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“Northerns are up, and they’re smelling the coffee” – Those were the words of a hockey enthusiast on Tuesday, day two of the u18 SASHOC National Week, which is being hosted at Maritzburg College, in Pietermaritzburg, and St Anne’s DSG, in Hilton.

That spectator, among others, woke up early for an early 07:30 push-back and was rewarded with an impressive 3-1 win for the Northern Gauteng u18A boys over last year’s runner-up, Boland u18A.

It was a crucial match for both sides as they sought to build on their victories on day one and get a solid grip on top spot in Pool B.

On Monday, Northerns were made to sweat for their 3-2 win over KZN Coastal A, while Boland ran riot against Western Province B, thumping them 5-0.

It was a different story, though, on day two. Coach Steven Paulo‘s charges, who were 0-2 down to KZN Coastal at halftime on Monday, came out guns blazing from the first whistle.

Instead of being conservative and waiting for Boland to fire, they took the game to their opponents and struck twice in the first half through co-captain Luken Brunette.

Brunette converted a short corner in the 17th minute before putting a penalty stroke past Jeandre Cilliers on the stroke of halftime.

In the third chukka, the Hoërskool Garsfontein skipper buried another penalty corner to take the game away from Boland.

With only five minutes left to play, Boland, at last, got onto the scoreboard through Seth Paterson, who slotted a penalty corner. It was, though, a disappointing result for the Western Cape outfit.

Speaking to SuperSport Schools Plus after the match, coach Paulo said he’s pleased with how his boys have conducted themselves, but they’re not resting on their laurels.

“We are extremely proud of the character the boys are showing,” he said.

“One of the reasons we are here is to make our province proud. Many people aren’t here, but they would’ve loved to be here to support our boys, so we remind ourselves of them.

“I think, so far, with the effort the boys have put in, it is amazing, and I think we are making them proud.”

Northerns’ 3-2 win over KZN Coastal A took plenty of character. Not only did they trail 0-2 at the break, but their goalkeeper Owen McMennamin also saved a penalty stroke, which, if scored, would have left them three goals down.

The second half, however, belonged to Northerns, and a penalty corner, earned just before the final hooter, delivered a fairytale finish when Brunette converted to secure a stirring come-from-behind victory.

Paulo believes the momentum his side built up in the second half of Monday’s win carried into the Boland fixture.

“After the Coastal game, Luken said he was so proud of the boys, and I shared the same sentiments.

“In that game, we just kept grinding until the last minutes. We managed to keep all our players on the field, and KZN Coastal got a couple of cards, which played to our advantage. The boys were relentless, but that was fantastic for us.”

Northerns have three big matches remaining in Pool B against Southern Gauteng B, Western Province B, and Southern Free State A.

Paulo said they’re not getting carried away and thinking too far ahead.

“Before we arrived here, we calculated every single permutation in the group, but we are not speaking about anything until the pool games are done,” he explained.

“If anything pops up besides our next opponent, we shut it down quickly. Although we’ve done well in two games, we haven’t achieved anything yet, and the boys are aware of that.”

Other Pool B matches

After suffering a hefty loss against Boland, Western Province B rebounded with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Southern Gauteng B.

Daniel Graser scored a brace, while Cameron Cordeiro, Charlie Naylor, and Ryan Groenewald also got their names on the scoresheet.

Southern Free State A played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with KZN Coastal A.

Nkhahle Sematlane found the back of the net twice for the Free Staters, while Waldo Koning scored a scorcher for the Bloemfontein side.

For the Coastal side, Keegan de Jager converted two penalty corners, while Bonga Maphanga showed great skills to score a solo goal.

The last matches of the day resulted in Boland A beating Southern Gauteng B 1-0 and Western Province B stunning KZN Coastal A 2-1 to leave the group wide open. 

Day 3 | Scores and scorers

Pool A

Southern Gauteng A 2: Aiden Blatch, Juan Martin. KZN Inland A 0.

Western Province A 8: Jo le Roux (2), Litha Kraai (2), Ethan Daniels, Zachary Gibbon, Mohlodi Maseko, Aidan Hughes. Eastern Province A 1: Athi Voigt.

