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Westville Boys’ High produced a tactically astute performance on their way to a 3-2 victory over a well-drilled Northwood on the Westville Astro on Friday night.

At the 3 Schools Astro, in Durban, the home team, Glenwood High, came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw with Maritzburg College.

Westville headed into their Friday Nite Lights contest buoyed by an unbeaten run at the King Edward VII (KES) Easter Festival.

The Griffins had made a slow start to the season, struggling to close out matches. That led to coach Harold Siyaya making some tweaks, which transformed their approach.

At the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup, they raised their game. At KES, they fired on all cylinders.

“We’re definitely in a good space at the moment. We’re confident in our game and backing ourselves against everyone. We know it won’t be easy, and there may still be setbacks,” Siyaya told SuperSport Schools Plus.

He took on the 1st XI coaching job at Westville when the school’s Director of Hockey, Cameron Mackay, opted for a less demanding but very important post in 2026, taking charge of the u14A side.

Siyaya picked up from where Mackay had left off and has kept the Griffins on an upward trajectory, promoting a free-flowing system that allows Westville to play a quick passing game. With pace and skilful players in their ranks, Westville has been a force on the counterattack.

Their clash against Northwood was an attritional game in the first half, which ended 0-0. In the third chukka, the Griffins took the lead and held onto it into the final chukka, which featured a deluge of goals, with Westville scoring twice, and the Knights replying with two goals of their own.

“The boys put together a defensive masterclass. We played a Northwood team that moves the ball really well. Our PC Defence team was exceptional; we conceded 12 penalty corners, and Northwood only managed to score one,” Siyaya said.

Samkelo Mgwaba netted a field goal for Westville, while Ethan James and Bo Mokoena converted penalty corners.

Nearer the coast, Glenwood showed admirable determination to overcome a 0-2 deficit to force a 2-2 draw with Maritzburg College.

Coach Mark Sanders’ charges pushed Glenwood onto the back foot with two first chukka strikes through Greg Hosking and Sbu Mchunu. Those setbacks, however, brought a spirited fightback from the home side, but the visitors held firm, maintaining their two-goal advantage at the halftime break.

Eventually, with eight minutes left in the third chukka, Glenwood’s efforts were rewarded, thanks to Lord Makgato, who was introduced after the halftime break, and caused problems for College with his enterprising runs.

When the Grade 9 learner won his team a penalty corner, Glenwood’s captain, Murray Wicks, teed up a shot from the top of the circle, and Ezile Makhathini deflected it into the back of the net.

Boosted by that goal, Glenwood had their tails up and were unrelenting, pressing hard for an equaliser.

Their pressure led to College, under duress, making errors. Makgato was again the catalyst for Glenwood’s equaliser, making a circle entry and getting fouled, which led to the home side being awarded a penalty stroke with two minutes remaining.

Wicks made it count.

Results

Westville Boys’ High 3-2 Northwood
Glenwood 2-2 Maritzburg College

Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) came back from a goal down to register a comfortable 3-1 win over Paarl Gimnasium boys on the AHMP Astro at Affies on Friday night.

Earlier in the day, Paarl Gim’s girls’ team outplayed Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool (Affies Meisies) 4-1.

“The boys are starting to play like a team of individuals who care, trust, and believe in one another,” Colin Mendoza, the Affies Director of Hockey, told SuperSport Schools Plus.

Paarl Gim, who had gone toe for toe with the hosts in the first chukka, silenced the home crowd with a goal in the second chukka, and the Witstokke’s efforts to reply were met by solid defence from the touring side.

However, Affies was not going to be denied the equaliser they were relentlessly hunting. With only seconds remaining in the first half, they jolted the home crowd to life when they made it 1-1.

After the halftime break, they returned to the turf revitalised and played with more intent, launching wave after wave of attacks on the Paarl Gim goal. Wium van Niekerk, Kean Cornelissen, and Rudolf Thiart were in the thick of the action, winning duels in the middle of the park, which provided the impetus for the Witstokke’s drives into the Paarl Gim final third.

That sustained pressure earned them two goals in the third chukka. Both Coenelissen and Thiart scored, while Ruahard Nienaber also made it onto the scoresheet.

