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The seventh edition of the Glenwood Rugby Festival promises to be the biggest yet. The festival of rugby has a new title sponsor in Twizza. 

The Twizza Glenwood Rugby Festival will be held from 18 to 23 March on the rugby fields of Glenwood High School in Durban. Fifty school teams will lock horns over this six days at u14-, u15-, u16- and u19-level. 

Matches during the festival will be streamed live by Glenwood TV on DigiTV.co.za. 

“We are excited about the partnership we are starting with a proudly South African brand as the title sponsor of the annual Twizza Glenwood Rugby Festival,” said the tournament organiser, Darryl Weir. 

Ths hosts Glenwood High School’s second stringers will be in action during the Festival. Glenwood first XV finished third on School of Rugby Rankings in 2018 after finishing the season unbeaten. Westville Boys’ High, Louis Botha of Bloemfontein, Goudveld of Welkom and Wesvalia of Klerksdorp will also be teams to look out for. 

Grey College of Bloemfontein will also send an u19 team to the Festival. The team will be a combined third team from South Africa’s top rugby school. 

Merensky of Tzaneen, Ben Viljoen of Groblersdal and Piet Potgieter from Mokopane (formerly Potgietersrus) are the teams from Limpopo that will attend the festival. Ben Viljoen boasts a new Head of Rugby in Sylvester Booysen and will be out to prove themselves. 

“As a brand, we’ve made the decision to support school sports in South Africa. The prestigious Glenwood Rugby Festival provides an excellent platform for us to further entrench our association with schools sporting codes, whilst creating awareness of the Twizza product range. Most importantly, the festival provides the perfect opportunity for consumers to experience the Twizza brand,” said Lance Coertzen, marketing manager of Twizza. 

Twizza is South Africa’s first official ‘Proudly South African’ carbonated soft drink. Being homegrown and produced in South Africa, Twizza prides themselves on providing the consumer with an authentic taste experience that rivals the global brands. 

The participating teams are: 

First XV: Westville Boys’ High, Montana, Louis Botha, Piet Potgieter, Merensky, Pionier, Wesvalia, Centurion, Sutherland, Ben Viljoen, Goudveld-Hoërskool, Grey College III, Eye of Tiger, KZN Development.

2nds: Westville Boys’ High, Merensky, Montana, Ben Viljoen, Goudveld-Hoërskool, Glenwood.

u16: Glenwood,  Durban High School, Midstream College, Merensky, Wesvalia, Montana, Grey College (B&C), Goudveld-Hoërskool, Rob Ferreira, Eye of Tiger.

u15: Glenwood, Durban High School, Midstream College, Merensky, Wesvalia, Amanzimtoti, Montana, Grey College (B&C), 

u14: Glenwood, Durban High School, Midstream College, Merensky, Wesvalia, Amanzimtoti, Montana, Grey College (B&C), KZN Development.

 

Hailed as one of the country’s favourite schoolboy rugby festivals, the 12th annual Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival was launched this week (Tuesday 19th).

The Festival promises rugby enthusiasts exciting running rugby from some of the country’s top rugby-playing schools over Easter weekend, whilst offering participating players opportunities to secure a possible future in provincial and national rugby.

Twelve South African school teams renowned for their rugby pedigree will participate over three play days – Thursday 18th, Saturday 20th and Monday 22nd April – on the beautiful Kearsney College campus in Botha’s Hill, between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

This year Hoërskool Transvalia from Gauteng will participate for the first time. They will join Pretoria Boys High, Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen, HTS Middelburg and Welkom Gimnasium from Gauteng; the Eastern Cape’s Selborne College (East London) and Hoërskool Framesby (Port Elizabeth); HTS Drostdy from Worcester in the Western Cape and Hoërskool Noord-Kaap (Kimberley); as well as Glenwood High School, Durban High School and hosts Kearsney College from KwaZulu-Natal.

The festival promises a celebration of highly entertaining action, with six 1st XV fixtures daily. Kicking off each day’s rugby will be a match between primary school teams Highbury Preparatory, Hillcrest Primary, Umhlali Preparatory and the KZNRU Ibutho/Mark Godefroy U13 development team.

