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Northwood vs Maritzburg College

After both teams delivered impressively hard-fought and physical victories at the Sharks Schools Rugby Day, the showdown between Maritzburg College and Northwood on the Durban school’s Old Boys’ Day was eagerly awaited.

It met expectations, although College spoiled the party, claiming a tight 27-24 victory on Saturday.

The Knights enjoyed the early territorial advantage and put the Red, Black, and White under heavy pressure. Committed tackling is a calling card of this College side, however, and they withstood the pressure before exiting their half and striking through their Sharks Craven Week hooker, Theo Boshoff, who provided the finish after a composed build-up.

Dom du Toit, as usual, provided two more points with a successful conversion kick.

Northwood’s first points came from a penalty by Sondelani Sheleni, but College struck again soon after. Their captain, Rory Stanton, read the play well to intercept a Northwood pass before putting his vice-captain, Olwethu Kosani, in the clear, and he finished under the posts, leaving Du Toit with an easy conversion kick.

Two Du Toit penalties from inside the Northwood 22 made it 20-3 after 27 minutes, but the Knights replied just before halftime, going over from close range after a sustained siege of College’s try line. Sheleni banged over the conversion kick, leaving the visitors with a 20-10 halftime lead.

Ten minutes into the second half, the impressive Theo Boshoff powered over from a lineout maul, and Du Toit converted to reestablish College’s 17-point lead.

Northwood kept plugging away, though, and forced the visitors onto the defensive. Two converted tries later, a convincing College lead had slimmed to only three points.

The Knights pressed for a winning score, but lock Sean Jansen forced a crucial turnover, and flyhalf Luthando Dladla cleared to touch to preserve a 27-24 victory for Maritzburg College.

Kearsney College vs Durban High School

At Stott Field, in Botha’s Hill, the visitors, Durban High School (DHS), got back onto the winning track, scoring a 36-24 win over Kearsney College on Saturday.

Two tries just before halftime gave DHS the edge, hoisting them into a 24-10 lead at the break.

They were on the board as early as the second minute, turning a loose pass from Kearsney into a try from 45 metres out, with Sterling Padi running a good support line to take the final pass and go over near the uprights. Tanwill Onkers slotted the first of his four conversions to make it 7-0.

Kearsney spent some time down in the DHS half, and when they won a penalty on the 10-metre line, flyhalf Daniel Miskey landed a sweetly struck kick to get the One-Stripe on the board.

The home side then hit the front with a fantastic long-range try. Miskey started it with a chip over the top from just outside the Kearsney 22. Centre Tom Aylward, a South African SA Schools’ water polo player, leapt high and showed off his good hands to gather possession near the halfway line. His midfield partner, Keanu Williamson, took a short pass and flung it out wide to the left.

With a stutter step, wing Lwandile Mkhize froze the DHS defence for a moment. That was all he needed. He was up to full speed in an instant and sliced his way past four defenders to go over just right of the poles after covering more than half the length of the field. Onkers responded with a penalty to level the scores.

The game was broken open just before halftime when a yellow card reduced Kearsney to 14 players, and the visitors responded by running in two converted tries, by Okuhle Mbanjwa and Damien Swart, to take a 14-point lead into the second half.

After the break, School added to their advantage through a Cilermo Carolus five-pointer, and moved well clear midway through the second stanza when Amo Matoboge went over out wide.

To their credit, Kearsney continued fighting. They were rewarded with a try by Clement Makalele, converted by Miskey, and a penalty try, which completed the scoring.

Scorers

Maritzburg College 27 (20) – Tries: Theo Boshoff (2), Olwethu Kosani. Conversions: Dom du Toit (2). Penalties: Dom du Toit (2).
Northwood 24 (10) – Tries: N/A. Conversions: Sondelani Sheleni (2). Penalty: Sondelani Sheleni.

Durban High School 36 (24) – Tries. Sterling Padi, Oihle Mbanjwa, Damien Swart, Cilermo Carolus, Amo Mataboge. Conversions: Tanwill Onkers (4). Penalty: Tanwill Onkers.
Kearsney College 24 (10) – Tries: Lwandile Mkhize, Clement Makalele, penalty try. Conversions: Daniel Miskey (2). Penalty: Daniel Miskey.

