Tone-Setting Entrance
Kearsney College continues to showcase one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, and one of its latest upgrades has elevated that even further. The new entrance is impressive—an addition that immediately sets the tone for the scenery to follow.
Having recently visited Grey College, I can testify to the impact a “wow-factor” entrance can have in shaping a positive opinion of a school. In KwaZulu-Natal, Kearsney now arguably boasts the most appealing entrance among the recognised big rugby schools.
Post-Covid Trends: Attack Takes the Lead
Coming out of Covid, two trends seemed evident: bigger packs had a greater influence on outcomes, and defensive systems—particularly among the backs—had tightened significantly. These shifts appeared to be influenced by the United Rugby Championship, creating a well-balanced contest between attack and defence in SBR.
Fast forward to 2026 and, much like the international game, schoolboy rugby seems to have evolved again. Defence now appears to be lagging behind attack, and high-scoring matches are becoming more common.
It feels as though the technical input from highly skilled school coaches is now fully bearing fruit. Smarter planning and execution, greater accuracy, quicker transfers, improved handling, sharper running lines, increased strength in contact, and simply faster attacking play are all putting defences under pressure. The end product is entertaining, high-scoring rugby—though perhaps not for the traditionalists.
Another noticeable trend across the six matches on the day was the very low value placed on taking penalty shots at goal.
Helpmekaar 24–05 Glenwood
Glenwood came into this fixture off a useful 26–3 win over Milnerton, and there was an expectation that their attacking confidence would grow.
Helpmekaar, meanwhile, had produced a standout first half against Grey College in their previous outing before being overrun in the second. There was a sense that, despite some fatigue, they would look to lift their defensive intensity.
That proved to be the decisive factor. Glenwood battled to find the touches needed to unlock the Bruin Reuse defence, while Helpies systematically broke them down.
The Lourens twins remain among Helpies’ highest-profile players this season. Shaye Lourens looks on track for Craven Week selection, and possibly higher honours, but it was his brother Ethan Lourens who responded with a big performance. Ethan faces stiff competition for the Lions No.12 jersey, with options including Phano Letsie, Sam Smith, and in-form Monnas midfielders Blessing Monareng and Juandre Ehlers.
Transvalia 26–05 Peterhouse
Transvalia’s inclusion came after a late withdrawal, and credit must go to festival organiser JP Lubbe and his team for securing both Transvalia and Zwartkop at short notice—an excellent effort under pressure.
Peterhouse, as they did last year, gave a good account of themselves. In what was their first match of the season, they showed enough to suggest they can compete, even if the Zimbabwean schoolboy standard sits a level or two below South Africa’s.
They were in the contest at one stage and could well have pushed for victory, but Transvalia finished strongly after Peterhouse failed to capitalise on key opportunities.
Westville 83–00 Framesby
Framesby arrived on the back of a valuable win over EG Jansen, but this was always going to be a tough assignment for one of the festival’s most faithful participants. They have enjoyed many good and memorable moments at the festival over the years. Last year, Westville also put them to the sword with a 31–0 result, and this defeat now replaces their previous biggest KERF loss—57–0 at the hands of powerhouse Affies back in 2015. They will bounce back, as they always do.
Westville were clinical throughout. Their Sevens programme influence was clear, with a fast, high-tempo approach that kept pressure on from start to finish. At times, their play resembled the attacking fluency of Paarl Gimnasium.
It may well be time for Westville to test themselves against the country’s elite at the Noord-Suid Tournament.
As is often the case in dominant wins, several players stood out. Among them, Ezra Karolisin made an immediate impact off the bench, while Lwandle Makhanya was again consistent and dangerous at No.8.
Kearsney 43–14 Rustenburg
After a few difficult years, Kearsney supporters finally have reason for optimism.
The scoreline did not fully reflect the contest, as Rustenburg produced plenty of constructive play, particularly through their phase-based approach—a hallmark of Naas Olivier’s coaching.
Kearsney, however, showed the value of modern attacking rugby, identifying and exploiting space with precision. Their performance was characterised by strong support play, well-timed offloads, and short passes that maintained momentum.
The One-Stripe’s decision to skip a Sevens season in 2025 makes their handling at speed even more noteworthy.
There were several standout performances. At fullback, Lwazi Mbebe impressed. A player long recognised for his talent, his decision-making has at times been questioned. Here, he fully embraced the system and emerged as a key playmaker, executing with clarity and confidence.
EG Jansen 27–20 Milnerton
This was the closest match of the day. Milnerton give the impression of a school going places in tier-one SBR. They have had well-publicised setbacks in the lead-up to the season, which no doubt impact their competitiveness.
For this match, Millies lifted their performance and created several strong opportunities, at one stage appearing to have the momentum to secure a notable result. They also accounted for the only successful penalty kick of the day.
EG Jansen, however, remain a well-coached and structured side under Regardt Botha and Rudi Dames. When they trust their systems, they are consistently effective. When the game was on the line, they dug deep to score the winning try and finished the stronger of the two sides.
Durban High School 31–14 Zwartkop
Durban High School continue to impress as a well-coached, well-conditioned, and disciplined outfit. They combine structured play with individual brilliance to unlock defences and build pressure. Like the Westville Griffon, the DHS Horsefly perhaps needs to spread its wings and showcase its immense talent on the big stage that the Noord-Suid Tournament offers.
Zwartkop, however, ensured this was no straightforward contest.
Arguably the standout team of 2025 in SA SBR for their overachievement, Zwartkop look even stronger in 2026. Under coach David Gouws, they play with physicality, intelligence, and belief.
Having lost just once in over a season prior to this defeat, their cohesion and “gees” are evident. It is particularly impressive that they have retained such a strong core in Pretoria, where larger co-ed schools are constantly building depth.
Given that DHS are one of the strongest school teams in the country, the effort from Zwarries is highly commendable.
Framesby should never have played in another festival directly after N/S. They just do not have the depth to do so. This loss can easily derail their 26-season. Grey’s loss at St Johns is another example of just too much in such a short time