There are going to be some outstanding first team school rugby festivals taking place around the country between late March and early May 2013.
The build up to Easter includes both the Graeme Rugby Day, which brings together just about every top rugby school in the Eastern Cape and the NWU-Puk-Rugbyinstituut Skole Skouspel with it’s high quality field.
KwaZulu-Natal tops list of privileged regions. Locals and I’m sure many visitors will get to see the excellent annual Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, the Maritzburg College 150th, the Bizsport held at Glenwood and the icing on the cake, Wildeklawer Superskole at Maritzburg College.
Elsewhere the mother of all first team rugby festivals, the Tony Stoops Rugby Festival, attracts something like 35 schools mainly from the Western Cape, includes a visiting school from Scotland and takes place at Tygerberg in Cape Town. Oakdale in Riversdale will also be hosting their annual Easter Festival in April.
It just would not be Easter if the biggest crowd pullers, the three highly successful Gauteng festivals at KES, St John’s and St Stithian’s were not on the calendar.
DATES:
Graeme Rugby Day (GRD): Thursday 21 March 2013
NWU-Puk-Rugbyinstituut Skole Skouspel (PUK): Thursday 21 March to Monday 25 March 2013
Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF): Thursday 28 March to Monday 1 April 2013
King Edward VII (KES): Thursday 28 March to Monday 1 April 2013
St John’s: Thursday 28 March to Monday 1 April 2013
St Stithian’s (SAINTS): Thursday 28 March to Monday 1 April 2013
Maritzburg College 150th (MC 150th): Saturday 30 March to Wednesday 3 April 2013
Tony Stoops Rugby Festival: Thursday 28 March to Monday 1 April 2013
Oakdale: Saturday 30 March to Wednesday 3 April 2013
Wildeklawer (WK): Thursday 2 May to Saturday 04 May 2013
Taking stats legend BoishaaiPa’s cumulative Top 50 rankings for 2009-2012, here is a rundown of where the top schools rugby teams will be in action.
Please note that not every festival participating team has been listed below:
| RANK | SCHOOL | Easter Festival | Wildeklawer | Graeme RD/Pukke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grey College | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | |
| 2 | HJS Paarl | St Johns | Wildeklawer | |
| 3 | Affies | M.College 150th | Wildeklawer | |
| 4 | Paarl Gim | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | |
| 5 | Paul Roos | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | |
| 6 | Waterkloof | St Johns | Wildeklawer | |
| 7 | Monument | M.College 150th | Wildeklawer | |
| 8 | Noord-Kaap | M.College 150th | Wildeklawer | Pukke |
| 9 | Outeniqua | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | |
| 10 | Glenwood | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | Pukke |
| 11 | KES | KES | ||
| 12 | Grey HS | M.College 150th | Wildeklawer | Graeme RD |
| 13 | Bishops | St Stithians | ||
| 14 | Selborne | Kearsney | Graeme RD | |
| 15 | St Andrews | St Stithians | Graeme RD | |
| 16 | Boland Landbou | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | |
| 17 | Framesby | Kearsney | Wildeklawer | Pukke |
| 18 | EG Jansen | Kearsney | ||
| 19 | HTS Drostdy | Wildeklawer | Pukke | |
| 20 | Dale College | M.College 150th | Graeme RD | |