The victory was a satisfying way for the Pretoria school to close out the day, especially after their counterparts, Affies Meisies, had succumbed to a loss to the Paarl Gim girls.

Coach Danelle van Zyl’s charges arrived in Pretoria with the intention of maintaining a strong run of results. The ladies from Boland began their season with an unbeaten run of seven wins and one draw in a festival that featured Cape Town schools before finishing fifth at the St Mary’s Waverley Hockey Festival.

On Friday night, though, they struggled to impose themselves on Affies in the first half. Van Zyl’s charges found their stride in the third chukka, however. Their passing game functioned smoothly, and they enjoyed the better of the one-on-one duels.

Those improvements helped to lift Gimmies to a convincing victory by a three-goal margin. Ghita Husselman led the scoring with a brace, while Imka Koegelenberg and Anya Swanepoel contributed a goal each.

Results

Affies 3-1 Paarl Gim
Paarl Gim 4-1 Affies Meisies

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

The results from around South Africa will be updated here as we receive the results from the various schools.

If your school’s match is not listed below or you would like to send in your team’s results, please email us via e-mail at rugby@ssschoolsplus.co.za or via WhatsApp at 072 172 5455.

You can also submit a result via our website – Submit Result.

All the results: 

CENTRAL REGION

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KWAZULU-NATAL

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WESTERN CAPE

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EASTERN CAPE

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NOORDVAAL

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NWU 16 SERIES

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NUW PRESTIGE

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NWU SPORT SERIES

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Pretoria clubs have led the way in the early weeks of the Gauteng Women’s Development League (GWDL) this season, with Refilwe, the University of Pretoria (Tuks), and the reigning champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, at the top of the standings after four matches.

Refilwe’s ascent has been rapid. Their success has been built upon effective coaching and a robust scouting programme, from player recruitment to administrators.

The club’s chairman, Lebohang (Lebo) Ramodike, has established a strong and growing presence in Pretoria, demonstrating a commitment not merely to participating but to competing at the highest levels.

Founded in 2024, the club has benefitted from the leadership of the experienced Claudia Raposo, who serves as the Director of Football.

Their trajectory continues to point upwards, even after a challenging first season in the GWDL, which was fraught with challenges. Since then, Refilwe has become a GWDL contender, and last year the club finished in third place in 2025, behind only the SAFA Academy and Banyana Ba Style, who claimed the title.

Together with Sundowns, Refilwe participated in the u17 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) in December, with Sundowns winning the tournament in Zimbabwe.

While the Brazilians’ experience and class shone through, Refilwe experienced some challenges at the CAF GIFT Tournament, but those challenges will, no doubt, have provided valuable lessons from which the club will benefit.

Four matches into the 2026 season, Refilwe has a perfect record of four wins from four matches, scoring 36 goals while conceding only four.

However, despite their massive goals’ difference of plus-32, they’ve been unable to rest comfortably at the top. Tuks are just behind them, with Daniella Human, who started their campaign with seven goals on the season’s opening weekend, leading the way.

Tuks are also four from four, while the title-holders, Sundowns, have nine points but have a game in hand. They’ve been both prolific and miserly, scoring 25 goals while conceding none. In their last match, at the end of March, they inflicted a stunning 20-0 defeat on the Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA).

It has been a harsh start to the season for RESA, despite their previous status as a top competitor in earlier editions of the GWDL. A week before their massive defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns, they were thumped 19-0 by Refilwe.

Unsurprisingly, given the size of those defeats, RESA is at the bottom of the standings, having lost the three matches they have played thus far.

JVW, traditionally a title contender, is in fourth place, with nine points, while Panorama occupies fifth spot, also with nine points.

This weekend, JVW travels to Vereeniging to face the struggling RESA at President Park. Despite RESA’s poor start to the season, JVW might find their opponents to be tougher than they appear, with the home side likely to receive strong backing from their loyal supporters.

The log leaders, Refilwe, face Black Diamonds Sports at the Kagiso Stadium. Sundowns will aim to keep up the pressure on Refilwe with a win over TS Galaxy at the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ), while Tuks plays Kenneth.

In other fixtures, further down the table, Chadi Puse Ladies meet Hellenic Falcons, and Tornado Academy Ladies host Panorama at the Meyerton Grounds. Dinoko Rondebult takes on Edenvale.

