Author: mbloem

In May, when Rondebosch Boys’ High visited the Memorial A-Field at SACS, it ended 40-17 to the visitors. On Saturday, SACS visited the Tinkie Heyns Field, intent on exacting revenge. They very nearly did, with ‘Bosch holding on for a narrow 23-20 victory.

In the first half, Rondebosch played the game at pace, getting the ball wide and playing through their backs, which brought them a try in the 13th minute from Caleb Bell.

He was over after receiving a bullet pass. Just centimetres from the sidelines, he left his feet, flew through the air and dotted down in the corner.

SACS, meanwhile, chose a different approach, turning to their pack to grind it out and wear down the Rondebosch defence. Those efforts paid off just before the half-time break.

Utilising the pick and go, SACS closed in on the Rondebosch try line. Eventually, flank Siphe Mbungendlu took a pass from Matt Forbes, and powered his way over under the poles from five metres out.

At halftime, Rondebosch held a slim 10-7 lead.

The second half was gruelling, with both sides putting up 13 points while sticking to the styles they had employed in the first half.

‘Bosch, though, also crossed the try line by more direct means.

A hard line run by Matthew Galpin, who was fed a flat pass from scrumhalf James Kirsten just two metres out, ended in a try, with Galpin holding the ball to his chest and using his momentum to force his way over.

SACS responded through their hooker Sango Zangqa. He dotted down after a lineout maul, which had started on the 22.

By then, unfortunately for the visiting side, it was too little too late, as time was up on the clock and they came up three points short.

For SACS, outside centre, Mikey Skeeles, kicked well, landing two penalties and two conversions.

Scorers

Rondebosch 23 (10) – Tries: Caleb Bell, David Kadima, Matthew Galpin. Conversion: Sebastian Boshoff. Penalties: Sebastian Boshoff, Eathon Williams; SACS 20 (7) – Tries: Siphe Mbungendlu, Sango Zangqa. Conversions: Mikey Skeeles (2). Penalties: Mikey Skeeles (2).

Other Results

U19 – Rondebosch II 5 SACS II 18.

U16 – Rondebosch A 24 SACS A 17.

U15 – Rondebosch A 12 SACS A 18.

U14 – Rondebosch A 7 SACS A 22.

In heavy and muddy conditions, Hoërskool Stellenberg outlasted Hoërskool Durbanville 21-14 on Saturday, to claim a gritty victory in their King Price Derby Series clash.

It was, however, Hoërskool Durbanville, the hosts, who opened the scoring in the ninth minute, which forced Stellies to come from behind.

The Durbies‘ forwards drew in the Stellenberg defence by hitting it up through a series of pick and goes from just five metres out. Eventually, the defence had been sucked in, scrumhalf Lorenzo Brogneri sent the ball wide to his backs, which ended in left wing, Kyle Doyle, diving over in the corner for five. Flyhalf, Kyle Albertus, added the extras from the touchline.

Those seven points were all that separated the teams at the break.

Stellenberg turned the tide in the second stanza, led by scrumhalf, Daniel Steffan, who was crowned the King of the Match. While the Durbies’ defence began to fatigue and slow, he played with intense speed and stamina, distributing the ball at pace and varying the length of his service, which opened up spaces in the home side’s defence.

Inside the first 20 minutes of the second half, Stellenberg took charge of the contest, running in three tries, with the first two coming from scrum variations from five metres out.

Their fightback began when powerful eighthman, Yanos Molnar, went route one, picking up the ball at the back of the scrum before muscling his way over the whitewash for a try.

Their second five-pointer from a five-metre scrum took on a different approach, with Steffan releasing the ball to the backline on the blind side where wing Ralton Rhode, wrapped around to cut the line and finish.

Stellies saved the best for last. A huge hit from Molnar on the halfway line, led to a turnover. The Jade Brigade, then, quickly moved the ball down their backline, with Rhode being brought to a standstill just five metres from the try line. On the following phase, flyhalf Eben Rademan bulldozed his way through for five more points.

Centre Daniel Mongie added his third successful conversion of the day to complete the scoring.

