Helpmekaar need to end a 50-year drought as they chase elusive Noordvaal Cup glory

It’s been half a century since Helpmekaar College last lifted the Noordvaal Cup. Back in 1975, the Bruin Reuse shared the then-Administrators Cup with Nelspruit – the last of their three titles. Now, 50 years later, the pride of Braamfontein are one step away from ending that drought as they storm into the 2025 Premier League final.

Helpies’ return to the showpiece is their first since 2019, when they fell short against Menlopark. This time they face no easy task: the two-time defending champions, Garsfontein, who have won four titles in the past decade and hold a six-match winning streak over the Bruin Reuse. That streak includes a 29–20 semifinal win in 2023 and this season’s league clash, where Garsies pulled clear 47–29.

Recent Garsfontein dominance over Helpmekaar:
20 July 2019: Garsfontein 50–22 Helpmekaar
23 July 2022: Garsfontein 34–10 Helpmekaar
22 July 2023: Garsfontein 49–48 Helpmekaar
19 Aug 2023: Garsfontein 29–20 Helpmekaar
03 Aug 2024: Garsfontein 54–40 Helpmekaar
12 Apr 2025: Garsfontein 47–29 Helpmekaar

But if history favours Garsfontein, momentum belongs to Helpmekaar. Helpies are on an eight-match winning run in this year’s Cup, and their semifinal victory over Noordheuwel proved this team has the resilience their predecessors were often accused of lacking.

Helpies raced into a 24–10 halftime lead before Nories clawed their way back to lead 36–29 late in the game. Instead of folding, Helpies summoned the BMT belief that has marked their 2025 campaign. A charge-down try from talented u17 scrumhalf Shaye Lourens helped level matters, before cool customer flyhalf Wian Storm slotted a vital conversion and backed it up with the match winning penalty to seal a 39–36 thriller. Nories under the guidance of Botter Lourens are improving each season but are yet to lift the Cup.

On the other side of the draw, Garsfontein showed why they remain the team to beat. Menlopark threatened an upset with a 29–19 lead late in the first half, but the Bere’s ability to harness the wind and their trademark second-half power told the story. Scoring 21 unanswered points, they cruised home 45–29, claiming their 17th win over Menlo in the last 18 meetings, with Parkies 2019 win on their way to a maiden Cup win in 2019 being the exception when Garsies were without six SA u18 international players.

Adding intrigue to the final is the coaching subplot. Garsfontein head coach Johan du Plessis goes up against old colleague and fellow Garsfontein old boy, Tjaart van der Walt. The two once worked together at Pretoria Co-ed, before Tjaart’s move to Monument brought him two more Cup wins, to make it four on the trot, while Johan stepped up at the Garsies with success of the two most recent successes of his own. Van der Walt, now Director of Rugby at Helpies, might not be the man in charge on matchday, but his fingerprints are all over the resurgence in Braamfontein.

For Helpmekaar, this is more than just another final – it’s a shot at redemption, relevance, and rewriting history. For Garsfontein, it’s about cementing a dynasty. One team chasing the end of a 50-year wait, the other gunning for a three-peat.