While scoring has not been an issue in the GWDL, defence remains a concern for many teams. This weekend, defence will be to the fore as strikers lick their lips and defenders brace themselves to meet the challenge.

GWDL Standings

POS	Academy/Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1	Refilwe	4	4	0	0	36	4	32	12
2	Tuks	4	4	0	0	16	2	14	12
3	Mamelodi Sundowns	3	3	0	0	25	0	25	9
4	JVW	4	3	0	1	7	3	7	9
5	Panorama	4	3	0	1	7	5	2	9
6	Kenneth	4	2	0	2	11	7	4	6
7	Black Diamond Sports	4	2	0	2	7	11	-4	6
8	TS Galaxy	4	1	1	2	6	13	-7	4
9	Chadi Puse Ladies	4	1	1	2	3	10	-7	4
10	Edenvale	3	0	1	2	4	8	-4	1
11	Hellenic Falcons	4	0	1	3	3	12	-9	1
12	Dinoko Rondebult	2	0	0	2	0	4	-4	0
13	Tornado Academy Ladies	3	0	0	3	0	5	-5	0
14	RESA	3	0	0	3	0	41	-41	0

u17 GWDL FIXTURES: Sunday, 12 April

Kagiso Stadium
11:45 – Black Diamond Sports vs Refilwe

Meyerton Grounds
11:45 – Tornado vs Panorama

American International School of Johannesburg
11:45 – TS Galaxy vs Mamelodi Sundowns

University of Pretoria Sports Campus, LC De Villiers
11:45 – Tuks vs Kenneth

Transoranje School for the Deaf
11:45 – Chadi Puse Ladies vs Hellenic Ladies

President Park
11:45 – RESA vs JVW

The picturesque Boden AstroTurf at Jeppe High School for Boys will play host to 2026’s first edition of the Johannesburg derby between Jeppe and King Edward VII (KES) on Saturday.

It will be the 68th meeting of the sides, and the action will be LIVE on SuperSport Schools from 11:15.

Jeppe has dominated the derby over the years, recording 32 victories to the 16 wins by KES, and nine matches have ended in draws.

Last year, the boys in black and white added two wins over their rivals to the Jeppe total. In the first meeting, they won 4-2 before outplaying the Red Sticks 4-1 later in the year.

History, however, will mean very little when the two meet again, and a lot has changed since their last encounter.

Both teams have new coaches in the dugout, with Gareth Heyns taking over from Siya Sityana, who jumped ship to KES.

That sub-plot enhances an already juicy affair, especially since Sityana led Jeppe to an unbeaten season in 2025. 

The hosts, under coach Heyns’s tutelage, have produced an uneven start to the season.

They began their campaign with convincing pre-season wins against Parktown Boys’ High and Trinity House in March.

Those were followed by a 3-0 win over St Benedict’s College and a 4-1 defeat of St David’s Marist Inanda before they played to a 2-2 draw with St Stithians College.

At the Nomads Hockey Festival in Pretoria, they suffered 0-1 losses against Selborne College and Wynberg Boys’ High.

After those defeats, the Cole Stanbury-led outfit demonstrated grit by bouncing back with a couple of impressive wins, beating Grey High 4-2, which ended the Gqeberha school’s unbeaten start to the season, before scoring a 2-0 win over Maritzburg College.

In midweek, they had a hit-out against Krugersdorp High School, which they won comfortably. 

While Jeppe’s form has improved recently, the Red Sticks have put together an impressive run of their own.

At their KES Easter Festival, coach Sityana’s charges finished unbeaten, beating a strong Northwood team 2-1 on the second last day after a 4-1 victory over Grey College and a 1-1 draw with St Andrew’s College

They wrapped up their assignments with a solid 5-0 win over Queen’s College.

On paper, Saturday’s contest should be an evenly matched battle. Jeppe will rely on their experience, having kept the bulk of their team from last year, while KES and their skipper Matthew Bromley will bank on their recent confident form.

The battle for control of the midfield will be one of the keys to winning. Converting chances into goals will also be critical, with penalty corner defence and offence likely to be deciding factors in the outcome of the game. 