Other results

u19

II: Northwood 17 Maritzburg College 15; DHS 65 Kearsney 5
III: Northwood 14 Maritzburg College 14; DHS 74 Kearsney 17
IV: Northwood 12 Maritzburg College 7; DHS 50 Kearsney 5
V: Northwood 22 Maritzburg College 19; Kearsney 19 DHS 19
VI: Maritzburg College 15 Northwood 5; Kearsney 34 DHS 31
VII: Maritzburg College 34 Northwood 5

u16

A: Maritzburg College 16 Northwood 10: DHS 17 Kearsney 15
B: Maritzburg College 12 Northwood 10; DHS 19 Kearsney 10
C: Northwood 10 Maritzburg College 8; DHS 58 Kearsney 0
D: Northwood 0 Maritzburg College 50

u15

A: Maritzburg College 29 Northwood 0; DHS 64 Kearsney 17
B: Maritzburg College 38 Northwood 7; DHS 51 Kearsney 5
C: Maritzburg College 36 Northwood 3; DHS 51 Kearsney 0
D: Maritzburg College 12 Northwood 0: DHS 50 Kearsney 0

u14

A: Northwood 24 Maritzburg College 7; DHS 41 Kearsney 0
B: Northwood 15 Maritzburg College 12; DHS 85 Kearsney 0
C: Maritzburg College 52 Northwood 5; DHS 59 Kearsney 0
D: Maritzburg College 53 Northwood 0; DHS 59 Kearsney 0
E: Maritzburg College 27 Glenwood D 14

 

The Junior Springbok training squad assembled at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) on Monday and completed their first training session in the afternoon as preparations ramp up for the forthcoming Under-20 International Series.

The series will feature the SA U20s, as well as their counterparts from Chile, Fiji, and Georgia, and will be staged at three schools – Rondebosch Boys’ High School and Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town’s southern suburbs, and Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch.

The inaugural tournament follows on the heels of the recent SANZAAR U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha, where South Africa claimed the title after victories over Argentina and Australia, before drawing their final encounter against New Zealand at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Several familiar faces reported for duty at SAS on Monday, including Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), who recently made his Vodacom United Rugby Championship debut for the Hollywoodbets Sharks, as well as his franchise team-mate Luan Giliomee (utility back), and Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), both of whom after missing the Eastern Cape assignment due to injury.

Other players who sat out the Junior Boks’ successful campaign in Gqeberha through injury and are now back in the mix include prop Kai Pratt, loose forward Vuyo Gwiji, and centres Pieter van der Merwe and Christian Vorster.

Junior Bok head coach Kevin Foote noted the positive energy brought by returning players: “Seeing the smiles on those who have rejoined the camp after completing their injury rehabilitation says a lot. We are very glad to have them back with us.”

The Junior Bok mentor reflected that while the U20 Rugby Championship was a valuable experience, the squad has pivoted quickly toward their forthcoming fixtures against Chile, Fiji, and Georgia.

“We achieved our mission in Gqeberha, but we now face a fresh challenge and must prepare accordingly,” said Foote, adding that they have to hit the ground running, as there is limited preparation time before the opening round against Chile this Thursday.

SA Rugby U20 International Series fixtures:

Thursday, 21 May 2026 – Rondebosch Boys’ High School, Cape Town
13h00: Georgia v Fiji
15h00: South Africa v Chile

Tuesday, 26 May 2026 – Wynberg Boys’ High School, Cape Town
13h00: Chile v Georgia
15h00: South Africa v Fiji

Saturday, 30 May 2026 – Markötter Stadium, Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch
14h30: South Africa v Georgia
16h30: Fiji v Chile

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Michaelhouse faced St John’s College for the first time since 2021 when the teams met on Burger Field in Johannesburg on Saturday. It proved to be a rewarding visit for ‘House, who recorded a 34-14 victory.

The difference in the contest was the ability of coach Marco Engelbrecht‘s boys to turn turnovers into points with good handling and decision-making in the backline. The home team mustered a couple of tries from turnovers, too, but those were of the breakaway variety as opposed to the swift ball movement that brought success to Michaelhouse.

The Balgowan boys made it onto the scoreboard early through their Sharks Craven Week centre, Alex Jankowitz, who powered over to the left of the uprights after good build-up play, which saw the visitors taking chunks out of the home side’s defence.

St John’s was on the board next, courtesy of some feisty defence, which resulted in an intercept for right wing, Mihlali Tabane, and he showed Michaelhouse a clean pair of heels to go over beneath the uprights. Flyhalf Alec Psillos knocked over the simple conversion kick to put the hosts ahead. That turned out to be their only lead of the game.

The red and white hoops struck back with a try from close range, with Trezeguet Hawkins stretching across the try line just before the St John’s players could react. Jankowitz’s successful conversion made it 12-7.

Fabiano Fierro set up ‘House’s next try, making a small break before sending a low kick off his left boot out wide to Barend de Bruyn, who fielded the kick with open field ahead of him down the touchline. He accelerated away from the covering defence, rounded them, and dotted down behind the posts. Jankowitz’s easy conversion kick made it 19-7 in the 17th minute.

