Oakdale Landbouskool, the beautiful 97-year-old farm school located just outside Riversdale—approximately 300km from Cape Town—is the smallest school by student numbers in this year’s national top 10. Yet, its presence on that list is a clear testament to the exceptional work being done by its dedicated coaching staff working with some terrific players.
With fewer than 400 learners, Oakdale faces natural challenges around squad depth and consistency year after year. But this has never deterred them. They don’t shy away from the big challenges. In fact, they embrace them. Oakdale plays one of the toughest fixture lists in the country annually and remains firmly among South Africa’s premier rugby schools. Toughness and work ethic are cornerstones of the school’s identity.
Leading the rugby programme is Malan du Plessis, a top-tier coach and true rugby man. But at Oakdale, there are no fancy titles like “Director of Rugby”. It’s all hands on deck. Du Plessis serves as Head of Sport and Infrastructure, and true to Oakdale’s unique agricultural style, he also oversees the school’s fruit farming department.
Covid cruelly robbed Oakdale of two incredibly talented rugby years. The teams of 2020 and 2021 were loaded with standout players and real potential and almost certain to be ranked as memorable Top-5 finishers. Getting back to that level was never going to be easy—but 2025 is shaping up to be a truly special year.
This current team boasts an abundance of talent. The balance is near perfect. Up front, they have power and physicality in the engine room. Loosehead prop Kai Pratt is as highly rated as any front-rower in the country. There are few locks bigger or more imposing than u17 giant Diaan Augustyn. He is ably backed up by the ever-reliable secondrower Ruan Swart.
The loose trio is among the best in the country—well-balanced, dynamic, and hard-working. Jacobus de Villiers, younger brother of pro player Paul de Villiers (who was destined to shine in the 2020 side and later captained the 2021 Bulls), adds pedigree to the back row. Athletic Liam Lightley embodies the creative flair that Oakdale builds into its style of play. His role has been perfectly tailored by the coaches to maximise his natural gifts. And then there’s Jannes Snyman—a true “boerseun” in every sense. Tough as nails and uncompromising, and on some days it feels like he’s the ball’s shadow.
While farm schools are expected to produce big, strong forwards, Oakdale’s backline is a joy to watch. The halfback pairing of Jandrian Goosen and CT Vosloo is electric—sharp, composed, classy, and unafraid to get physical when the game demands it. Big inside centre Christiaan Vorster has earned admirers across the country and has all the tools to go far in the game if he chooses to pursue rugby professionally.
Wing Lee-Winn Pretorius combines excellent game sense with blistering pace, while fullback Reinhart Viljoen brings flair and unpredictability in equal measure. He’s a genuine X-factor player—sometimes audacious, always dangerous. Defences dread him, because he can strike from deep and change a match in an instant.
Despite all the individual brilliance, it’s the way this Oakdale side gels as a unit that makes them a formidable force.
This Saturday, they face one of their sternest tests yet—a clash with a red-hot Paarl Gim side on the Jan Kriel Field in the Winelands. Paarl Gim, superbly coached and in top form, represents a mammoth challenge. Oakdale has already had a superb season, with a win over Boishaai and a tough, competitive first match of the season outing against Grey College in Bloemfontein. Since their defeat to Rondebosch in game two of the campaign, they have not lost again – an eight match unbeaten run.
But this weekend could be the ultimate litmus test—a defining moment to see just how special this 2025 Oakdale team really is.
A trip down memory lane – Oakdale’ two fine Covid u19A teams:
| TEAM | OAKDALE 2020 | TEAM | OAKDALE 2021 |
| 1 | Petri Steyn | 1 | Johan Durr |
| 2 | Kaylim Cordier | 2 | Hennie du Plessis |
| 3 | Neil Francis | 3 | Dian Heunis |
| 4 | Marnitz Mellet | 4 | Gino de Witt |
| 5 | Corne Rahl | 5 | Erhard Lambrecht |
| 6 | Janus Ferreira | 6 | Paul de Villiers |
| 7 | Paul de Villiers | 7 | Johan Balt |
| 8 | Phillip Kleynhans | 8 | Phillip Kleynhans |
| 9 | Neil le Roux | 9 | Neil le Roux |
| 10 | Morne Els | 10 | Morne Els |
| 11 | Tino Singe | 11 | Keagan Coerecius |
| 12 | Alwich vd Linde | 12 | Jacobus Esterhuise |
| 13 | Monre de Ridder | 13 | Jaco Pienaar |
| 14 | Jan Hendrik Louw | 14 | Enrique Arendse |
| 15 | Matthew Stephens | 15 | Matthew Golden |
@Kantman (Comment #10)
Dis hoekom ek vir Grasshopper gese het as jy my 5 beurse gee by die oop span van Glenwood ek almal sal stamp in Natal. Want Glenwood hold their own teen die spanne maar verloor net, net. As jy n direkteur het wat weet wat hy doen hoef jy nie n moerse budget te he nie.
