WORLD SCHOOLS FESTIVAL
| Quarterfinals Day : Wed 13-Dec-2023 | ||||||
| 07h15 | SA | EG Jansen | 32-05 | Eton | ENG | WSF Quarterfinal |
| 08h30 | ENG | Hartpury | 19-19 | Westlake | NZ | WSF Quarterfinal |
| 09h45 | IRE | St Michael’s | 35-12 | Rugby Travel Ac. | SA | WSF Quarterfinal |
| 12h00 | SA | Oakdale | 18-14 | Cardiff & Vale | WAL | WSF Quarterfinal |
| Semifinals Day : Fri 15-Dec-2023 | ||||||
| 07h15 | WAL | Cardiff & Vale | 12-24 | Eton | ENG | WSF Playoff |
| 08h35 | ENG | Hartpury | 29-14 | Rugby Travel Ac. | SA | WSF Playoff |
| 09h55 | SA | EG Jansen | 16-25 | Westlake | NZ | WSF Semifinal |
| 11h15 | SA | Oakdale | 12-17 | St Michael’s | IRE | WSF Semifinal |
| Final Day : Sun 17-Dec-2023 | ||||||
| 07h15 | WAL | Cardiff & Vale | 21-12 | Rugby Travel Ac. | SA | WSF Playoff |
| 08h35 | SA | EG Jansen | 15-12 | Hartpury | ENG | WSF Playoff |
| 09h55 | SA | Oakdale | 33-14 | Eton | ENG | WSF Playoff |
| 11h15 | NZ | Westlake | 28-21 | St Michael’s | IRE | WSF Final |
CUP Links:
Day 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy6oIHuD9zI
Day 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKUD0oDPGjQ
Dr EG Jansen from Boksburg on the Oosrand and Oakdale from Riversdale on the Cape Garden Route will be this year’s two official South African representatives at the World Schools Festival 2023.
The two schools will send stayer squads of 26 and 24 players respectively to participate in the international tournament to be held at the Pattana Sports Resort, just a short distance from Bangkok in Thailand.
The Jansies and Bulle are both tipped to produce very promising 1st XV’s for 2024 and are expected to start their 2024 campaigns as Top 10 ranking contenders.
The organisers of the WSF are aiming to make use of the very successful eight school knock-out format once again.
This year’s invitees include:
1. Cardiff and Vale College (Wales)
CAVC Rugby Academy provides the perfect platform for talented rugby players aged 16-19 who have an interest in performance and elite level rugby. The right balance: teachers and coaches work together to ensure your studies and your sports commitments don’t conflict. They create the right balance for students/sportsmen to reach their potential in both.
They are third in the Welsh league at present but have won two previous tournaments and have some really big lads in their squad.
2. St Michael’s (Ireland)
Content from the post from:
St Michael’s conveyor belt showing no signs of slowing down by Gerry Thorley for the Irish Times.
St Michael’s, a private school from South Dublin had not won a Leinster Schools Senior Cup until 2007 and had only produced one international prior to 2014. Relatively speaking it is a young school as well as a new rugby powerhouse. Founded in 1944 as a voluntary Catholic boys school, St Michael’s was once a feeder school to Blackrock College, a mile away. All began to change when current Ireland international Ronan Kelleher’s father became the new principal in 2001. The school expanded. Rugby is its primary sporting activity. Over 400 pupils play rugby, which now puts out 18 or 19 teams a week.
3. Hartpury (England)
No strangers to the WSF or South Africa, Hartpury attended the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival 2023 where amongst other schools they played to a very entertaining match 28-all draw against Doc Jansen – watch: Hartpury vs EG Jansen at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival 2023
Hartpury will attend the St Stithians Easter Rugby Festival in 2024.
Hartpury College Rugby Academy was formed in September 2000 in partnership with Gloucester Rugby.
It has been instrumental in furthering the development of talented rugby players studying at Hartpury. The operation is a seamless one. Students can arrive at sixteen, able to combine studies with rugby, and can then progress from A-levels to degrees, from junior to senior academy.
The Hartpury model is one that makes sense and represents the least risk for those choosing to push for a professional life. “We have a dual pathway here, elite sport while gaining a degree,” “It means if you don’t get picked up by premiership club at eighteen, you’ve still got a semi-pro environment on your doorstep to see if you can make that next step.” “The biggest challenge is that every kid comes to Hartpury with the ambition to be a pro rugby player”. “And I think it works out on average, we’ll have six or seven students a year sign pro contracts, which is a lot for a school, but on the numbers we have, it’s only about three per cent.– John Barnes (Director of Rugby).
