Author: mbloem

After a frustrating 10-38 loss to Stellenberg High last Friday, the Wynberg Boys’ High 1st XV will have their sights set on a return to winning ways when they face Bishops on the Piley Rees Field at 12:30 on Saturday.

Bishops will also aim to reverse a recent run of three defeats on the trot. In their most recent outing, they made the long trip from Cape Town to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, where they gave a good account of themselves in a 17-26 loss to Hilton College.

The last time Bishop and Wynberg met on the Piley Rees, in August last year, the match ended in a 26-26 draw.

One of Wynberg’s strengths this season has been their rolling maul, with hooker Ridhau Johnson and flank Naeem Mohammed steering the ship, so Bishops will need to combat the visitors’ strength in that department. Mohammed normally starts at hooker, but has been moved onto the blindside flank for this occasion.

Flyhalf Luke Gertze and fullback Laeeq Davids will drive Wynberg’s attack from behind the pack.

Lock Alex Vintcent will have to be on song to earn Bishops some possession and momentum shifts from the lineout.

In the backline, Caleb Clark enjoyed a solid outing against Hilton, pulling the strings from flyhalf, while also kicking well.

With centre Boytjie Fyfer out for the weekend, centres Eljaron Geduld and Christian Toweel will be the arrowheads of the visitors’ attack. They are dangerous runners who can use their speed and agility to break the line.

Wynberg will be favoured to win, but given the history of southern suburb derbies, a tight contest is likely, and derbies are inherently unpredictable.

Milnerton High hosts Hoërskool Bellville, with kickoff on Saturday at 12:20.

Last year, Millies scored a comfortable 37-5 victory, but 2026 has not been as successful a season. They’re yet to win, although they drew 15-15 with Hoërskool Brackenfell in their most recent match, on 18 April, after suffering six losses against an admittedly tough list of opponents.

With one of their star players, Chadlin Sellidon, dictating play at the back, Milnerton will hope to bag a first win of their campaign. The fullback is expected to play his 50th cap for his school in the flyhalf position on the weekend, as there are many players out due to a flu strain going around.

Bellville started their season with five successive losses, but they’ve won their last two, beating Hoërskool Brackenfell 12-6 and Hoërskool Hugenote 22-21 in recent weeks. Based on the teams’ scores against a common opponent, there should be little to separate them, with both hungry for victory.

With outside centre Rian Kuyk out of the mix, flyhalf Marno Botes is the most dangerous threat to the Millies’ defence. He’s also good with the boot, so the hosts will need to guard against giving away too many penalties in their own half.

There’s another 12:30 start for the clash between Hoërskool Swartland and Hoërskool Robertson. When they last met, almost exactly a year ago, on 10 May 2025, Swartland won 19-14 at Robertson.

While Robertson will be eager to avenge that loss at Swartland, they face a team that has now won its last five matches convincingly. Their most recent outing, on 18 April, delivered a 49-26 win over Hermanus, a side that had beaten them 17-0 last year.

Robbies have had their share of tight battles so far this season. Most recently, they won a thriller against Hoërskool Bredasdorp, coming out on top 29-27.

Swartland should provide a tougher challenge for the visitors. Flyhalf De Wet van Aswegen serves as the hosts’ dangerman. He’s a regular on the scoresheet and leads his team with his attacking skill.

Robertson will need to find ways to lessen the flyhalf’s influence if they are to win in Malmesbury.

TEAMS

Wynberg: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Zachary de Kock, 13 Ithandile Nkohla, 12 Matthew Anthony, 11 Chad Campbell, 10 Luke Gertze, 9 Rauf Ahmed, 8 Esa Van der Schyff, 7 Naeem Mohammed, 6 Alvin Machinja, 5 Jack de Beer, 4 James Orwin, 3 Solam Gegana, 2 Ridhau Johnson, 1 Boitumelo Mabohlo.

Bishops: 15 Miyolo Ngculu, 14 Danny Newton, 13 Eljaron Geduld, 12 Christian Toweel, 11 Lulibo Nyawula, 10 Caleb Clark, 9 Jack Fleck, 8 Jack Venter, 7 Luke Hofmeyr, 6 Connor Clark, 5 Alex Vincent (Captain), 4 Dan Coetzee, 3 Jarred Kowen, 2 Joe Lanning, 1 Jack Hibling.

Milnerton: 15 Troy Ferreira, 14 Akho Mkaya, 13 Connor Petrie, 12 James Ferreira, 11 Sibabalo Siwisa, 10 Chadlin Sellidon, 9 Charl Michaux, 8 Likhona Filtana, 7 Nico Lourens, 6 Joshua White, 5 William de Allende, 4 Gregory Tshibangu, 3 Kyle Janse van Rensburg, 2 Liam Plaaitjies, 1 Troy Jackson.