| 21 | Westville | Kearsney | Graeme RD | |
| 22 | Garsfontein | KES | Pukke | |
| 23 | Maritzburg College | M.College 150th | Wildeklawer | |
| 24 | Oakdale | Oakdale | Wildeklawer | |
| 25 | Rondebosch | M.College 150th | ||
| 26 | Tygerberg | Bizsport | ||
| 27 | Florida | Pukke | ||
| 28 | Diamantveld | Oakdale | Wildeklawer | |
| 29 | Marlow | KES | Graeme RD | |
| 30 | Kearsney | Kearsney | ||
| 31 | Michaelhouse | – | ||
| 32 | Centurion | KES | ||
| 33 | Queens College | M.College 150th | Graeme RD | |
| 34 | Wynberg BHS | St Stithians | ||
| 35 | Kempton Park | Bizsport | ||
| 36 | Oudshoorn | Oakdale | ||
| 37 | Hilton | St Stithians | ||
| 38 | Daniel Pienaar | St Johns | ||
| 39 | HTS Middelburg | |||
| 40 | Die Brandwag | Bizsport | Graeme RD | |
| 41 | Sentraal | Oakdale | ||
| 42 | Landboudal | |||
| 43 | Middelburg | Bizsport | ||
| 44 | Punt | |||
| 45 | Ben Vorster | Bizsport | ||
| 46 | Menlopark | KES | ||
| 47 | Nelspruit | St Johns | ||
| 48 | Hentie Cilliers | |||
| 49 | SACS | St Stithians | ||
| 50 | Jim Fouche | Bizsport | ||
| 51 | Hugenote (Well) | Oakdale | ||
| 52 | Pretoria BH | St Stithians | ||
| 53 | Ermelo | |||
| 54 | Pionier | |||
| 55 | Nico Malan | Kearsney | Graeme RD | |
| 56 | Augsburg | Oakdale | ||
| 57 | St Stithians | St Stithians | ||
| 58 | Alberton | |||
| 59 | Voortrekker (Beth) | |||
| 60 | Klerksdorp | Pukke | ||
| 61 | Worcester Gim | Tony Stoops | ||
| 62 | Louis Botha | Oakdale | ||
| 63 | Marais Viljoen | St Johns | ||
| 64 | Potchefstoom Gim | Pukke | ||
| 65 | Rustenburg | Pukke | ||
| 66 | Welkom Gim | |||
| 67 | Transvalia | Pukke | ||
| 68 | Kingswood | KES | Graeme RD | |
| 69 | Kroonstad | |||
| 70 | Helpmekaar | St Stithians | ||
| 71 | De Kuilen | Tony Stoops | ||
| 72 | Stellenberg | Bizsport | ||
| 73 | Strand | Oakdale | ||
| 74 | DHS | M.College 150th | ||
| 75 | Swartland | Tony Stoops | ||
| 76 | Durbanville | |||
| 77 | Upington | |||
| 78 | Duineveld | |||
| 79 | Eldoraigne | KES | ||
| 80 | George Campbell | Bizsport | ||
| 81 | Jeppe | M.College 150th | ||
| 82 | Merensky | Bizsport | ||
| 83 | Northwood | |||
| 84 | Bellville | Oakdale | ||
| 85 | Charlie Hofmeyer | |||
| 86 | Pietersburg | |||
| 87 | Brackenfell | Oakdale | ||
| 88 | Langenhoven Gim | Oakdale | ||
| 89 | St Johns | St Johns | ||
| 90 | Graeme College | Graeme RD | ||
| 91 | Muir College | Graeme RD | ||
| 92 | Fichardpark | |||
| 93 | Parktown | KES | ||
| 94 | Brits | |||
| 95 | Despatch | Tony Stoops | ||
| 96 | St Albans | St Stithians | ||
| 97 | St Benedicts | St Stithians | ||
| 98 | DF Malan | |||
| 99 | Kroonstad (Blouskool) | |||
| 100 | HTS Bellville | |||
| – | Hudson Park | KES | Graeme RD | |
| – | Schoonspruit | St Stithians | ||
| – | Lichtenburg | KES | ||
| – | Itembilihle | Bizsport | ||
| – | Die Anker | Bizsport | ||
| – | Noordheuwel | St Johns | ||
| – | New Orleans | St Johns | ||
| – | Benoni | Bizsport | ||
| Not SA | Trinityhouse | KES | ||
| Not SA | Windhoek | St Stithians | ||
| Not SA | St Johns (Zim) | St Johns | ||
| Not SA | Windhoek Gim | St Johns | ||
| Not SA | Filton (Eng) | St Johns | ||
| Not Sch | Invitation XV | KES | Wildeklawer | |
| Not Sch | Golden Lions Inv XV | St Johns |
@Umtata: Startling stuff from Kaunda.Telling it as it is.
