The ten-time Noordvaal Cup winners, Monument, bounced back from their winless streak in July to record an emphatic 87-8 victory over Rustenburg at Ras van Rooyen Field in Krugersdorp. In the other three matches of great interest, the results worked out in the favour of the Witbulle™, allowing coach Tjaart van der Walt’s team to qualify for the semi-finals on 17 August 2024, with a game in hand.
In arguably the most competitive season since the famed Cup converted into a proper Premier League format, the day started with an all-out battle involving Helpmekaar, Noordheuwel, and even Garsfontein and Nelspruit for a berth in the playoffs, with four top schools gunning for two places.
Helpmekaar traveled to Garsfontein’s Berepark for the feature match of the round. With this being their last match of the league round, the private school visitors had to win to improve their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals. At the same time, a loss would have left defending champions Garsies vulnerable to missing out on the chance to capture their fourth title in under a decade. After the hosts got off to a great start and produced top-quality goal-line defense to stop Helpmekaar’s surges, the Boys in Brown drew level thanks to two excellent finishes by left wing Pieter Moller, aided by classing goal-kicking by flyhalf Michael Benzien. From 14-all onwards, it was a try-for-try shootout with action reminiscent of the 2023 league round match that ended 49-48 to Garsies. Helpmekaar got themselves into a 40-33 lead as the game approached a thrilling last 10-minute ending. Garsfontein went right back into attack-mode and a yellow card reduced Helpies to 14-players for at a key point in the match. The Bere capitalised by drawing level for the last time before going ahead with two more tries to close off the match 54-40 and secure a post-season path. It was agony for Helpmekaar ahead of their holidays. Certainly, the uncharacteristic 19-31 away loss to Rustenburg on 20 July proved to be a defining point that cost Helpmekaar a chance to end their 49-year-long wait for a first cup win since they claimed their third one in 1975.
In Pretoria, Menlopark accounted for one of the shock outcomes of the season when they beat Noordheuwel 26-19. Despite the losing bonus, Noordheuwel, who have one of the fastest growing rugby profiles in SA schoolboy rugby at the moment thanks to good performances. They now find themselves with too much ground to make up on Monnas with one game left to go.
In the other matches table topping EG Jansen continued along their unbeaten ways. This time the OosRanders rom-rom-rommed to a convincing 50-7 win against Nelspruit, ending the latter’s wonderful run of four wins in a row in the competition and with it their faint hopes of a place in the semis. The Jansies’ maiden Cup title was in 2013.
As predicted, Waterkloof also secured their place in the playoffs with a 47-14 win against bottom school Marais Viljoen. Klofies will now be without their head coach Cobus van Dyk for the final game against Monument and for the semifinal. Former hooker, Cobus is the scrum-doctor for the two SA u18 teams getting together this coming week ahead of participating in the international series starting on 12 August.