Other matches

While Jeppe versus KES will be in the spotlight, there are more eye-catching matches on the schedule.

The weekend starts with a bang in Pretoria, where Affies tackles Paarl Gimnasium in a Friday Nite Lights clash.

While neither outfit has hit its peak this season, Affies have played some entertaining hockey and will back themselves to win at home. 

Pretoria Boys High has made a strong start to the season – most recently, they won four and drew one at the St Stithians Easter Festival – and they will again make their way to Johannesburg for a showdown with Parktown Boys’ High on Saturday.

FIXTURES

Friday, 10 April

18:00 – Affies vs Paarl Gim

Saturday, 11 April

10:30 – Parktown Boys’ High vs Pretoria Boys High
11:15 – Jeppe vs KES

Hoërskool Outeniqua vs Boland Landbou

The George locals, Hoërskool Outeniqua, host Boland Landbou at 13:30 on Saturday. Last year, the Kwaggas won 49-34 in Paarl.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

Both sides have been involved in high-scoring clashes this season, so an entertaining clash should be on the cards.

In their first two matches of 2026, Outeniqua tallied 144 points without reply in wins over Worcester Gimnasium (99-0) and Nico Malan (45-0). They also pushed Paarl Boys’ High hard before falling to a 22-26 loss in their next outing.

Meanwhile, the Farmers have made a slow start to the season, and will aim to make their fourth official match their first official win. In their most recent outings, they went down 22-50 to Helpmekaar Kollege and 28-46 to Die Hoërskool Menlopark. 

Among the most influential players on the pitch should be the fullbacks, the Kwaggas’ Darnell Delport and Boland Landbou’s Gehano van Bo. Both units also boast powerful loosehead props, with Matthew Prins captaining Outeniqua, while Nico de Beer, the Farmers’ loosehead, is strong enough to plough fields when the tractors are out of order.

Hoërskool Melkbosstrand vs DF Akademie

When they met in June 2025, Hoërskool Melkbosstrand claimed a 20-15 win over DF Akademie (formerly known as DF Malan).

Melkies were the hosts then, and they will be at home again on Saturday. Despite their home ground advantage, they are, arguably, at a disadvantage, having played only one match while DF has played five times in 2026 already.

The hosts will, though, be fresh when they kick off at 12:35 on Saturday. They will also have had ample time to prepare for the clash.

Of course, match fitness is something that can be achieved only by playing games, so Melkbosstrand should be ready to counter any plans that DF has been cooking up ahead of their showdown.

DF, though, will have the motivation of last season’s reversal in their collective memory bank to propel their challenge on Saturday. It should be a tight contest.

TEAMS

Outeniqua vs Boland Landbou at 13:30 on Saturday.

Outeniqua: 15 Darnell Delport, 14 Ray Jordan, 13 Gerrit Janse van Rensburg, 12 Jean Capes, 11 Heiliano Beukes, 10 Tylor Marais, 9 Fagon Hendricks, 8 Aldo Gouws, 7 Bradley Steyl, 6 Wiaan Baard, 5 Francom Pienaar, 4 Sam Augustyn, 3 Logan Jacobs, 2 Chunks Oliver, 1 Matthew Prins.

Boland Landbou: 15 Gehano van Bo, 14 Steyn Lamprecht, 13 Divan Meyer, 12 Cobus Immelman, 11 Erchel Hanga, 10 Caleb Seroot, 9 Oloff Seroot, 8 Josua Kruger, 7 Juan Visagie, 6 Jacques Bester, 5 Reiner Visser, 4 Chad Meintjies, 3 Tiaan Malan, 2 Adrian le Roux, 1 Nico de Beer.

Melkbosstrand vs DF Akademie at 12:35 on Saturday.

Melkbosstrand: 15 Craig Solomons, 14 Enrique Kastoor, 13 Sean Cooper, 12 Zandrich Nel, 11 Reese Jooste, 10 Arno Visser, 9 Patric van Niekerk, 8 Ethan Loncq, 7 Beuran Geduld, 6 O’Ryan Crouse, 5 Kevin Wessels, 4 Matthew Julies, 3 Jorden Lewis, 2 Connor Breytenbach, 1 Joshua Cloete.

DF Akademie: N/A.