Quotes taken from theRugbyJournal.com website. https://www.therugbyjournal.com/rugby-blog/hartpury-college
Hartpury has invested over £10 million into its world-class Sports Academy facilities in recent years.
Hartpury University share a close relationship with Premiership Rugby side Gloucester, who use Hartpury’s facilities as their permanent training base and provide a small number of academy players, all of whom are current or recently departed students, to supplement the Hartpury University team. Several Hartpury University players have gone on to play for Gloucester and other professional teams.
4. Westlake Boys’ High School (New Zealand)
The college has 2585 students as of April 2023. The school’s teams compete in the North Harbour inter-secondary school competition. The winners meet the winners of the Auckland A1 division. Interestingly it also has a very strong rugby league culture operating parallel to rugby union as a winter sport.
The Westlake Boys High School first XV won their sixth Harbour title in a row, before beating Sacred Heart (Auckland A1 champions) 32-31 in a thrilling match to secure the Blues area regional title for the second year in a row.
The team traveled to Palmerston North to play Chiefs area champions Tauranga Boys College in the first semi-final of the national competition on Friday. The second semi was between Palmerston North and Southland Boys High Schools. A final and 3rd/4th playoff is played on Sunday.
In Friday’s semi-final, Southland doggedly resisted Hurricanes champions Palmerston North Boys’ High School 20-19. In the other Westlake BHS: 43; Tauranga Boys’ College: 40 (HT: 19-21).
In a monumental surprise, Southland Boys’ High School became the first South Island school since Christchurch Boys’ High School in 2006 to claim National honours, and the Moascar Cup for the first time, with a gobsmacking 32-29 triumph over Blues and North Harbour champions Westlake Boys’ High School.
5. Eton College (England)
Founded in 1440, it is one of the most expensive boarding schools in the UK. It is about 40km West of central London.
Their 1st XV rugby sport fixture list shows that they have currently won nine out of nine domestic matches and NextGenXV ranks them 6th in their local table on 20 November 2023. Before their season started, they toured South Africa in July 2023, where they lost to Woodridge of the Eastern Cape and to St John’s on Gaudy Day. They are believed to have improved since then.
6. A high school from Suva in Fiji
At this stage they have confirmed their participation. However in 2022, the Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) agreed to take part and then missed their flight to Thailand.
@beet (Comment #37)
Thanks!
@Kantman (Comment #36)
I think its Paul Roos and EG Jansen. The tournament is in the UAE this time.
But now there is a fledgling rival tournament to be held at Grey College as well.
Due the URC, my guess is the market for December holiday rugby is likely to expand over the next few years.
@beet (Comment #4)
Who will be representing SA this year – any news yet?
@Deon (Comment #32)
Sjoe Smallies. Hoekom noem jy PRG overrated? Hulle wen nie net gemaklik Grey in sport, insluitend rugby nie, maar kyk ook julle skokkende swak akademiese uitslae, alweer!!!!!! Hoekom is hulle enigsins nog geag n akademiese instansie? Wie is die hoof daar? Het hulle een?
@Smallies (Comment #33)
Die toernooi het die potensiaal om masive te raak suiwer oor die internasionale spanne.
Eerste ding is vir Boishaai om regs advies te kry om die regte en eienaarskap terug te kry,dit was hulle brainchild.Maak nie saak wie was die mpy daai tyd nie.
Vraag is hoe word SA se deelname bepaal en wat van kostes vir die 2 spanne wat dan kwalifiseer?
Eerste ding is om n stelsel te kry,ranking wat vir almal aanvaarbaar is by/16 van die vorige jaar.MAW 1 en 2 van 23 speel in 24.Iets in daai lyn.
Dan n sambreel borg wat die 2 spanne se kostes dek.Kan nie so moeilik wees nie.Op die oomblik gaan spanne wat dit kan bekostig wat nie noodwendig die beste is nie.