@Kantman (Comment #10)
Heyneke het gese destyds om die super 14 te wen moet jy 5 spelers he wat gekies kan word vir die wereld span. Victor, Bakkies, Fourie, Habana en dan die 5de debateerbaar, Bands(my keuse), Spies, Wynand(underrated). Hierdie is spel brekers. Vat n goeie span, se Garsies. Net buite top 5 maar goed vir top 10.Gee my nou Muller, 12,8,5 en 6 van Gim en dis heeltemal n ander ball game. Imagine 12 en Muller langs daai 10 van die Bere met die agterste driehoek. Dis imo wat die verskil sal wees 2 Aug. Wie gaan geskok en verras wees as BH wen, niemand. As ek verkeerd is sal dit die eerste keer wees van ’16 wat ek die blog gejoin het. Daars n eerste vir als.
@Kantman (Comment #10)
Gim en Boishaai speel beslis op 2 Aug vir die titel. Geen disrespek teenoor Bishops, SACS, Landbou en Wynberg wat tussen nou en 2 Aug in hul pad staan nie…
@Grizzly (Comment #9)
Ek onthou. Dink egter interskole gaan een vir die dekade wees. Beide spanne se vertonings teen selfde teenstand is baie naby aan mekaar. As hulle 1 en 2 ingaan in Augustus, then all bets are off.
@Kantman (Comment #7)
Ek het hulle eerste game by NS gesien en daar gese hulle sal nie die jaar verloor nie. Bly die Stormers het vir Muller geteken. Was bang een van die ryk oorsee klubs teken hom.
@Kantman (Comment #7)
Best chance Paarl Boys will have is to target the scrum, make sure they cant maul as much from the back of the line out and starve them from ball, in particular kicks. And compete at breakdown to commit more players. And have a ref that sees the mistakes. But yes, very much the underdogs.
Ek dink nie Gim se span kry die krediet wat hulle verdien nie. Oakdale se span is baie goed, het vandag alles ingesit, maar kon nie deurkom nie.
Gim het Grey gewen, en almal moan Grey is nie goed nie. Dan wen Grey vir Affies en skielik is speel Grey weer goed.
Gim wen KES baie ver, en almal sê KES is swak, ens. ens.
Paarl Gim se span, met 7/8 o.17 spelers elke week, speel aantreklike en effektiewe rugby, wat lekker is om te kyk.
Ek dink Gim se span is uitstekend afgerig, die spelers is uitsonderlik en hulle resultate wys dit.
As Gim se spelers nie verteenwoordigend is in Craven Week nie, is dit oor WP skole rugby politiek en nie talent nie.
Die Gim span het die storm afgeweer. Hulle is ‘n baie goeie span wat baie goed afgerig is. Respek!
Vir die 1ste keer vanjaar speel ‘n span die regte spel teen die Gim span…gaan Gim die toets slaag?
Bied Oakdale hokkie as sport aan, net om # deelnemende spelers per sportkode in perspektief te lees..
Big Respect.
Well done Mnr du Plessis and team.
Ek sien baie uit na Saterdag se game in die Paarl. Gim is nommer 1 in die land met 1 en amper ‘n tweede honderdtal vir die seisoen. Dus die oorweldigende gunstelinge op hul eie veld.
Oakdale het egter baie meer om te wen as om te verloor en daarom weet ek die Bulle sal opdaag en goeie rekenskap van hulself gee.
Dalk, net dalk spring die bal reg en dan gaan die derde kwartaal baie interesant raak op die Riversdal Plaas.
OAKDALE 2021
Beating both Affies and Garsfontein in the North-South festival says a lot — those are serious rugby schools. You can only imagine what that team could’ve achieved if COVID hadn’t cut their season short. No doubt many of those boys had what it takes to go further.
Without being bias — just a rugby man appreciating great schoolboy rugby. Respect!