| # | NOORDVAAL CUP | P | W | D | L | PD | MP | 4T | 7< | PTS | EG | WK | GF | Mo | HM | NH | NS | RB | MP | MV |
| 1 | EG Jansen | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 163 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 38 | X | 32-32 | 32-15 | 27-19 | 34-30 | 50-07 | 48-21 | 62-22 | 32-08 | |
| 2 | Waterkloof | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 99 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 34 | 32-32 | X | 47-36 | 31-29 | 32-53 | 61-17 | 45-33 | 51-33 | 47-14 | |
| 3 | Garsfontein | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 162 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 33 | 36-47 | X | 31-28 | 54-40 | 44-37 | 29-30 | 74-12 | 90-14 | 31-19 | |
| 4 | Monument | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 156 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 27 | 15-32 | 28-31 | X | 31-25 | 36-33 | 12-21 | 87-08 | 59-25 | 63-00 | |
| 5 | Helpmekaar | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 72 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 25 | 19-27 | 29-31 | 40-54 | 25-31 | X | 26-15 | 72-19 | 19-31 | 31-19 | 62-24 |
| 6 | Noordheuwel | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 30-34 | 53-32 | 37-44 | 33-36 | 15-26 | X | 40-34 | 19-26 | 31-24 | |
| 7 | Nelspruit | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | -111 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 07-50 | 17-61 | 30-29 | 21-12 | 19-72 | X | 19-22 | 32-28 | 33-15 | |
| 8 | Rustenburg | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | -149 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 21-48 | 33-45 | 12-74 | 08-87 | 31-19 | 34-40 | 22-19 | X | 51-29 | |
| 9 | Menlopark | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -170 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 22-62 | 33-51 | 14-90 | 25-59 | 19-31 | 26-19 | 28-32 | X | 40-33 | |
| 10 | Marais Viljoen | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -224 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 07 | 08-32 | 14-47 | 19-31 | 00-63 | 24-62 | 24-31 | 15-33 | 29-51 | 33-40 | X |
@Wonder (Comment #7)
Waterkloof sal nie hul halfeind semi finaal tuis voordeel wil verloor nie, so hul mag dalk moet voluit gaan tern Monument om hul plek te verseker. Garsfontein sal hard wil speel on dalk ook inder die eerste twee plekke te eindig en ‘n tuis semi te verseker. Ek voorspel harde games van Waterkloof en Garsfontein af. Die enigste span wat kan rus is Monument, wen of verloor, hul bly in die 4de plek vir die semi finale.
@BlouLou (Comment #9)
EG Jansen is so aanvallende span – gaan moelik wees om hulle van die 1 bonuspunt te weerhou, 4 drieë of binne 7 punte verloor, om nie eers te praat van om hulle te wen nie! So, ek stem saam – EG vs Monnas in Boksburg. Die ander vraag is net waar gaan Garsies en Kloof speel? Op hierdie stadium gee ons nie om vir tuis of weg nie.
@Jakes (Comment #6)
Ons sukkel met beserings in sleutelposisies so mag dalk die seer manne n extra week gee om te herstel vir n “All guns blazing” poging in semi’s. So Monnas op hul this veld moet gunstelinge wees om te wen. Sou dit Mei maand wees op Kloof se tuis veld sou ek dit anders geroep het.
4 tries = bonus point as well as loss within 7 points. Monnas is definitely 4th. Can’t be anything else. But Garsies kan pip Kloof.
You are correct. EG needs just one point to stay top.
My prediction after round 9. 1 EG. 2 Garsies. 3 KLOOF. 4 Monnas. I would love to play Garsies again at home in the semi final, but we will have to be hot to beat Monnas at home, and without a head coach….????
@Jakes (Comment #6)
Na die laaste 2 weke moet EG gunstelinge wees met Monnas (en hulle statement teen Rustenburg) 2de. Garsies se spelpeil is goed vir 3de plek en Kloof gelukkig met n 4de plek. Ons bou nog in geloof.
@Jakes (Comment #6)
Jy is reg,groot vraag is of EG teen Monnas wil speel in halfeind? Ek dink Garsies en Monnas gaan die naweek wen.
TOP 4
@beet (Comment #2)
Thanks,interesting times ahead.I believe Garsies can succesfully defend the title.
@Garsieoldboy (Comment #3)
Semi’s will be played at various venues for each age group’s team that finished 1st and 2nd. The final will be played at the highest ranked first team school to qualify for the final. It can therefore be at EG, Waterkloof or Garsfontein. The LC plan is off the table.
Do we know whether the final will be played at the school whose first team tops the table or who seeds the highest after the semi finals or will it be played at LC de Villiers sport grounds? I’ve heard some rumors that it might be played there.
@Wonder (Comment #1)
I’m not sure how the Garsies coach will play it. The NVC final is on Sat 24 August and the last international is on Tues 20 August. So players will be back by Wed 21 August. There will be time to reincorporate them into the team but it may yet prove to be a difficult call to make.
Hi Beet,if Garsies do make the final,will their three SA Schools players be available? I ask because you said above that Cobus wll miss the semi.