April Madness 2026

This year, April Madness officially runs from 26 March to 27 April 2026 — the most relentless stretch on the South African schoolboy rugby calendar.

In just under five weeks, the country’s top rugby schools cram in anywhere between six and nine fixtures, testing depth, conditioning and mental resilience to the limit.

Here’s an attempt to rank the schools based on the intensity of their schedules — factoring in both the number of matches and the difficulty of opposition faced.

T/P = to play
P= played
PTS & AVG relate to normal ranking points & average ranking points
F/D is the fixture list diffilculty rating
TTL is the F/D plus an add on factor for the number of matches played

#		SCHOOL	REG	TTL	CAT	T/P	P	W	D	L	PTS	AVG	F/D	LAST 8 GAMES
1	3	Affies	BUL	7.58	5.00	8	6	3	0	3	25.09	4.18	4.58	OAK	DUR	MHS	GHS	GIM	GAR	OUT	HJS
2	24	Jeppe	LIO	7.38	4.25	8	6	3	0	3	21.28	3.55	4.38	HJS	DIA	MC	MHS	KES	WVL	BL	GCB
3	36	EG Jansen	VAL	7.18	4.00	9	7	2	0	5	16.31	2.33	3.68	FRA	MIL	ZWA	GLE	HTS	BV	NM	DUR
4	29	Rustenburg	LEO	7.14	4.00	9	7	4	0	3	18.23	2.6	3.64	WEL	KEA	DHS	PET	PCG	PAR	BAR	MAR
5	9	Helpmekaar	LIO	6.90	4.25	7	5	2	0	3	17.00	3.4	4.40		GCB	BL	GLE	WVL	DHS	GIM	QC
6	52	Framesby	EP	6.86	3.50	8	7	4	0	3	17.81	2.54	3.86	NEL	EGJ	WVL	GLE	TRA	DAN	NM	PV
7	12	Noordheuwel	LIO	6.70	4.00	7	5	2	0	3	15.05	3.01	4.20		GIM	OAK	QC	MAR	KES	GCB	BL
8	5	Grey College	FS	6.69	5.00	6	4	1	0	3	16.42	4.1	4.69			HMK	STE	NUD	GIM	NH	JEP
9	40	Pretoria BH	BUL	6.65	4.00	7	5	2	0	3	12.88	2.58	4.15		PRG	SAC	RBH	PAR	MC	KES	GHS
10	2	Paarl Gim	WP	6.56	5.00	6	4	4	0	0	19.81	4.95	4.56			NH	MEN	AHS	GCB	HMK	DHS
11	7	Oakdale	SWD	6.56	4.50	6	4	2	1	1	17.48	4.37	4.56			AHS	NH	HJS	DUR	WVL	PRG
12	30	KES	LIO	6.55	4.00	7	5	2	0	3	14.57	2.91	4.05		OUT	STA	QC	JEP	NH	PBH	RBH
13	38	Zwartkop	BUL	6.54	4.00	8	7	5	0	2	21.70	3.1	3.54	BVH	WIT	DHS	EGJ	KEA	MV	MTA	KLE
14	15	Stellenberg	WP	6.50	5.00	6	4	3	0	1	19.05	4.76	4.50			GAR	GCB	PRG	MBS	MC	DIA
15	1	Paarl BH	WP	6.50	5.00	6	4	2	1	1	17.94	4.49	4.50			JEP	GAR	OAK	WYN	NW	AHS
16	6	Garsfontein	BUL	6.50	5.00	5	3	3	0	0	15.50	5.17	5.00				STE	HJS	AHS	PRG	NW
17	10	Westville	KZN	6.45	4.50	7	5	4	0	1	19.60	3.92	3.95		FRA	HMK	MIL	NW	JEP	OAK	WK
18	4	Paul Roos	WP	6.44	5.00	6	4	3	0	1	17.58	4.39	4.44			MON	PBH	STE	GHS	GAR	OAK
19	23	Durbanville	WP	6.44	4.25	6	4	2	0	2	15.24	3.81	4.44			RUS	AHS	SAC	OAK	WK	EGJ
20	8	Durban HS	KZN	6.40	4.50	7	5	4	0	1	19.54	3.91	3.90		BEL	ZWA	RUS	HMK	NW	MON	GIM
21	34	Glenwood	KZN	6.40	4.00	7	5	2	0	3	13.76	2.75	3.90		MIL	HMK	FRA	EGJ	MC	RBH	SEL