The momentum belonged to Michaelhouse, but when they spilt a ball in a tackle, St John’s again benefitted from a turnover, with lock Allan Njanfang Patu having just enough in the tank to beat the defenders to the try line from just outside their 22. Another easy conversion from Psillos pulled the hosts within five at halftime. In the second half, though, they were kept scoreless.

Seven minutes into the second stanza, a powerful bust by the impressive Jankowitz opened up space for Fabiano Fierro, on his outside, to score, and Jankowitz slotted the conversion.

A turnover forced by tighthead prop Sphelo Mfwazwe just inside the ‘House half then paid dividends, with the visitors sending the ball down the backline to left wing De Bruyn, who jetted clear of the closing defenders to dive over in the corner.

Just before the final, it was the visitors’ turn to benefit from a turnover. Fed the all, flank Kumkani Dwenga sold a super dummy to unlock the defensive line. He then drew the last defender before popping a pass to Jack Carmody, on his outside, and the no. 10 made the dive for five.

Scorers

Michaelhouse 34 (19) – Tries: Barend de Bruyn (2), Alex Jankowitz, Trezeguet Hawkins, Jack Carmody. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz. Penalty: Alex Jankowitz.
St John’s College 14 (14) – Tries: Mihlali Tabane, Allan Njanfang Patu. Conversions: Alec Psillos (2).

Other results

u19

II: Michaelhouse 76 St John’s 5
III: Michaelhouse 31 Springs Boys’ High I 10
IV: Michaelhouse 52 St John’s III 19
V: Michaelhouse 70 St John’s IV 0
VI: Michaelhouse 42 Springs Boys’ High II 21
VII: Michaelhouse 40 St John’s V 21
VIII: Michaelhouse 29 St John’s VI 11

u16

A: Michaelhouse 58 St John’s 21
B: Michaelhouse 47 Springs Boys’ High A 3
C: Michaelhouse 24 St John’s B 19
D: Michaelhouse 52 St John’s C 12

u15

A: Michaelhouse 48 St John’s 7
B: Michaelhouse 40 Springs Boys’ High A 7

u14

A: Michaelhouse 36 St John’s 7
B: Michaelhouse 60-0 St John’s
C: Michaelhouse 14 Springs Boys’ High A 0
D: Michaelhouse 12-12 St John’s C

Youth sport is the most undervalued media opportunity in South Africa. Families watch it with the kind of emotional investment that professional sport can rarely match. SuperSport Schools has built a broadcast and digital ecosystem around that attention, and it is now one of the most powerful contextual advertising environments on the continent. Here is why your clients need to be in it.

The global conversation about youth sport as a commercial frontier is accelerating. Platforms like Buying Sandlot, dedicated to the business of youth sport, are drawing investors and operators from Nike, Pixellot and GameChanger, all converging on the same insight: youth sport commands authentic, high-frequency family engagement that brands spend fortunes trying to manufacture elsewhere.

In South Africa, that opportunity already has a home. It is called SuperSport Schools.

The Audience Money Cannot Buy Elsewhere

This is not a passive audience. Every viewer on SuperSport Schools is there with a purpose, and they fall into five distinct, commercially compelling groups.

Time to Shine	Young athletes watch themselves and their peers compete. Fully present. Tagging, editing and sharing freely. Talking about what they saw.
The Sport I Love the Most	Parents, grandparents, and family members who carve out time from their week to watch their children play. The household decision-makers are buying the car, choosing the bank, and booking the holiday. Watching with pride and open wallets.
Teachers & Coaches	SuperSport Schools has become the tool of their trade. High-frequency, purposeful users who are also community influencers. Their recommendations carry serious weight at the school gate.
Alumni	Around 9% of the audience are old boys and old girls watching their school compete. School identity runs deep in this country. That tribal loyalty is transferable to brands that show up in the right context.
Echo Chamber	Content creators who clip, edit, post and amplify SuperSport Schools footage to build their own audiences. Critically, 72% of App users have used the tagging, editing and sharing functionality. They are not consumers, they are broadcasters.

Put it together, and you have something genuinely lekker: multiple generations of a family, in moments of real emotional investment, actively engaged with content they chose. For brands targeting families and household decision-makers, there is no comparable environment in South African media.

The Numbers Make It Unmissable

The SuperSport Schools App is closing in on 1.5 million registered users streaming more than 40,000 matches annually, across 50-plus sports, featuring more than 12,000 teams from over 1,200 schools. Free to use. Available in 175-plus countries, which means the Joburg family whose son is playing in Cape Town and the South African diaspora in London watching their old school’s first XV, are all in the same ecosystem.