Scorers

Stellenberg 21 (0) – Tries: Yanos Molnar, Ralton Rhode, Eben Rademan. Conversions: Daniel Mongie (3); Durbanville 14 (7) – Tries: Kyle Doyle, Juan Smit. Conversions: Kyle Albertus (2).

Other Results

U19 – Durbanville II 21 Stellenberg II 18, Durbanville III 27 Stellenberg III 22, Durbanville IV 13 Stellenberg IV 19, Durbanville V 22 Stellenberg V 16, Durbanville VI 0 Stellenberg VI 17, Durbanville VII 18 Stellenberg VII 0.

U16 – Durbanville A 22 Stellenberg A 27, Durbanville B 20 Stellenberg B 19, Durbanville C 10 Stellenberg C 3, Durbanville D 0 Stellenberg D 50.

U15 – Durbanville A 7 Stellenberg A 10, Durbanville B 18 Stellenberg B 13, Durbanville C 10 Stellenberg C 3, Durbanville D 19 Stellenberg D 27.

U14 – Durbanville A 33 Stellenberg A 7, Durbanville B 14 Stellenberg B 14, Durbanville C 5 Stellenberg C 10, Durbanville D 5 Stellenberg D 10, Durbanville E 29 Stellenberg E 3.

Hoërskool Swartland hosts Hugenote Hoërskool, from Wellington, on Saturday at 14:10 in Malmesbury.

The home side heads into the clash off the back of a morale-boosting 25-15 victory over Hoërskool Punt last weekend.

In that win, flyhalf De Wet van Aswegen once again delivered an influential performance. His 10 points off the boot proved to be the difference in the game as Swartland, after a couple of tight losses, picked up their first win of the third term.

With a victory under the belt, they’ll be keen to add another win in front of their home supporters.

Hugenote made a strong start to the season, but they’ve lost their last three, including by five against Charlie Hofmeyr and by one against Hoërskool Porterville. That’s got to hurt, and they’ll be motivated to come out on the right side of a tight game if that’s what unfolds. 

Meanwhile in Mossel Bay, Hoërskool Punt goes up against Nico Malan High at 13:30 on Saturday.

The visitors, from Humansdorp, were left frustrated last weekend after letting slip a 12-0 halftime lead against Die Brandwag and going down 12-19.

Their clash with Punt will also serve as crucial preparation for their last match of the season, on their reunion weekend, against Hoërskool Framesby.

It’s been a rollercoaster season for Punt, with defeats often following wins, but a quality victory over Nico Malan, who have enjoyed a strong season and put together some outstanding results, would be a big fillip for the Mossel Bay school.

They’ll lean on the leadership of their captain, Steven Terblanche, in the face of Nico Malan’s onslaught. Getting a big performance from the eighthman is imperative if Punt is to have a chance of stopping the visitors.

Teams

Hoërskool Swartland vs Hoërskool Hugenote (Wellington) at 14:10 in Malmesbury on Saturday. 

Swartland: 15 Skylar Claasen, 14 Enrico Louw, 13 Justin Vermeulen, 12 Daniel Walters, 11 Zaidell Pauhus, 10 De Wet van Aswagen, 9 Dimitrios Boutsikaris, 8 Wessel Neethling, 7 Christian Cupido, 6 James Joubert, 5 Martin Neethling, 4 Jaco van Zyl, 3 Melchior Botha, 2 Langley Timothens, 1 Lamin Bah.

Hugenote: N/A.

Hoërskool Punt vs Nico Malan High School at in Mossel Bay at 13:30 on Saturday.

Punt: 15 Rayzanro Hendricks, 14 Willie de Beer, 13 Ethian Pratz, 12 Devandre Ewerts, 11 Dailen Daniels, 10 MC Barnard, 9 Zane Briesies, 8 Steven Terblanche (Captain), 7 Junior Pikinini, 6 Jeandre Pieterse, 5 Luan Janse van Rensburg, 4 Abrie Sutherland, 3 Avenathi Sambokwe, 2 Jaydee Jansen, 1 Elijah Erasmus.