Bellville: 15 Alvino Loggenberg, 14 Marlon Claasen, 13 Caylem du Plessis, 12 Xandru Büter, 11 Liam Kuyk, 10 Marno Botes, 9 Juvan Rousseau, 8 Cade Mong, 7 Liam Genis, 6 Zandro Stramrood, 5 Corné Smit, 4 Steven Steyl, 3 Zander van Wyk, 2 Ryno Higgs, 1 Alex Cronje.

Swartland (likely): 15 Juan Hilburg, 14 Vusi Johannes, 13 Christian Mocke, 12 Enrico Louw, 11 Zaidell Paulhus, 10 De Wet van Aswegen, 9 Markus Vorster, 8 Jean Beukes, 7 Christian Cupido, 6 James Joubert, 5 Finn Fowlds, 4 Jared Fredericks, 3 Ernst Coetzee, 2 Winsor Solomons, 1 Jacques van Zyl.

Robertson (likely): 15 Junaid Adendorff, 14 Marvin Buis, 13 Gaywen Philander, 12 Jaydan van Niekerk, 11 Haygen Persent, 10 Juwaydan van Niekerk, 9 Dihégo Braaf, 8 Brendon Smith, 7 De Wet Bruwer, 6 Uyanda Nkumbi, 5 Ernst Roux, 4 Rudolph Götze, 3 Michael Jordaan, 2 Jaydrian van Staden, 1 Kallie Joubert.

Stellenberg High defeated Wynberg Boys’ High 38-10 in Bellville on Friday. The victory was the latest in an outstanding season thus far for the Jade Brigade.

Big lock Juvan Burden crashed over the try line on two occasions, hitting short passes from scrumhalf Daniel Steffen with intent. On defence, he led the Stellies‘ forward pack, with the hosts effectively dismantling the Wynberg rolling maul, which included a breakdown steal on their own five-metre line.

They opened the scoring through left-wing, Chad Campbell, who dived over in the left-hand corner with defenders on his back after receiving the ball five metres out. Flyhalf Luke Gertze slotted the challenging conversion.

All three of Stellenberg’s visits to Wynberg’s 22 in the first half led to tries.

Right-wing Ralton Rhode got Stellenberg onto the scoreboard with a scintillating 40-metre run, which started from an overlap on the blindside. The Wynberg defenders were unable to shuffle across in time to stop the speedster from scoring.

For the second try, Wynberg’s defenders made it back in time to prevent Rhode from scoring an identical try. However, the wing skillfully offloaded the ball for blindside flank Carlo Brink to run in untouched for five points.

Stellenberg’s third try was finished by left wing Emile Cilliers in the corner.

Throughout the season, Stellenberg’s quick attacks down the blindside have borne fruit, and they executed them to perfection on Friday.

At the break, it was 19-10 to the hosts. They, however, had the advantage of the wind at their backs in the second half.

Using the elements well, flyhalf Ethan van Biljon often kicked for space in the left corner, utilising some superbly accurate kicking to make multiple 35-40 metre territorial gains. As a result, Stellenberg frequently made their way into the Wynberg 22 in the second half.

They sealed victory in the 68th minute with their last try, which came through replacement scrumhalf Jean-Roux Wessels.

After Van Biljon kicked deep, Stellenberg won the ball inside the Wynberg 22, with replacement hooker Matthew van Wyk grabbing possession. After taking the ball up through numerous phases, Wessels dummied and sniped over for five from about two metres out.

Next Saturday, the Jade Brigade travels to Riversdale for a showdown with Oakdale Landbou. It’ll be a tough contest between sides that boast two of the best lineouts in the game this season.

Scorers

Stellenberg High 38 (19) – Tries: Juvan Burden (2), Carlo Brink, Ralton Rhode, Emile Cilliers, Jean-Roux Wessels. Conversions: Ethan van Biljon (4). Wynberg Boys’ High 10 (10) – Try: Chad Campbell. Conversion: Luke Gertze. Penalty: Gertze.

Ahead of the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival, Hoërskool Parel Vallei (PV) was a team about which people outside of the Western Cape knew little. After the Bulldogs scored two comfortable wins in Gqeberha, those who weren’t familiar with them now know they’re a serious rugby team.

On Monday, Freedom Day, they defeated KuGompo City’s Hudson Park High 28-15 on the Pollock Field.

It was no surprise to see PV’s electric fullback, Shudley Rhoda, and their brickhouse inside centre, Brad Brown, get over the line for a try each.

Rhoda ripped through a gap by running an excellent line at pace, while Brown used his physical might to bounce off a handful of defenders one by one for his five points.

Left-wing Rafael von Loeper also shone with two tries, showing the Hudson Park defenders a clean pair of heels for both of his five-pointers.

Hudson appeared down and out when they went into the break trailing 0-28, but they showed fierce grit and determination to score 15 points unanswered in the second half.