Wynberg Boys’ High vs Rondebosch Boys’ High

In the first southern suburbs’ derby of 2026, Hawthornden Field is the venue for a 12:30 kickoff between Wynberg Boys’ High and Rondebosch Boys’ High on Saturday.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

In August 2025, Wynberg earned their biggest ever win over ‘Bosch, rolling to a 43-0 victory. Matters were much tighter in their first meeting in June, with a Morné Noble snipe earning them a last-minute 38-33 win.

Wynberg was in action at the Saints Easter Sports Festival in Johannesburg over the long weekend, where they produced a strong performance to beat St Stithians College 28-12.

They did, however, lose 14-35 to HTS Drostdy in their last home match in March. They’ll be seeking redemption against one of their main rivals.

Rondebosch has been dominant in their three official fixtures so far this year. Their smallest victory came against Pretoria Boys’ High in the school’s own 125th Birthday Festival, where ‘Bosch outplayed the 125th birthday boys 43-20.

However, they’ll face their fiercest opponents yet when they take on Wynberg, making Saturday’s outcome a tough one to predict.

Among the players who could swing the match are Wynberg fullback Laeeq Davids and Rondebosch wing Caleb Bell. Both are capable of incredible individual brilliance when in possession, thanks to their agility, vision, and speed.

Milnerton High vs Hoërskool Parel Vallei

Milnerton High has started the season with some tough fixtures. Their most recent outing resulted in a 3-41 loss against a mighty Westville Boys’ High side.

After five consecutive defeats – they also fell 20-27 to Dr EG Jansen, and 23-29 against Peterhouse at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival – they’ll be hungry to claim their first win of the season when they host Hoërskool Parel Vallei (PV) at 12:30 on Saturday.

The Bulldogs suffered a 7-20 defeat to Millies in Somerset West last season, so a visit to Cape Town may seem rather daunting.

PV, however, is evolving, and they’ve recorded three wins in three matches this season, including a 41-3 win over HTS Bellville.

The visitors are not a side to be overlooked, but Milnerton’s hunger should not be underestimated. The ingredients for an entertaining battle are in place.

Hoërskool Durbanville vs SACS

Hoërskool Durbanville showcased their resilience in a tough 13-24 loss to Affies at the NMI Toyota Noord-Suid Festival at the end of March.

SACS, meanwhile, will aim to return to winning ways when they travel to Durbies. Kickoff on Saturday is at 12:30.

After two wins, including a 26-17 defeat of Milnerton High, they most recently lost 7-24 against Maritzburg College at the Pretoria Boys’ High 125th Festival.

The 2025 clash between Durbanville and SACS, played at SACS, was a tight contest, with Durbies pulling off a narrow 20-17 win. Playing away on this occasion, SACS will need to be at their best to balance the scales.

TEAMS

Wynberg vs Rondebosch at 12:30 on Hawthornden Field this Saturday.

Wynberg: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Matthew Farah, 13 Ithandile Nkohla, 12 Cayleb Buys, 11 Zachary De Kock, 10 Luke Gertze, 9 Rauf Ahmed, 8 Esa Van der Schyff, 7 Alex Barrett, 6 Alvin Machinja, 5 CJ Kotze, 4 James Orwin, 3 Solam Gegana, 2 Naeem Mohammed, 1 Boitumelo Mabohlo.

Rondebosch: 15 Joshua Kirby, 14 Jayden Wyngaard, 13 Kelebogile Nkwana, 12 Kean Van Zyl, 11 Caleb Bell, 10 Eathon Williams, 9 Ateeb Julius, 8 Kirwan November, 7 Ben Gray, 6 Linakho Mehlomakulu, 5 Bertus Versfeld, 4 Bjorn Morkel, 3 Matthew Pelser, 2 Kwaza Gobingca, 1 Finn Watermeyer.

Milnerton vs Parel Vallei at 12:30 this Saturday. 

Milnerton: 15 Chadlin Sellidon, 14 Akho Mkaya, 13 Josh Marran, 12 Connor Petrie, 11 Nurudeen Wanza, 10 James Ferreira, 9 Callan Lackay, 8 Likhona Anda, 7 Sibabalo Siwisa, 6 Joshua White, 5 Nico Lourens, 4 Gregory Tshibangu, 3 Kyle Janse van Rensburg, 2 Liam Plaaitjies, 1 Troy Jackson.