Nico Malan: 15 Elroy Skosana, 14 Regan Stone, 13 Gelden van Niekerk, 12 Enzo Machaba, 11 Tequane Koopman, 10 Leighton Lawrence, 9 Lleyton Mienie, 8 Neil Lategan, 7 Chrisjan de Lange, 6 Ruben van Dijk, 5 Merwe van der Merwe, 4 Ulrich van Zyl, 3 Andre van der Merwe, 2 MC Ferreira, 1 Waldo Krige.

Hoërskool Outeniqua faces the challenge of HTS Drostdy on Saturday at 12:45, in George.

The Kwaggas muscled their way to an 8-5 victory over Durbanville last Saturday. Drostdy lost 26-34 to Rondebosch two Saturdays ago, when they last played.

It’s the last game of the season for both sides. One of the questions to be answered is how has their match preparation affected the teams? Will more recent match action help Outeniqua, or will a longer rest serve the Donkeys well?

Something that won’t be in short supply in George will be flair. Both teams feature creative attacking players.

Fullback Pirlo Baron is a serious attacking threat for the visitors. He keeps a keen eye open for opportunities to create overlaps, and he’s a dangerman on the counterattack.

Outeniqua‘s offence will be directed by flyhalf, Virgil Pockpas, whose well balanced game includes precision kicks and silky smooth passes. Last weekend, at Durbanville, rain and mud stopped the Kwaggas from playing their usual high-tempo game. They had to dig deep and lean on their pack. With the victory, they showed they can win in different ways.

Drostdy should be encouraged to challenge in the lineouts. That’ll be when they’ll have an opportunity to disrupt Outeniqua’s rhythm.

In their 10-18 loss to Stellenberg a fortnight ago, the Kwaggas were unable to dominate possession as they usually do. If Drostdy is able to starve them, too, Outeniqua will be on the backfoot.

Barring wet weather on Saturday, and none is forecast, one can foresee an entertaining highlight reel of tries from two exciting teams in their last outing of the season.

Hoërskool Bellville takes on their neighbours, Hoërskool D.F. Malan, at 12:50 on Saturday to learn who bosses Bellville in 2025.

DF is confident and well rested after defeating Strand 29-24 a couple of weeks back. Their flyhalf, Eben Bester, shone in that hard-fought win, scoring two tries and landing two conversions.

Playing at home, Hatties will need to warm up effectively because DF Malan has a habit of coming out on fire. Conceding early tries could be costly in what’s expected to be a tight affair.

DF Malan is unpredictable. Bester directs their attack and has a wide variety of moves in his arsenal. Bellville will need to be wary of wrap-arounds, switches to the blindside, and long kicks down deep into their territory.

The visitors also like to get the ball out wide, so Bellville’s back three can expect to have a busy day on defence.

The home team’s left-wing and captain, Carlo Aucamp, poses a serious threat himself. Given good attacking ball, he’s a handful.

Teams

Outeniqua vs HTS Drostdy at 12:45 in George on Saturday.

Outeniqua: 15 Jade Peterson, 14 Grant Savage, 13 Schalk van der Merwe 12 Reshaan Damans, 11 Devino Bernardo, 10 Virgil Pockpas, 9 Cee-Jay Arends, 8 Henru Nell (captain), 7 Bradley Steel, 6 Ruan van Rensburg, 5 Samuel Augustyn, 4 Favian Swart, 3 Zacary Meyer, 2 Luhan van der Sandt, 1 Matthew Prins.

HTS Drostdy: 15 Pirlo Baron, 14 Adrian Vergotine, 13 Ruben Von Solms, 12 Jacques de Klerk, 11 Darren Makeza, 10 Abdul Fisher, 9 Caleb Cornett, 8 J-cop van Engelen (captain), 7 Arnu Nieuwoudt, 6 Werno Ramsauer, 5 Jean-Louis Matthee, 4 Eugene Walker, 3 Sandro Smit, 2 JP Lotriet, 1 Stefan le Roux.

Hoërskool Bellville vs DF Malan in Belville at 12:50 on Saturday.