Etienne Fynn, managing director of the Sharks Academy, said the festival provided players with an ideal platform from which to demonstrate their abilities. For many players, it is the culmination of years of training, aimed toward representing their 1st XV with pride and passion.

It also provided spectators with the opportunity to watch players who could become household names in a couple of seasons, he said.

“The Sharks Academy takes pride in being associated once again with the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival as the format and calibre of players, along with the spectacular venue, ensure quality fixtures take place year on year. We have had memorable games taking place between non- traditional rivals – this epitomises what the festival has brought to the KwaZulu-Natal and South African Easter festival landscape.”

Fynn confirmed the Sharks Academy would again offer bursaries to three selected players after the festival’s final game. These bursaries include a contract with the Academy, accommodation and a tuition bursary with one of its education partners.

Since the first Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival in 2008, many festival players have been selected for Varsity Cup and U21 sides, provincial Super Rugby and Currie Cup teams, Springboks and SA Sevens; overseas club and provincial sides such as Western Force (Australia), Ealing and Sale Sharks (England), Munster (Ireland), La Rochelle and Montpellier (both France); as well as for the Barbarians, Scotland, British and Irish Lions, Germany and Western Australia Sevens.

A recent festival player, who is already shining at provincial level, is Dale College speedster Aphelele Fassi, whose talent was noticed at the festival in 2016 and 2017, when he was awarded a bursary to the Sharks Academy. The fullback debuted for the Sharks in their Super Rugby win against the Sunwolves in Singapore last Saturday (16th Feb).

Western Province flyhalf David Coetzer, who played for Selborne College at the festival during the same years as Fassi, received a call up for the Junior Boks team last year.

Other recent festival players such as JJ van der Mescht and Conan le Fleur (Glenwood), Dylan Richardson and Sibusiso Sangweni (both Kearsney), Sibabalwe Xamlashe and Thomas Bursey (both Selborne College) were selected for the U18 and U19 Junior Bok camps last year.

Speaking at this week’s launch, Kearsney College headmaster Elwyn van den Aardweg said the school was preparing to welcome the capacity crowds which the event always attracts.

“The festival is a perfect destination for schoolboy rugby enthusiasts from across the country. Durban, with its exciting holiday attractions and wonderful Easter-time weather, and Kearsney, situated on the most beautiful campus, combine to ensure a fun-filled weekend of savouring the best of schoolboy rugby with family and friends and enjoying the wonderful festival atmosphere,” he said.

Van den Aardweg thanked the festival sponsors, whose valued support had enabled the festival to grow over the years. Standard Bank remained as headline sponsor with Halfway Ford and Hendok also being involved again, the Sharks and Sharks Academy continuing their support since the festival’s inception, and with two new sponsors coming on board – MTN and Coopertires. Busamed and Marsh Africa will be the festival’s medical sponsor, together with several other partners and companies.

As festival title sponsor and the school’s banking partner for the past 22 years, a spokesperson for Standard Bank said they were proud to be associated with the Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival once again, and wished Kearsney College a successful and exciting 2019 event.

For the third year, Halfway Ford is a festival sponsor. Halfway Group CEO George Baikie said as a Kearsney old boy, the festival brought wonderful memories of his time spent at the College. Whilst Halfway had grown into one of the largest privately-owned motor dealership groups in Africa, it was motivated by a passion for customer service, with the belief that customers preferred to buy from local people they liked and trusted.

First-time sponsor MTN South Africa’s regional general manager, Ernest Galelekile, said the company was a long-time supporter of sports. “Sponsorship of the festival further entrenches our position as ardent supporters of the country’s sporting ambitions; and enables us to connect with our future leaders – the youth.”

Georg Schramm, CEO of TyreLife Solutions, said they were proud of the association with the festival. “Like those who participate in the tournament, our products are strongly associated with the highest performance, driven to succeed in the toughest conditions and constantly pushing the limits to excel,” he said.