Parel Vallei: 15 Shudley Rhoda, 14 Aydin February, 13 Owen Cockroft, 12 Brad Brown, 11 Rafael von Loeper, 10 Stephan Niemann, 9 Michael Kent, 8 Taariq Railon, 7 Ethan Ramos, 6 Marce Else, 5 Keaton Baird, 4 Herman Kriel, 3 Cayden Rautenbauch, 2 Jacques Swart, 1 Joshua Buchweltz.

Hoërskool Durbanville vs SACS at 12:30 this Saturday. 

Hoërskool Durbanville: 15 Wihan Roux, 14 Kyle Doyle, 13 Louwrens Rademeyer, 12 Callum Koekemoer, 11 Jean de Vries, 10 Hadley Erasmus, 9 Lorenzo Brogneri, 8 Muller Janse van Vuuren, 7 Zay-Winn Januarie, 6 Jono Hearn, 5 Eben de Jongh, 4 Eugene Theron, 3 Hanno Rhode, 2 Tristen Muller, 1 Janu Sadie.

SACS: 15 Nahum Koen, 14 Luca Simone, 13 James Sale, 12 Rob Boyes, 11 Josh Gorgens, 10 Jake Dave, 9 Jordan Forbes, 8 Stephan Kruger, 7 Dom Raisbeck, 6 Kwakhanya Gobe, 5 Cameron Hirst, 4 RJ Cunningham, 3 Deen Fortuin, 2 Zac Dall, 1 Qiraan Hermans.

Stellenberg High vs Paul Roos Gimnasium

Bellville’s Stellenberg High has ripped off its underdog collar, with SA u18 A players, lock Juvan Burden and flyhalf Ethan van Biljon, at the heart of the school’s rugby evolution.

This season, the Jade Brigade has already upset Paarl Gimnasium 20-19 and Grey College 26-21. At 13:15 on Saturday, the visiting Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) will be the next target on their hit list.

Catch the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools

The Maroon Machine has started strongly in 2026, with their unbeaten record including a 45-28 win over Affies and a 21-17 defeat of Hoërskool Monument.

Saturday’s showdown will include flyhalves rated among the best in the country pulling the strings for their respective sides, with Travis Pheiffer running out opposite Ethan van Biljon.

Last year, in Stellenbosch, Paul Roos scored a dominant 34-5 win. With Stellies pushing PRG hard, an interception try by inside centre Tiaan Basson was the pivotal moment in the match. From there, it was one-way traffic. It’s likely to be a far tighter contest on Saturday.

HTS Drostdy vs Hoërskool Hermanus

Hoërskool Hermanus heads to Worcester as the underdog against HTS Drostdy, but that doesn’t mean the Donkies shouldn’t fear their bite. Kickoff on Saturday is at 13:20.

As has often been the case, Drostdy appears to be just off the pace of the Western Cape powerhouses, but a sound outfit, nonetheless. They opened their 2026 campaign with a 7-24 loss to Paul Roos, but they overwhelmed Wynberg Boys’ High 35-14.

Rather than the Donkies, perhaps a more fitting nickname would be the Dark Horses, which they perpetually seem to be.

In April 2025, the Worcester locals, playing at home, beat Hermanus 51-22.

The stats suggest a similar dominance awaits on Saturday, but 2026 has been the year of the upset, already a season in which the unpredictable has become somewhat predictable, making it the most exciting start to a season in years.

Hoërskool Bellville vs Hoërskool Brackenfell

Last year, in March, the visiting Hoërskool Bellville and Hoërskool Brackenfell drew 15-15.

On Saturday, Bellville will enjoy a home ground advantage, but Brackenfell will be intent on spoiling the hosts’ party. The match serves as the main course at Bellville’s Sports Day, with a late kickoff at 16:10.

Bellville, after five frustrating defeats, will aim to use the occasion of their Sports Day to pick up their first victory of the season. Brakkies were in a similar boat, with three consecutive losses, but they edged out Potchefstroom Gimnasium 13-10 at the Oakdale Festival earlier this month.

