, Neil, played for The Sharks, Leicester Tigers, and Worcester Warriors.

All of this is to say, there are significant sporting genes in the Michaelhouse ranks.

Three players who helped The Sharks to win the Grant Khomo Week in 2025 in very impressive fashion will also challenge for 1^st XV places: flank/8th-man Jaydon Jubber, scrumhalf Ben Hughes, and centre Fabiano Fierro.

The team will be further boosted by loosehead prop Aphelele Chamane, who joined Michaelhouse from Dundee High last year.

There are also changes to the coaching set-up. Director of Rugby James Fleming will focus his energy on overseeing the Michaelhouse rugby programme, which, apart from the 1st XV, enjoyed a strong year in 2025.

Last year’s disappointing campaign shouldn’t be laid at his feet. It is often said that coaches get too much credit when their teams win and too much blame when their teams lose. The overall success of Michaelhouse’s rugby programme, though, offers a far wider sample size of Fleming’s ability and impact. He’s a top man.

Marco Engelbrecht, formerly with King Edward VII (KES), takes over the 1st XV coaching reins. He’ll be assisted by forwards’ coach Cameron Lindsay, backline coach Josh Alderman, strength and conditioning coach Ross Dubazana, and manager Marcel Cornelius.

As always, pride of place on the fixture list belongs to the home and away fixtures against Hilton College. With the black and white winning both matches last year, Michaelhouse will be champing at the bit to have another crack at their rivals.

James Fleming expressed his excitement with the schedule that awaits ‘House in 2026. He said facing Affies in April would be a huge highlight. Only two days after that, another highlight follows, with a game against Jeppe.

“We very seldom play Jeppe. With Brendan Gittins leaving us to take up their position of Headmaster, it will raise the interest levels,” Fleming explained.

“Grey High and St Andrew’s College, on our Eastern Cape tour, are always a treat.

“Kearsney at the Sharks Schools trials day will bring added fizz!”

The Hilton/Michaelhouse derbies, he termed “massive”.

Perhaps one of the primary challenges that Michaelhouse will face in 2026 is geographical in nature.  They play only four matches at home. They have 10 away, although two of those will be at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Rugby Festival, and two others at the Grey High Rugby Festival.

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Kearsney College has announced that Hoërskool Zwartkop will join next month’s line-up at the 2026 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF).

The newcomers come with an impressive rugby pedigree across all age groups. In 2024, their u16A side was crowned the champion of the Noordvaal Plate Division. A number of those players now form the backbone of the school’s 1st XV.

Zwarries replace the Italian outfit, Verona, which announced this week that it will no longer be operating as a club.

Festival organiser and Kearsney’s Director of Sport, J-P Lubbe, said Zwartkop’s inclusion adds further quality and competitiveness to an already stacked event.

“Last season, they were ranked among the top rugby schools in Gauteng, and their progression through the age groups is evident in the strength of their current 1st XV,” Lubbe said.

“They are a well-coached, physical side that plays an exciting brand of rugby, and we believe they will add real value and intensity to this year’s festival.

“We are grateful to Zwartkop for stepping in at short notice. Their willingness to be part of the festival speaks to the standing of KERF and ensures that spectators can once again look forward to a weekend of top-quality schoolboy rugby.”

The 2026 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival is loaded with leading teams from across South Africa, and the setting – Stott Field, over the Easter weekend – is one of the most picturesque venues in the country at that time of the year.

Zwartkop’s addition makes it three tough Gauteng teams at KERF this year. The others are Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen (Boksburg) and fellow newcomers Helpmekaar Kollege (Braamfontein). They’re joined by Hoërskool Rustenburg (North West); the Eastern Cape’s Hoërskool Framesby (Gqeberha), and Milnerton High School (Cape Town).

The Catholic University School, from Dublin, Ireland, will make their KERF bow, while Peterhouse, from Zimbabwe, returns for their second festival.

KwaZulu-Natal will be represented by a strong quartet – Durban High School (DHS), Westville Boys’ High, Glenwood High, and the hosts, Kearsney College.

Both DHS and Westville were top 10 teams in the country last year, Glenwood is one of KZN’s traditional powers, and Kearsney boasts significant talent, which makes the home side one of the most interesting teams, not only in the festival but for the forthcoming season.

Now in its 17th year, the prestigious festival is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s premier school rugby events, offering spectators a unique glimpse into top-level school rugby from different regions, which employ different approaches to the game.

