31 May 2025
Graeme College, under the guidance of coach Jonty van Meulen, have been a pleasure to watch this season. They play the kind of schoolboy rugby that reminds spectators why they fell in love with the game in the first place. It’s a style rooted in ball security, which unlocks expansive, high-tempo, innovative rugby with excellent support-line running.
In what might have seemed an unlikely scenario at the start of the season, it has been Graeme and Nico Malan—of all Eastern Province schools—who’ve emerged as the pacesetters in 2025. The two met in a much-anticipated fixture over the weekend. Nico Malan looked to be cruising after building a 21-7 lead, but Graeme responded in thrilling fashion, spreading the ball with precision and running in 29 unanswered points to flip the script entirely. The Bloutrui, forced into chase mode, mounted an admirable comeback to push the game to the wire, but ultimately fell short in a 43-42 thriller. Both sides crossed for six tries apiece, delivering a spectacle that lived up to its billing.
Over in Gqeberha, St Andrew’s College pulled off another highly commendable win over Grey High—a feat that’s never to be taken lightly. To do it at Grey’s home ground once again speaks volumes. Like the Graeme win over NM, this was by the narrowest of margins—28-27. While SAC have enjoyed an excellent season with plenty to celebrate, there’s a lingering feeling that an undefeated record might have been within reach. Unfortunately, the scheduling of provincial youth week trials seemed to disrupt their rhythm, and they were well beaten at home by a Queen’s College side that proved up to the task defensively and took there opportunities well.
Queen’s, alongside Graeme and Nico Malan, have undoubtedly asserted themselves as three of the finest teams Eastern Province has to offer this season.
| # | SCHOOL | REG | P | W | D | L | PD | RP | AVG | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1 | Nico Malan | EP | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 71 | 22.42 | 3.74 | KIN | DAL | MUI | PEA | MAR | GRA | DAN | BW | FRA | |
| 24-10 | 24-22 | 43-14 | 18-10 | 26-07 | 42-43 | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 2 | Queen’s | BOR | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 73 | 25.42 | 3.63 | PEA | BW | SEL | DAL | STA | GHS | HP | MAR | SEL | GRA |
| 17-20 | 29-15 | 40-22 | 21-13 | 38-17 | 25-24 | 32-18 | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| 3 | Graeme | EP | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 17.36 | 3.47 | DAN | BW | STA | HP | NM | KIN | PEA | DAL | QC | MUI |
| 51-17 | 31-27 | 10-17 | 27-22 | 43-42 | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| 4 | Grey HS | EP | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 13.70 | 3.43 | HP | DAL | QC | STA | DAN | FRA | MUI | SEL | ||
| 45-34 | 43-03 | 24-25 | 27-28 | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Brandwag (EP) | EP | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 23.96 | 3.42 | DAL | GRA | QC | MAR | MUI | DAN | KIN | MUI | NM | DAN |
| 16-07 | 27-31 | 15-29 | 36-31 | 26-10 | 22-19 | 19-07 | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| 6 | St Andrew’s | EP | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 46 | 20.07 | 3.35 | MAR | FRA | GRA | QC | SEL | GHS | KIN | DAL | ||
| 25-25 | 46-17 | 17-10 | 17-38 | 40-10 | 28-27 | – | – | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Marlow | EP | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -15 | 14.71 | 2.94 | STA | SEL | BW | NM | DAL | QC | PEA | FRA | ||
| 25-25 | 22-26 | 31-36 | 07-26 | 40-27 | – | – | – | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Framesby | EP | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 11.66 | 2.92 | STA | DAN | HP | PEA | GHS | MAR | NM | |||
| 17-46 | 52-12 | 46-21 | 19-19 | – | – | – | |||||||||||||
| 9 | Selborne | BOR | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | -6 | 17.36 | 2.89 | HP | MAR | PEA | QC | DAL | STA | HP | QC | DAL | GHS |
| 12-03 | 26-22 | 40-13 | 22-40 | 15-13 | 10-40 | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| 10 | Pearson | EP | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -25 | 14.01 | 2.80 | QC | SEL | NM | MUI | FRA | DAN | GRA | MAR | BW | |
| 20-17 | 13-40 | 10-18 | 21-14 | 19-19 | – | – | – | – | |||||||||||
| 11 | Hudson Park | BOR | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -45 | 13.45 | 2.24 | SEL | GHS | MUI | FRA | GRA | QC | SEL | DAL | ||
| 03-12 | 34-45 | 34-15 | 21-46 | 22-27 | 18-32 | – | – | ||||||||||||
| 12 | Dale | BOR | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -74 | 12.05 | 2.01 | BW | NM | GHS | QC | SEL | MAR | STA | GRA | SEL | HP |
| 07-16 | 22-24 | 03-43 | 13-21 | 13-15 | 27-40 | – | – | – | – | ||||||||||
| 13 | Kingswood | EP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -26 | 3.28 | 1.64 | NM | BW | GRA | STA | ||||||
| 10-24 | 07-19 | – | – | ||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Daniel Pienaar | EP | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -79 | 5.25 | 1.31 | MUI | GRA | FRA | BW | PEA | GHS | NM | BW | MUI | |
| 28-30 | 17-51 | 12-52 | 19-22 | – | – | – | – | – |
@RuggaFreak (Comment #5)
Perhaps you’re supporting the writer’s point – i.e. SAC’s key players were tired (disrupted) from midweek trials and made zero impact?
The st andrew’s craven week trial attendees did play against Queen’s but made 0 impact. Can’t wait for Graeme !
Graeme coach Jonty vd Meulen is keeping that flame alive, I am thinking it was his father Nico vd Meulen who coached those great teams in the era of Hennie le Roux…and I saw evidence of this style of rugby when an U15 team I coached played a ‘Development’ team that Hennie coached back in the late 90s. They were so fast, passing, passing passing, fit and relentless.
That is the style that Glasgow played in last year’s URC final to run the Bulls off their feet at altitude at Loftus nogal… and that’s how teams are going to try beat the Boks. You need to hone skills and fitness and the high pace from young age groups….I salute the Van der Meulen method. Stunning rugby. Well done Graeme, keep up the good work, you have made so many fans from near and far.
@Farmer (Comment #1)
Oi…so frustrating.
Queens on fire, any reason why they not playing NM this season?
GREY
Rob Kempstons game plan is out dated and easy to play against.
Cant see Grey beating Framesby also.
Grey rely on driving malls but lose 35% line out balls every match for last 3 years.