Now, with the early-season matches and festivals behind them, both schools should be settled and dialled in to take on their local opposition with renewed energy. Bellville vs Brackenfell is expected to be one of the weekend’s most evenly matched battles.

TEAMS

Stellenberg vs Paul Roos Gim at 12:30 on Saturday.

Stellenberg: 15 Liam Jacobs, 14 Ralton Rhode, 13 JC Swart, 12 Daniel Mongie, 11 Emile Cilliers, 10 Ethan Van Biljon, 9 Daniel Steffen, 8 Yanos Molnar, 7 Carlo Brink, 6 Seth Coetze, 5 Juvan Burden, 4 Jayden Young, 3 Janu Van Deventer, 2 Liam Joubert, 1 Waldo Schloms.

Paul Roos Gim: 15 Kyle Snyers, 14 Jean Hamman, 13 Tiaan Basson (captain), 12 Albert Nel, 11 Cadynn Samuels, 10 Travis Pheiffer, 9 Tristan Armitage, 8 Werner de Bruin, 7 Gerard Bekker, 6 Christian le Roux, 5 Sebastian Cilliers, 4 Stef de Villiers, 3 Zak Steyn, 2 Lehan Barnard, 1 Thomas Meyer.

HTS Drostdy vs Hermanus at 13:20 on Saturday. 

HTS Drostdy: 15 Anwill Jacobs, 14 Willvino Paultin, 13 Brent-Leigh Exstraal, 12 Jano Van Deventer, 11 Darren Makeza, 10 Ruan Nortje, 9 Wernard De Villiers, 8 Simamkele Lahlekile, 7 Joniel Claasen, 6 Werno Ramsauer, 5 Jean-Louis Matthee, 4 Eugene Walker, 3 Jurick Van Der Berg, 2 JP Lotriet, 1 Juann Jansen van Vuuren.

Hermanus: N/A.

Hoërskool Bellville vs Brackenfell at 16:10 on Saturday. 

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

Brackenfell: N/A.

South African rugby is showing encouraging early outcomes following the introduction of the lowered tackle-height laws, with initial data indicating a positive shift in reducing the severity and long-term impact of tackle-related catastrophic head, neck and spine injuries, SA Rugby announced on Thursday.

These laws, applied in South African rugby, are supported by 17 years of tackle-event data on serious and catastrophic injuries.

Clint Readhead, SA Rugby’s General Manager: Medical, said early insights into changing player behaviour and injury patterns locally point towards meaningful progress in key safety areas.

“Most notably, there has been a reduction in permanent or life-altering injuries among both tacklers and ball carriers,” said Readhead.

“Among tacklers, most traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and acute spinal cord injuries (ASCI) were classified as ‘near misses’, with players avoiding permanent harm, an improvement on historical trends where such injuries more often had lasting consequences.”

Banks Yantolo, General Manager of Referees at SA Rugby, said: “We’ve spent a lot of time working with our Referee Panels and Societies to ensure these laws are applied strictly and consistently – that’s what makes them effective. If we don’t manage this properly, we limit their ability to shift player behaviour and deliver lasting player safety benefits.”

According to Dr Wayne Viljoen, SA Rugby’s Senior Manager Rugby Safety, improved player behaviour, particularly among ball carriers, is a key positive trend.

“More ball carriers are entering contact in upright positions rather than excessively low or horizontal forward-bent postures, which have been strongly linked to increased injury risk,” said Dr Viljoen.

“This shift aligns directly with the intent of the South African variation of tackle-law changes and supports safer outcomes for both tacklers and ball carriers.

“Where permanent injuries have occurred in tacklers, these have largely been linked to technical errors rather than the laws themselves. These include poor head placement (e.g. head on the wrong side) and unsafe contact points such as knee-height tackles.

“This reinforces the need for continued coaching on safe technique—specifically targeting the ‘safe zone’ of the ball carrier, between mid-torso and mid-thigh, while avoiding the knees. Initial data also highlights, that lower tackles performed within the new tackle-height framework was associated with better injury outcomes.”

Data shows that injury numbers remain low for ball carriers. Serious cases were typically linked to illegal high tackles, low ball-carry positions, atypical scenarios, or factors unrelated to the law changes, again underlining the importance of adherence.