Boland B 2: Ryan van der Merwe, Noah Hendricks. KZN Coastal B 1: Murray Wicks

Pool B

Northern Gauteng A 3: Luken Brunette (3). Boland A 1: Seth Paterson.

Western Province B 5: Daniel Graser (2), Cameron Cordeiro, Charlie Naylor, Ryan Groenewald. Southern Gauteng B 0.

Southern Free State A 3: Nkhahle Sematlane (2), Waldo Koning. KZN Coastal A 3: Keegan de Jager (2), Bonga Maphanga.

Boland A 1: Christo Swanepoel. Southern Gauteng B 0.

Western Province B 2: Jacques van Dyk, Ryan Groenewald. KZN Coastal A 1: Keegan de Jager.

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 1 RESULTS.

DAY 3 FIXTURES

Pool A @ Maritzburg College 

07:30 – KZN Inland A vs Boland B
08:55 – Western Province A vs Southern Gauteng A
10:20 – KZN Coastal B vs Eastern Province A
16:00 – Southern Gauteng A vs Boland B
17:25 – Western Province A vs KZN Coastal B

Pool B @ St Anne’s DSG

11:45 – Southern Free State vs Western Province B
13:10 – Northern Gauteng A vs Southern Gauteng B
14:35 – Boland A vs KZN Coastal A

Mamelodi Sundowns edged past Kaizer Chiefs at Clapham High on the weekend, claiming a 1-0 victory to maintain their position at the top of the Gauteng Development League (GDL) standings.

Sundowns headed into the clash high in confidence, having run up a 13-match unbeaten streak in the league.

However, coach Surprise Moriri would have been wary of Kaizer Chiefs. The Amakhosi handed the Brazilians their only loss of the season thus far when the sides met in the second round of GDL fixtures.

As expected, the match was a battle of tactics, directed by two of the league’s leading coaches, Moriri, of ‘Downs, and David Mathebula, of Chiefs, who both enjoyed very successful playing careers.

After a heated battle, the result, as it often does, came down to one simple but vital matter, clinical finishing. On this occasion, Mamelodi Sundowns scored the one and only and all-important goal to pick up their 13th win of the season and another three points.

Having ceded top spot to Sundowns a few weeks ago, Randburg AFC had a point to prove.

They were away at Joburg City on Saturday and, given their impressive record away from home this season, coach Skhosiphi Mgobozi‘s side would have fancied their chances of coming away with a win. 

Joburg City, under coach Thato Mosala, have enjoyed a good season thus far and would have been confident, too, although they had produced middling performances in recent weeks. 

The game, though, went Randburg AFC’s way. They powered their way to a 3-0 win, which means only two points continue to separate them from the log-leading Sundowns.

Wits Junior has endured a tough season, but they’ve been a tough out for their opposition and, on Saturday, they pulled off the weekend’s most impressive upset when they beat SuperSport United 1-0.

In other results, the defending GDL champions, Highlands Park, thrashed the league newbies Elspark United Academy 6-0, while School of Excellence and Kathorus Hyper settled for a goalless draw in their fixture.

Jomo Cosmos picked up a 2-1 win over Remember Elite Sport Academy 2-1, while Seven’s Academy lost 1-4 to Panorama FC.

RESULTS

Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Kaizer Chiefs
Jomo Cosmos 2-1 Remember Elite Sport Academy
School of Excellence 0-0 Kathorus Hyper Academy
Joburg City 0-3 Randburg AFC
Seven’s Academy 1-4 Panorama FC
SuperSport United 0-1 Wits Junior
Elspark United Academy 0-6 Highlands Park

The South African girls’ team is one of the favourites to lift the title at the forthcoming Regional 5 Youth Games. The event takes place in Namibia from 4 to 13 July.

South Africa’s women’s football teams have earned a strong reputation over the years, and the country is viewed as a powerhouse in the Southern African region at women’s u20 level.

Historically, South Africa secured victory in three Region 5 Games women’s u20 tournaments between 2014 and 2018, and the country finished third in 2019 at the inaugural Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) u20 Women’s Championship.