Twice, they burst over from driving mauls, with openside flank Phindekuhle Mdlalana and hooker Avela Magcoba dotting down.

Their other try came from their right wing, Cwenga Bityo. He hit the afterburners on a 95-metre run after picking up a loose pass on his own five-metre line to score a simple but impressive try.

After a classic back-and-forth against Kearsney College on Saturday, Graeme College delivered another entertaining performance to beat St Charles College 43-17 on Monday.

Graeme made their intentions clear early on when they scored in the second minute, regathering the ball from kickoff and playing a couple of phases inside the opposition’s 22-metre area, where they moved possession quickly from right to left before reversing direction.

Flyhalf Ibenathi Kondile then dished out a testing cross kick, which left wing Selunathi Mfundisi claimed to score after a St Charles player dropped the contested ball.

Despite going down 0-19 in the first 20 minutes, the Pietermaritzburg outfit remained alert, and blindside flank Une Shabalala quickly pounced on a loose pass thrown out by Graeme on their own five-metre line. He was over the try line in a flash for five points to get the Saints‘ score moving.

Graeme led 29-7 at halftime. The second half was more competitive, but the Makhanda locals had already laid a solid foundation for victory.

With successive wins over KZN opposition, Graeme will head into Saturday’s Makhanda derby against St Andrew’s College full of confidence. St Andrew’s was well beaten by another KZN side, Michaelhouse, on Monday, going down 5-41.

Scorers

Hoërskool Parel Vallei 28 (28) – Tries: Raphael von Loeper (2), Shudley Rhoda, Brad Brown. Conversions: Stephan Niemann (4). Hudson Park High 15 (5) – Tries: Cwenga Bityo, Phindekuhle Mdlalana, Avela Magcoba.

Graeme College 43 (29) – Tries: Selunathi Mfundisi, Erin Nelson, Luke Doyle, Asakhe Ranuga, Andrew Muir, Ahlumile Maqungu, Lucritia Magau. Conversions: Nelson (2), Ibenathi Kondile (2). St Charles College 17 (7) – Tries: Une Shabalala, Lukhiti Mbalana, Letho Zimu. Conversion: Njabulo Nala.

Dale College 34 (19) – Tries: N/A. Conversions: Sonwabise Dyani (3). Penalty: Dyani. Muir College 26 (0) – N/A.

The hosts, Grey High, staged a great comeback against Michaelhouse on their Kolisi Field on Saturday, and followed up with a 34-12 triumph over Glenwood High on Monday, Freedom Day.

Grey had been scheduled to play Pretoria Boys High (PBHS), but a measles outbreak forced PBHS to withdraw and the organisers to revise the fixtures.

Blindside flank Cole Bennett was on fire for The Grey, using his strength to twice drive over the try line from pick-and-goes.

Unlike many of the games played on Monday, the wind didn’t appear to have a heavy impact. Grey led 17-5 at halftime, and they outscored Glenwood 17-7 in the second stanza.

Much like their match against Rondebosch Boys’ High on Saturday, the Green Machine had their moments, highlighted by fullback Rosco Williams, who scored a brilliant try via a grubber and chase down the left-hand touchline, which saw him running 40 metres through a five-metre wide corridor of space to get his side into double digits.

Nonetheless, an entertaining fixture brought the hosts’ festival campaign to a successful close.

HTS Drostdy, after a big win over St Stithians on Saturday, racked up a second one-sided victory, this time on the Kolisi Field against Selborne College.

The Donkies were in a flow state, cruising to a big 67-12 win in dominating style. Left wing Darren Makeza scored a hat-trick, while replacement back Willvino Paultin earned a brace.

The Worcester locals’ passing was second to none, with many of their tries coming from brilliant offloads from their bigger players, who sucked in defenders before unleashing the speedsters into gaps. Perhaps the best example of that came with their second try in the tenth minute.

Loosehead prop Juan Janse van Vuuren found himself running down the left flank. Then, when confronted, he delivered a lovely one-handed pass out the back of his hand as three defenders closed in on him. Inside centre Jano van Deventer received the ball and flew clear, crossing unscathed for a try.

Meanwhile, Selborne earned their two tries with a straightforward, physical approach, which included hooker Joshua McKay being driven over from a rolling maul that started on the Drostdy five-metre line.

The Donkies will head back to Worcester feeling justifiably proud of their performances at the festival.

Rondebosch Boys’ High wasn’t far behind Drostdy when assessing teams’ dominance. They defeated King Edward VII (KES) 29-12 in the closing match of the festival.

It was a complete performance from Rondebosch, with lock Bjorn Morkel standing out for his two tries. Both came from line breaks near the base of the ruck on the opposition 22-metre line, with the first delivered through a crash-ball feed from scrumhalf Daniel Arendse, while Morkel picked up and sniped for the second.