Bellville: 15 Alvino Loggenberg, 14 David Jordaan, 13 Liam Kuyk, 12 James Parker, 11 Carlo Aucamp (captain), 10 Marno Botes, 9 Ruhan Smuts, 8 Divan Swanepoel, 7 Rouxan Sparks, 6 Sean von Wielligh, 5 Steven Steyl, 4 Roan Robbertze, 3 Christian de Wet, 2 Ayden Olivier, 1 Stiaan Kotze.

DF Malan: 15 Pieter Delport, 14 Alistair Lewis, 13 Dylan Thompson, 12 Chris de Jager, 11 Dian Loucas, 10 Eben Bester, 9 Colin Burger (captain), 8 Juan le Roux, 7 Johan Pieterse, 6 Juan Vermeulen, 5 Daniel Nel, 4 Ruan Krugel, 3 Heinrich Jacobz, 2 Korne Drifthout, 1 Rehan Palvie.

Both Hoёrskool Durbanville and Hoёrskool Stellenberg will be desperate to claim victory in their King Price Derby showdown on Saturday.

The match kicks off at 13:30 in Durbanville and will be broadcast LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Last Saturday, Durbies went down 5-8 in a wet weather loss to Outeniqua.

Stellies, meanwhile, led 12-0 at halftime against Milnerton High, but ended up on the wrong end of a 12-14 result.

Since their Interschools rivalry started in 2007, Stellenberg has recorded 13 wins. There have been two draws, and Durbanville has tasted victory only once, in 2019, when they won a high-scoring match 46-39.

Last year, Stellenberg triumphed 15-8. But, while the results have favoured Stellies, the last four clashes have been decided by 10 points or less.

Playing at home, Durbanville takes on a Stellenberg side without its general, SA u18A flyhalf, Ethan van Biljon, who’ll be in action against France, in Paarl.

The Jade Brigade will be led by prop Christiaan Jansen van Rensburg and that’s where the visitors’ challenge will begin, up front.

Both sides were tested in the mud last weekend, which meant it was a physically draining outing for the packs. But Saturday’s clash is a derby showdown and they’ll both be highly motivated to take it to their opposition.

Flank Zay-Winn Januarie has been a high endurance workhorse for Durbies this season and will be focused on disrupting the visitors attacking flow with steals at the breakdown.

His fellow loose forward, Adrian Freemantle, at eighthman, is a strong ball carrier. The Stellies’ forwards will need to make sure they bring him to ground as quickly as possible, otherwise it could be a taxing afternoon for them.

Either way, both sides will need to control their emotions and convert their passion into points if they wish to be crowned the winner of their King Price Derby Series fixture.

Teams

Hoërskool Durbanville vs Stellenberg High at 13:30 in Durbanville on Saturday.

Durbanville: 15 Tylo Hess, 14 Michael Shaw, 13 Lourens Rademeyr, 12 Farrel-Leigh Dido, 11 Kyle Doyle, 10 Kyle Albertus, 9 Lorenzo Brogneri, 8 Adrian Freemantle, 7 Tiaan Kearns, 6 Zay-Winn Januarie, 5 Ethan Swartz, 4 Ruan Vosloo, 3 Ruan van Wyk, 2 Juan Smit (captain), 1 Eli Pedro.

Stellenberg: 15 Armand Potgieter, 14 Jason O’ Brien, 13 Luka Tonitz, 12 Daniel Mongie, 11 Ralton Rhode, 10 Eben Rademan, 9 Daniel Steffan, 8 Yanos Molnar, 7 Ryan Jones, 6 Ernst van der Merwe, 5 Carlo Brink, 4 Leon Vermaak, 3 Janu van Deventer, 2 Liam Joubert, Christiaan Jansen van Rensburg (captain).

Rondebosch hosts SACS on the Tinkie Heyns Field at 12:15 on Saturday, with both teams coming off home victories last time out.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Two Saturdays ago, Rondebosch stood firm to defeat HTS Drostdy 34-26. SACS, meanwhile, handed Brackenfell a 43-25 loss.

When ‘Bosch and SACS met in May, at SACS, ‘Bosch powered their way to a convincing 40-17 win.

On Saturday, they’ll be aiming for a season’s sweeps of SACS, but they will be without their SA u18 flank and captain, Josh Neill, who’ll be in action against England u18 at Paarl Gimnasium.