One of the players expected to lead South Africa challenge in Namibia is Katlego Malebana, who was named in the SuperSport Schools Class of 2024.

She was captain of the South African team that proudly claimed the title at the u15 CAF African Schools Football Tournament in Zanzibar in 2024. She has also captained South Africa’s u17 national team.

Malebana brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the side. That experience includes playing for the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies first team in the Hollywoodbets Super League.

The squad includes other exceptional players, among them Mphelo Thorisho, who is a student at Holly Family College and a first team player for JVW FC, and Khwezi Khoza, who has already proved herself at u20 level.

Coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo, who has enjoyed success with the national women’s development teams, will guide the South African squad, and will be assisted by, among others, Rhoda Mulaudzi, a former forward for Mamelodi Sundowns, who serves in the coaching department of Sundowns’ development team.

They’ll enjoy further support from Thokozile Mndaweni and Sanelisiwe Dladla, who complete the technical team.

u20 South African National Women’s Team

Katleho Malebana, Zizipho Mhlahlo, Sethabile Kamwande, Shifaa Hoossen, Lindelwa Mabuza, Busisiwe Mokoena, Samkelo Gwamanda, Adrienne Schmidt, Naylene Morgan, Mbali Ndlovu, Kwezi Khoza, Thorisho Mphelo, Zoe October, Juddy Baloyi, Karabo Mahasha, Reese Egberink, Nonzuzo Buthelezi, Siphesihle Mvila, Sindiwiwe Bidli, Siyamthanda Macingwana.

Coaches/Management

Ntombifuthi Khumalo, Rhoda Mulaudzi, Thokozile Mndaweni, Sanelisiwe Dladla.

Following an exhilarating opening day of the 20th annual Grant Khomo Week at St Alban’s College in Pretoria, the excitement is set to escalate on Wednesday as the unofficial semi-finals unfold on the Grey and Blue’s Moshate Field.

Follow all the Grant Khomo action live on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com) 

Defending champions Western Province will continue their campaign in yet another main fixture, kicking off at 14:50. The team in the iconic hooped jerseys delivered a dominant 55–22 victory over Free State on the first day.

However, a formidable South Western Districts Eagles side lies in wait. The Eagles impressed with a commanding 27–10 win over Eastern Province.

Both SWD and WP boast potent attacking prowess, though Western Province may hold a slight edge heading into what promises to be a pivotal clash for both.

In the other semi-final, long-standing rivals, the Sharks and hosts, the Blue Bulls, will face off in a match steeped in history. KwaZulu-Natal will be eager to avenge last year’s defeat at the hands of their Pretoria counterparts, while the Bulls will be determined to secure a second potential North–South final in as many years. Kick-off is scheduled for 13:30.

Neighbouring nations Namibia and Zimbabwe will use Wednesday’s fixtures as crucial preparation for their international showdown on Friday’s final day. Namibia take on the Iqhawe XV, while Zimbabwe face a dangerous Griquas outfit.

The Obaro Golden Lions, impressive even in defeat on Monday, will open proceedings on Moshate Field at 09:30 against Boland. Free State will seek redemption against Western Province XV, while the Pumas, who impressed against the WP XV on the opening day, turn their focus to Eastern Province in the main match on Baloyi Field.

Earlier, the Limpopo Blue Bulls kick off the action at 09:00 against a wounded Border Country Districts side, with both teams still searching for their first win of the tournament. This clash will set the tone for an action-packed day, highlighted by a highly anticipated encounter between the Valke and the Leopards at 11:40.

The fixtures for Day Two, 2 July 2025: 

Moshate Field: 

09:30 – Obaro Golden Lions vs Boland
10:50 – Border vs Griffons
12:10 – Western Province XV vs Free State
13:30 – Sharks vs Blue Bulls
14:50 – Western Province vs South Western Districts

Baloyi Field: 

09:00 – Limpopo Blue Bulls vs Border Country Districts
10:20 – Namibia vs Iqhawe XV
11:40 – Leopards vs Valke
13:00 – Zimbabwe vs Griquas
14:20 – Pumas vs Eastern Province

The Junior Springboks will savour their opening round victory over Australia World Rugby u20 Championship, but the team will keep their feet firmly on the ground and prepare for the next big challenge, their second pool match against England on Friday.