KES had one of their own locks score a try after a well-placed restart kick found its way into no man’s land, which allowed the Johannesburg outfit to regather the ball. After a few phases, Kristian Sheahan ploughed over the line from the base of a ruck to tack five points onto the Red Army‘s total.

Scorers

Grey High 34 (17) – Tries: Cole Bennett (2), Noah Mbizi, Daniel Naude, Christopher Vosloo, Ryan Swarbrick. Conversions: Tristan Kemp (2). Glenwood High 12 (5) – Tries: Cody Soll, Rosco Williams. Conversion: Elgenio Oersen.

HTS Drostdy 67 (45) – Tries: Darren Makeza (3), Willvino Paultin (2), Jano van Deventer, Eugene Walker, Werno Ramsauer, Tristin Syster, Brent-Leigh Exstraal, Anwill Jacobs. Conversions: Jano van Deventer (4), Ruan Nortje (2). Selborne College 12 (7) – Tries: Lwandle Bacela, Joshua McKay. Conversion: Khazimla Qavile.

Rondebosch Boys’ High 29 (12) – Tries: Bjorn Morkel (2), Joshua Kirby, Andrea Mynhardt, Matthew Pelser. Conversions: Eathon Williams (2). KES 12 (0) – Tries: Kristian Sheahan, Tswaledi Pasha. Conversion: Connor Fourie.

Down 14-27, with seven minutes to play on the Kolisi Field at the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival, SACS delivered a phenomenal three-try comeback to defeat Kearsney College 33-27 on Monday.

Kearsney produced some brilliant moments, with flyhalf Daniel Miskey putting eighthman Nhlanhla Ndlovu into space on several occasions, which left SACS trailing by 13 points at halftime, down 7-20.

A SACS victory was a blurry speck in the distance.

Kearsney continued their impressive playmaking in the second half, with outside centre Thomas Aylward testing the SACS back three with cheeky chips and grubbers.

The stubborn resilience of SACS turned the tide, however.

With only two minutes remaining, SACS worked their way into the Kearsney 22, going through phase after phase, offloading and driving ever closer to the KZN side’s try line. They refused to be taken to ground or to allow a ruck to form, and that paid off when their hooker and captain Zac Dall received an offload near the right corner, where he made the dive for five.

SACS will return to Cape Town with back-to-back wins in Gqeberha after also beating Selborne College 34-26.

After a 19-28 loss to Grey High on Saturday, Michaelhouse played with a raging intensity against St Andrew’s College on Monday.

As they did against Grey, Michaelhouse struck early, scoring within the first five minutes through their burly tighthead prop, Spelo Mfazwe. Just two metres from the St Andrew’s try line, he was the first receiver. There were defenders in his way, but his momentum took him over for the opening try of the contest.

The Makhanda locals struck back shortly after through left wing Qhawe Mdikizela, who finished in the corner after wriggling his way past two defenders.

At halftime, ‘House led 17-5.

The Balgowan boys were even more relentless in the second stanza, with their captain and eighthman Oliver Guy scoring the second of his two tries, followed by outside centre Fabiano Fierro, who powered through defenders and over the try line on two occasions.

St Andrew’s was unable to add a single point to their tally, and they struggled to make it into the Michaelhouse 22.

After a comfortable 41-5 win, ‘House will head back to KZN feeling substantially better than they felt after Saturday’s loss, in which Grey overturned a 15-19 deficit.

Like SACS, Kingswood College scored two wins in two matches at the festival, with their second coming on Monday via a 38-20 victory over St Stithians College, also on the Kolisi Field.

While the Lyme Park locals drew first blood with three points from flyhalf Matthew Anderson, the Makhanda outfit quickly got themselves into the game.

Inside centre Sam Dunne scored the first try of the match, and there was nothing subtle about it. He was the first receiver of a pass inside the opposition’s 22, and went route one, barging his way over the try line.

Anderson replied with two more penalties for Saints, who led 13-12 at the break.

While blindside flank Josh Mackenzie delivered a top-notch performance on Saturday for Kingswood, his brother, right wing James Mackenzie, delivered the goods on Monday, crossing for a brilliant hat-trick of tries.

His first two five-pointers were scored from chasing a cross-kick from scrumhalf Ryan O’Sullivan and a grubber from outside centre Luniko Marivate, respectively. His hat-trick try came when he broke off a maul formed 25 metres out and raced through to bolster Kingswood’s total.

Anderson delivered the contest’s last special moment. He kicked off just across the Kingswood 10-metre line, collected his own kick, and then proceeded to weave his way through the Makhanda school’s defence to score a spectacular try from 40 metres out.

Pearson High lost 17-32 to Dale College on Saturday, but they bounced back with a big 57-12 victory over the Mzwandile Mali XV, leaving both teams with a festival record of one win and one loss.