Neill offers rare attacking impact up front, but no need to worry for the home side. They have an exciting centre pairing of Harry Soboil and Matthew Galpin, while outside of those midfielders, wings Caleb Bell and David Kadima are good finishers.

SACS fullback, Quewinn Lackay, is their most prominent attacking threat.

Up front, flank Siphe Mbungendlu, will lead his side’s contestation of the breakdowns.

Rondebosch is a dangerous outfit, capable of striking from anywhere on the field, so starving them of possession or slowing down the recycling of the ball is a requirement for SACS.

Rondebosch is the clear favourite and will be aiming to pull off some champagne rugby, especially on their home field.

Traditional derbies, though, can be unpredictable. Does SACS have a special performance in them?

Teams

Rondebosch vs SACS on The Tinkie Heyns Field at 12:15 on Saturday.

Rondebosch: 15 Eathon Williams, 14 David Kadima, 13 Matthew Galpin, 12 Harry Soboil, 11 Caleb Bell, 10 Sebastian Boshoff, 9 James Kirsten, 8 Alutha Wesi, 7 Connor Arbuthnot, 6 Linakho Mehlomakulu, 5 Bertus Versfeld, 4 Dani-Nicolas Oosthuizen, 3 Damian Spence, 2 Kwaza Gobingca, 1 Bulela Mbala.

SACS: 15 Quewinn Lackay, 14 Josh Gorgens, 13 Mikey Skeeles, 12 Daniel Grant, 11 Josh Pfister, 10 Nathan Potgieter, 9 Matt Forbes, 8 Thando Sithole, 7 Harrison Bell, 6 Siphe Mbungendlu, 5 RJ Cunningham, 4 Reuben De Klerk, 3 Qiraan Hermans, 2 Sango Zangqa (Captain), 1 Qawe Sawuka.

Brackenfell takes on visiting Tygerberg at 12:35 on Saturday, aiming for a bounce-back performance after losing last time out.

They visited SACS two weeks ago and came off second, going down 25-43. The Tigers, meanwhile, picked up a 29-12 win over Strand. 

Brackenfell competes fiercely in the lineouts, and their no. 8, Wade Fortuin, is dangerous off the back of rolling mauls. With his strong ball carrying, he’s a problem from close range, even for multiple defenders.

Tygerberg will need to ensure their defensive line is narrow and rushing. Brackenfell enjoys playing through the middle, and a line break can very quickly turn into a try.

Brakkies are feisty. They scored three tries in the last 10 minutes of their SACS loss. The Tigers will need to be every bit as ferocious in their season finale on Saturday.

The Parow locals are no strangers to set-piece battles, and they will need their tight five to set the tone up front. They’re a team that relies on their forwards’ ball carrying ability. That sucks in defenders and sets Tygerberg up for swift attacks.

An all-out encounter can be expected, but there’ll be a happy ending for only one team, unless, of course, there’s a draw, and Naas Botha, famously, had something to say about draws…

Also in Cape Town, along the Blaauwberg Coast, Milnerton hosts Strand at 12:30 on Saturday and Millies will feel the fire inside after a morale-boosting, belief-building, come-from-behind 14-12 win over Stellenberg last Saturday.

Down 0-12 at the break, Milnerton kept Stellenberg scoreless in the second half and Chadlin Sellidon‘s accuracy off the kicking tee helped secure a narrow two-point win.

Sellidon, at fullback, and captain Morgan Lodewyk, at centre, lead the Milnerton attack, Lodewyk is a big guy and uses his physicality well. His tenacity often leads to try-scoring attacks. Sellidon, meanwhile, often finishes what his skipper starts, and then tacks on two from the kicking tee.

Strand boasts some skilful and impactful players in flank, Schalk Beukes, and scrumhalf Jayden Steenkamp. They, too, won’t be concerned about their attacking ability.

The bigger questions, though, revolve around their set piece and midfield play. Can their tight five match Milnerton’s?

If so, then it could be a battle of strong finishers vs strong finishers. In recent games, both sides have scored most of their tries in the second half.

Teams

Hoërskool Brackenfell vs Tygerberg High School at 12:35 in Brackenfell on Saturday.