Every match carries pre-roll and in-match advertising inventory. And here is where it gets interesting for planners: SuperSport Schools delivers action-triggered ad inventory, ads served at key moments in live content, aligned to what is actually happening on the field. A brand does not just appear during a match. It appears that at the moment a team scores, a player is highlighted, or a milestone is reached. Context and timing, working together.

6M+ Unique Channel 216 viewers annually in SA

1.1M+ Newsletter subscribers at 24% open rate

400K WhatsApp Channel followers

3,500+ Articles published annually on SSS Plus

Channel 216 is available to every DStv subscriber across sub-Saharan Africa. SuperSport Schools delivers an equivalent curated channel to SABC Plus. www.supersportschoolsplus.co.za employs over 15 young journalists whose output of 3,500-plus articles annually all carry clickable branded advertising.

Context Is the Signal. SuperSport Schools Is the Environment

When brand messages align with the surrounding content, recall increases by 20%. Audiences are twice as likely to engage with relevant advertising and twice as likely to like it. Three in four millennials pay attention to ads for products they are in the market for when the context is right.

SuperSport Schools consistently and authentically delivers that alignment. A financial services brand during a school rugby match is not an interruption; it is a natural part of a conversation about aspiration, family achievement and community pride. A vehicle brand, alongside a school hockey tournament, is speaking to the exact parents who are in market, at a moment when their attention is genuine, and their emotional guard is down.

Beyond the Match: Where Brands Really Come Alive

The SuperSport Schools commercial offering goes well beyond broadcast spots and pre-rolls.

Branded short-form content, sharp highlight packages and story-led clips, is produced and shared directly with brand partners, ready for deployment across their own social and digital channels. Brands get content that performs, not just exposure.

Magazine shows, including Rugby on 216, Hockey on 216, and Football on 216, carry brand-themed editorial inserts and produce content that places a brand inside the storytelling, not alongside it. The SuperSport Schools Podcast delivers the same integration in audio and on Channel 216, reaching a growing on-demand audience that consumes sport content on their own schedule.

This is sponsorship that works as content. And in 2026, content is the currency that matters.

The Frontier Is Open. Move Now.

Youth sport is moving from local to global, from informal to institutional, from undervalued to investable. South Africa is ahead of that curve, and SuperSport Schools is the proof.

Brands that move now build equity in an environment that will only grow more competitive to enter. The athlete is watching herself score. The father is catching his daughter’s hockey match on his phone in a Sandton parking lot. The Ouma is streaming her grandson’s cricket from Perth. These are the impressions that compound.

“There is no better global brand builder than high-quality, globally distributed broadcast and streaming content. Capitalize Media exists to close the gap between the insatiable demand for high-quality sports and entertainment content and the limited supply of capital to make it.” Capitalize Media Limited

All advertising inventory and sponsorship opportunities across SuperSport Schools be it Channel 216, SABC Plus, the App, SuperSportSchoolsPlus.co.za, the newsletter, WhatsApp Channel, magazine shows, podcast and social platforms are exclusively available through Capitalize Media Limited.

Contact Van Zyl Jacobs: Commercial Director. Let’s talk.

vanzyl@capitalizemedia.co.za  |  +27 73 465 3332

Contact Avela Mbuyazi: Client Servicing Director. Let’s talk.

avela@capitalizemedia.co.za  |  +27 83 377 0777

Graeme College continued their imperious march on the winning trail, comfortably disposing of Hudson Park High 54-19 in their clash on the Somerset Field in Makhanda on Saturday.

The visitors caused a ripple among the home supporters when they were the first to cross the line with a fine try in the third minute by wing Cwenga Bityo, which he converted to lead 7-0.

But it wasn’t long before Graeme got their mojo going by way of a penalty try. Although much of the first half was evenly contested, the home side eventually broke it open with about 10 minutes of the period remaining.

Typically, it was centre and captain Erin Nelson who first tore through the Hudson defence before offloading to fullback Lucritia Magau to cross for the first of his two tries.

That was the catalyst for a burst of scoring, with the Graeme backs showing their willingness to attack, even from deep in their own half. That stretched the Hudson defence to its limits, and resulted in tries by Iviwe Mshubeki, Magau and Ibenathi Kondile as the home side surged into a halftime lead of 35-7.

Hudson hit back after the break with their second try, by substitute Ava Nguza, but they could make little inroads into the big margin Graeme had created.

The home side continued to push hard, and further tries by Selunathi Mfundisi, Nelson and big prop Olo Jaca sealed the deal before one final score from Hudson.

There was a similar scoreline between Pearson High and Muir College in their clash in Gqeberha, although the visitors were still very much in the game at the break, trailing only 10-17.

