Waterkloof centres Happy Makate and Riwan van Aswegen have been outstanding this season. They have been instrumental in Klofies enjoying a season to remember, earning them the NWU Sportsreek Cup earlier in the year and now presenting the opportunity to make it a double when they take on defending champions Garsfontein in the prestigious Noordvaal Cup final on Saturday, 24 August 2024.
On a national scale, the midfield spotlight has largely fallen on the Grey College duo of Pieter van der Merwe and Ethan Adams. Also receiving rave reviews have been Paarl Gim’s twin threats, Kobus Blankenburg and Markus Muller.
With the Cape season behind us, it’s a chance for all schoolboy rugby enthusiasts to focus on the Noordvaal final, and with it, a fantastic opportunity for Makate and Van Aswegen to demonstrate the BMT (Big Match Temperament) that has translated into points all season long.
Makate is a gifted player, combining vision and power with the footwork and pace needed to make things happen—whether as a playmaker, line-breaker, or finisher. Van Aswegen is a tall player with a potentially bright future ahead of him after school. He’s an old-school, outside-line-seeking ball-runner with a solid hand-off, making him a difficult player to stop.
Garsfontein, however, have firepower of their own in the centres. Luann Olivier will likely line up opposite Makate at inside centre. Like Makate, Olivier has spent considerable time at openside flank—a back-row position in which he excels to the extent that he could easily be considered the best in the country. However, Garsies have a need at 12, where Olivier’s robust play serves the team well.
At 13, Van Aswegen will be opposed by the equally tall Ruan Enslin. Like Olivier, Enslin also made a big name for himself in a different 1st XV position during 2023, as a pacey wing and top-notch try-scorer.
All in all, it promises to be a mouthwatering midfield battle.
Waterkloof also have other assets in their team, with a lot of experience carried over from 2023. Their lineouts function exceptionally well as an attacking platform, with the likes of Stephan de Beer and Alrich Uys to rely on. The eye-catching player is stocky hooker Ruan Jacobs, a proven big-ball carrier who is hard to stop. The big Garsfontein pack is “kookwater” when they bring their A-game, especially in the scrum. Tighthead prop Luan van der Berg is still U17 this year, but he is already a potent force in the set-piece. Loose forward Stephan Pretorius is another difference-maker in the loose.
At scrumhalf, Klofies have another dangerous ball-in-hand player in Migael Prinsloo, while fullback Ronan Bastiaanse is among the most accurate points machines from the kicking tee in South Africa. Garsies, meanwhile, will look for attacking initiative from livewire flyhalf Junade Pasensie.
It’s set to be a showpiece finale to a great season!
@Grizzly (Comment #34)
ek het ongelukkig nog niks gehoor van wat by die eerstes gebeur nie. sal bietjie laatweet sodra ek iets uitvind maar as mens kyk na die graad 11’s en die o16s van hierdie jaar dan behoort dinge nie te sleg te lyk volgende jaar nie. Daar was selfs n paar nuwe manne by die o16s maar 2 van hulle kon nie verskriklik baie speel nie as gevolg van beserings en siektes.
@garsieboy (Comment #33)
Great stuff!!Die eerstes as jy weet?
@Grizzly (Comment #32)
Ek is nie presies seker hoe die groep lyk vir volgende jaar nie maar van wat ek al hier en daar gesien en gehoor het lyk dit vir my asof dit weer n yster groep gaan wees en dinge gaan net van sterk na sterker selfs gaan vir garsies se junior spanne. Een ding is verseker ek dink ons kan maar weereens opgewonde raak oor volgende jaar se o14 groep!
@garsieboy (Comment #10)
Weet jy hoe gaan Garsies se /14 lyk volgende jaar?Gaan hulle weer n wille groep in kry?
@Chronicle (Comment #30)
Defence for sure! But also counter attacking I haven’t seen in a long time at schoolboy level. Everytime Kloof turned the ball over it looked like trouble. We knew the team had it in them… even after the 6-game losing streak. What about the 6-game winning streak to take the title? Noordheuwel, Helpies, Monnas, EG Jansen twice and then Kloof in 6 weeks! That was SPECIAL!
@Hanswors (Comment #13)
Your logic turned out to ne true!
Now what does your logic say about the Boks vs NZ?
@Kantman (Comment #12)
You nailed it. Defence played a massive role in winning the match. Garsfontein scored 6 tries and Waterkloof 2 + a penalty try. I suppose schools who get their defences right will henceforth win more than lose!
Very nice game, both teams attacked nicely. Bere stronger but I was disappointed with the cynical spear tackle, and yellow card offenses. Must say, the ref was very firm and brave to reduce Garsies to 12…(yikes wtf??), he was strict but fair…how many times would players have gotten away scot free with those cynical plays…?
Fantasties Bere.
Baie geluk Bere!Ek het geweet na die wen op Monnas!Geluk Kloof en welcome back!
Lekker finaal om na te kyk – baie geluk Garsfontein!
Knap gedaan beide Executive Outcomes en Waterkloof. Dit was nader as wat ek verwag het.
