In 2017 the Nelspruit 1st XV contested the Virsekerbeker Macro Schools final. Who would have guessed that come the end of 2018, the Rhinos would finish bottom of the newly formed Cup competition and be relegated. Nellies are a cornerstone Noordvaal rugby and an asset to SA SBR. Lets hope they bounce back big time from this setback.
Noordheuwel of Krugersdorp may not have a glamorous rugby history to fall back on but they are testimony to what a goal-orientated hardworking rugby setup can achieve. Promotion to the Virsekerbeker Cup is another huge stride forward for Nories. The obvious goal is constant improvement to ensure they can stay in the Noordvaal premier league and possibly a next big step is to earn themselves an invite to the growing in stature Noord-Suid Toernooi on merit.
PROMOTION / RELEGATION POINTS STANDINGS BEFORE THE FINALS
| # | VB CUP | Teams | Matches | Wins | Semis | Final | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monument | 12 | 69 | 47 | 16 | 0 | 144 |
| 2 | Helpmekaar | 8 | 61 | 35 | 14 | 0 | 118 |
| 3 | Garsfontein | 10 | 67 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 115 |
| 4 | Menlopark | 8 | 61 | 38 | 8 | 0 | 115 |
| 5 | HTS Middelburg | 12 | 69 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 108 |
| 6 | EG Jansen | 9 | 65 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 106 |
| 7 | Transvalia | 9 | 65 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 102 |
| 8 | Nelspruit | 6 | 49 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 73 |
| # | VB PLATE | Teams | Matches | Wins | Semis | Final | Total |
| 1 | Noordheuwel: | 10 | 64 | 42 | 12 | 0 | 128 |
| 2 | Zwartkop: | 11 | 65 | 33 | 6 | 0 | 115 |
| 3 | Rustenburg: | 8 | 57 | 32 | 10 | 0 | 107 |
| 4 | Eldoraigne: | 9 | 58 | 27 | 10 | 0 | 104 |
| 5 | Kempton Park: | 10 | 64 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 104 |
| 6 | Montana: | 8 | 58 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 99 |
| 7 | Marais Viljoen: | 7 | 53 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 92 |
| 8 | Centurion: | 6 | 47 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
POINTS SYSTEM
| POINTS | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| 1 | For every team that takes part in the league |
| 1 | For every match played (excluding 1st XV) |
| 1 | For every match won (excluding 1st XV) |
| 2 | For an u14A, u15A & u16A team making a semifinal |
| 2 | For an u14A, u15A & u16A team winning their semifinal |
| 3 | For an u14A, u15A & u16A team making the final |
| 3 | For an u14A, u15A & u16A team winning the final |
| 2 | For every 1st XV match played |
| 2 | For every 1st XV match won |
| 3 | For the 1st XV making a semifinal |
| 6 | For the 1st XV winning their semifinal |
| 4 | For the 1st XV making the final |
| 8 | For the 1st XV winning the final |
@Bere007: Ek was daar, hy was oppad pale toe. Daar was ‘n klein kind in sy pad wat hy mee moes rekening hou……
@sewes ek gehoor dat julle en Affies weer wil join. Dit sal great wees want almal wil tog he die bestes van bestes moet deelneem, dan is dit mos weer soos die ou dae.
Vandag weer gesien met die Virseker program hierdie manne is ernstig om die toernooi groot te maak en hy is amper 100 jaar oud (Virseker/Beeld/Admin) so hopelik is sy 100ste jaar in 2020 n jaar waar almal speel met nog meer tv wedstryde.
@Valkie:
.. Kan darem sê ek het dit beleef daar by julle.. 
@Norieman: Ag man ek weet nie eindelik hoekom ek jou antwoord nie.Ek noem slegs feite.Ek gun julle n plek in die A afdeeling en glo julle het al baie gedoen vandat ons teen julle begin speel het.Ek gaan ook nie ou koeie uit die sloot grawe nie die onderwerp is al deur getrap en ek dink daar is ooreen gekom om te verskil reg of verkeerd.So wel kom in die a afdeeling en gaan vang op in die argiewe.En moet nie verbaas wees(ek hoop en bid) as ons en Affies julle binne kort join nie.Affies werf nie nou so erg sonder n rede nie
@sewes sjoe ou bul jys vinnig om klippe te gooi in n glashuis. Het julle nie so 5 jaar terug vir Garsies n 100 gegee en nou weier julle om teen hulle te speel nie ?
