Will the Noordvaal Cup Premier League 2025 favourites please stand up

After a quiet start, the Noordvaal Cup Premier League — the oldest schoolboy rugby competition in South Africa — kicks into full swing this week.

The 10-team league has two main objectives. For the top-tier 1st XV teams, the focus is on securing a place in the top four, with full awareness that the playoffs demand a different mindset — a true cup knockout mentality where anything can happen.

For those near the bottom in the Promotion/Relegation (ProReg) zone, it’s about delivering their A-game, capitalising on every opportunity, and collecting enough points across all age groups to avoid finishing in the bottom two and facing relegation.

Picking a favourite? Topping the log is no easy feat.

Identifying a clear favourite in the Noordvaal Cup Premier League is no easy task. That said, Garsfontein — back-to-back champions in the last two editions — remain one of the frontrunners to defend their crown in 2025.

Noordheuwel and the unbeaten Menlopark are part of a improved wave of high-performance rugby programmes, both widely expected to challenge strongly for playoff spots. Last year’s runners-up, Waterkloof, are starting to find more of the same high-level consistency as 2023/24. While they haven’t quite made the same impact as in previous seasons, they still possess the firepower to go all the way.

Monument and Helpmekaar remain unpredictable — a case of which team shows up on the day. With talent-rich teamsheets and an exciting brand of rugby, they certainly have the tools to cause upsets and reshape the table. However, inconsistent form has seen them swing between highs and lows throughout recent campaigns.

Rustenburg, underpinned by solid coaching and a clear structure, are quietly putting together a balanced campaign — combining a powerful forward platform with a developing, dynamic backline attack.

Nelspruit, always a tough prospect at home in Mbombela, have shown flashes of brilliance in 2024. While their 2024 winning streak run of form was memorable, they’re expected to be closer to the foot than the summit of the log come the business end of the season.

EG Jansen — 2023 finalists — face a tough road ahead after a few standout years. Meanwhile, newly promoted Transvalia, also representing the Valke, are likely to struggle in their return season to the premiership, (they were part of the mix back in 2019). That’s no slight on them, but a reflection of the sheer quality and intensity of the opposition in this elite competition.

Fixtures for 10-May 2025