Brackenfell (likely): 15 Zane van Schalkwyk, 14 Deros Manya, 13 Luhle Ngqentsu, 12 Yibonge Malote, 11 Migile Carelse, 10 Junior Louw, 9 Jean Oosthuizen, 8 Wade Fortuin, 7 Kamva Simama, 6 Seth Braaf, 5 Zander van Zyl, 4 Jeandre Limby, 3 Liam Hine, 2 Ethan Carr, 1 Siraaj Cook.

Tygerberg: N/A.

Milnerton High vs Hoërskool Strand at 12:30 in Blaauwberg on Saturday.

Milnerton: 15 Chadlin Sellidon, 14 Leo Weber, 13 Sebastien Stroobants, 12 Morgan Lodewyk, 11 Litha Tasana, 10 Zaide Vigeland, 9 Tristan Strydom, 8 Jeremy Armstrong, 7 Joshua Vomberg, 6 Andrew Kansley, 5 Kgaugelo Mokgobu, 4 Xavier Wolmarans, 3 Dane van der Merwe, 2 Divine Ambrose, 1 Chadley Davis.

Strand: 15 Ashton Mitchell, 14 Keahan Josephs, 13 Gerber de Goede, 12 Lyle Julies, 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Justin Phillips, 9 Jayden Steenkamp, 8 Rohan Bezuidenhout, 7 Joshua Lourens, 6 Schalk Beukes, 5 Dewald Bernard, 4 Keagan Coetzee, 3 Timothy van den Bergh, 2 Ruben Paanakker, 1 Christopher Els.

Bishops hosts their southern suburbs’ counterparts, Wynberg Boys’ High, on the Piley Rees Field at 12:30 on Saturday.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

When the sides met in May, at Wynberg, the hosts ran out comfortable 34-5 winners.

Bishops, though, have been improving under their new head coach, Sam Mofokeng. In just his second official league game, against Milnerton two Saturdays ago, Bishops produced a stirring comeback. After being down 21-31 at the half-time break, they clawed their way to a 42-36 victory.

Hooker Daniel van den Heever, the Bishops’ captain, scored a hat-trick to steer his side to the win. He is a leader of note, and his resilience is one of the reasons why his side is so dangerous in the latter stages of games.

Sure, Wynberg is the favourite. Two Saturdays ago, they delivered a strong second half performance to beat Parel Vallei 59-13. They’re well rested.

They are, however, without their SA u18 scrumhalf, Morné Noble, who’ll be on duty against England u18 at Paarl Gimnasium. Blessed with the talented Achmat Behardien at flyhalf and Kunene Gadu at 13, they’ll, nonetheless, be confident about their attacking prowess.

The visitors also pose a dangerous threat up front for the hosts, where Wynberg captain, lock Jaythen Orange, is a serious contester in the lineouts and serves as an extra loose forward at the breakdown.

Prop, Luqobo Makwedini, is a 120kg load in the set scrums and can plough right through an opposition’s defence from five metres out.

Bishops will have their work cut out for them, but Wynberg will be wise enough to know that it isn’t going to be a walk in the park. They’ll have to grit their teeth for every point that they may score.

Teams

Diocesan College vs Wynberg Boys’ High on the Piley Rees Field at 12:30 on Saturday.

Diocesan College: 15 Rynard Gordon, 14 Singa Mayoyo, 13 Ben Koenig, 12 Boytjie Fyfer, 11 Noah Edmunds, 11 Eljaron Geduld, 9 Max Marr, 8 Jack Venter, 7 Yazeed Salaam, 6 Ethan Venter, 5 Fouke Wagener, 4 Rieko Kidha, 3 Chris du Toit, 2 Daniel van den Heever (captain), 1 Will Reid.

Wynberg: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Chad Campbell, 13 Kunene Gadu, 12 Daniel Oud, 11 Albert Lourens, 10 Achmat Behardien, 9 Hugo Loggenberg, 8 Alvin Machinja, 7 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 6 Jamie Stride, 5 James Orwin, 4 Jaythen Orange (captain), 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Noah Gila, 1 Luke Miller.