@Deon (Comment #32)
Vir jou en joune ook Prof,volgende jaar kan jy en ek weer lekker chat oor hoe over rated PRG is😂😂😂😂
Indien ons nie weer praat voor die tyd nie , Geseënde Kersfees vir almal en hul geliefdes. Veilig wees. Net geluk en voorspoed vir almal. Dankie vir nog ‘n jaar BEET.
@tzavosky (Comment #27)Was al by almal en het met die afgelope blommeseisoen wat net onbeskryflik was, die pad Steinkopf en Port Nolloth en toe McDougals toe geneem en ‘n paar dae net met my basterbrak daar oorgebly. To keep Jakes happy, that is the world of Springboks Oom Pat Montini (RIP) and Jannie Engelbrecht. MOER maar die blomme was iets anders hierdie jaar.
@jakes (Comment #21)Hey Jakes. It was a discussion all about ex Shark and Bok Stefan Terblanche’s tuisdorp. Before they destroyed the old Swellengrebel Hotel there a few years ago the Boks often went on training camps there.
Albei SA skole het ongelukkig uitgeval ,dis jammer maar ek glo dat hulle steeds waarde by die toernooi kon vind
@tzavosky (Comment #27)
Ek kan vir jou nog n plek op jou lysie sit ….Riemvasmaak se warmwatet bron ….
@Smallies (Comment #20)
Jy praat van’n bier knak by Union’s End, ja ek het daai een gedoen en ‘n baie skaars dier in die Gemsbokpark gesien – ‘n vlakvark! (Ek het ook ‘n bontvisvanger – nog skaarser – in die ablusieblok by Twee Riviere gekry.)
Maar na my onbeskeie opinie moet jy 5 plekke sien as jy wil sê jy het die land van hoek tot kant bereis – Union’s End, McDougals Baai by Port Nolloth, die strandmeer by Kosibaai, Agulhas, en Mapungubwe heuwel op die Limpopo!
@Smallies (Comment #17)
Ek is ‘n bietjie laat op jou post, maar ek is van harte bly ek kon jou deur Tradouwspas kry – soos gesê, Seweweekspoort op steroïede!
Google “Tradouws Pass Tracks4Africa” en onder aan die bladsy sal jy onder “Extras” ‘n pdf file link sien wat ek oor die pas geskryf het.
@jakes (Comment #24)
Well done EG vreet daai Souties 👍👍👍
EGJansen 32 Eton College 5
@Smallies (Comment #22)
Nee ek terg net so bietjie😬😬
@jakes (Comment #21)
When there’s no rugby being played w sometimes like to sit around and talk kak🤣🤣🤣🤣
@Deon (Comment #19)
Ek ken van die Rep van Swellendam ,net soos ek ken van die Stormberg komando ,Google dit, en van Slagtersnek,ek het ook al patroon doppies op Majuba opgetel….van Kabeljoue jag en vang en al daai shit weet ek nie veel nie want jy kry hulle nie langs die Oranje nie ….maar een van die dae sal ek nie net papgoooi nie maar rooiaas ook…hopelik sal ek eendag iewers op n berg of op n strand sit en dan sal ek ook weet….en eendag wil ek nog by die unions end baken sit en n koue een vat
@Smallies (Comment #17)Swellendam, mmmmmmm, Shark en Springbok Stefan Terblanche se dorp en skool, maar lank voor hom die Drostdy, Die Republiek van Swellendam (google dit) , die Goudmyn en Port Beaufort en T Barry and Nephew, die Kadie wat nou net ‘n wrak in die Breede se bek is……. En as jy deur Marloth se draad klim, en oor die 12 uur en Eenuurkop en Duiwelsbos klim na die Grootvadersbosch en tussen die ou bosreus kalanders rondsluimer , in die Koornlandsrivier ‘n vliegie swaai vir witvis (RIP oom Pietie), of met die Breede langs afry, die reuse karpe en palings ignoreer, en boonop Stef Bos se gunsteling Witsand ‘n “skip” gee en oor die nuwe weergawe van ou Oom Moxie Dunn se pont die pad links Infanta toe neem, Malagas “skip”, en in die blou water induik by Infanta tussen die 100 ponder kabeljoue in NADAT jy eers geruik het jy het behoorlik op die Bokboegoe getrap en dan by Bent Head (google dit) gaan sit en lag weet jy………..
@beet (Comment #4)
I recently had a chat with the GCB coaches, they confirmed that the tournament was very helpful as a team building strategy.
