Provisional Fixtures
| KEARSNEY EASTER R/F | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 : Thu 02-Apr-2026 | ||||||
| 1 | KZN | Kearsney | vs | Rustenburg | LEO | |
| 2 | KZN | Durban HS | vs | Verona | ITA | |
| 3 | EP | Framesby | vs | Peterhouse | ZIM | |
| 4 | KZN | Glenwood | vs | Helpmekaar | LIO | |
| 5 | WP | Milnerton | vs | EG Jansen | VAL | |
| 6 | KZN | Westville | vs | CUS | IRE | |
| Day 2 : Sat 04-Apr-2026 | ||||||
| 1 | KZN | Kearsney | vs | CUS | IRE | |
| 2 | KZN | Durban HS | vs | Rustenburg | LEO | |
| 3 | VAL | EG Jansen | vs | Verona | ITA | |
| 4 | KZN | Glenwood | vs | Framesby | EP | |
| 5 | WP | Milnerton | vs | Peterhouse | ZIM | |
| 6 | KZN | Westville | vs | Helpmekaar | LIO | |
| Day 3 : Mon 06-Apr-2026 | ||||||
| 1 | KZN | Kearsney | vs | Verona | ITA | |
| 2 | KZN | Durban HS | vs | CUS | IRE | |
| 3 | KZN | Glenwood | vs | EG Jansen | VAL | |
| 4 | LIO | Helpmekaar | vs | Framesby | EP | |
| 5 | LEO | Rustenburg | vs | Peterhouse | ZIM | |
| 6 | KZN | Westville | vs | Milnerton | WP | |
Helpmekaar, the top-ranked private school 1st XV of 2025, are set to make their return to the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival in 2026 — their first appearance at the high profile event since 2011.
Back in 2011, the co-educational school from Braamfontein, Johannesburg, endured a tough time on Stott Field, losing all three of their matches. Among those results was a 3–0 defeat to Selborne College — still the lowest-scoring match in the festival’s history. That period was in the midst a difficult spell for the Bruin Reuse, who then had to rebuild their rugby programme through the Noordvaal Big Schools League, effectively the B-division below the former Macro-Schools League.
As the programme gained momentum, Helpmekaar quickly became too strong for most of their tier-2 opponents, collecting a series of cup titles along the way. By 2016, their revival was complete, with the school finishing eighth in the national rankings. The tipping point came when several frustrated Lions-region schools in the B-league refused to play them — leading to Helpmekaar’s rightful promotion to the top flight in 2018 where they became part of the new brand Noordvaal Cup round-robin Premier League format which is used to this day.
They immediately proved they belonged among the elite, reaching the playoffs and ultimately finishing runners-up to Monument in that season’s final. A year later, they repeated the feat, this time falling to Menlopark in their quest for a first major title since 1975. Despite those near misses, Helpmekaar’s consistency was remarkable — ending four consecutive seasons ranked inside South Africa’s national top ten, a very rare achievement for a private school.
After the disruptions and uneven form that followed the Covid-19 years, Helpmekaar rediscovered their form in 2025. Their resurgence culminated in yet another Noordvaal Cup Final appearance and another top-ten national finish — confirmation that the Bruin Reuse are once again a force to be reckoned with.
Schoolboy Rugby Ranking of Private Schools 2014 -2025
(National Top 50 finish to qualify)
| # | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
| 1 | Helpmekaar | Hilton | Hilton | Hilton | St Andrew’s | Hilton | Helpmekaar | Helpmekaar | Michaelhouse | Michaelhouse |
| 2 | Hilton | Michaelhouse | Michaelhouse | Bishops | Helpmekaar | Helpmekaar | St Andrew’s | Kearsney | Bishops | Bishops |
| 3 | St Andrew’s | Kingswood | Bishops | Michaelhouse | Hilton | Bishops | Hilton | Kingswood | Helpmekaar | St Andrew’s |
| 4 | Michaelhouse | Helpmekaar | Helpmekaar | Kingswood | Bishops | Kearsney | Kearsney | Hilton | St Andrew’s | Kearsney |
| 5 | Kearsney | St Andrew’s | Kingswood | Helpmekaar | St John’s | St Andrew’s | St John’s | Bishops | Kearsney | Helpmekaar |
| 6 | Bishops | Kearsney | St Andrew’s | Kingswood | St John’s | Bishops | Michaelhouse | |||
| 7 | St Andrew’s | Kingswood |
@Meesh N (Comment #5)
The calibre of names & talent on that team was just bonkers!
Keagan Blanckenberg (2), Connor Evans (4), Ross Vintcent (8), Imad Khan (9), SFM (10), Suleiman Hartzenberg (13), Jonathan Roche (15) are all household names at just 22-23 respectively.
Some other notable high school talents in that team that didn’t go pro were Sam Rudston (5), Nasser de Kock (6) & Mikey Ford (12).
Just a side stacked full of talent, no doubt we would’ve seen them lose only maybe to Paarl Gim that regular season, don’t see anyone else beating them that year.
@Kantman (Comment #4)
That Bishops 2020 side is my roman empire, every so often (whenever the Stormers play) I sit back & think about what that team could’ve been. Had that side maybe played more rugby that year it would’ve triggered interest from excellent young rugby players & primary schoolers to want to attend the school & maybe their rugby wouldn’t be where it is today. They were already well on their way to a top 5 season that year having narrowly lost to a Gim side that was generational in their own right (I caught a 38-0 vs Gim the following week, ouch!)
We are only 5 years removed from that year & they have already produced 2 internationals from that side, with undoubtedly many more to come from that same group!
@Meesh N (Comment #3)
Bishops 2020 would have been real Top5 contender
@Kantman (Comment #2)
i do believe the Hilton 2022 & St Andrews 2019 sides were rightfully the best private schools in those years. I also would like to think the 2017 St Andrews side would’ve pipped Helpies that year, though Helpies with names like Mark Snyman, David Cary & Dameon Venter were a solid side in their own right.
The other years are debatable though, especially pre 2020 with Bishops playing much stronger comp than the rest of these private schools.
@beet Until Hilton take on 2 or more of the Top10 schools from the past 10 years in a single year I will not take their ranking seriously.
STILL ONE OF THE BEST FESTIVALS IN S.A
Why? It takes bravery from any school and coach to commit to 3 games where using the entire squad is key and as such KERF is still played in the spirit of the game. KERF also every year produce a few upsets, which is the magic spectators wants to see.
So in a era where, regrettably, rankings and pressure on coaches to win at all cost is high I do salute Kearsney and the participating schools.