Winners so far today…
U 14 Rustenburg
U 15 Monument
@Kantman (Comment #21)
My misgis, gesog garsies se Onder 15’s is ook daar
@4×4 (Comment #18)
U15? Wat bedoel jy?
@Chronicle (Comment #19)
@Kantman (Comment #17)
Now that I read your name, it reminds me of a certain expression Bongi used.😄😄😄😄
Garsies Omder 15 en XV. Garsies Noordvaal Kampione!
@Wonder (Comment #16)
Ek Wonder of julle nie te veel dinge hoor nie? Klink vir my soos Rassie voor hy die ABs speel …
@Rugbyman (Comment #14)
Ek het dieselfde gehoor. Kloof glo hulle gaan vir Garsies bêre in die eerste helfte want Garsies speel net in die tweede helfte!
@Hanswors (Comment #13)
Hoeveel post matrieks in Kloof se span? Ons weet van Happy.
@Hanswors (Comment #13)
Neewat ou Hans… daars geen ding soos ‘n maklike finaal nie! Het wel op goeie authority gehoor Kloof wou ons in die finaal speel omdat ons die “makliker” game is…
#10 Garsies gaan die een maklik wen.
Hulle is verseker die gunsteling al het Waterkloof hulle vroer die jaar gewen. Op daardie stadium vroeg in die seisoen het al die nuwe Garsie seuns nog nie die skoollied geken nie maar nou is hulle al ingeburger.
Daar is 12/13 Craven en Akademie span spelers en 2 SA skole spelers in die Garsie span teenoor omtrent 3/4 in die Waterkloof span……die logika se dan mos daar behoort net 1 wenner te wees.
@beet (Comment #11)
Defence is probably going to win this final, but recent games indicate there should be a lot of tries in the final 10 minutes.
I measured the Top 6 for this season’s premier league. I think the average score is 37-29 in these games.
SCHOOL P – W – D – L – PF – PA – PD
1 Waterkloof 6 – 4 – 1 – 1 – 230 – 229 – 1
2 Garsfontein 6 – 5 – 0 – 1 – 231 – 192 – 39
3 EG Jansen 6 – 3 – 1 – 2 – 165 – 162 – 3
4 Monument 6 – 2 – 0 – 4 – 189 – 209 – -20
5 Helpmekaar 5 – 1 – 0 – 4 – 139 – 158 – -19
6 Noordheuwel 5 – 1 – 0 – 4 – 168 – 172 – -4
Waterkloof is beslis die gunstelinge in hierdie een!! Veral na die wen teen Garsies vroeer in die seisoen selfs al het Garsies se span aansienlik baie verander en hulle n paar goeie wenne nou agter die blad het. Waterkloof sal ook tuisvoordeel geniet en ek reken dit is wat dinge so effens in hulle guns sit. Maar as die regte Garsies span opdaag en nie die een van vroeer in die seisoen teen kloof nie dan gaan dit nag wees vir kloof🐻
I am gonna go 42-35 for Waterkloof
Shout out to SuperSport Schools. Allowing us to watch matches of both schools since whenever. I was impressed with the physicality of Waterkloof’s pack. Only Affies managed to dominate them and it is reflected in the score. Also Affies’ defence was of high quality keeping Waterkloof’s attacks at bay.
Watched Grey vs Paul Roos too and I still don’t know what to make of the score. Almost as if Grey did not pitch up. But even if they did, I think no team would have beaten Paul Roos. Completely obliterated Grey!
@Bloktrui (Comment #3)
Garsies have also sadly been without their first choice no.8 Aiden King, who was injured against Monnas earlier in the term
@Grizzly (Comment #2)
Moeilike een omte call, maar jy gee dit vir die Bere met 12…dit klink mos dan maklik vir die Bere??
The game is at Waterkloof? ….close close
What a game we have on our hands this Saturday. Good luck to both teams, coaches, schools, families and communities. Very well deserved for both sides to reach this final. It’s hard to call a winner. Both teams have had excellent moments and great matches…
Very good write up @ Beet. When I saw Klofies at Jansen earlier in the season there were times when they looked down and out, but they managed to come back each time. Garsies’ decisive back to back triumphs over Jansen make me feel that they are the favourites. But the coaches who have developed and adapted could be the ones who take the Cup… both sides will have had ample opportunities to video analyse their opponents and devise ways to neutralise threats etc. Which is why this generation of schools coaches have to be so sharp and agile in their thinking and strategies.
@Snelvuur (Comment #1)
If you are referring to Marco Kok ….he is injured ,looking forward to seeing him next year as matric!
Moeilike een om te call.Ek dink Waterkloof is hongerder en baie moeg om 2 de viool te speel vir n dekade.Hulle is n ander span teen hul bure en gaan bo hul potensiaal Speel.Die Bere is meer uit gerus en peak op die regte tyd.Gaan kliphard wees en geen genade gee of vra.Op die dag wedstryd wat beide kante toe kan gaan.Ek gee vir die Bere met 12.
Haven’t watched Waterkloof that much, but every time I have, I have been very impressed with their 8th man, who is also grade 11.