@Playa: @QC86: no all of QC86’s boys are Selborne lads, all 3 don the black and white, I had the pleasure of watching all 3 at Selborne, the middle boy, is part of a freaking talented u15 side, those boys can play
@Playa: http://www.grassrootsrugby.co.za/
Please read this article by K Ntunja
@Playa: i left Queens in good standing,would hate to ruin that with my kids
@QC86: Shona is not too far from Xhosa, he’ll manage.
Are you sending your son to Queens?
@Playa: hey my youngest is leaving Selborne Primary in a months time,so you are welcome to him,we have had the best of him,i know he can speak Xhosa but i think he will battle with the Shona lineout calls
he will be a huge loss to all of us,as a friend and as the opposition.
@QC86: Will the new coach have to look at the Eye of Isis as well?
@QC86: Yep! I had to drown my sorroes in a bottle of Bells whisky last night after I got the news.A huge loss, just as we were getting our rugby right. :sad:
I think maybe we should put an offer to Adam Robertson to come back home and leave the baby fish, hey QC86?
@Umtata: yes Steve Turner will be back,not first team coach ready yet,in a year or twos time
@QC86: really sad news after the great year Dale has had. I hope the next coach picks up where he left of. Is Mr Turrner staying?
@QC86: very sad news, a legend in the Border schoolboy rugby circles. Huge loss for Dalian rugby
@walrus: Thanks. Done.
@Walrus: TSRF runs from 28 March to 1 April. Keep
the flag flying !
@beet: read in todays paper that the Dale coach Griffy is leaving,going to Cape Town to help coach Hamiltons rugby club’s younger sides :sad:
@QC86: Yes based on the number or returning players, I also expect Outeniqua to have another good season in 2013.
@Player24: Kwaggas are not a team to mess with,top 5 in 2013,just wait and see
I just hope the organisers of the festivals do the matchups with insight, would like to see NK against Grey Bloem at WK and Affies against Outeniqua. Great prospects.
@beet: I am not up to date with what happened there, but if my (failing) memory serves me correctly, the winning margin when the two sides met in, I think the Kovsie/ Shimla ?? final, there were less than 5 points in it at the end.
@Ploegskaar: Sorry, the question was actually directed at BHP
@BOG: BoishaaiPa may be able to confirm that, I have no idea what goes on at HJS.
@BOG: The roles seemed to be reversed in the Griqualand-Wes CW team. Here NK players made up the majority and one by one the DV players dropped out. They selected with 5 Diamantveld players and I think 2 went to CW and 1 player, Granville Adams got suspended after CW. Hope I got my facts right.
@Ploegskaar: Yes, I also thought that this year, was the last of Boishaais commitment to St Johns and that from next yr, they would be at KERF. Is that not what you said at some point?
@BoishaaiPa: Are you guys touring next year? Definitely the most glaring absentee from the KERF lineup.
@BoishaaiPa: That is what I thought and said to Beet- due to school politics.Yet they play together in the same CW side.
@BOG: The way I understand it is that NK and Diamantveld had some issues and NK declined the offer of participating because it was being held at DV. I might be wrong on that count, but I heard it from a relativly reliable source. That is why they accepted this year.
@All Black: I do appologize if that is the impression that I gave, I assumed a sence of humour and a bit of niggle, when looking at the banter between the KZN boys on the DHS/Glenwood thread, was in order. I was mistaken.
I see you are one of those people trolling for reaction. Enjoy.
@All Black: I do appologize for the ambiguous statement, the leftovers will in fact not be at KERF.
@Ploegskaar: Not sure what you mean? Only the best going to KERF or what was left over?
@All Black: Well, as I said, only the best on offer was invited.