Somerset West outfit, Parel Vallei (PV) hosts Pearson High at 14:00 on Saturday. The hosts defeated Melkbosstrand 27-6 last Saturday. Pearson meanwhile, outlasted Marlow Landbou 26-24 two Saturdays ago.

This weekend’s match is the Bulldogs’ final fixture of the season. It’s the penultimate outing for Pearson.

Both sides know their game plans well, and aren’t expected to be caught slacking in the set-pieces. The breakdowns however, are a different story.

Pearson will need to get the ball out wide quickly, as the Bulldogs’ forwards will not give them many phases with which to play. They are aggressive and physical at the breakdowns, and Pearson will have to protect their ball well or have it pilfered.

Parel Vallei no. 8, Brad Brown, sets the tone for the home team, often halting opposition attacks by driving back the ball carrier with dominant tackles, which makes counter-rucks possible for his side.

Despite the host’s improvements in 2025, Pearson is considered the favourite for Friday’s clash. They’re a side with valuable experience of tough matches. They have taken on the top schools in the Eastern Cape this season and their record includes a win over the province’s number one, Queen’s College. They’re also well rested after a huge battle against Marlow.

The Bulldogs are the underdogs, but they’ve been shedding that collar more than ever this season. Should they pull off an upset, it wouldn’t be too surprising.

Hoërskool Montagu hosts Charlie Hofmeyr at 12:50 on Saturday. The hosts raced to an emphatic 49-7 victory over Hoërskool Langenhoven last Saturday, while the Ceres locals defeated Hermanus 42-27 two Saturdays ago.

In those wins, the winning sides scored seven and six tries respectively. They’ll both fancy their chances of running in more on Saturday.

Charlies‘ scrumhalf, Phillip Boshoff, is a playmaker of note. He’ll be looking for cross-kick opportunities, and he’ll keep a keen eye on the blindside for opportunities to create overlaps.

Montagu will be up for a physical challenge, and their efforts will be led by their captain Mornè-John Roos, who ran out for Boland at the FNB Craven Week. His leadership and physicality in defence will be a vital antidote to Boshoff’s clever playmaking.

The cornerstone of a winning side, however, is most often a disciplined and gritty forward pack. Set-piece cohesion and breakdown competition are essential components for every rugby match. The side that does the dirty work the best is almost always the side that wins.

Irrespective of Saturday’s result, one can expect a game of free-flowing rugby filled with creative individuals and memorable tries.

Teams

Parel Vallei vs Pearson High School at 14:00 in Somerset West on Saturday.

Parel Vallei: 15 Shudley Rhoda, 14 Johan van Zyl, 13 Noah Enyang, 12 Tihan van der Colff, 11 Cayde Lucas, 10 Stefhan Niemann, 9 Michael Kent, 8 Bradley Brown, 7 Chris de Jager, 6 Marce Els, 5 James Paxton, 4 Renato Tosi, 3 Cayden Rautenbach, 2 Diaan du Toit, 1 Herman Diedericks.

Pearson: 15 Denilo Jordaan, 14 Matthew Els, 13 Sibu Mkhontwana, 12 Hanro Botes, 11 Siya Ncwadi, 10 Keano Beling, 9 Kadin Kretzmann, 8 Robert Harris, 7 Cameron Knoetze (Captain), 6 Siphe Myataza, 5 Mlibo Toni, 4 Ryan Herbst, 3 Jordan Bruintjies, 2 Nicholas Gillespie, 1 Joshua Pienaar.

Montagu vs Charlie Hofmeyr at 12:50 in Montagu on Saturday.

Montagu: 15 Eldrin de Koker, 14 Pieter-Wayne Soldaat, 13 Adrian Opperman, 12 Mornè-John Roos (Captain), 11 Jordan McGregor, 10 Keagan Buis, 9 Antonio Mosea, 8 Duwaine Eyberg, 7 Nazeer Ahmed, 6 Hillroy Hollenberg, 5 Jacobus van Zyl, 4 Clayton Opperman, 3 Saied Batt, 2 Christiano Visser, 1 Jowaan Pekeur.