They scored one more try in the second half, but Pearson cut loose, with Kadin Kretzmann, Keano Beling, and Nathan Heyns each scoring a brace of tries to propel them to a 55-17 victory.

St Andrew’s College was also dominant in the second half of their showdown with Cambridge High in KuGompo City.

The visitors led 26-12 at the break but piled on the pressure in the second half to romp to a 73-19 triumph, building further confidence after their first win of the season against Marlow the previous weekend.

Scorers

Graeme College 35 (54) – Tries: Lucritia Magau (2), Erin Nelson, Ibenathi Kondile, Selunathi Mfundisi, Olo Jaca, Iviwe Mshubeki, penalty try. Conversions: Nelson (6). Hudson Park High 19 (7) – not available.

Pearson High 55 (17) – Tries: Kadin Kretzmann (2), Keano Beling (2), Sebastian Playdon, Nathan Heyns (2), Tyler Breda, Dewald Niemand. Conversions: Beling (5). Muir College 17 (10) – not available.

St Andrew’s College 73 (26) – Tries: Sivatho Mjali (2), David Chorley, Will Stevens, Avu Bangazi, Alex Stewart, Stuart Stern, Qhawe Madikizela (2), James Badenhorst, Ross Faber. Conversions: Stevens (7), Chorley (2). Cambridge High 19 (12) – not available.

Hilton College convincingly racked up a ninth consecutive win of the season when they rolled to a comfortable 44-7 win over Pretoria Boys High on Brooks Field on Saturday after leading 23-0 at halftime.

They impressed with their sound execution of the basics and overall cohesion, with the backs and forwards combining fluently. Fullback James Peattie enjoyed a fantastic outing. His counterattacking was penetrative and contributed greatly to Hilton’s success.

Nico Davel, meanwhile, who was called on to replace flyhalf, John Grubb, in Hilton’s tight derby win over Michaelhouse, in which he slotted the winning penalty, continued to make the step up to 1st XV level look simple and, crucially, he continued his fine kicking form.

Before the second minute was up, Hilton had crossed the Boys High whitewash, scoring a splendid try after getting the ball out to both touchlines before Ruan Mulder put Tom Gurupira in for a five-pointer in the right corner. Davel converted from the touchline to make it 7-0.

A rolling maul, which ate up many metres, followed by a break from Callan Kenmuir, set up the visitors’ next try. James Peattie was brought down just short of the try line, but the Candies stopped the ball from being released, and Hilton received a penalty, which 8th-man Zander Muller turned into a try from a quick tap. It was 14-0 after five minutes.

PBHS, having conceded twice, at last began to play the game in Hilton’s half, but the KZN boys stood strong in defence. That’s been one of their strengths, with the opposition scoring 17 or less in seven of their nine matches.

Boys High had a chance to get onto the scoreboard in the 18th minute, but a penalty kick was wide of the mark. Hilton flyhalf Nico Davel showed how it should be done three minutes later, extending Hilton’s lead to 17-0.

James Peattie took a long-range kick shortly after that, from just inside the Hilton half, and drew loud cheers from the crowd after nailing the challenging kick. Then, Davel knocked over an easy kick from inside the Candies’ 22 to make it 23-0 at the interval.

Just like they had at the start of the game, Hilton enjoyed the territorial advantage early in the second stanza, and they turned that into points, with the impressive Peattie going over in the left corner after receiving a kind pop-up pass from Gurupira. Davel added a second touchline conversion to make it 30-0.

Credit to Pretoria Boys High, they sucked up the setback and took the game to Hilton, who lost their no. 8, Zander Muller, to a yellow card after a tip tackle. Hilton, though, struck next, with Peattie leading a counterattack, which resulted in a try for Guy Fender after a well-judged grubber behind the Boys High backs from the fullback. Dead-eye Davel casually converted.

At last, though, the home side found a way through Hilton’s stout defence. It took an intercept for the Candies to find the space to score, but it was five points in the book, and the subsequent conversion from Reinier Kruger turned that into a seven-point play.

Coach Brad Macleod-Henderson’s charges raised the tempo in the last five minutes to have the final say. A robust run from big Ross Steyn took the visitors deep into the Boys High 22, and slick passing put them in for the last try of the game, converted by Davel, to make it 44-7.

Scorers

Hilton College 44 (23) – Tries: Tom Gurupira, Zander Muller, James Peattie, Guy Fender, AN Other. Conversions: Nico Davel (5). Penalties: Nico Davel (2), James Peattie.
Pretoria Boys High 7 (0) – Try: AN Other. Conversion: Reinier Kruger.