Deon van Blommestein, SA Rugby’s Senior Manager for Community Referees, added: “While the trajectory is positive, consistent application across all levels of the game remains a work in progress. Embedding these changes across players, coaches and referees nationwide will take time.

“We would like to urge match officials at all levels of the community game to step up and lead this change. Set the standard early and make it clear that illegal actions won’t be tolerated. If we don’t, players won’t adapt – and we’ll be fighting a losing battle.”

Dr Viljoen urged all relevant stakeholders to visit the Tackle-Height Resource, complete the Tackle-Height Change Education Module, and review BokSmart 8.

“These are essential to ensure the laws are coached, refereed, and implemented properly,” he said.

“In summary, early evidence strongly supports the direction of the lowered tackle-height laws. Improved behaviours, reduced injury severity, and clearer identification of risk factors provide a strong foundation for making rugby safer. Continued focus on strict law application, quality coaching, and sound player technique will be key to sustaining this progress.”

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

The pre-season has come and gone, Easter festivals have wrapped up, and it’s time for some traditional schoolboy hockey clashes.

The Western Cape, a hotbed of the sport, known for its fabulous fun at Friday Night Lights clashes, features six of them.

There’s a juicy selection of interesting matches, and the action is LIVE on SuperSport Schools.

Three of the southern suburbs’ sides – Wynberg Boys’ High, Rondebosch Boys High, and South African College High School (SACS) – will be in action on Friday.

Wynberg hosts Rondebosch at the Astro of Dreams, with both sides eager to continue their impressive starts to the season.

Wynberg, under the leadership of coach Devin Stanton, was one of the top teams at the Nomads Hockey Festival in Pretoria, where they beat Jeppe High School for Boys 1-0, Hilton College 3-0, and Pretoria Boys High 4-2, but lost 1-3 against King Edward VII (KES).

They’re up against a Rondebosch side that’s full of confidence. While many schools were busy at various Easter festivals, Rondebosch participated in the European Hockey Club Organisation (EHCO) Trophy Tournament in The Netherlands.

There, coach Waseem Domingo’s side, the first team from South Africa to be invited to the prestigious event, which features club teams, finished third, grabbing the bronze medal by thumping RC Polo, from Spain, 7-2.

SACS returns to action against Durbanville. It will be the Newlands school’s first match since the Founders Hockey Festival, which took place at Queen’s College.

SACS was rampant in Komani, overwhelming Parktown Boys’ High 9-1, St Stithians College 10-2, Kingswood College 8-1, and Helpmekaar 7-0, before, in a big shock, losing 2-4 to Northwood in their last game.

Another clash to watch closely will be that between Parel Vallei (PV) and Paarl Boys’ High. The clash takes place in Somerset West at 19:40.

Both sides were in action at the Belgotex Sport Coastal Cup in Durban late last month, where they produced some entertaining hockey.

PV outplayed Glenwood High 7-0 and edged out Clifton College 4-3. They also played to a goalless draw with Garsfontein and lost 3-6 to the unbeaten Durban High School (DHS).

Boishaai, meanwhile, went down 2-5 against Clifton, lost 1-3 against DHS, and 1-2 against Michaelhouse before beating Garsfontein 2-1.

Fairmont High School is at home against the Langa Hockey Club while DF Malan tackles Curro Durbanville.

Fairmont defended their title at the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Festival, so they’ll be confident against the boys from Langa.

Worcester Gimnasium, who were also impressive at the Belgotex event, where they finished fifth, will host Swartland.

On Saturday, SACS welcomes the Eastern Cape’s Grey High to the Brewery AstroTurf for a tasty showdown. The next day, Grey tackles Reddam House Constantia.

FIXTURES

Friday, 10 April 

18:15 – Fairmont High vs Langa Hockey Club
18:45 – Wynberg vs Rondebosch
19:15 – SACS vs Durbanville
19:30 – DF Akademie v Curro Durbanville
19:40 – Parel Vallei vs Paarl Boys’ High
19:40 – Worcester Gim vs Swartland

Saturday, 11 April 

11:25 – SACS vs Grey High

Sunday, 12 April 

10:45 – Reddam House Constantia vs Grey High