6 of the teams attending the MC150TH festival will be attending the WK Festival. DHS, Dale, Queens and Rondebosch will not be at WK. Would have thought that Dale would be at WK? Interesting.
@beet: With the KERF lineup for 2013, it will be an honour and privilage for the Landbou boys to test their small school against the best SBR has to offer. If I look at the list of possible opponents, clearly only the best on offer was invited…
@BOG: Boggel, we all want to play and beat the best, so just keep rolling with the punches. Although probably only a minor success in the illustrious history of Grey, I think the scalp of the top agri-school in SA would sit nicely in the cabinet.
@Ludz: Hehehehehe…I was lucky enough to miss it!
@BOG: Okay we are on the same page then. Both referring to Wildeklawer that NK decided not to attend. I could not remember NK having backed out of a GCB interschools game that’s why I sort clarity. :smile:
@BoishaaiPa: Yes, Grey beat Dale that year.I remember,Mr Deon Boschoff who was the Dale coach being peeved to lose to as he put it:”A mediocre Grey side”.This in a year when Dale’s only other losses were to Selborne (twice).
:grin: @Playa: hehehehe, it’s always good to get a Dalian
Missed the Queenian-Dalian banter, I was lucky enough to watch that game
@beet: Are you talking about their clash at WK? NK was invited to play at WK and it was said that one of the matches would be against GCB. But they declined the invitation for unspecified reasons- probably more to do with local school politics than for any other reason. But its speculation. As far as their annual clash was concerned, you know that Grey gives preference to derbys, where the whole school can participate- from the 1st to U14/G side, from chess to debating and mountain biking. With NK just being able to provide 3 snr sides and given the results up until then, the decision was a foregone conclusion. Again, just speculation.
@BOG: I remember Noord-Kaap not going to WK last year but remind me what was the reason for scrapping their Grey College fixture?
@Playa: 1994 was not one of Grey’s best years, but they only lost 30-36 to Monnas..Perhaps the 6 point margin was a record for Monnas at the time!…Grey lost 8 matches in 1994, I stand corrected but I think the most they ever lost in any year..They did beat the likes of Affies 13-6 and Dale College 30-6 though!
Funny how Monnas get invited to the Big 3 every year……Pukke Skouspel, Kearsney and Wildeklawer…..could it be the hard, uncompromising style of play or the friendly spirit of their support?
They might have a bad year every now and then but they never shy away from opposition(even if the pitches are wet) and play whoever’s in front of them. You can also always count on the opposition having a few bumps and bruises afterwards. After all it’s a contact sport…..isn’t it?
@Playa: Sorry,my memory is not what it used to be and Im sure you have gathered that. I remember another similar story by a supporter from a rural school in KZN a few years ago. The story was told that while on tour, they had beaten Grey and Paul Roos. It turned out to be Greytown and Paul Roux in the FS. The same “misunderstanding” applies to Affies which is an abbreviation for Afrikaans hoer.There are several throughout SA. But we know what is meant when we talk of Affies ito SBR.
@Playa: Im not so sure. Again, I was out of the country then(conveniently).But I remember vaguely that they did lose in the 90s when GCB had a similar team to this year. But for them to single out one year as representative or reflection of a pattern, tells you something of Greys reputation.Like a gambler- they remember the winnings but the losses somehow have been removed from the memory bank.I remember in the 70/80s, a Monna supporter saying” Ons het julle(GCB) lekker gedruk in die skrums, ne?”- forgetting that Grey was scoring tries while they were “drukking” Grey in the scrums. But they have been playing regularly ever since.
@Ploegskaar: Yes, by your reasoning and that of Andre T here, Grey has been “avoiding” many schools, some for 150 years. GCB has “avoided” Vrede since 1948. They have also been “avoiding” many other schools, it would seem- Wepener, Rouxville, Put-sonder-Water,Reddersburg, Bultfontein, Greytown,Danielskuil, just to mention a few. But, they have been playing Marlow in recent times
@beet: I’ve got the stats dont worry…Will send it tomorrow.