Other results

II: Hilton 37 PBHS 13
III: Hilton 23 PBHS 17
IV: Hilton 38 PBHS 5
V: PBHS 21 Hilton 12
VI: PBHS 22 Hilton 13
VII: PBHS 60 Hilton 14

u16

A: PBHS 34 Hilton 20
B: PBHS 24 Hilton 7
C: PBHS 30 Hilton 3
D: PBHS 47 Hilton 3

u15

A: Hilton 18 PBHS 17
B: PBHS 27 Hilton 14
C: PBHS 43 Hilton 10
D: PBHS 81 Hilton 0

u14

A: Hilton 43 PBHS 12
B: Hilton 34 PBHS 15
C: Hilton 19 PBHS 7

Two years ago, Westville Boys’ High and King Edward VII (KES) produced a riveting clash, one of the best matches of the season, on Bowden’s Field, drawing 36-36.

That match included Vusi Moyo (KES), who made his Sharks‘ debut on Saturday, and Zekhethelo Siyaya (Westville), who also debuted for the Sharks this season. Esethu Mnebelele, who scored a hat-trick of tries for KES that day, is now also with the Sharks.

Unfortunately, Saturday’s showdown was not nearly as close. The home team ruled the contest, blanking the Red Army as they rolled to a 35-0 victory after powering to a 28-0 halftime lead.

They turned a lineout on the KES 22 into a rolling maul and a try in the seventh minute, scored by Lwandile Bulose, usually a prop, who wore the no. 2 jersey on this occasion. Unsurprisingly, despite the tough angle, Jade-Will Koopman converted from near the right-hand touchline.

If the opening score was about a compact, controlled drive, the second try was evidence of Westville’s quick-strike ability. It began just outside the home side’s 22, on the right touchline, where Lisa Sijadu received the ball. He turned on the afterburners to torch the KES defence out wide before cutting inside and leaving the defenders grasping at air before diving over in the left corner.

“Koopies” added the extras to make it 12-0 in the 13th minute.

Westville made the ball do the work again for their third try, stretching KES thin with swift hands before fullback Lux Sonkononkono spotted an opportunity and ran himself into a gap, taking a pop pass off Curtis Fenton‘s left shoulder to score. Once again, Koopman made the kick.

With Westville keeping KES pinned inside their 22, Avumile Lisa was over for their fourth from close range in the 30th minute, and Koopman made it 28-0 with a successful conversion, again from the right touchline.

KES tightened up their defence in the second half, playing the game in better areas. However, Westville, playing in the electrifying atmosphere of Bowden’s, is a tough opponent, and they withstood that pressure before going the direct route to score their fifth try. Loosehead prop Ngcali-Ka-Reve Nonxuba tapped from five metres out, putting his head down, and ploughed his way over to the right of the uprights.

Koopman made it 35-0.

Credit to KES, most of the rest of the game was played inside Westville’s half. But the visitors were almost struck with a sucker punch just before the final whistle, when Westville, so dangerous on the counterattack, went racing 90 metres up the field, only for Koopman to be tackled into touch right on the corner flag.

Scorers

Westville Boys’ High 35 (28) – Tries: Lwandile Bulose, Lisa Sijadu, Lux Sonkononkono, Avumile Lisa, Ngcali-Ka-Reve Nonxuba. Conversions: Jade-Will Koopman (5).
King Edward VII 0 (0).

Other results

u19

II: Westville 18 KES 8
III: Westville 19 KES 29
IV: Westville 14 KES 17
V: Westville 5 KES 31
VI: Westville 0 KES 41
VII: Westville 17 KES 5

u16

A: Westville 17 KES 15
B: Westville 10 KES 5
C: Westville 14 KES 21
D: Westville 21 KES 39

u15

A: Westville 15 KES 12
B: Westville 6 KES 6
C: Westville 0 KES 10
D: Westville 33 KES 29
E: Westville 12 KES 21
F: Westville 22 KES 33

u14

A: Westville 6 KES 13
B: Westville 7 KES 31
C: Westville 15 KES 10
D: Westville 15 KES 5
E: Westville 21 KES 40
F: Westville 36 KES 5

Butterfly is proud to sponsor the 2026 Gauteng Schools Netball Primary School League, partnering with SASN and SuperSport Schools to empower grassroots talent. This collaboration focuses on nurturing the next generation of athletes by fostering confidence and teamwork both on the court and in the classroom.

Butterfly is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Gauteng Schools Netball Primary School League 2026 (u10–u13), in partnership with South African Schools Netball (SASN).

This exciting partnership reflects Butterfly’s ongoing commitment to youth development in the classroom and on the sports field.

By supporting school netball at the grassroots level, Butterfly aims to nurture confidence, teamwork, discipline, and a love of sport among young athletes across Gauteng.

