Affies, fresh off a very respectable 16-all draw against Paarl Gim on a wet Jan Kriel Field in the Cape, now shift their focus to their next big challenge — Noordheuwel, who’ve been one of the surprise packages of the 2025 season so far.
One of the standout moments from Affies’ performance in Paarl was their ability to come from behind, scoring a try and converting it at the death to salvage a result. The WitBulle started brightly in the first half but were frustratingly guilty of not turning pressure and territory into points, although lots of credit has to go to the determination of Gim’s dogged defence. However, this time around Affies showed real composure and resilience, proving that this year’s Affies side has the BMT (big match temperament) needed in test match-like encounters, after losing yet another close one to Paarl Boys’ High in Stellenbosch recently.
All in all, it was a brilliant Affies interschools rugby performance across the board, played 1,400km from home, and made even more memorable by the testing weather conditions.
Noordheuwel, meanwhile, may only have one win to their name this season, but they’ve shown they can go toe-to-toe with the best. They’ve lost by just a single score to three of the country’s top 1st XVs — Garsfontein, Grey College and Paul Roos — which speaks volumes. To put that into perspective, Maritzburg College faced both Grey and Paul Roos at last year’s Wildeklawer and lost by a combined score of 94-0. Noordheuwel, against those same two giants, went down 50–41. That’s a massive statement.
When it comes to the Easter Festival line-up for 2025, this clash between Affies and Nories has to be right up there as the headline fixture.
| 1 | Sat.19Apr | Noordheuwel | v | s | Affies | KES Easter R/F |
| 2 | Sat.19Apr | Wynberg | v | s | Helpmekaar | St Stithians Easter R/F |
| 3 | Sat.19Apr | Hilton | v | s | Kingswood | St John’s Easter R/F |
| 4 | Mon.21Apr | KES | v | s | Northwood | KES Easter R/F |
| 5 | Thu.17Apr | Bishops | 12 | 38 | Helpmekaar | St Stithians Easter R/F |
| 6 | Mon.21Apr | Noordheuwel | v | s | Jeppe | KES Easter R/F |
| 7 | Sat.19Apr | Durban HS | v | s | Monument | Kearsney Easter R/F |
| 8 | Thu.17Apr | Glenwood | 26 | 26 | Monument | Kearsney Easter R/F |
| 9 | Sat.19Apr | KES | v | s | Rondebosch | KES Easter R/F |
| 10 | Thu.17Apr | EG Jansen | 29 | 26 | Kearsney | Kearsney Easter R/F |
| 11 | Mon.21Apr | Durban HS | v | s | Durbanville | Kearsney Easter R/F |
| 12 | Thu.17Apr | Pretoria BH | 43 | 31 | Diamantveld | St John’s Easter R/F |
| 13 | Sat.19Apr | Dale | v | s | Kearsney | Kearsney Easter R/F |
| 14 | Sat.19Apr | Welkom Gim | v | s | Diamantveld | St John’s Easter R/F |
| 15 | Sat.19Apr | Pretoria BH | v | s | Graeme | St John’s Easter R/F |
| 16 | Mon.21Apr | Framesby | v | s | EG Jansen | Kearsney Easter R/F |
| 17 | Sat.19Apr | Bishops | v | s | Hartpury | St Stithians Easter R/F |
| 18 | Thu.17Apr | Nelspruit | 34 | 31 | Welkom Gim | St John’s Easter R/F |
| 19 | Thu.17Apr | Hartpury | 10 | 19 | Wynberg | St Stithians Easter R/F |
| 20 | Sat.19Apr | Maritzburg College | v | s | Nelspruit | St John’s Easter R/F |
| 21 | Sat.19Apr | Durbanville | v | s | Rustenburg | Kearsney Easter R/F |
Noordheuwel het go3d gelyk,maar nooit regtig gelyk vir n kans om te wen nie, Affies wedstryd eintlik redelik maklik beheer,want ongelukkig vir Noordheuwel was hul foute en paar besluite hul ondergang en voor in die los was affies net beter in kontak. Geluk Noordheuwel julle het n goeie span.
@OUD ANKER (Comment #10)
Thanks for the insight. Building the game!
@OUD ANKER (Comment #11)
Who has tall locks? Affies will have options at 4, 5 and 7 on Saturday when they play Garsies. Which line out do you rate that they still have to play?
@Kantman (Comment #9)
The Affie locks are especially “shortish” this year.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #7)
Affies locks not tall and could be an achilles as was demonstrated by Noordheuwel who stole many Affie lineout balls, by the way this Noordheuwel team is really, really good and the score line against Affies in my opinion not a true reflection of the game….as for Springs Boys High, they are almost like Affies’ “step” brothers from the East Rand, when Afiies play Jeppe for instance the lower teams of Affies play against Springs Boys High, but during the 1st team match those boys from Boys High usually join the Affies boys on the stands and they are Affie supporters then…so no surprise that they know the Affie players.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #7)
I would guess 830kg – back 5 not that tall
@HSBR (Comment #5)
That will not be wise. They are a very good team.
@OudAffie (Comment #1)
Would u be able to find out what that Affies pack weighs?…Very large strong lads…well…Manne / Men!
8th man very impressive…beyond tough, fast, powerful…and responded to Norie provocation with just another try… The loosehead a large large fellow (and well mannered, i chatted to him after) yikes tall for a prop. I sat next to a young group of neutral fans from Boksburg and Springs Boys High who nevertheless knew the Affies players by name as they appreciated both the finer skills and the more robust applications of rugby union football as demonstrated by Zirk and his Witbulle companions.
Selborne are in for an obli-te-ration!!
Mooi hardloop rugby van Affies. Hoe verkeerd kan mens wees. Gunsteling teen PRG.
Feel like a lot of people are selling this Affies team short for some reason
@Trots HJS (Tandem) (Comment #3)
Agree, good pack and backline. Value for money game for a spectator
@Kantman (Comment #2)
Well done to both Affies for the win but also to Noordheuwel for a strong performance. I think Noordheuwel will be a handful at Wildeklawer.
I think Affies could easily go unbeaten for the rest of the year
AHS 45-27 Noordheuwel