Niemand het gese dat Noordheuwel volgende jaar die powerhouse van die bekerafdeling gaan wees nie, maar ons het die plaat gewen en moet opskuif wat baie goed vir ons rugby is. N interskole teen Monnas gaan ook rof wees maar die beste ding wat ooit met die dorp kon gebeur.
Sterkte met julle friendly fixtures.
Jammer vir Nellies ek dink hulle 1ste span afrigter Gerhard is n moerse smart ou en werk baie hard.
@Rooibul: Ek het mmet die seuns van HTS Middelburg gepraat. Was op die B-Veld toe die onder 15B spanne gespeel het. Hulle het vir my gesê hulle is van Upington.
My seun stel belang om ń skeidsregter te word en gaan op dit konsentreer. Het reeds met Oubaas gepraat. Een van sy eerste klasse is hoe om in die lig op te spring met ń vlag in die hand as ń mpumalanga span score.
@Valkie:
Weet nie waarvan jy praat dat Upington seun by ons is nie. Ons werf wel wyd!!
Wys my ‘n skool wat dit nie doen nie en nogsteeds in en by die grootste toernooi speel.
Waarheen gaan jou jongste volgende jaar?
@Die Ken:
Op die punt van die promo-regelasie het Nelspruit wel op die konsep vergadering laasjaar Augustus/September al geweet. Soos almal toe kon sien hoe dit gaan werk.
Soos die Noordvaal deur al die provinsie gegaan het met die konsep.
Glo en dink wel baie ander skole sal vir jou ook se dat die konsep dat al jou spanne tel wel baie belangrik is.
Ons eerste was wel onder op die gewone log. Maar ons junior weer baie beter gedoen het. Diepte speel ook ‘n belangrike rol. Want soos jy sal sien ons by HTSM glo in maksimum deelname.
Kostes sal altyd baie hoog wees vir al die ry, mens moet dit doen want ons in Mpumalanga is so geïsoleer. Daar is net nie meer sterk genoeg kompetisie hier nie.
Met die magdom groot skole in ons provinsie kan ons nogsteeds nie ‘n goeie cravenweekspan in die veld stoot nie.
So mens het wel ‘n skool soos HTSM, NHS en MHS nodig om speler te gaan haal wyd om die Unie te help.
Hoop om weer binnekort die Pumas weer te sien wedstryde wen en op finale dag in of ten minste die voor wedstryd te speel op A veld tydens nasionale weke.
Laastens wil ek aan nog ‘n saak raak wat die kompetisie behels.
Dit wil voorkom of punte wat spanne deur die jaar versamel irrelevant is. Wat belangrik is, is dat spanne deelneem en dat spanne wen. Kyk maar na die tabel heelbo, dit het niks van wat deur die seisoen gebeur het nie. Kyk na die ander tabelle wat Beet geplaas het, daar het HTS Middelburg se 1ste span heelonder beland, want hulle was die swakste van al die 1ste spanne gevaar. So dit tel vir min in terme van die tabel bo. Met ander woorde die junior spanne het hulle deurgedra vanjaar.
So leer mens en Nellies het duur betaal vir die foutjie, of was ons dalk bewus van die situasie. Niemand praat nie.
@Hooit: Ek stem gedeeltelik saam met jou.
@sewes: Ja ek stem ook saam met jou. Die kostes week na week is ongelooflik hoog. Ek weet presies wat dit die skool kos per bus. Meer wil nie oor die sê nie, en jou afleiding sal korrek wees, want almal moet maar spaar waar daar gespaar kan word. So word seuns geleenthede ontneem en dan gaan rook hulle eerder skelm.