Pearson flew out of the blocks and rocketed into a 19-0 lead only 12 minutes into the match. That brought a response from the Mali XV, who struck back two minutes later through their right wing Ilita Mkapa, who wrapped around to the left-hand side and scored in the corner.

At halftime, Pearson was three converted tries clear at 26-5.

Their outside centre Henrico Ferreira came to life in the second half, scoring two tries. On both occasions, he cut inside and shrugged off a couple of defenders before crossing the whitewash.

The Gqeberha school continued pushing hard, never becoming complacent, despite holding a healthy lead. They ultimately ran in nine tries to two to sign off on a positive note.

Scorers

SACS 33 (7) – Tries: Josh Gorgens, Jordan Forbes, Stephan Kruger, Cameron Hirst, Zac Dall. Conversions: Jake Dave (4).
Kearsney College 27 (20) – Tries: Tunga Griffiths, Luke Grobbealaar, Oliver Ludwig. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (3). Penalties: Miskey (2).

Michaelhouse 41 (17) – Tries: Fabiano Fierro (2), Oliver Guy (2), Spelo Mfazwe, Aphalele Chamane, Jack Carmody. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (3). St Andrew’s College 5 (5) – Try: Qhawe Madikizela.

Kingswood College 38 (12) – Tries: James Mackenzie (3), Sam Dunne, Sinawo Bukula, Luniko Marivate. Conversions: Christopher Zimmerman (4). St Stithians College 20 (13) – Tries: Cameron Blignaut, Matthew Anderson. Conversions: Matthew Anderson (2). Penalties: Anderson (2).

Pearson High 57 (26) – Tries: Henrico Ferreira (2), Nathan Heyns, Sebastian Playdon, Kadin Kretzman, Matthew Rademeyer, Dewald Niemand, Keano Beling, Henrico Bodenstein. Conversions: Keano Beling (6). Mzwandile Mali XV 12 (5) – Tries: Ilita Mkapa, Onwabe Tanana. Conversion: Sibabalwe Gwinsta.

Scorers:

Pearson High 57 (26) – Tries: Henrico Ferreira (2), Nathan Heyns, Sebastian Playdon, Kadin Kretzman, Matthew Rademeyer, Dewald Niemand, Keano Beling, Henrico Bodenstein. Conversions: Keano Beling (6). Mzwandile Mali XV 12 (5) – Tries: Ilita Mkapa, Onwabe Tanana. Conversion: Sibabalwe Gwinsta.

Kingswood College 38 (12) – Tries: James Mackenzie (3), Sam Dunne, Sinawo Bukula, Luniko Marivate. Conversions: Christopher Zimmerman (4). St Stithians College 20 (13) – Tries: Cameron Blignaut, Matthew Anderson. Conversions: Anderson (2). Penalties: Anderson (2).

SACS 33 (7) – Tries: Josh Gorgens, Jordan Forbes, Stephan Kruger, Cameron Hirst, Zac Dall. Conversions: Jake Dave (4). Kearsney College 27 (20) – Tries: Tunga Griffiths, Luke Grobbelaar, Oliver Ludwig. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (3). Penalties: Miskey (2).

Michaelhouse 41 (17) – Tries: Fabiano Fierro (2), Oliver Guy (2), Spelo Mfazwe, Aphalele Chamane, Jack Carmody. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (3). St Andrew’s College 5 (5) – Try: Qhawe Madikizela.

Grey High 34 (17) – Tries: Cole Bennet (2), Noah Mbizi, Daniel Naude, Christopher Vosloo, Ryan Swarbrick. Conversions: Tristan Kemp (2). Glenwood High 12 (5) – Tries: Cody Soll, Rosco Williams. Conversion: Elgenio Oersen.

HTS Drostdy 67 (45) – Tries: Darren Makeza (3), Willvino Paultin (2), Jano van Deventer, Eugene Walker, Werno Ramsauer, Tristin Syster, Brent-Leigh Exstraal, Anwill Jacobs. Conversions: Jano van Deventer (4), Ruan Nortje (2). Selborne College 12 (7) – Tries: Lwandle Bacela, Joshua Mckay. Conversion: Khazimla Qavile.

Rondebosch Boys’ High 29 (12) – Tries: Bjorn Morkel (2), Joshua Kirby, Andrea Mynhardt, Matthew Pelser. Conversions: Eathon Williams (2). KES 12 (0) – Tries: Kristian Sheahan, Tswaledi Pasha. Conversion: Connor Fourie.

Playing on the Pollock Field at the Grey High Rugby Festival on Saturday, HTS Daniel Pienaar drew with Hudson Park High in a match that should have seen a winner.

Daniel Pienaar looked the better side for the first three quarters of the game, and led 34-17 after 45 minutes. Hudson Park, though, responded with three unanswered tries to snatch a 34-34 draw.