The three play days over the Easter weekend are Thursday, 2 April; Saturday, 4 April; and Monday, 6 April.

Four u16 girls’ teams will be in action during lunchtime slots: Mowat Park High, from Montclair; Grosvenor Girls’ High, from the Bluff; Inanda’s Ohlange High School; and Ogwini Comprehensive Technical High School, from Umlazi.

Twelve primary school teams will also enjoy the excitement of playing festival rugby in front of large crowds.

Joining the touring Peterhouse u13 team will be local teams from Ashton Ballito, Atholl Heights Primary, Chelsea Prep, Highbury Prep, Hillcrest Primary, Kloof Senior Primary, Northlands Primary, Umhlali Prep, Westville Senior Primary, and Winston Park, as well as the KZN Ibutho Development side.

For those unable to attend the festival, games will be live-streamed by SuperSport Schools.

Additional festival information, results, match reports and action photographs will be available on www.kearsney.com during the festival.

To avoid the queues, tickets can be purchased online now, at Quicket.

A massive 198-run partnership for the third-wicket powered Durban High School (DHS) to a convincing 73-run limited-overs victory over Westville Boys’ High on the Theobald Oval on Saturday.

The visitors’ decision to bowl first brought them two early wickets, but then it backfired badly.

Suliman Jadwat and Aktar Basha were removed before they had reached double figures, which left the home side on 46/2 in the 11th over. Unfortunately, for Westville, they next tasted wicket-taking success 35.4 overs later, and in that time, opening batsman Ismaeel Omar and captain Josh van Biljon advanced the total by almost 200 runs.

It has been a quieter season for Van Biljon than he would have liked. It’s not that he’s been bad. No, not at all. However, given his consistent run scoring for the DHS 1st XI in recent seasons, he would have expected more big scores from himself this season. Yet, he had seldom pushed on in 2026. It left observers wondering when that would happen. The answer was Saturday, in Durban. That was bad news for Westville.

Van Biljon was the aggressor, and Omar his trustworthy lieutenant, as they united to make it an energy-sapping, tough day in the field for the visitors.

When, at last, their stand was broken by Misbah Nair bowling Omar, the opener had notched a century. He faced 137 balls and struck eight fours.

Van Biljon, meanwhile, continued to add to his big innings. By the time that 50 overs had been bowled, he was on 162 not out, and DHS had reached 294/3, which, on the Theobald Oval, is a substantial total and a tough target to chase. He had faced only 132 balls, dispatching 13 of them for fours and another seven for six.

In an effort to dislodge Omar and Van Biljon, Westville used nine bowlers. None was particularly successful. Perhaps, though, their best performer was Lwandle Bulose, who returned 1/20 from four overs.

Westville had a mountain to climb, and their ascent didn’t start well, with opener Aiden Baudach, their most consistent batsman this season, being trapped in front by Taine Havermann for six. Josh Morley removed the very capable Ewan du Toit cheaply, and Seth Edwards ran out Ashton Kidgell for nine, which left the visitors in a spot of bother on 44/3 in the tenth over of their reply.

Tristin Delvin joined the skipper, Kyle McGough, in the middle and they gained a foothold, adding 49 for the fourth wicket before Delvin was LBW to Tristan Quail for 20.

Aarin Rasmussen was in and out quickly, but Jamie Hasselbach and his captain then settled in, partnering for 65 runs before McGough’s strong resistance came to an end when he was bowled by Taine Havermann for 73. He had hit nine fours and a six in his 95-ball stay.

Hasselbach found an able ally in Misbah Nair, and they tacked on another 45 runs before Hasselbach fell to Seth Edwards for a hasty 67 from 52 balls, which included five fours and four sixes. Edwards, though, was just getting started, and he didn’t need long to make a big impact. He claimed another three wickets, and Westville’s innings lasted only 2.4 more overs before they were dismissed for 221.

Edwards rushed DHS to victory with a sparkling spell that brought him 4/13 in 2.5 overs. Taine Havermann’s contribution was 2/47 from eight overs, but those two were the key wickets of Aidan Baudach and Kyle McGough.

Summarised scorecard

Durban High School 294/3 (Josh van Biljon 162*, Ismaeel Omar 101; Lwandle Bulose 1/20); Westville Boys’ High 221/10 (Kyle McGough 73, Jamie Hasselbach 67, Tristin Delvin 20; Seth Edwards 4/13, Taine Havermann 2/47). Durban High School won by 73 runs.