@Rooibul: Jy mag dalk korrek wees oor die werwing KNZ toe want die een werwer van Curro gaan nou mos hoeka daarheen en die ander een verneem ek skuif Rand toe. Ek weet van twee Curro seuns (o/14) wat NHS toe skuif en eerder skoolgeld gaan betaal soos enige ander getroue skoolouer (‘n nie parrasiet) omdat die vlak van rugby eenvoudig geen kompetisie bied nie. Maar julle werf mos ook, julle draai daar in Upington en hier by ons en, en, en…… Toe julle die ander Saterdag hier in Nelspruit kom draai het, het van julle Upington seuns langs my op die veld gesit en my vertel hoe hulle huis toe verlang…..Shame man, julle moet die outjies meer gereeld huis toe stuur.
Dit is ‘n ramp dat Nelspruit uit is sonder ‘n promosie-relegasie wedstryd. Ek sal baie verbaas wees as Noordheuwel sterket kompetisie bied as Nelspruit in 2019. Die organiseerders het foutief opgetree deur die reels van promosie-relegasie eers tydens, en nie voor, die seisoen uit te stippel nie.
Aan al die doem profeete ,Nellies en Noord Heuwel het nog nie teen mekaar gespeel nie.As ek na NH se uitslae kyk teen n nie meer so goeie Kloof weet ek nie mooi nie.NH se vyfdes het gewen en sy O\15A het gelyk gespeel sy eerste het met vyftig plus verloor so stadig oor die klippe manne.
As Nelspruit meer spanne in gestoot het was dit n ander skool wat sou moes afskuif.Dit was n moerse mishap miskien iets te doen met die verskriklike bus koste elke keer.
@Bere007: Ek dink Nellies is klaar. Geluk Noordheuwel
Baie geluk Noordheuwel !!…..Jammer Nellies daai blinde sambok slaan hard
@Valkie:
Werwing gaan groter raak en meer vel raak nog in Nelspruit. Moeilik die seuns oorreed om in Nelspruit te bly. Curro weereens hard besig. Vraag is gaan hulle voort bou op hulle goeie werk daar onder. Of gaan hulle ook seuns binnekort verloor Natal toe.
@Murrayfield:
Ja. ‘n BL kan en sal. Altyd die toekoms van ‘n skool bepaal. Harde werk by middelburg in die laaste jaar het dit moontlik gemaak dat HTSM die jaar oorleef het. Die Virsekerbeker gaan groter en harder raak.
Geluk aan Rocky en Hans met julle harde werk daar by Noordheuwel. Goed om nog ‘n Wesrand skool te sien in Beker Afdeling. Jammer Nellies.
@Valkie: Jammer om te hoor. BL besluite veroorsaak dat Skole se rugby versterk of verswak word.
Dit is duidelik dat Nellies moeilikheid gaan he met die BL se toekoms visie betreffende rugby.
Die skool sal bly staan dan is almal van ons Al oorlede!
Die Nellies Renosters gaan uitsterf!
@Valkie: Dit raak ‘n “double edge sword” situasie nie waar nie? – aan die eenkant moet jy veg om te hou wat jy het en aan die ander kant moet jy probeer talent lok. Probleem is, hoe groter die uittog, hoe moeiliker raak die “lok” gedeelte, meestal agv verwronge persepsies.
@Quagga: Yes i have been a ‘crying baby’ for the best part of this season but I am concerned about the rugby in Nelspruit (school and club) and Mpumalanga as a province / union. I know almost every official around here and they know me. My passion is rugby.
You are so correct when you say that we need a strong NHS team. However over the past few years the poachers, more so than ever, have made it their business to poach our talented players. It has now become so obvious when you compare our performance of last year to what we achieved this year. It also directly influences our junior teams growing towards the senior teams, besides the under 15 A team the other teams were ‘nowhere’ to be found.
So my prediction is that NHS rugby will be struggling for the next couple of years or until the management decides to change its strategy, which is unlikely to happen.
I don’t think that St Johns will fall away, it might just now become the highlight of the year for the 1st team.
Also keep in mind that the majority of Grant Khomo and Craven Week players come from NHS and HTS Middelburg. So the friendly (Mr promises / poacher) agent steals our provincial quality as well.
Look it is sad to see what is happening here and the way that the situation is accepted is exactly what angers me the most. We will see what the future holds. Is it the end of the world for NHS rugby “NO”, but a new strategy is required, and I am going to push officials until they listen.