SA u20 coach Kevin Foote was a happy man after his team scored 11 tries to beat the Australians by 73-17 in their Pool A opener in Calvisano on Sunday.

Foote praised the team’s conditioning as they outplayed Australia for large parts of the game, which was staged in extremely hot and humid conditions:

“The conditions were tough, but we managed our nutrition and hydration well,” said Foote.

“Our preparation was key, both physically and mentally, and I think our conditioning was outstanding, and for that the team’s conditioning staff deserve praise for their hard work.”

Foote was also full of praise for the way in which the SA u20s managed to execute their game plan successfully against the tactically astute Australians.

“We executed our plans perfectly and adapted well under pressure,” he said.

“We balanced our kicking and running game well, and our leadership on the field was calm and composed. The boys made mature decisions under pressure, which was crucial.”

The Junior Bok coach also highlighted the seamless integration of new players, with Jaco Grobbelaar and Jaco Williams both joining the team just before they left for Italy.

SA U20 captain Riley Norton, who had a good game at lock, was also pleased with their effort.

“It was a great win against a quality Australian side, but we can improve on certain areas,” said Norton, adding that there will be no room for complacency, especially with the defending champions their next opponent.

“It is just one game under our belts, and we want to learn and continuously improve as the tournament progresses,” Norton stressed.

“I’m glad for the win and very excited for the forthcoming challenges, which will require thorough preparation and review.”

England opened their campaign by beating Scotland 56-19. Friday’s game between the Junior Boks and the English is scheduled to start at 18h00 in Rovigo.

The Bulls, Sharks and both Western Province teams claimed valuable wins on day one of the FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week staged at St Alban’s College in Pretoria on Monday.

The opening day of the U16 tournament witnessed a number of tight contests, with Border, the Valke, South Western Districts, Griffons and Griquas among the teams that went on to secure victories.

The Bulls began their home campaign with a clinical performance, scoring four tries in a 32-13 win over Boland. Outside centre Dandre Brink crossed the line twice for the hosts.

The battle between the Sharks and Golden Lions yielded 79 points and 11 tries, with the KwaZulu-Natalians going on to secure a 44-35 victory. Fullback Rosco Williams scored a hat-trick for the Sharks, while inside centre Blessing Manoreng did the same for the Lions.

A far tighter contest between the Western Province XV and the Pumas was decided by inside centre Divan Meyer, who kicked three conversions and three penalty goals to steer the WP XV to a 30-27 win.

Zimbabwe put on a show in the first fixture of the day, scoring 11 tries in a resounding 71-3 win over Border Country Districts. Inside centre Denzel Nyambo scored a hat-trick for the Zimbabweans, while scrumhalf Gray van der Merwe slotted eight conversions.

The Valke fought back from a first-half deficit to beat the Limpopo Blue Bulls 24-15, while the Griffons also managed to edge Namibia 32-24, after trailing by two at the break.

In the final two matches of the day, Western Province claimed an emphatic 55-22 win over Free State – with Luca Orgill (centre) scoring a brace for the men in blue and white hoops – while Griquas cracked on to beat the Iqhawe XV 50-14, after the scores were level at the half-time.

 

FNB U16 Grant Khomo Week day one results (Monday 30 June):

Zimbabwe 71 (36) Border Country Districts 3 (3)
Border 26 (19) Leopards 22 (5)
Valke 24 (5) Limpopo Blue Bulls 15 (12)
South Western Districts 27 (15) Eastern Province 10 (5)
Griffons 32 (15) Namibia 24 (17)
Sharks 44 (27) Golden Lions 35 (21)
Western Province XV 30 (17) Pumas 27 (15)
Bulls 32 (15) Boland 13 (3)
Western Province 55 (24) Free State 22 (10)
Iqhawe XV 14 (14) Griquas 50 (14)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Motivated by the presence of the Springbok Women’s team, Eastern Province and Western Province recorded the biggest wins on day one of the FNB U18 Girls Week in Johannesburg, while Border, the Golden Lions and WP were among the top performers in the first round of the U16 tournament.

