{"id":93422,"date":"2026-04-12T08:26:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:26:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=93422"},"modified":"2026-04-12T08:26:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T06:26:03","slug":"the-jade-brigade-slays-a-third-giant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.ssschoolsplus.co.za\/?p=93422","title":{"rendered":"The Jade Brigade slays a third giant!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A historic victory ended with emotional embraces among the Jade Brigade’s triumphant players. Photo: Andrea Beyers Photography on Instagram.<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With Paul Roos Gimnasium<\/strong> up 10-0 at the half-time break on Saturday, one might have thought that the highlights of Stellenberg’s<\/strong> 2026 campaign would end with their 20-19 win over Paarl Gimnasium<\/strong>\u00a0and a 26-21 victory over Grey College<\/strong><\/a>. Stellies<\/strong><\/em> had other ideas.<\/p>\n

The Jade Brigade<\/strong> marched on in the second half in Bellville, with the Maroon<\/strong> Machine<\/strong> unable to stop their momentum, resulting in their dismantlement, and a historic 20-10 triumph for the hosts, their first-ever victory against the Stellenbosch powerhouse.<\/p>\n

The defeat was also the first loss suffered by Paul Roos this season.<\/p>\n

Down by double digits, the start of an epic comeback began when right-wing, Ralton Rhode<\/strong>, cut inside to wrongfoot the nearest defender and dot down in the 44th minute.<\/p>\n

Then, lock Juvan Burden<\/strong><\/a>, who was in the thick of the action throughout, ploughed over for a try in the 64th minute. At 10-10, history beckoned if Stellenberg was able to seize the opportunity.<\/p>\n

In the 68th minute, tighthead prop Janu van Deventer<\/strong> squeezed his way through two defenders for the home side’s third five-pointer to give them the lead, and victory was assured when flyhalf Ethan van Biljon<\/strong><\/a> slotted a penalty in the last minute of the match. Van Biljon moved to outside centre in the second half with fullback, Liam Jacobs<\/strong>, slotting into the flyhalf berth which gave their side even more of a cutting edge in the back.<\/p>\n

It was also another momentous performance by the Jade Brigade’s captain and eighthman, Yanos Molnar<\/strong>. He led the side once again from the front, and his combination with Carlo Brink<\/strong> in the loose kept the Maroon Machine at bay. The Western Province selectors can’t ignore Molnar anymore when the Craven Week trials comes around.<\/p>\n

Stellies’<\/strong><\/em> victory over Paul Roos<\/strong> was certainly no fluke. They’ve already taken down three of South Africa’s biggest powers and suffered a heartbreaking last-minute defeat to Ho\u00ebrskool Garsfontein, and it’s only mid-April. More tough challenges await, but one wonders if their remaining opponents have the firepower to handle the Jade Brigade’s battle-hardened unit.<\/p>\n