@Valkie: Unfortunately teams get measured by their performance in VSB. Dominating the lower categories does little to nothing for the reputation of a great school with rugby ambitions, even if you play the top schools week in and week out, even if you beat some of them, the benchmark for ‘who’s who’ seems to be the VSB. Hope you guys can find your way back to where you belong. I hope you also still form part of the St. John’s Easter Rugby Festival in future. Agree that SBR needs a strong Nelspruit as part of the mix of top rugby playing schools.
As for Noordheuwel, well done. Let’s see what you can bring to the field. Transvalia and Helpies showed that it could be done (in the first year) so looking forward to another strong contender from Jozi making its mark. I suppose this would mean a lot for you from a recruitment perspective as well…..
@Valkie ek het gehoor Nelspruit het al hulle B spanne onttrek teen Monnas, dus volgens die reels verloor julle dan al die liga punte vir daardie spanne. As n 1ste span nie vir n wedstryd opdaag nie (behalwe dat die skool se rugby dan heeltemal platval) sal al die A spanne niks punte verder kry nie.
Die hele punte tabel is eers baie laat bekendgemaak, maar ek glo dit sal volgende jaar beter gaan en hulle sal beslis aandui hoeveel spanne tel. Ek glo in afdeling 1 sal 10 spanne punte tel
14A/B tot 16A/B en dan seniors 1-4.
Vanjaar het Noordheuwel teen Affies, Waterkloof en Pretoria Boys High gespeel met 14 of 15 spanne, maar in die liga was daar nie wedstryde vir C spanne of n 5de span nie.
Hopelik sal almal reeds vanjaar al die reels en reelings vir volgende jaar ontvang.
@sewes: Sien dis wat ek nie verstaan nie. Ek weet vir ‘n feit dat hulle van die wedstryde gespeel het, maar nie al die wedstryde nie. Dieselfde het gegeld vir ons 4des, hulle het teen sekere skole gespeel en ander skole nie. Teen HTS Middelburg het die o/14B beslis gespeel asook teen Tranvalia en EG Jansen. Dus as die span nie al die wedstryde speel nie tel dit vir niks.
Ek dink dis waarom ons net 6 punte gekry het vir ‘spanne’ want die ander 6 spanne het elke wedstryd gespeel. Inteendeel dis presies hoe die punte toegeken was. Ek sal graag wil sien wat gaan gebeur as ‘n 1ste span nie vir een wedstryd gaan opdaag nie.
@Vyfster: Dan sien Nellies julle volgende jaar weer vir ‘n slag. My middelste seun verlaat nou skool en die jongste is klaar rugby gespeel, hy wil eerder ‘n skeidsregterkursus gaan doen as om verder rugby te speel.
vir interessantheid….Centurion last in plate, get relegated to shield, Ben Vorster overal winner of shield, gets promoted to plate. At least BV and Nellies gets to play in same leaugue, was always our first friendly of year in my schooldays…good memories!
Pietersburg drops down to division 2, after finishing last in shield.
Not sure who will replace Pietersburg in division 1
@Valkie: So as ek dit reg het,het julle o\14 eno\16b’s nooit die jaar gespeel nie daarom nul punte verdien.
Lyk my AHS en Kloof moet dit sterk oorweeg albei kan 16 of meer spanne stoot per naweek.
@Beet: To continue and maybe I should put this question to NHS Director of Rugby: We had a 3rd en 4th team available they played most of the home games and little away games, why? And that is where we lost points…..
Maybe they rather wish not to answer the question, to close to home…..
@Beet: Ah, but you get one point per team “taking part”, so a 4th team could theoretically give you that one point lead in case of a tie otherwise, even if they don’t play. Enter 15 ghost u19 teams and you’ve got a head start!
@tzavosky: There are numerous character building benefits to kids playing sports but as far at the VB points system is concerned, it’s impossible for a 4th XV to make a points contribution if you don’t have opponents to play against. So in short no benefit.
@beet: Thanks for the table. Wonder what happened to our u/16 and u/14 B teams, as per this table they did not play every match…..which I find bizarre? Our under 16 A team won only one game the entire season and they played every match.
@beet: Or a dual system, where the first team’s contribution counts more for the present year (don’t think it will make any difference, though), but the 2nds and u16’s (who presumably will make up the bulk of the 1st team) contributing more towards the next season.