South Africa’s most promising female rugby players converged on Queens High School on Monday to participate in the first round of the annual FNB U18 and U16 Girls Weeks tournaments.

The Springbok Women – who will play the first of two Tests against Canada at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday – made an appearance at the age-group showpiece, and took the time to motivate and support their younger provincial counterparts over the course of a memorable opening ceremony.

EP laid down an early marker in the U18 tournament when they put 11 tries and 69 points past the Leopards, with winger Lukhanye Lolo scoring a hat-trick.

In the second fixture, WP scored 13 tries in a 79-7 win over the Valke, with Endinalo Fihla, Theonay Adams, Jessie Schoeman and Inga Jim all crossing for braces, while Niha Levy slotted seven conversions.

Hlamalani Mofokeng scored a hat-trick of tries as the Lions smashed Free State by 67-0 in their afternoon clash.

The Sharks, Pumas, Blue Bulls, and Boland were also among the U18 winners on day one, while Zimbabwe impressed with a 52-0 victory over Griquas.

Border set the tone in the U16 tournament, with a 22-7 win over the Golden Lions Invitational XV in the opening fixture.

The Sharks, Boland, EP, Border Country Districts, SWD and the Pumas also came through the first round with victories.

In the biggest victory of the day, WP thrashed the Leopards 88-0, with inside centre Azraa Landor scoring a hat-trick and flyhalf Danrica Jehoma contributing 19 points.

The Golden Lions made a similar statement of intent, with flyhalf Alice Ncube scoring three tries and kicking six conversions in the hosts’ 62-0 rout of the Valke.

 

FNB U18 Girls Week day one results (Monday 30 June):

Eastern Province 69 (45) v Leopards 0 (0)
Western Province 79 (43) Valke 7 (7)
Sharks 24 (12) Griffons 12 (0)
South Western Districts 12 (0) Pumas 24 (14)
Zimbabwe 52 (20) Griquas 0 (0)
Border 0 (0) Blue Bulls 17 (5)
Golden Lions 67 (29) Free State 0 (0)
Limpopo Blue Bulls 12 (7) Boland 24 (0)

FNB U16 Girls Week day one results (Monday 30 June):

Border 22 (15) Golden Lions Invitational XV 7 (7)
Sharks 20 (5) Limpopo Blue Bulls 10 (10)
Western Province 88 (59) Leopards 0 (0)
Boland 29 (24) Griquas 5 (0)
Eastern Province 34 (0) v Zimbabwe 12 (7)
Border Country Districts 45 (33) Free State 0 (0)
Golden Lions 62 (29) Valke 0 (0)
South Western Districts 41 (31) Griffons 5 (0)
Pumas 22 (12) Blue Bulls 0 (0)

Issued by SA Rugby Communications

Boland kicked off day two of the 2025 LSEN Week, at Hoërskool Hoogenhout in Bethal, with an emphatic 40-8 win over Free State on Monday, led by an outstanding performance from Ismael Wiemers.

The Weskus SOS outside centre starred on both attack and defence to deservedly bag the man of the match award.

A fired-up South Western Districts side proved to be too much for the Blue Bulls to handle and the team from the Western Cape powered their way to a 38-20 win.

Van Kerval outside centre, Brendan-junior Kasanya, ran in a superb hattrick to lead his side to victory, which earned him the man of the match award.

The Pumas bounced back from their 7-37 loss to the Griffons in their opener on Saturday, outplaying the Sharks 29-7

Tighthead prop WH de Klerk proved to be a handful for the boys in black and white. He challenged them with his physicality and also twice broke through for tries. Man of the match award earned!

The Leopards, meanwhile, pulled off an exciting 50-40 victory over the Griffons in a 90-point thriller.

Man of the match, Oom Paul scrumhalf, Hansie Visser, pulled the strings for the Leopards, distributing the ball with speed, which enabled his side to exploit space, and that led to an astounding eight tries.

Last year’s unofficial champions, Eastern Province, knocked the Valke out of the sky, rampaging to a 50-10 victory.

Westview right wing, Rylan Hawkins, used his raptor-like speed to fly through the defence for a brace of tries, which secured him the man of the match honours.