Festival director Mouton Badenhorst emphasised the strong family focus of the event, offering something for the whole family. This year’s festival will again feature the popular KidZone, offering a number of exciting rides and jumping castles for the little ones to enjoy.

Participating players and the public are requested to leave new or good condition second-hand rugby kit and clothing in designated collection bins at the main field. The ‘Boots and Balls’ outreach initiative, started in 2015, will ensure all donated kit is sorted, refurbished and distributed. It will be divided between the local Reservoir Rhino Rugby Club and the KZNRU Development Programme for distribution to development teams throughout the province.

Gate entrance to the festival is R25 per person. Ample secure parking will be available; as well as food and refreshment outlets for those wanting to enjoy a full day of entertaining rugby in a family-friendly environment.

Welkom Gimnasium had to work harder for their victory of 31-0 over Sarel Cilliers of Glencoe than the scoreline suggests.

Gimmies managed to build up a comfortable 19-0 lead at the break before it started to rain in the second half. 

These two teams clashed during the main match of the annual Sarel Cilliers Rugby Day in Glencoe. The matches on the A-field was live streamed by DigiTV.co.za.  

Gimmies’ eighthman and captain, Keke Morabe, was like last year during the day, again a catalyst in his side’s victory. Morabe scored a brace of tries against Sarel Cilliers. Last year in his side’s victory of 24-20 over Pionier of Vryheid he was named Man of the Match for his efforts. 

Morabe and flanker Christo Steyn were the standout performers on Saturday. In the backs, the flyhalf, Marchall Andrews, could also feel happy with his performance. 

Gimmies’ coaches, Roean Bezuidenhout and Johan de Lange, will now have a much better idea what they need to concentrate on before their clash against Grey College on the 9th of March during the annual Pieter Swanepoel Rugby Day in Brandfort. 

Ferrum of Newcastle managed to start their season on a high by giving Weston a 50-12 drubbing. Their flyhalf, Wikus van der Walt, scored 20 of their points in this more than comfortable victory. He scored a brace of tries and also slotted five conversions for his personal tally. The lock Caleb Alexander also crashed over for two tries. 

Ferrum will take on Volksrust next week in their first encounter in this year’s NWU-Pukke 16 Series. 

King Edward from Matatiele recorded a narrow 24-22 victory over Welkom High. 

Scorers: 

Welkom Gimnasium 31 (19) – Tries: Keke Morabe (2), Martley Bayman, Keith van Aswegen, Marno April. Conversions: Marchall Andrews (3). Sarel Cilliers (Glencoe) 0. 

Ferrum 50 (31) – Tries: Wikus van der Walt (2), Caleb Alexander (2), John Oberholster, Njabulo Ntshangase, Simanga Shezi, Eric de Wet. Conversions: Van der Walt (5). Weston 12 (5).

Newcastle 21 – Tries: Sandile Hlayise, Londi Nxumalo, Bonga Mvelase. Conversions: Minenhle Siwela (3). Greytown 12.

Other Results: Linpark 5, Vryheid Landbou 0; Dundee 25, Voortrekker (Pietermaritzburg) 20; Maritzburg College XV 50, Hoërskool Vryheid 24; King Edward (Matatiele) 24, Welkom High 22. 

More stories:

Sarel Cilliers and Welkom Gim in main attraction in Glencoe 
Sarel Cilliers victorious in main match of their Rugby Day
School Rugby season of 2018 kicks off in Glencoe 
Sarel Cilliers easy victors at annual rugby day

Some of the top u15 school rugby teams in South Africa will once again be in action during the annual Paarl Boys’ High u15 Festival in Paarl. The festival started back in 2005.

The hosts will face Monument of Krugersdorp in the main match of the opening day. Boishaai will face HTS Middelburg and Menlopark in their other two matches during the festival. The clash on the final day against Menlopark also promises to be one of the highlights of the festival. 

On the opening day, the match between Oakdale Landbou and Menlopark promises to produce some fireworks. On Day 2 Grey College of Bloemfontein will face Menlopark in the main match, while the game between Paarl Gimnasium and Monument will also be one not to miss. 