BTW, is there any benefit in having a 4th team (real or otherwise) with this scoring system?
Interestingly Transvalia picked up 25 points by fielding a 3rd XV, u16B and u14B team during the season and their 1st XV collected 3 playoff season points by making it to the semis
Transvalia = 102 – 25 = 77 – 3 = 74
Nelspruit = 73
@Valkie: Nellies points breakdown
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@tzavosky: Yeah I dunno if its the best points system. I would think on average a school’s 1st XV would contain two-thirds matrics who will be gone the following year. I would therefore make the 1st XV points equal to the rest.
As the point system stands, overall the 1st XVs in the Cup have contributed 22% of their schools points, so based on a 2/3rds equation, that’s about 15% contribution by matrics who won’t be around the next year, yet could have a huge say in who gets relegated or promoted.
I think an interschool promotion – relegation playoff at the school seeking promotion nearer to the start of the new season would be better because then at least it incorporates the new u14s and the 1st XV for the current season.
I think this is a better way to ensure best-fit strength vs strength leagues.
@sewes: Maar dis mos nou wat ek nie kop nie. Kyk wiskundig is ek glad nie, en skiet grappig te kort in die verband. Ek onthou nie eers my kaarte se ‘pins’ nie, as dit nie vir my kinders was nie, was ek dalk ryk omdat ek nie transaksie kon aangaan nie.
Ek was onder die indruk geplaas dat net die A-spanne en 1ste spanne punte kon maak vir ‘n skool. Die 2des af en B-spanne het maar net gejol. Nou verstaan ek nie waar HTS meer wedstryde of eerder spanne as ons gespeel het nie? Hoe is dit dat HTS en Monument elk 12 spanne gehad het en Garsfontein 10, Menlo en Helpies 8 en die ander twee 9? Daar is beslis seker ‘n logiese antwoord maar ek sien dit nie.
Kyk ons wenpersentasie is beslis die swakste met 32% dis uit en uit so. Ek neem aan dat Garsfontein bo Menlo eindig omdat hulle meer wedstryde gejol het maar hulle wenpersentasie is swakker as Menlo s’n?
@Valkie: So lyk my al hoekom HTS bo julle deur is is omdat hulle meer spanne as julle het of omdat hulle b spane meer gewen het as julle ????
@beet: So the 1st XV is rewarded twice – i) for winning the semifinal and ii) for making the final. I would have thought it’s the same thing, but I guess the team should still turn up for the final to get the points?
@Valkie: Hi the points are explained here: http://schoolboyrugby.co.za/?p=31060
The ‘teams’ column have me baffled. Nellies constantly fielded a 1st to 3rd team and sometimes a 4th team. In the under age groups all the B-teams also played against all the other schools. In fact more often than not our B-teams did better than the A-teams.
Explanation needed to understand HTS Middelburg matches played when compared to Nelspruit, did they field more scoring teams?
I do not agree that we fielded 6 teams only, maybe Beet can clarify the table stats for us?
Geluk aan Noordheuwel.
Ek dink die Hoof en afrigters van NHS is nou tevrede want hulle het nou presies gekry waarvoor hulle gemik het.
Alle stropers welkom voor die seuns hokkie, gholf of skaak toe beweeg…….
@AbsolutMenlo: Well done Norries, although i still think it will be better to play the relegation match to give Nellie’s a chance for redemption…but it is what it is so good luck in the big league…
Congratulations Noordheuwel! Hope that Nelspruit will bounce back!!
@Stier: Think it is the total number of teams that were able to play in all the fixtures.
No it means how many teams you fielded in season during the competition. The system has a flaw because some schools say they have a number of teams but they dont.from next year I believe they will only count 10 teams for the comp.
@Smallies: 12? I am not so sure? How many u/18 teams do GCB have? I read somewhere that Menlo battled to field two u/18 teams by the end of the season or did I understand it wrong.
@Stier: hoeveelheid o18 spanne in die skool?
Does anybody know what the “Teams” colomn represent? Why is the number of teams different for some schools?
Well done Norris let’s hope one of the big Gauteng schools fall next year to really test this system.
Hopefully Nories can stay in pool A and work up the ladder and not just be relegated after 2019. Coaches working very hard in the rugby program.