Western Province outplayed the Lions, cruising to a 55-10 win, highlighted by some brilliant performances from multiple individuals.

None of them shone brighter than Jan Kriel number 10 Yusuf Hannibal. He walked away with the man of the match award, thanks to the assured manner in which he directed his team from flyhalf. He also crossed for a brace of tries and landed a penalty.

The final day’s matches, on Tuesday, include an unofficial final between Eastern Province and Western Province for a second year in succession.

Fixtures

Sharks vs Free State
Bulls vs Griffons
Lions vs Pumas
SWD vs Falcons
Leopards vs Boland
Eastern Province vs Western Province

Scorers

Boland 40 (7) – Tries: Lorenzo Harmse (2), Shagan Philander, Jaden Daniels, Brivriano Julies, Ismael Wiemers. Conversions: Shagan Philander (5); Free State 8 (0) – Tries: Rato Ramanotsi. Penalties: Kay-Dinn Langley.

SWD 38 (26) – Tries: player Brendan-junior Kasanya (3), Quinton Agulhas, Byron Kiewit, Hadley Benjamin. Conversions: Quintin Visser (Captain) (3), Brendan-junior Kasanya; Blue Bulls 20 (10) – Tries: JT Johnston, Sphiwe Mokau, Jayneil Williamson. Conversions: Juandre Marias. Penalties: Juandre Marias.

Pumas 29 (17) – Tries: AJ Venter (2), Lifa Nkosi, Mongezi Qometa, Monet Blignaut. Conversions: Luke Ogilvie, Mongezi Qometa; Sharks 7 (0) – Tries: Kwandakwethu Phiri. Conversions: Kean Sukkels.

Leopards 50 (17) – Tries: Xolane Nzeke (2), Siyabonga Mtiyang, Omphile Legodu, Hansie Visser, Michael Cloete, Kamogelo Johnson, Reamogetse Gaje. Conversions: Boeta Johnson (5); Griffons 40 (21) – Tries: Fortune Tshibuabua (2), Vusimuzi Motumi (2), Ricardo Chatwind, Adriano De Canha De Freitas. Conversions: Kyle Till (5).

Eastern Province 50 (29) – Tries: Rylan Hawkins (2), Valention Leeuskieter, Loydon Prins, Shaundre Pienaar, Uvern Adams (Captain), Liza Tetani. Conversions: Zaynodeen Bennie (5), Loydon Prins. Penalties: Zaynodeen Bennie; Valke 10 (10) – Tries: Rigan Chigosie, Thinus van Willing.

Western Province 55 (22) – Tries: Yusuf Hannibal (2), Ralton Rhode (2), Chriswinn Bones (2), Zurich Stevens, Charles Hendricks. Conversions: Zurich Stevens (3), Jayden September (3). Penalties: Yusuf Hannibal; Lions 10 (0) – Tries: Donovan Jansen van Vuuren. Conversions: Timothy Nortman. Penalties: Timothy Nortman.

The annual u13 Craven Week is hosted by Selborne College in East London.

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

Scorers: 

Sharks 6 (3) – Penalties: Quade Nicholis, Mpilo Khomo. South Western Districts 0.

Western Province 27 (12) – Tries: Rudi Coetzee, Tini Makomichi, Kule Thenga, Jonathan van der Byl. Conversions: Van der Byl (2). Penalty: Van der Byl. Free State 12 (7) – Tries: Jayvin van Zyl, Bakang Kgware. Conversion: Falie Oelschig.

Pumas 27 (7) – Tries: Edmund Ferreira, Joseph Mthetwa, Brussow Francke, Thokozani Kachelenga. Conversions: Francke (2). Penalty: Francke. Golden Lions 5 (0) – Try: Milan Shaw.

Boland 17 (0) – Tries: Eltino Edons, Juanrique le Roux, Anslin Plaatjies. Conversion: Evan Berling. Griffons 15 (15) – Tries: Kamohelo Mahlale, Kgoanthi Molupe. Conversion: Mahlale. Penalty: Mahlale.

Leopards 7 (0) – Try: Anru van Deventer. Conversion: Alru Ross. Blue Bulls 5 (5) – Try: Jason Steyn.