On the final day, there are three matches to look forward to – the main clash between Paarl Boys’ High and Menlopark, Monument vs Oakdale Landbou as well as Paarl Gimnasium taking on Grey College. 

The Fixtures: 

Saturday, 16 March (Brug Street) 

09:00 – Paarl Boys’ High XV vs Duineveld
10:00 – u16 – Paarl Boys’ High XV vs Menlopark XV
11:00 – Menlopark XV vs Paul Roos Gimnasium XV
12:00 – Western Province XV vs Punt 
13:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs HTS Middelburg
14:00 – Oakdale Landbou vs Brandwag (Uitenhage)
15:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Menloaprk
16:00 – Grey College vs Stellenberg
17:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Monument

Monday, 18 March (Brug Street)  

08:00 – Paarl Boys’ High XV vs Menlopark XV
09:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium XV vs Punt
10:00 – Stellenberg vs Brandwag (Uitenhage)
11:00 – Oakdale Landbou vs Duineveld
12:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Western Province XV
13:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Monument
14:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs HTS Middelburg
15:00 – Grey College vs Menlopark

Wednesday, 20 March (Brug Street)

08:00 – Paarl Boys’ High XV vs Punt
09:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs HTS Middelburg
10:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Grey College
11:00 – Monument vs Oakdale Landbou
12:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Menlopark

B-field

08:00 – Brandwag (Uitenhage) vs Menlopark XV
09:00 – Duineveld vs Paul Roos Gimnasium XV
10:00 – Stellenberg vs Western Province XV

And we’re off… The 2019 schoolboy rugby season will kick-off this Saturday with the annual Sarel Cilliers Rugby Day in Glencoe, KwaZulu-Natal.

Sarel Cilliers would like to showcase the talent in Northern Natal in the main match against Welkom Gimnasium. Gimmies were crowned champions of the central region last year by defeating Duineveld of Upington by 61-0 in the final.

Last year the team from Welkom also started their season in Glencoe when they had to work hard to down Pionier of Vryheid by 24-20. Pionier won’t be in action during this year’s festival of rugby.  

In the main curtain-raiser, Ferrum of Newcastle will take on Weston. This would be good preparation for Ferrum who’s campaign in the NWU-Pukke’s 16-series kicks-off shortly. 

All the matches on the A-field will be streamed live on DigiTV.co.za. 

The Fixtures: 

A-field (u19)

08:00 – Pongola Academy vs Ixopo II
09:10 – King Edward (Matatiele) vs Welkom High
10:20 – Vryheid Landbou vs Linpark
11:30 – Hoërskool Vryheid vs Maritzburg College XV
12:40 – Newcastle vs Greytown
13:50 – Dundee vs Voortrekker (Pietermaritzburg)
15:00 – Clubs – Northern KwaZulu-Natal XV vs Midlands XV (Ebo Bastard Trophy)
16:30 – Ferrum vs Weston
17:40 – Sarel Cilliers vs Welkom Gimnasium

B-field (u16)

08:00 – Dundee vs King Edward (Matatiele)
09:10 – u19 – Felixton vs Vaalpark
10:20 – u19 – Ferrum II vs Greytown II
11:30 – Sarel Cilliers vs Ixopo
12:40 – Ferrum vs Voortrekker (Pietermaritzburg)
13:50 – KZN Development vs Newcastle
15:00 – u19 – Hoërskool Vryheid II vs KZN Development
16:10 – Greytown vs Hoërskool Vryheid
17:20 – Vryheid Landbou vs Spartans

C-field 

08:00 – u14 – Hoërskool Vryheid vs Ixopo
09:10 – u14 – Sarel Cilliers II vs Pongola Academy
10:20 – u14 – Sarel Cilliers vs King Edward (Matatiele)
11:30 – u15 – Voortrekker (Pietermaritzburg) vs Hoërskool Vryheid
12:40 – u15 – Amanzimtoti vs Ferrum
13:50 – u15 – Ixopo vs Sarel Cilliers
15:00 – u14 – Ferrum vs Greytown
16:10 – u15 – Amajuba vs Greytown

 

 

Players: Roland Bernard, Riaan Harmse, Callie Jacobs, Lyon van Rensburg en Freddie Swanepoel.