The try count favoured the KuGompo City school six to four, but their goal-kicking was not as good as that of their opponents.

Right-wing Cwenga Bityo scored two tries and added two conversions for Hudson, while left-wing Bubuqaqawuli Mzamo also crossed for two tries as the boys in red and white did a good job of getting the ball out wide.

Daniel Pienaar took a more direct route to the try line. Stiaan Coertze, their no. 8, dotted down twice off the back of a rolling maul and a scrum.

HTS Drostdy turned up the heat and rocked St Stithians, powering their way to a 74-0 victory.

Right-wing Tristan Syster made hay, scoring four tries, which was unmatched on the day, while Donkies‘ no. 8, Siya Lahlelike, bagged a brace.

Saints will have some homework to do ahead of their Monday meeting with Kingswood.

Scrumhalf Lukho Mzingaye and left wing Yamkela Molose both scored twice in Dale College’s 32-17 victory over Pearson High. Dale led 22-5 at halftime, but Pearson High punched back in a more evenly contested second half.

Replacement prop Nathan Heyns used his burly physique to power over the line for Pearson, while Lili Giyose and Sebastian Playdon used their speed to dot down on the left and right wings, respectively.

The Qonce locals had, however, done enough to record their sixth win of the season. They’ll try to make it seven on Monday against Muir College.

Scorers

HTS Daniel Pienaar 34 (17) – Tries Stiaan Coertze (2), Zinzile Mtotywa (2). Conversions: Corbelle Claasen (4). Penalties: Claasen (2). Hudson Park High 34 (12) – Tries: Cwenga Bityo (2), Bubuqaqawuli Mzamo (2), Likho Gidi, Zizibele Mthangwana. Conversions: Bityo (2).

HTS Drostdy 74 (43) – Tries: Tristan Syster (4), Siya Lahlikile (2), Joniel Claasen, Jean Louis Matthee, Zayden Roman, Anwill Jacobs, Werno Ramshauer, Darren Makeza. Conversions: Ruan Nortje (4), Jano van Deventer (3). St Stithians College 0.

Dale College 32 (22) – Tries: Yamakela Molose (2), Lukho Mzingaye (2), Ulikhaya Stuurman. Conversions: Sonwabise Dyani (2). Penalty: Dyani. Pearson High 17 (5) – Tries: Lili Giyose, Nathan Heyns, Sebastian Playdon. Conversion: Keano Beling.

Mzwandile Mali XV 42 (22) – N/A. Muir College 34 (17) – N/A.

At their Kolisi Field in Saturday’s final game of the Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival’s opening day, Grey High delivered one of the most spectacular comebacks of the season to beat Michaelhouse 28-19.

At halftime, the score favoured the Balgowan boys 19-15. Few would have expected the level of passion and resilience that the home side would produce in the second half.

High-flying ‘House flew out of the blocks, scoring in the first minute from a lineout inside the Grey 22. A sharply executed throw-in and quick return pass to hooker Max Oliva gave him some space down the touchline, and he beat a covering defender when he cut inside at the last moment to score.

The home side, however, worked its way back into the game, but it still appeared as though Michaelhouse had the edge going into the second half.

When Grey High finally took the lead, it came from their captain, Ciaran Killian. After receiving the long, flat pass, he broke the Michaelhouse defensive line and was into space. There was still plenty of work to be done, though, and Killian beat the fullback with a step in and then out before breaking another tackle and making the dive for five.

Grey’s victory spoke volumes about the unpredictability of the game. At the Pretoria Boys High 125th Festival, Michaelhouse defeated Affies, while Grey went down by 40 points to the same side.

SACS opened their account in Gqeberha with a 34-26 triumph over Selborne College.

The East London outfit struck first thanks to a deceptive snipe from scrumhalf Connor Fowles, who dummied a pass before hitting a gap from the back of the scrum five metres out from the posts.

From there, SACS turned up the heat. Inside centre James Sale did what he does best and broke a tackle inside the opposition’s 22-metre area to charge over for a try.

The Newlands outfit then added two further tries through the biggest and smallest players on the field respectively, with tighthead prop Qiraan Hermans and scrumhalf Jordan Forbes dotting down.

At half-time, it was 21-14 to SACS, and the Cape Town school did enough in the second half to slightly increase their lead.

Flyhalf Jake Dave slotted over all six of his kicks to collect 14 points from four conversions and two penalties.

Selborne scored two tries in the second stanza through big men. Tighthead prop Daniel Naude was the first across the line, and loose forward replacement Rosh Els followed him over.

Despite a physical fightback from Selborne, it was not enough to overcome the slick and silky hands of SACS.

Just after the SACS match, Rondebosch Boys’ High started their festival campaign with a 42-22 victory over Glenwood High.

It looked like ‘Bosch might be on their way to a one-sided victory when they led 28-10 at the break, but the Green Machine dug deep to match their opponents’ two tries in the second half.