@tzavosky (Comment #15)
So ekke was die week so n bietjie in Swellendam gewees en het moeite gedoen om oor Barrydale terug te ry huis toe ……wow wat n betowerende stuk pad ,Tradow pas is vir seker nou op my gunsteling lys ….ken net dink hoe dit as n grondpad moes wees,ek sal hom beslis weer doen erns in die toekoms…
@tzavosky (Comment #15)
Ek dink elkeen van ons se tuisdorpe het iets was ons kan se spesiaal is en wat geen ander het nie….Ek het die vooreg gehad om op drie dorpe groot te raak en elkeen is vir my magical gewees in sy eie reg….elkeen het iets wat geen ander plek in die land het hie ,en so is dit ook vir julle…
@Deon (Comment #12)
Eerstens, bôggher of met die “oom”!
Tweedens “God was ruim vrygewig toe hy die Tradouw geskep het” – ek wou dit nie vir ou Smallies sê nie, maar jy het nog nie ‘n pas gery as jy nie Tradouw gedoen het nie! Ken daai plek met al sy landmerke – Posstal, Witbrug, Suurplaat, Drupkelder, tot by die murasies van die 3 2de Boereoorlog forte op die laaste heuweltong aan Barrydale se kant – soos die palm van my hand.
Christine Barkhuizen het ‘n boek geskryf oor die wel en wee van die padmakers wat hom kom verbreed en teer het in die 70’s. Voor dit was hy Seweweekspoort op steroïede!
@Deon (Comment #11)
Ek kan nou nie rerig se dat ek op al daardie eksotiese plekke was wat jy noem nie …..maar Magoebas kloof het ek te voet deur gestap ,die beste forel hengel wat ek ken is in die Oos kaap se Drakensberg ,
6 KM buite Rhodes is n kamp plek met die naam Alpine Swift as jy nog nie onder daardie wilgerboom geslaap het nie….Die swem onderkant Lady Grey se damwal as hy oorloop is seker die koudste en lekkerste swem wat jy kry…..en natuurlik waterdrink uit Meirings poort se waterval poel uit terwyl n Transvaler jou kyk of jy mal is want die water kom dan nou nie uit n tap uit nie….o ja hoe kan ek oujaars aand in Hillbrow in die laat 80,s vergeet
HJS COMMUNITY HARD DONE BY
Hey Smallies, I share your sentiments to a degree.
I think it was a favour to HJS to lose out on the WSF because in the format they wanted it, it was destined to fail with the many strong SA 1st XVs and only a couple of decent overseas schools – the cricket scores made it boring. The new format of just 8 schools in knockout has so much potential.
The ones I feel for are those in and aligned to Boishaai that invested so much so willingly to not only launch the initial tournament but as an investment in its future in Paarl at Brugstraat. What transpired was totally unfair to them.
@tzavosky (Comment #8)
Oom min plekke is mooier as Garcia en die Korenterivier en ou oorlede tannie Mollie Lamprecht se waterverf sketse van al Slapende Skoonheid se heide nie of om op die boot te sit op Stilbaaipunt of agter Bosbokduin en Palinggat en Slapende Skoonheid as landmerk vir jou duikplek te gebruik nie, BEELDskoon of of om saam net die Cook dogters snags palings te vang in die Duivenhoks nie of die pad oor na Rooiberg en van Wyksdorp te neem en die Karooboerboon woude in volle blom te waardeer nie of om sommer by oorlede Oom Charlie Cook en tannie Mollie Cooke en haar staffie Strepie onder die windpomp te stort nie of of of. God was ruim vrygewig toe hy die Tradouw geskep het Protea coronata met sy GROEN blom en die reuk van bokboegoe as jy daarop trap en Matjiesrivier en die reuk an Barrydale Boegoe (Agathosma Foettidisima) en en en. Wonderwêrelde daai van oom. Ek mis ou tannie Djadjsi en Josua haar hond en haar Sunnyside en Sleeping Beauty gastehuis en kwekery…….