@Ludz: Its good to be here amongst some good old proper bloggers.
As for the mishap that happened at the Rec in August…well…let’s let sleeping dogs lie…hehehehe
@beet: I believe GCB canned their annual fixture against Monnas after the JHB boys gave them a record beating in 1994.Any truth in that, BOG?
@BOG: Oh.I didnt know about that.But it should still be an interesting affair given Noord Kaap’s new lease on life.
@Ploegskaar: The Landbou head of rugby must push for this fixture. KERF is an ideal opportunity for a game against Grey.
College 150th Year program. Skonk is from 29th March till 3 April.
http://www.maritzburgcollege.org.za/component/content/article/10-main-links/277-150th-celebration-2013-summary-of-events
Wildeklawer not on this – that is 2nd to 4th May
@Griffon:
oh ohk. thanks, was worried there.
the DHS boys always look forward to the festival…
@BOG: Maybe Grey should play Landbou as well, you’ve been avoiding this fixture for 50 years. The result will obviously be a foregone conclusion, but the GCB boys will enjoy the honest hard rugby.
@ Hosry : I just thought incorrectly. Honestly not sure about there u16 Skonk. Just thought with there being the 150th tournament and the amount of teams that attend Skonk, 1 of the age groups wuold be cut, due to accomadation. Just a wrong thought. But I know this year that the u14 and 16 Westville teams had to drive up from Westville on their game days, because of not having accommodation
@BOG: yep the history of the fixture, we should never have lost it in the 1st place. Queen’s are indeed the most successful opposition against Grey which says a lot, would’ve loved a bus trip up to Bloem to play you guys in my time. Hopefully reinstated in the near future
@Ludz: A derby with so much tradition, goes beyond the scores and if I remember, Queens have the best record against GCB, especially during the 80s. Thankfully I was abroad then for a couple of yrs and there was no internet then. Years ago, you could hardly tell the difference between the parade ground, outer rugby fields and the tennis courts, so the Rec would have been a bargain back then. I suppose things have changed now.
As far as I know the SKONK will continue – I had a chat to Steve Botha a while back about a certain team looking for an invite, made the introduction and left it there.
As far as I know the Skonk follows the MC150th and possibly even dovetails on some of the other school grounds for part of the festival. They have enough grounds for all the schools to play – and may use some of the other schools in the area too for this anniversary year.
@Griffon:
Why is there no U16 skonk???
@BOG: would be nice to get Grey derby back, hopefully not as 1 sided as it had become when they stopped it
Would love to see what you okes could do on the Rec
@Playa: Playa welcome to the new home of schoolboy rugby, hope you well it’s been a while
Pretty keen to see what you think of the last match between our Alma Mater. Was a match of high quality
Just wondering with there not being an u16 skonk next year, and Glenwood and MHS being the only schools going to the Paarl tournament, what will the other u16’s be doing during this time?
@beet: If I remember correctly, a GCB / NK clash was on the cards last year, but as you may recall, NK then withdrew. It was possibly NKs best chance of a victory. In all the clashes so far, I dont think NK has won one.Personally, I think there is more merit in a Grey clash vs MC or Queens College (Resumption of derbys)
@Playa: Overdue? Until a few years ago, it was an annual fixture, and the scores not very flattering for NC- one of the reasons why they were suspended, I think
I just had an idea. What about a Westville vs Glenwood match at KERF???
Grey Bloem will probably play Paarl Gym at KERF. I think Kearsney might be their other opponents since they played Westville last year. Also I think Glenwood, Selborne, Paul Roos are set interschools GCB fixtures next year so its going to be one of the rest for GCB as a 3rd game: EG, Boland Landbou, Outeniqua, Nico Malan, Framesby.