#	Cup Name	Year	Winners / Joint Winners	Title No.
103	Noordvaal Cup	2024	Garsfontein	4th title out of 04
102	Noordvaal Cup	2023	Garsfontein	3rd title out of 04
101	Noordvaal Cup	2022	Monument	10th title out of 10
		2021	No competition (Covid-19)
		2020	No competition (Covid-19)
100	Virsekerbeker	2019	Menlopark	1st title out of 01
99	Virsekerbeker	2018	Monument	9th title out of 10
98	Virsekerbeker	2017	Monument	8th title out of 10
97	Beeld	2016	Garsfontein	2nd title out of 04
96	Beeld	2015	Garsfontein	1st title out of 04
95	Beeld	2014	Nelspruit	3rd title out of 03
94	Beeld	2013	EG Jansen	1st title out of 01
93	Beeld	2012	Kempton Park	2nd title out of 02
92	Beeld	2011	Waterkloof	5th title out of 05
91	Beeld	2010	Monument	7th title out of 10
90	Beeld	2009	Monument	6th title out of 10
89	Beeld	2008	Waterkloof	4th title out of 05
88	Beeld	2007	Waterkloof	3rd title out of 05
87	Beeld	2006	Affies	18th title out of 18
86	Beeld	2005	Monument	5th title out of 10
85	Beeld	2004	Affies	17th title out of 18
84	Beeld	2003	Waterkloof	2nd title out of 05
83	Beeld	2002	Affies	16th title out of 18
82	Beeld	2001	Affies	15th title out of 18
81	Beeld	2000	Ermelo	2nd title out of 02
80	Beeld	1999	Affies	14th title out of 18
79	Beeld	1998	Affies	13th title out of 18
78	Beeld	1997	Affies	12th title out of 18
77	Beeld	1996	Affies	11th title out of 18
76	Directors	1995	Affies	10th title out of 18
76	Directors	1995*	HTS Middelburg	2nd title out of 02
75	Directors	1994	Affies	9th title out of 18
74	Directors	1993	Pietersburg	4th title out of 04
73	Directors	1992	Waterkloof	1st title out of 05
72	Directors	1991	HTS Middelburg	1st title out of 02
71	Directors	1990	Randburg	1st title out of 01
70	Directors	1989	Kempton Park	1st title out of 02
69	Directors	1988	Lichtenburg	2nd title out of 02
68	Directors	1987	Hugenote (Springs)	3rd title out of 03
67	Directors	1986	HTS Sasolburg	1st title out of 01
66	Directors	1985	Affies	8th title out of 18
65	Directors	1984	Affies	7th title out of 18
65	Directors	1984*	Monument	4th title out of 10
64	Directors	1983	Volkskool Potchefstroom	7th title out of 07
63	Directors	1982	Oos-Moot	1st title out of 01
62	Administrators	1981	Tom Naudé	2nd title out of 02
62	Administrators	1981*	Affies	6th title out of 18
61	Administrators	1980	Monument	3rd title out of 10
61	Administrators	1980*	Hugenote (Springs)	2nd title out of 03
60	Administrators	1979	Monument	2nd title out of 10
59	Administrators	1978	Affies	5th title out of 18
58	Administrators	1977	Stoffberg (Brakpan)	1st title out of 01
57	Administrators	1976	Volkskool Potchefstroom	6th title out of 07
56	Administrators	1975	Nelspruit	2nd title out of 03
56	Administrators	1975*	Helpmekaar	3rd title out of 03
55	Administrators	1974	John Vorster	1st title out of 01
54	Administrators	1973	Delmas	1st title out of 01
53	Administrators	1972	Affies	4th title out of 18
53	Administrators	1972*	Nelspruit	1st title out of 03
52	Administrators	1971	Tom Naudé	1st title out of 02
51	Administrators	1970	Affies	3rd title out of 18
50	Administrators	1969	Fakkel	2nd title out of 02
49	Administrators	1968	Piet Potgieter	1st title out of 01
48	Administrators	1967	Potchefstroom Gim	1st title out of 01
47	Administrators	1966	Brandwag (Benoni)	1st title out of 01
46	Administrators	1965	Ben Viljoen	1st title out of 01
45	Administrators	1964	Wolmaransstad	1st title out of 01
44	Administrators	1963	Rustenburg	6th title out of 06
44	Administrators	1963*	Volkskool Heidelberg	8th title out of 08
43	Administrators	1962	Helpmekaar	2nd title out of 03
42	Administrators	1961	Rustenburg	5th title out of 06
42	Administrators	1961*	Volkskool Potchefstroom	5th title out of 07
41	Administrators	1960	Klerksdorp	3rd title out of 03
40	Administrators	1959	Klerksdorp	2nd title out of 03
39	Administrators	1958	Voortrekker	1st title out of 01
39	Administrators	1958*	Lichtenburg	1st title out of 02
38	Administrators	1957	Affies	2nd title out of 18
37	Administrators	1956	Vereeniging	1st title out of 01
36	Administrators	1955	Fakkel	1st title out of 02
35	Administrators	1954	Pietersburg	3rd title out of 04
34	Administrators	1953	Monument	1st title out of 10
33	Administrators	1952	Hugenote (Springs)	1st title out of 03
32	Administrators	1951	Volkskool Potchefstroom	4th title out of 07
31	Administrators	1950	Volkskool Potchefstroom	3rd title out of 07
30	Administrators	1949	Volkskool Potchefstroom	2nd title out of 07
29	Administrators	1948	No League	1st title out of 01
28	Administrators	1947	Pietersburg	2nd title out of 04
27	Administrators	1946	Pietersburg	1st title out of 04
26	Administrators	1945	Volkskool Heidelberg	7th title out of 08
25	Administrators	1944	Volkskool Heidelberg	6th title out of 08
24	Administrators	1943	Rustenburg	4th title out of 06
23	Administrators	1942	Klerksdorp	1st title out of 03
22	Administrators	1941	Standerton	1st title out of 01
21	Administrators	1940	Affies	1st title out of 18
20	Administrators	1939	Volkskool Potchefstroom	1st title out of 07
19	Administrators	1938	Helpmekaar	1st title out of 03
18	Administrators	1937	Rustenburg	3rd title out of 06
17	Administrators	1936	Rustenburg	2nd title out of 06
16	Administrators	1935	Zeerust	3rd title out of 03
15	Administrators	1934	Zeerust	2nd title out of 03
14	AG Robertson	1933	Zeerust	1st title out of 03
13	AG Robertson	1932	Volkskool Heidelberg	5th title out of 08
12	AG Robertson	1931	Volkskool Heidelberg	4th title out of 08
11	AG Robertson	1930	Rustenburg	1st title out of 06
10	AG Robertson	1929	Swartruggens	2nd title out of 02
9	AG Robertson	1928	Pretoria Boys’ High	5th title out of 05
8	AG Robertson	1927	Pretoria Boys’ High	4th title out of 05
8	AG Robertson	1927*	Swartruggens	1st title out of 02
7	AG Robertson	1926	Volkskool Heidelberg	3rd title out of 08
6	AG Robertson	1925	Volkskool Heidelberg	2nd title out of 08
5	AG Robertson	1924	Pretoria Boys’ High	3rd title out of 05
4	AG Robertson	1923	Pretoria Boys’ High	2nd title out of 05
3	AG Robertson	1922	Pretoria Boys’ High	1st title out of 05
2	Inter Hoër School Beker	1921	Volkskool Heidelberg	1st title out of 08
1	Inter Hoër School Beker	1920	Ermelo	1st title out of 02

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