Charlie Hofmeyr (likely): 15 Shandley Burrows, 14 Keanan Nathan, 13 Willmuth Loff, 12 Keagan Kelly, 11 Ainsley Pedro, 10 Jay-Jay Janse, 9 Phillip Boshoff, 8 Gerhard Goosen, 7 Ivan Hanekom, 6 Attie Heyns, 5 Jacob Kriel, 4 Jean Neethling, 3 Joshua Swarts, 2 Lourens Nel, 1 Dewald Jaars.

Last Saturday, Milnerton High fell to a narrow 36-42 loss against a resilient Bishops team. On Saturday, they were the team that pulled off a comeback, clawing their way back from 0-12 down at halftime to beat Stellenberg High 14-12.

As has been the case for the entire season, captain Morgan Lodewyk led from the front. On Saturday, the burly centre crossed for a try to breathe life back into his side’s challenge.

Throughout the match, his physicality in the midfield caused Stellies problems, and it wore down the visitors.

Meanwhile, fullback Chadlin Sellidon, another shining light for Millies, also bagged a try and, crucially, converted both five-pointers to see his side to a tight two-point victory.

Stellenberg was left frustrated that they were unable to replicate their dominant first half performance in the second stanza. Their tries were scored by captain Christiaan Jansen van Rensburg and outside centre Luka Tonitz.

The big difference in the second half was a much-improved Milnerton set-piece, which forced the Jade Brigade onto the back foot, with Millies taking charge of the battle for territory and possession.

Moving on, Stellenberg’s season ends with a huge derby on Saturday against Hoërskool Durbanville. Milnerton, meanwhile, welcomes Strand on the same day. 

Durbies hosted Outeniqua on Saturday. In a low-scoring match, it was the visitors from George who edged it 8-5.

Both sides, typically, like to get the ball out to their backs and to play the game at speed, but that was far from the case on Saturday.

Wet weather led to the game being slowed down as handling became difficult in the slippery conditions. The defining aspect of the contest was the physicality of both teams on defence, leading to only one try apiece being scored.

Ultimately, it was the boot of Kwaggas‘ reserve, Taylor Marias, that separated the sides.

Durbanville will be frustrated to have lost at home because it was a game that could so easily have gone their way. They’ll have an opportunity to right the ship at home next Saturday, and it doesn’t get any bigger than a derby against their great rivals, Stellenberg.

Outeniqua will draw satisfaction from the fact that they were able to win while not playing their game. They end their season in George next weekend, with a tricky challenge from HTS Drostdy lying in wait. .

Scorers

Milnerton 14 (0) – Tries: Morgan Lodewyk, Chadlin Sellidon. Conversions: Chadlin Sellidon (2); Stellenberg 12 (12) – Tries: Luka Tonitz, Christian Jansen van Rensburg. Conversion: Daniel Mongie.

Outeniqua 8 – Try: Devino Bernado. Penalty: Taylor Marias; Durbanville 5 – Try: Cole Carls.

Other Results

U19 – Milnerton II 0 Stellenberg II 48, Milnerton III 0 Stellenberg III 49; Durbanville II 25 Outeniqua II 19, Durbanville III 31 Outeniqua III 5, Durbanville IV 26 Outeniqua IV 0, Durbanville V 0 Outeniqua V 14.

U16 – Milnerton A 5 Stellenberg A 48, Milnerton B 3 Stellenberg B 54; Durbanville A 20 Outeniqua A 22, Durbanville B 14 Outeniqua B 0, Durbanville C 15 Outeniqua C 5.

U15 – Milnerton A 8 Stellenberg A 39, Milnerton B 0 Stellenberg B 47, Milnerton C 0 Stellenberg C 53; Durbanville A 11 Outeniqua A 10, Durbanville B 36 Outeniqua B 22, Durbanville C 0 Outeniqua C 10.

U14 – Milnerton A 7 Stellenberg A 24, Milnerton B 0 Stellenberg B 53, Milnerton C 0 Stellenberg C 37; Durbanville A 14 Outeniqua A 36, Durbanville B 26 Outeniqua B 0, Durbanville C 17 Outeniqua C 14, Durbanville D 7 Outeniqua D 12.