@Smallies (Comment #7)<brPragtige plekke daardie ook ou Karpkoning, daaroor is daar geen twyfel, of geelstert geskiet het op die 12 Myl Bank of Sargus geduik het langs eeue oue kastele in Dubrovnik en dit deur dieselfde portaal gedra het as Diocletian of Rhododendrons gekyk het in Magoebaskloof of 'n vet bruiforel in Loch Leven op vlieg gevang het of langs Dallpark se parkie Jansens ( Oud Anker stem nie saam) se vleis gebraai het nie of Lula gevang het by Prison Island in Zanzibar of die Schoningen spiese van Homo heidelbergensis gesien het in Schoningen my ma se geboortedorp of die leeus met sonop langs Satara se heining gehoor het of wilde koeie op die strand by Stanley in Hong Kong gesien het nie if wilde appels op Tristan da Cunha gejag het of black jacks op Ascension geskiet het of of of nie. Dankie dat jy nie my grap oor Carnival City ernstig opgeneem het nie
@tzavosky (Comment #8)
Ek het jou wereld waar jy nou bly in die 80,s plat gery met n baiesukkel….
@tzavosky (Comment #8)
Ek het al daardie pad gery ,Sleeping beauty ook al besigtig,was nou nie my bedoeling om mense kwaad te maak nie ,net maar om mense te laat besef dat daar n helse wye Suid Afrika is en dat nie een van ons ooit als sal kan sien wat die land kan wys nie….
@Smallies (Comment #7)
Ou Smallies, piepie jy nou so effens op my betrie – Garcia is in die agterjaart van waar ek grootgeword het, en die moeite werd om te ry (soos die passe wat jy noem). Maar in my prille jeug is ons met perde tot by Hannes (Vark) van Wyk se plaas, genaamd Sleeping Beauty, aan die voet van die Slapende Skoonheid waarvan Deon praat. En die volgende dag daar oor die berg met die perde terug Klein Karoo toe. Sweet memories, man!
@Deon (Comment #6)
Jy was nog nooit erns in die wereld as jy nie by Murry park kon braai nie ,as jy nie by Rynefield dam gefish het nie en as jy nog nooit by die Lake resturant geeet het nie.
Waarom wil jy Garcia pas ry as jy kan Meirings en Seweweeks poort….of die hoë grondpad passe van die noord oos kaap….Jouberts pas Naudesnek pas Baster voetslaan pas ,Tiffendale traverse en soveel meer….
Mors van tyd insoverre dit rugby betref en kwaliteit van rugby betref, het PRG al duur te staan gekom om Wynberg en ek dink Boyshai te speel net na terugkeer en ek weet nie hoeveel games in hoeveel dae nie, maar steeds ‘n mooi geleentheid wat altyd onthou sal word deur veral die wat nog nooit oor Garcia pas, Die Slapende Skoonheid of verder as Carnival City was nie. Geniet……
@beet (Comment #4)
I do agree with all of your points …I do however feel that you can achieve the same without traveling halfway around the world.I said on the PRG Ireland thread that I think a good quality u17 tournament during the Desember holidays can have the same benefit it also won’t cost an arm and a leg…..Also WSF really did Boishaai dirty in 2019 and I still dont like them mostly because of that….that being said good luck to EG and Oakdale keep our name up high
@boerboel (Comment #1)
I agree with the part about the opportunity going to the schools who can accommodate it in their budget but not with the part about it being a waste of time.
Hopefully it will be an experience of a lifetime for the boys fortunate enough to tour and rugby will only form a part of that overseas experience and the lifelong memories they form from visiting a foreign land with a culture very different to anything one experiences in SA.
Also really good that two schools with teams that are expected to perform well in 2024 are attending. The tournament is a bit of a nightmare to organise but if the Fijian school pitches, it should provide a reasonably good set of matches to watch.
I would say Japan is also a fantastic place to visit but the SANIX with its 6 matches in 8 days, mainly against weak teams, really does not come close to what WSF in Thailand is offering.
@Smallies (Comment #2)
There is merit to what you are saying about its sustainability but hopefully it can continue in this same format with 8 schools from around the world participating every year. I watched it last year and it exceeded my expectations. The young Grey team faced good resistance in Thailand last December and went on to have a phenomenal regular season in 2023. I also believe that the WSF tournament helped give them a head start on everyone else which was probably most evident in the early season match against Paarl Gim, that Grey dominated.
@Smallies (Comment #2)
ja
@boerboel (Comment #1)
Soms net soms stem ek saam met jou….alhoewel dit baie voordelig was vir Grey die jaar dink ek dis glad nie volhoudbaar nie
waste of money- no invitees- it is who can pay