The Gauteng Schools Netball League provides a valuable platform for primary school players to develop their skills, build character, and compete in a structured and supportive environment.

Through this sponsorship, Butterfly is investing in the future of South African sport by backing the next generation of netball talent.

“We are incredibly proud to be part of this journey with SASN and the Gauteng schools,” said Shannon Vawda of Butterfly Products.

“At Butterfly, we believe in creating opportunities for young minds to grow, not only in the classroom, but on the sports field as well. This partnership allows us to support and inspire young players to bring confidence, passion, and determination to every game.”

Head of SuperSport Schools, Thandolwethu Bakumeni, said they were just as thrilled with the partnership.

“We are excited to have the Butterfly Group and SASN partnership to the SuperSport Schools platform,” said Bakumeni.

“This collaboration is a strong addition to our mission of growing youth and school sport by giving young athletes greater exposure, access and opportunities to showcase their talent on a bigger stage.”

The 2026 league season is set to bring together schools from across the province, fostering community spirit and celebrating the energy and talent of young netball players. Starting on 22 May 2026 running all the way through until 25 July 2026.

Butterfly looks forward to an exciting season ahead and to playing a meaningful role in the development of school sport in South Africa.

Changes are afoot at the top of the Gauteng Development League (GDL) standings, with some of the usual suspects, including Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, making a move upwards. Rockefvs, however, remains in first place, although the pressure is mounting each week.

On Saturday, the log leaders were held to a 1-1 draw by Highlands Park, another regular title contender, at Balfour Park, with Itebogeng Maake, assisted by Tatenda Nyandoro, earning a share of the spoils for the visitors.

The Lions of the North, after the draw at home, are now positioned in the middle of the pack, and they continue to climb since making a slow start to the season.

They won the GDL in 2023 and 2024, and finished as the runners-up in 2025. This season, they stumbled out of the gate, losing their first three matches. However, Sfiso Mnguni’s squad has recently begun to accumulate points, helped by the inconsistency of other teams.

Following the draw with Highlands Park, Rockefvs has 23 points, with Siwelele, the early pace-setters, in second place. They won a Pretoria derby against the University of Pretoria (Tuks) on Saturday, triumphing 2-1, with Boitshepo Raphala netting the consolation goal for Tuks.

Randburg, who were in second place, dropped points, going down 1-2 against Jomo Cosmos, which allowed Siwelele to move above them, and just two points behind Rockefvs.

Joburg City travelled to Vereeniging to face Remember Elite Sport Academy (RESA) at President Park Stadium. A victory for the visitors would have lifted them to 21 points, equal with Siwelele, but Joburg City was held to a 2-2 draw. Karabo Challa and Lindo Chai scored for the visitors.

The GDL Top 8 champions, Kaizer Chiefs, rose to third, with 20 points, after scoring a 3-1 victory over Prestige Football Development Academy at Naturena Village.

The Brazilians moved into the top four of the standings following a 5-2 victory against Future of Africa on Saturday at Clapham High. Thando Singo initiated the scoring for ‘Downs in the fourth minute of the match, receiving an assist from Kgaeogelo Monanyane.

Monanyane, then, provided a second assist, this time for Sipho Mkhwanazi to net Sundowns’ second. Antonine Bumba contributed their third goal, Zayyaan Nizamdim netted the fourth, and Sivuziwe Lozin capped off the scoring with the champions’ fifth.

The match was highly competitive, resulting in several cards being issued, including a red card to Mvelo Heliso of Bafana Ba Style in the 87th minute.

In other matches on Saturday, the Pitso Mosimane Youth Football (PMYF), which recently joined the GDL after acquiring the status of East Rand Athletic Club, scored a resounding 6-0 victory over Africa School of Excellence.

Both Tebogo Moremi and Mikhulu Booi scored twice, putting PMYF 4-0 ahead, and Yolisa Dyantyi and Mpendulo Sithole further boosted their side’s goal haul.

The School of Excellence is still struggling to establish itself in the GDL following the acquisition of the development side by Chipcor Developers in 2025. Before Chippa Mpengesi’s purchase, the School of Excellence had faced challenges in recent GDL seasons.

On Sunday, Panorama claimed a 2-1 victory over Kathorus Hyper Academy, with Junior Mabaso scoring both goals for the Roodepoort club, thanks to assists from Thabang Hlaui and Neo Maswabi.

