Good first halves offer SS4 schools plenty of encouragement
SACS and Rondebosch may have finished on the losing side, but both produced first-half performances that suggested the Southern Suburbs Big Four still have a meaningful part to play against their traditional super heavyweights.
SACS enjoyed an outstanding afternoon at home against Paul Roos, taking a deserved 19-12 lead into halftime before eventually falling 38-34 after the visitors crossed for the match-winning try in the dying moments.
Rondebosch were equally impressive against Paarl Gim at Jan Kriel. Bosch kept Gim to a 24-12 lead at the break and, then struck first after halftime to narrow the deficit to 24-17, before the Paarl outfit gradually took control and eventually ran out convincing 52-24 winners.
Youth offers Boland Landbou hope
It is not an easy time to be part of the Boland Landbou coaching staff.
The season has been a challenging one at a school where expectations remain high despite the fiercely competitive rugby landscape in the Boland. Yet there was a silver lining to come to the fore from their recent 42-26 defeat to Wynberg.
Landbou fielded a notably young side, with a number of talented players expected to return next season. While 2026 has been frustrating, the foundations appear to be in place for a far stronger campaign in 2027.
Noordheuwel and Helpies stumble at the worst possible time
The race for the Noordvaal Cup playoffs took another dramatic twist as both Noordheuwel and Helpmekaar suffered costly defeats.
Noordheuwel went down 45-42 to Menlopark, while Helpmekaar were edged 37-34 by Rustenburg, results that have piled the pressure on both contenders.
The biggest beneficiaries were Monument, who secured their playoff place alongside Garsfontein, and Waterkloof, whose bonus-point 34-24 victory over EG Jansen lifted them into third place on the standings.
Klofies now require just a single point from their remaining two matches to seal a semifinal berth.
Helpies face Klofies this weekend knowing only a monumental performance—and a helping hand from other results—will keep their title hopes alive.
For Noordheuwel, a historic derby against Affies awaits before a home clash with Middelburg. One bonus point from that last match should be enough to book their place in the prestigious Noordvaal Cup semifinals.
EG Jansen drawn into survival battle
While attention has largely focused on the race for playoff places, the battle to avoid relegation from the Noordvaal Cup Premier League is proving just as compelling.
EG Jansen now occupy bottom spot after this weekend’s matches against Waterkloof, but the margins are incredibly tight. Just six points separate EG (159 points), Menlopark (165), Middelburg (165), Rustenburg (164.5) and Waterkloof (160), with each school still having two regular-season matches to play.
Every point and maybe even playoff points will prove decisive in determining who survives.
Hudson Park claims another Border boys’ scalp
Dale College have deservedly earned plenty of praise this season, but fellow East London school Hudson Park are quietly putting together an equally impressive campaign.
The co-educational school claimed their second Border boys’ school scalp of the year when they travelled to Selborne and emerged 28-26 winners on Saturday.
Earlier in June, Hudson also edged Dale 27-26, making it two outstanding victories against established rugby rivals.
Trio stand one win from history
Trio kept their destiny firmly in their own hands with a convincing 39-26 victory over Sentraal in the penultimate round of the Wesgrow Liga.
Now comes quite possibly the biggest rugby match in the school’s very young history.
Victory away to Jim Fouché would secure Trio’s first-ever first-team title. With the Kovsies Liga now a thing of the past, the Wesgrow Liga has become the premier schoolboy rugby competition in the Central region, making the prize even more significant.
Drostdy finally lands the statement victory they deserved
HTS Drostdy finally have a result worthy of the quality within their squad.
Their 31-24 home victory over a highly rated, albeit injury-hit, Oakdale side is a genuine statement win.
Drostdy have fielded a strong team throughout 2026, but opportunities to measure themselves against top opposition have been limited. Their decision to attend the Grey High Festival instead of the Absa Wildeklawer Tournament failed to deliver the marquee fixtures they would have hoped for, while their eagerly anticipated clash with Paarl Gim was postponed.
Saturday’s victory finally gave Drostdy the headline result their performances have deserved.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.