‘Bosch inside centre Andrea Mynhardt dotted down twice, while fullback Shellvon Mabooi was prominent on the scoresheet, with a try and five conversions to his name, giving him 15 points.

Glenwood went down but scored a wonderful try at the death. A chip and chase by Rosco Williams allowed the fullback to get past three defenders, giving him a 30-metre sprint down the left wing to the try line.

However, he was chased down, but he found Cade Isaacs up in support, and the outside centre ran in to collect the five points.

Scorers

Grey High 28 (15) – Tries: Juan Potgieter, Blake Parker, Ciaran Killian. Conversions: Nathan Trystsman (2). Penalties: Trystsman (3). Michaelhouse 19 (19) – Tries: Max Olivia, Laird Hamilton-Brown, Jack Carmody. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (2).

SACS 34 (21) – Tries: James Sale, Qiraan Hermans, Jordan Forbes, Luke McKenzie. Conversions: Jake Dave (4). Penalties: Dave (2). Selborne College 26 (14) – Tries: Connor Fowles, Luthanga Ngese, Daniel Naude, Rosh Els. Conversions: Riley Hansel (3).

Rondebosch Boys’ High 42 (28) – Tries: Andrea Mynhardt (2), Kelenogile Nkwana, Bertus Versfeld, Shellvon Mabooi, Bjorn Morkel. Conversions: Shellvon Mabooi (5), Eathon Williams. Glenwood High 22 (10) – Tries: Cade Isaacs, Tyler Leon, Thomas Ptak. Conversions: Vincenzo Loutz, Elgenio Oerson. Penalty: Loutz.

The Eastern Cape locals, Kingswood College, battled hard to hold off St Charles College 22-19 in the opening match of the Grey High Rugby Festival in Gqeberha on Saturday.

The Makhanda outfit scored just two minutes into the clash, with their captain and lock, Ross Thompson, sparking the move that led to a try.

He caused the initial dent in the St Charles’ defensive line, breaking through around the 10-metre line. Kingswood then turned to the pick-and-go, and Thompson finished what he had started.

Kingswood extended their advantage to 12-0 before the Pietermaritzburg school found their way onto the scoresheet just before the half-time break.

On the attack inside the opposition 22-metre area, scrumhalf Agape Nyawo sniped through a gap and hit the accelerator to cross for a try.

Thompson, meanwhile, continued to deliver for Kingswood. He set a fine example, generating line-breaking runs while also making an abundance of tackles when on defence.

Blindside flanker Josh Mackenzie was an outstanding workhorse, making tackle after tackle and causing Saints problems with his powerful carries. He was rewarded with a try from close range, dragging a handful of defenders across the whitewash before he dotted down.

It was a back-and-forth clash, but, in the end, a deserved win for Kingswood, with St Charles unable to overcome their early 12-point deficit.

Graeme College and Kearsney College produced a classic, in which Graeme ultimately finished as the 35-33 winners.

It took until the 11th minute for the scoring to start, and it continued to accumulate as the teams combined for 10 tries – five each.

Graeme flyhalf Ibenathi Kondile set the ball rolling by taking advantage of a poor pass by Kearsney to run in from 40 metres out. The Botha’s Hill boys appeared to have matters under control, though, when their right wing, Luke Grobbelaar, scored a similar try to put Kearsney 21-7 ahead. However, Graeme struck back before the end of the first half to halve their deficit.

They struck again early in the second half through their outside centre Erin Nelson, with Graeme again punishing Kearsney’s inaccuracy. He benefitted from a poor pass, turning over possession and running in for five points, untouched.

The Graeme captain’s biggest contribution, though, wasn’t his try. Rather, it was the fact that he converted all of his team’s tries. On the flip side, Kearsney’s no. 10, Daniel Miskey, had a conversion strike the left upright, and a last-minute penalty kick faded left of the posts, leaving Graeme with a heart-stopping two-point victory.

In a remarkable turnaround, Hoërskool Framesby took a 14-10 half-time lead over Parel Vallei, but then conceded 40 points without reply in the second half as the Somerset West school charged to a 50-14 victory.

The Gqeberha locals struck the first blow in the 18th minute, thanks to their fullback Jamiel Swarts, who danced his way past three defenders before rewarding scrumhalf Cariston Marney’s excellent support line, which took him across the try line unscathed.

In the second stanza, though, PV delivered some superb running rugby to exploit holes in a tired-looking Framesby defence. Fullback Shudley Rhoda tormented Framesby, putting on display an impressive variety of skills, which carried him across the whitewash four times, which was half of Parel Vallei’s eight tries.

With the win, the Bulldogs extended their 2026 record to a perfect six wins from six matches.

