March 2024
Johannesburg’s two best English-medium rugby schools Jeppe and KES have named their 1st XV’s to do battle in two serious big asking fixtures.
Jeppe takes on Garsfontein on Wednesday, 13 March while KES are up against high-flying Noordheuwel.
It has been a week of emotions for the Jeppe boys following the tragic death of 2nd XV u17 player Kaiden Bowie after a midweek warmup match last week. The school motto is Forti nihil difficilius, meaning “Nothing is too difficult for the brave”.
Garsfontein in Pretoria on Berepark will be a colossal challenge.
Brand new head coach and educator Drickus Venter makes his formal 1st XV rugby debut for the high profile high school from Kensington.
Big things are expected from KES in 2024. A super team on paper and now they have to prove their worth on grass. In their last Saturday warm-up, they beat St John’s College 20-5. However from there, the step-up required to match the energy level of their hosts Noordheuwel, is still a big one, particularly since Nories have two useful on the road results already. This official first match for the Red Army is on Saturday 16 March.
KES coach Marco Engelbrecht is still one of the youngest head coaches in SA tier-one.
Read: The Red Army Rising – KES ready to give it a full go in 2024
| TEAM | JEPPE | TEAM | GARSFONTEIN | ||
| 1 | Andre Poulton | 1 | |||
| 2 | Bonga Nxumalo | 2 | |||
| 3 | Luca Trevisan | 3 | |||
| 4 | Nathan Boyder | 4 | |||
| 5 | Luke Cannon | 5 | |||
| 6 | Wanga Ndou | 6 | |||
| 7 | Nathan Claassen | 7 | |||
| 8 | Risima Khosa | 8 | |||
| 9 | Talent Sithole | 9 | |||
| 10 | Matthew Coetzee | 10 | |||
| 11 | Leruo Dithagiso | 11 | |||
| 12 | McMillen Mongwana | 12 | |||
| 13 | Khuthadzo Rasivhaga | 13 | |||
| 14 | Lesego Zungu | 14 | |||
| 15 | Sanele Simelane | 15 | |||
| Coach | DRICKUS VENTER | Coach | JOHAN DU PLESSIS | ||
| TEAM | KES | TEAM | NOORDHEUWEL | ||
| 1 | C White | 1 | |||
| 2 | Siphosethu Mndebelele | 2 | |||
| 3 | N vd Merwe | 3 | |||
| 4 | Chinedu Amadi | 4 | |||
| 5 | Thomas Beling | 5 | |||
| 6 | James Kabrowisky | 6 | |||
| 7 | S Bruwer | 7 | |||
| 8 | Kebotile Maake | 8 | |||
| 9 | Raymond Gordon | 9 | |||
| 10 | Vusi Moyo | 10 | |||
| 11 | Haniel Monkoti | 11 | |||
| 12 | Tristan Maugeri | 12 | |||
| 13 | Olunje Mehlomakulu | 13 | |||
| 14 | Jarrell Mbuyi | 14 | |||
| 15 | M Methula | 15 | |||
| Coach | MARCO ENGELBRECHT | Coach |
@Roger (Comment #6)
Yeah the KES forwards made it happen. Kebotile Maake isn’t the biggest no.8 around but very good at riding a tackle.
Nories were really flat. Almost felt like they didn’t pitch for this match.
good result for KES – was 31-20 after full time – Ref blew whistle and players shook hands only for ref to notice linesman had called an infringement. Game on again and Norries scored. KES will need to work on their kick off receipts – Norries scores twice (I think) from poor kick receipts – and their scrum creaked a bit in the 2nd half – otherwise a solid win against a good team. By all accounts it was bloody hot in Kdorp so well played to both teams. Kes play Grey Bloem on Friday – good luck to the Reds!!
@beet (Comment #3)
Matt makes rugby look easy ….. third year as our ten ….. He has all the time in the world on the ball and his defense is solid
@wanza_15 (Comment #1)
Moyo is an exceptional fly half who can dictate a game, had very astute primary school coaches who identified his talent early… Gordon at 9 is indeed the brother of Travis, and a SA schools basketball player. But watch out for hooker Mndebelele…high quality.
@Ringo (Comment #2)
@wanza_15 (Comment #1)
One of my disappointments of last year was that Jeppe flyhalf Matthew Coetzee didn’t make a Lions youth week team. Awesome player to watch in action. Classy and seems to be able to slow down time when he’s on the ball.
@wanza_15 (Comment #1)
Yes that is the Simalane of the Stormers….. the Jeppe back line this year could be something to marvel at …. lots of flair …. not sure about defense … but overall every year I get surprised at the standard of rugby I like seeing the depth and just different culture and acumen that has developed in the school….. however I must say the fixture list for Jeppe is unbelievably tough it is actually bordering
on insane…. in the next 8 weeks they play Garsfontein, Boys High, Paarl Boys really,Grey College I am mean Grey freaking College , Queens College, Hoer Skool Brandwag, Saints , Westville, Affies who might be the number 1 SBR team this year in RSA and then Kes a hot Kes at that…… that is too tough …. by comparison when I was at Jeppe Saints ,DHS , Kes and Boys High were our four hardest fixtures….. change is awesome but I think the games are too tough
A few positional changes on the Jeppe side I notice, perhaps necessary to. Very very excited for this 12 and 13 Jeppe Craven Week centre pairing on offense. Big year also for our 8 Khoza, who’ll be looking to break into the Craven Week team having played Academy Week last year at Lock. I believe he is headboy as well. He is an absolute unit of a schoolboy.
KES hooker obviously stands out, another joke of a schoolboy, ridiculous unit. I recall Moyo at 10 as well again, expect some more mature performances from him this year too.
Jeppe had a strong 1st and 2nd team but an under par 16A team in 2023.
7 of last years grade 11s are back
KES a strong 1st and 16A and an “okay” 2nd team in 2023.
Noticing some big surnames as well on both teams, old boys and legends of both schools. Does that Jeppe fullback have any relation to Wandisile Simelane?
The KES 9, any relation to Travis Gordon? If either of them could turn out to be half the players their brothers were then we’re in for something special.