1

Die besoekers aan die 20ste jaarlikse Pieter Swanepoel Sportdag op Brandfort kan verwag om vanjaar weer deur plattelandse gasvryheid trakteer te word. Rugbyliefhebbers kan ook hul lippe aflek vir die belofte van opwindende hardlooprugby.

Die dag is na die gasheer, die Hoërskool Staatspresident Swart, se gewese skoolhoof wyle Pieter Swanepoel vernoem. Swanepoel het die dag in 2000 begin. 

Die gasheer se eerstespan, die Foxies, spog met ‘n trotse rekord op die dag. Hulle het nog net een keer sedert die ontstaan van dié dag in 2014 teen Bothaville (29-14) die knie gebuig. Brandfort sal vanjaar in die hoofwedstryd van die dag teen die Hoërskool Parys te staan kom. Dit sal die derde keer sedert 2000 wees dat hierdie twee spanne mekaar in die hoofwedstryd op Page-park pak. 

Die Foxies was in 2011 (59-0) en 2015 (28-16) baas oor die span van Parys. 

Dit is nie net die Hoërskool Staatspresident Swart wie se gunsteling rugbyveld, Page-park, is nie. Grey-kollege van Bloemfontein is bekend vir hoe gedug hy op sy tuisveld is, maar daar is egter een veld waar dié skool se eerstespan met nog ‘n beter rekord mee spog. En dit is Page-park. 

Grey het in sy vorige kragmeting op dié sportdag vir Goudveld-Hoërskool in slegs 40 minute met 111-0 afgeslag. Voor die slagting was Grey laas tydens die eerste sportdag hier in aksie en toe het hy vir Fichardtpark met 106-0 verneder. Grey se een hulpafrigter en voormalige skrumskakel van die Cheetahs, Tewis de Bruyn, sal daardie dag goed onthou. Hy het 26 van Grey se punte via 13 doelskoppe aangeteken. 

Grey het wel ‘n veel moeiliker taak wat vanjaar op hom wag. Hy kom in die vernaamste voorwedstryd vir die hoofmaal teen Welkom Gimnasium te staan. In die sentrale streek was Gimmies die afgelope paar jaar die enigste span wat Grey-kollege teenstand kon bied. Die wedstryd beloof om vir hope opwinding te sorg. 

Die bepalings is: 

07:30 – Hoërskool Bloemfontein vs Marquard 
08:30 – Sand du Plessis vs Theunissen
09:30 – President Steyn vs Bultfontein
10:30 – Hentie Cilliers II vs Grey College IV
11:30 – Grey College III (Peaches) vs Welkom Gimnasium II
12:30 – Louis Botha vs Hangklip
13:30 – Bothaville vs Aliwal-Noord
14:30 – Hentie Cilliers vs Grey College II (Cherries)
15:30 – Grey College vs Welkom Gimnasium
16:30 – Brandfort vs Parys

Hoofwedstryde van die vorige Pieter Swanepoel Sportdae: 

2018	Brandfort	24	Aliwal-Noord	22
2017	Brandfort	32	Hoërskool Kroonstad	8
2016	Brandfort	33	Wessel Maree	5
2015	Brandfort	28	Parys	16
2014	Bothaville	29	Brandfort	14
2013	Brandfort	71	Wessel Maree	0
2012	Brandfort	52	Parys	7
2011	Brandfort	59	Riebeeckstad	0
2010	Brandfort	34	Richardsbaai	0
2009	Brandfort	26	Hennenman	12
2008	Brandfort	31	President Steyn	24
2007	Brandfort	31	Fichardtpark	15
2006	Brandfort	33	Louis Botha	12
2005	Brandfort	31	Hoërskool Bloemfontein	24
2004	Brandfort	25	Zastron	9
2003	Brandfort	51	Ladybrand	0
2002	Brandfort	21	Hoërskool Bloemfontein	20
2001	Brandfort	?	?	?
2000	Brandfort	60	Zastron	0