Scorers

Kingswood College 22 (12) – Tries: Ross Thompson, Kungawo Badi, Charl du Toit, Josh Mackenzie. Conversion: Christopher Zimmerman. St Charles College 19 (5) – Tries: Agape Nyowa, Njabulo Nala, Bonga Nkosi. Conversions: Njabulo Nala (2).

Graeme College 35 (14) – Tries: Thurston Williams (2), Ibenathi Kondile, Lucritia Magua, Erin Nelson. Conversions: Erin Nelson (5). Kearsney College 33 (21) – Tries: Lwazi Mbebe, Luke Grobbelaar, Nhlanhla Ndlovu, Keanu Williamson, Clement Makalele. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (4).

Hoërskool Parel Vallei 50 (10) – Tries: Shudley Rhoda (4), Joshua Buchweitz, Raphael von Loeper, Michael Kent, penalty try. Conversions: Stephan Niemann (4). Hoërskool Framesby 14 (14) – Tries: Cariston Marney, Calestin Felkers. Conversions: Miles Feltham (2).

The fixtures are out, and 22 matches to be played over two days, await rugby enthusiasts at the Standard Bank Grey High School Rugby Festival.

There will be plenty of exciting talent on show, and SuperSport Schools’ rugby writer Marlowe Bloem has identified five players who are sure to be at the forefront of their team’s challenges.

Grey High – Ciaran Killian

The home team’s captain and inside centre, Ciaran Killian, has long caught the eye. Back in grade 10, he was selected for the SARU u16 Elite Player Development camp.

He’s a strong running, well-balanced centre, wrapped up in a tall and athletic frame.

Killian possesses a wide variety of skills, enabling him to attack the opposition in different ways. He’ll beat them with his feet or beat them with his distribution, depending on what is required. He runs deceptive and well-judged lines, and he mixes that with a variety of passes, which bring his teammates into play.

The Grey High captain is also a sound defender. He leads from the front, charging the opposing offensive line from the middle of the field. With Killian at the wheel, Grey High will head into their home festival with confidence.

Rondebosch Boys’ High – Caleb Bell

Caleb Bell moves like lightning on the left wing. He has a knack for clever positioning, and his finishing is even more impressive. Just last Saturday, he scored four tries in a narrow loss to Boland Landbou.

He’s also a capable scrumhalf and often scores tries with sneaky snipes from the base of the ruck.

With his lethal speed and fast feet, it’s no surprise that he was selected for last year’s Western Province XV Craven Week side. He was also invited to the SARU u17 Elite Player Development camp.

Bell instinctively knows his way to the try line better than most, and it would be no surprise should he end the festival as one of the top try-scorers.

HTS Drostdy – Jano van Deventer

Jano van Deventer is a burly, ball-carrying inside centre, yet he also boasts the kicking, passing, and playmaking skills of a flyhalf.

In a recent match against Hermanus, he scored 35 of the Donkies‘ 80 points, dotting down three times while also slotting 10 conversions.

When he was in grade 10, he was selected for the Boland Grant Khomo side. Since stepping up to the HTS Drostdy 1st XV, he has continued to excel, whether playing at flyhalf or inside centre.

The Donkies have been one of the most exciting teams early this season, and Van Deventer has been one of the drivers of their creative attacking play.

If it’s entertainment you’re after, you can’t go wrong with Jano van Deventer and his HTS Drostdy teammates.

Michaelhouse – Nicola Salamousas

It’s been quite a year for Michaelhouse so far. Since narrowly losing to Durban High School (DHS) on the Horseflies‘ fortress, Van Heerden’s Field, in their first match of the season, they’ve gone on an exciting run, beating Northwood, Affies, and Jeppe – all strong teams, which means ‘House is a side to be respected.

Their captain and tighthead prop, Nicolas Salamousas, has been at the forefront of the Balgowan outfit’s outstanding run of form. He’s a powerhouse in the set scrums. As a ball carrier, he’s also a heavy-duty load. On defence, he delivers bone-jarring hits.

In rugby, set pieces play a crucial role in a team’s success and with Salamousas anchoring their scrum, Michaelhouse is well-prepared to meet any challenges.

The 2025 rugby season was challenging for the Balgowan boys. In 2026, though, with Nicolas Salamousas leading the way, Michaelhouse is a team that has caught the eye time and time again.

Pretoria Boys’ High – Ayabonga Mabuza

Ayabonga Mabuza has proven himself to be a reliable finisher on the left wing for the Candies. Look no further than the three tries he scored in a 20-20 draw with SACS at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Anniversary Festival for evidence of his excellent finishing.

He’s been a prolific try scorer throughout 2026 – a player who is capable of finishing in tight spaces thanks to his agility and instinct for predicting where spaces will open up.

With only one game to play, Monday’s last match of the festival against Grey High, Mabuza and company will be aiming to make the Candies’ stay in Gqeberha short and sweet.