Eastern Province 40 (26) – Tries: Aqhame Macembe (2), Bulelani Norman (2), Musa Mdongwana, Janko Havenga. Conversions: Siyambonga Mila (4), Jaquin Billet. Valke 17 (10) – Tries: Noah Tshineva, Siyabonga Mtshwene. Conversions: Rossouw Nieuwoudt (2). Penalty: Nieuwoudt.

Griqualand West 27 (19) – Tries: Daniel du Plessis, Angus Hattingh, Brayden Matshoba, Jacobus Prinsloo. Conversions: Matshoba (2). Penalty: Matshoba. Border 20 (17) – Tries: Esona Nqayana (2), Tyler Ledingham. Conversion: Motheo Mabe. Penalty: Lelothando Xulubana.

Limpopo Blue Bulls 81 (43) – Tries: Phetolo Mokwena (5), Esihle Tshicila (4), Rachabedi Mokhosi, Marius Smit, Thuto Ntsimane, Tlotlo Mapela. Conversions: Tshicila (8). Border Country Districts 0.

St Stithians, Brisbane Boys’ College, Clifton College, and St Andrew’s School maintained their unbeaten records at the Independent Schools Rugby Festival, being hosted by St Charles College, in Pietermaritzburg, on Monday.

St Stithians, who delivered a fine performance on Saturday in a narrow three-point win over St Andrew’s College, won more emphatically in their second outing, beating the Brisbane Barbarians (Brisbane Boys’ College 2^nd XV) 33-14.

Credit to the Australian side, they’re well coached and play a well-structured game, but Saints had their number.

Clifton College followed up on an impressive 33-14 win over Cornwall Hill College with an even more comfortable victory, outplaying CBC Boksburg 54-13.

Throughout the 2025 season, Clifton struggled with their finishing, but they sure have found it at the Independent Schools Rugby Festival, playing some exciting running rugby, which has, no doubt, provided them with a huge boost of confidence.

CBC, for their part, lack size, and that has made it a challenge for the boys from Boksburg. They’re not short of spirit, but playing with back-foot ball is not easy.

Brisbane Boys’ College, winners over a strong Hilton College side on Saturday, faced an enthusiastic challenge from the St Charles Gold team, which had dispatched Somerset College by 31 points on Saturday.

The Queenslanders were up for it, and although Saints was able to breech their defences a number of times, Brisbane Boys’ College almost doubled up the home side, romping to a 47-24 win.

There was success for St Charles, though, as St Charles Blue overpowered St Alban’s 33-8. That success reflects well on the hosts’ depth. With the majority of their 1st XV players returning in 2026, they’re a dark horse to watch out for.

St Andrew’s School finished the day with the best defensive record thus far at the Independent Schools Rugby Festival. After a hard-fought 19-14 win over St Benedict’s in their opener, during which they conceded only one try, they gave up only one more in a convincing 26-5 victory over St David’s Marist Inanda.

St Andrew’s College, after their tight loss to St Stithians, hit their straps against Cornwall Hill College and raced to a 38-12 victory.

Somerset College, meanwhile, made a tick in the win column, coming out of a tight tussle against St Benedict’s with a 24-12 victory.

The biggest win of the day belonged to Hilton College who were surprisingly dominant against St John’s College, hammering the Johannesburg school 74-0.

The final day of the event, Wednesday, will feature six matches, with the Brisbane Boys’ College and St Charles teams not in action.

Clifton College will have an opportunity to finish with a clean record when they tackle St Benedict’s, while St Stithians will face a stiff challenge in their quest to go unbeaten. They meet Hilton College.

St Andrew’s School will feel confident they can go three for three. They finish with a clash against CBC Boksburg.

FIXTURES

Wednesday, 2 July

Colts Field

08:00 – St John’s vs St Alban’s
09:10 – St Andrew’s School vs CBC Boksburg
10:20 – Hilton vs St Stithians

Old Orchards Field

08:00 – St David’s vs St Andrew’s College
09:10 – Somerset College vs Cornwall Hill
10:20 – Clifton College vs St Benedict’s