@Playa: I suspect that one of the teams Grey Bloem will be wanting to play at WK is Monument because they don’t have an annual fixture in place. To a lesser degree the other is Waterkloof for the same reasons. So I’ll go out on a limp and say the chances of a GCB vs Noord-Kaap match are very slim but it would be good to see these schools battle it out on a rugby field.
I would really like to see a Grey College vs Noord Kaap clash at Wildeklawer.This fixture is long overdue, and I hope HK are as strong as they have been in the last 3 years next year.
Closer to home, a Maritzburg-Dale clash at the MC 150 Festival will be of great interest.Seeing that the 2 sides are tied 3-3 in historical head to head.This to would be the game to break the deadlock.
As always, of the Easter Festival, Kearsney is the most mouthwatering one.
@All Black:
haha that ”just keep them’is perhaps the hardest thing to do for a recovering school.
if we do that then things will come together…
@HORSEFLY NO.1: There is enough talent at DHS if they can just keep them. The boys at the school are just as passionate but need to be given direction. Some of my hardest matches were against DHS. Need that back. Can be achieved with the right people.
@beet:
i remember that late in the season last year we were about 32nd but went down a bit due to inactivity in the 3rd term
then again, glenwood lost to northwood.
@HORSEFLY NO.1: I don’t know HF1. I think you are being optimistic esp about 2011 when House + Hilton were weak and you lost at home to Northwood. But I’ve asked for DHS’s ranking so lets see if BHP can help settle this with some stats.
@HORSEFLY NO.1:
dont think so. in 2010 we were at about 60, 2011 top 40 and this year i dont know but around top 65 . not thaaat far down now…
the College 150th will be very tough hey…
@All Black:
yip thats true but i guess all i can say now is that its a work in progress.
@All Black: I imagine EG and HTS are in the Monnas bracket in terms of no. of teams they field.
The list is really just a Top 50 with 22 other well-known teams included at the end. I suspect DHS would be even further down if all schools had to be included. They must be at about 100+ over the last 4 years combined.
Sad to see DHS so far down the list. KZN needs them back in the top 20.
Sorry, got them mixed up. Glenwood to play Monnas. How big are EG Jansen and HTS Middleburg? PBHS is a great fixture. Not sure about the Bulls refs though. LOL.
@All Black: I didn’t see Monnas on the Westville list but it’s definitely on Glenwood’s fixture list. Westville have added Pretoria Boys High though.
I also believe that all this exposure is going to get the bigger schools playing each other as school fixtures in the future. I hear that Westville is now playing Monument as a fixture. Good stuff. Would like to see College doing the same.
Wildeklawer still the Festival to aim for. Last year there were one or two big scores but it looks like these teams will all be very competitive. Almost every school in the country that is ranked in the top 25 will be playing in KZN some time next year.
@star: There was no mention of the W/Cape but I got confirmation that MHS will be touring Namibia over Easter
@Rugger fan: They were not even invited to Graeme Day
They mentioned that they find it hard to arrange fixtures against the local big schools.
beet – have you left Ithembile off the list?
@beet: Done.
@ Beet- I think MHS is touring CT and Namibia. Maybe a few of the CT schools ( SACS,Bosch,Wynberg) could confirm this.
@Prontus: I’m really looking forward to seeing Boland Landbou + Outeniqua + Rondebosch over Easter.
You should change your username at the same time as the jersey change
@beet: Agreed, Kersney and Wildeklawer by far the best on offer. Good to see that no.15, according to these dubious rankings, will be at both festivals.
Beet, can you change that avatar to a Boland Landbou jersey, please, the current one feels extremely uncomfortable…
@All Black: They must be going on an overseas tour surely?
Well between the Easter Kearsney & MC150th – then the Wildeklawer – KZN is having the cream of the crop next year.
And there is the Skonk U15 week too at MC.
I see Michaelhouse still not part of any festival.
So many factors go into making a school rugby festival a success but purely in terms of attracting the best ranked teams, it looks like Kearsney (KERF)is still the number 1 Easter Rugby Festival.