RESULTS 

Saturday, 16 May

Mamelodi Sundowns 5-2 Future of Africa
Siwelele 2-1 University of Pretoria
Kaizer Chiefs 3-1 Prestige Football Development Academy
Highlands Park 1-1 Rockefvs
Joburg City 2-2 RESA
PMYF 6-0 Africa School of Excellence
Jomo Cosmos 2-1 Randburg

Sunday, 17 May

Panorama 2-1 Kathorus Hyper Academy

At the beginning of the hockey season, Jeppe High School for Boys suffered losses against Wynberg Boys’ High and Selborne College at the Nomads Hockey Festival in Pretoria.

Both results sent shockwaves through the schoolboy hockey world. Jeppe was unbeaten in 2025, and those defeats raised questions about the side. Would the 2026 side rise to the high standards typical of Jeppe hockey?

The reality was that, in both of their losses, Jeppe dominated possession and territory. They created more goal-scoring opportunities than their opposition, but they failed to put the ball into the back of the net.

Scrutiny from various sectors of the schoolboy hockey scene ensued. South African College High School (SACS), also undefeated last season, faced similar scrutiny after going down 2–4 to Northwood School at the Founders Festival.

Those two setbacks at the Nomads Festival were not the end of the world, however. All Jeppe needed to do was to “trust the process” under the tutelage of their new coach, Gareth Heyns.

In Pretoria, they bounced back with convincing wins against Grey High and Maritzburg College but succumbed to a 0-1 loss against their Johannesburg rivals, King Edward VII (KES), in their first meeting in April.

In that loss, Jeppe let themselves down by not converting multiple opportunities.

Beyond the results, though, it was clear that the Kensington school’s performances were improving each week. Then, in their debut at the Hibbert Shield, they finished in third place, beating a Paul Roos Gimnasium team on a hot streak 2-1 to clinch the bronze medal.

On the weekend, Jeppe showed how far they have come since the start of the season by edging past St Stithians College 2-1 to clinch the prestigious Aitken Cup on Saints‘ home turf.

“We’re obviously super proud,” Jeppe’s head coach, Gareth Heyns, told SuperSport Schools News.

“Aitken is something that means a lot to the Gauteng boys’ schools, and we set a goal to win it at the beginning of the year.”

Reflecting on his charges’ growth, he said: “When there’s a new coach and a new system, the boys need to get used to it, and the fact that they’ve worked hard to get used to it is just amazing.

Turning to the title game on Sunday, Heyns added: “Finals can go either way. Saints played a really good game, but it was our day, and I’m happy the boys got the reward for the work they’ve put in.”

Jeppe’s road to the final was very similar to that of St Stithians.

They were unbeaten in Pool A and B, respectively, before outplaying their opponents in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Jeppe needed a penalty shootout win to get by St John’s College after their clash ended 2-2, while Saints defeated St David’s Marist Inanda 2-1.

“The game against St John’s was tough,” Heyns reckoned. “Both teams arrived on the day and played for 60 minutes, which made it really difficult.

“I do think they had the momentum closer to the end, but my guys stayed in it, and there were some really nail-biting moments.”

The final, as expected, was hotly contested and a repeat of last year’s title decider, which Jeppe won 4-2. This time around, it was a much tighter contest.

The visitors opened the scoring in the second chukka through captain Cole Stanbury. Saints refused to go away, though, and levelled matters early in the third chukka through youngster Christian Bernhardi.

It was end-to-end action in the final chukka, and both teams had their fair share of goalscoring chances.

With seconds remaining, though, Jeppe was awarded a short corner. They turned to their talisman, Kade Lottering, who broke St Stithians’ hearts with a thunderbolt drag flick to seal the win.

“The message throughout the tournament was simple. We just wanted to be as consistent as possible, be very disciplined, play the hockey we know, and do the basics right,” Heyns explained.

“I was also impressed with how the guys conducted themselves this past week. They’ve been really good and behaved well in games.”

With the victory, Jeppe has now won the Aitken Cup title three years in a row, defeating Saints twice and Parktown Boys’ High in the 2024 final.

“Three titles in a row is really special for the team and the hockey fraternity at Jeppe,” Heyns said. “It’s not something that just happens; there’s a lot of support for hockey at Jeppe across the board.

“Hopefully, this win gives us momentum going into the rest of the season. Next week, we have Northwood, who are doing some great things this season, and more tough fixtures later on.”

RESULTS 

Final: Jeppe 2-1 St Stithians College
3rd/4th playoff: St John’s College 2-1 St David’s
5th/6th playoff: Parktown (3) 1-1 (1) Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge
7th/8th playoff: St Benedict’s College 4-2 Helpmekaar
9th/10th playoff: Noordheuwel 3-0 Monument
11th/12th playoff: Beaulieu College (4) 1-1 (3) Randpark
13th/14th playoff: Linden 2-0 Northcliff
15th/16th playoff: Redhill (4) 1-1 (3) HeronBridge