22	18	Boland Landbou	WP	6.31	4.00	6	4	1	0	3	11.57	2.89	4.31			MEN	HMK	OUT	RBH	JEP	NH
23	66	Fichardtpark	FS	6.20	3.50	8	5	3	0	2	9.74	1.95	3.20	H-S	FM	WIL	JF	SEN	PIE	TBA	HEI
24	20	Waterkloof	BUL	6.19	4.25	6	4	3	1	0	16.69	4.17	4.19			DIA	OUT	NEL	MEN	DUR	WVL
25	22	Monument	LIO	6.19	4.50	6	4	3	0	1	16.36	4.09	4.19			PRG	DRO	WL	KIN	DHS	NM
26	21	Menlopark	BUL	6.19	4.25	6	4	2	0	2	12.51	3.13	4.19			BL	GIM	OM	WK	TYG	SWA
27	19	Maritzburg Coll	KZN	6.13	4.25	6	4	4	0	0	16.40	4.1	4.13			JEP	SAC	GLE	PBH	STE	OUT
28	27	Grey HS	EP	6.13	4.25	6	4	2	0	2	12.85	3.21	4.13			PAR	AHS	DAL	PRG	MHS	PBH
29	39	SACS	WP	6.13	4.25	6	4	1	0	3	11.95	2.99	4.13			PBH	MC	DUR	BIS	SEL	KEA
30	11	Northwood	KZN	6.00	4.25	6	4	3	0	1	15.14	3.78	4.00			MAR	STA	WVL	DHS	HJS	GAR
31	73	Marais Viljoen	LIO	6.00	3.00	7	5	1	1	3	10.09	2.02	3.50		BW	DAN	VGR	ZWA	KLE	MER	MER
32	16	Outeniqua	SWD	5.94	4.50	6	4	3	1	0	16.36	4.09	3.94			KES	WK	BL	PEA	AHS	MC
33	13	Rondebosch	WP	5.94	4.25	6	4	2	0	2	12.91	3.23	3.94			SEL	PBH	WYN	BL	GLE	KES
34	31	Transvalia	VAL	5.89	3.50	7	7	4	0	3	17.30	2.47	3.39		STR	HUG	PET	KEA	FRA	ELD	KEM
35	71	Parktown	LIO	5.75	3.00	6	5	0	0	5	7.42	1.48	3.75			SJC	GHS	SEL	PBH	RUS	NC
36	69	Kempton Park	VAL	5.71	3.50	7	7	4	0	3	14.20	2.03	3.21		KLE	MTA	PIE	STC	INV	PR	TRA
37		Pietersburg	LIM	5.70	3.00	7	5	3	0	2	9.19	1.84	3.20		KEM	MID	SJH	HEI	WAG	FIC	TYG
38		Upington	GRI	5.70	3.00	7	5	3	0	2	8.59	1.72	3.20		LG	HER	C&V	KAT	DIA	2ND	2ND
39	65	Dale	BOR	5.69	3.50	6	4	2	0	2	10.82	2.7	3.69			CRA	WOR	GHS	QC	PEA	MUI
40	50	Selborne	BOR	5.69	3.50	6	4	2	0	2	9.45	2.36	3.69			RBH	PAR	PEA	GRA	SAC	GLE
41	51	Marlow	EP	5.69	3.50	6	4	2	0	2	8.99	2.25	3.69			NW	NH	BW	HP	BAR	RUS
42	25	Nelspruit	PUM	5.63	4.00	6	6	3	0	3	13.02	2.17	3.63			FRA	BVH	HIL	ALB	WK	OM
43	33	Queen’s	BOR	5.63	4.00	6	4	2	0	2	10.29	2.57	3.63			NH	KES	STI	DAL	DIA	HMK
44	43	Diamantveld	GRQ	5.63	4.00	6	4	2	0	2	10.14	2.54	3.63			WK	JEP	DUI	UPI	QC	STE
45	54	Pearson	EP	5.63	3.50	6	4	3	0	1	10.04	2.51	3.63			ELD	CRA	SEL	OUT	DAL	DRO
46	35	Michaelhouse	KZN	5.63	4.50	4	2	2	0	0	9.40	4.7	4.63					AHS	JEP	GHS	STA
47		Swartland	BOL	5.60	3.00	7	5	5	0	0	13.17	2.63	3.10		VB	BW	ELL	WOR	HER	HEI	MEN
48	48	Milnerton	WP	5.58	3.50	6	6	0	1	5	7.16	1.19	3.58			GLE	EGJ	PET	WVL	PV	BRA
49	42	Nico Malan	EP	5.50	3.50	6	4	2	0	2	9.73	2.43	3.50			WEL	HTS	MUI	FRA	EGJ	MON
50	56	Welkom Gim	GRF	5.50	3.50	6	5	2	0	3	8.60	1.72	3.50			NM	RUS	GL	WL	BVH	TRI
51		Heidelberg VS	VAL	5.90	3.00	7	5	4	0	1	12.69	2.54	3.40		HIL	SJH	BEL	PIE	WES	SWA	FIC
52	32	Graeme	EP	5.38	4.00	6	4	3	0	1	11.76	2.94	3.38			BEN	BIS	REX	SEL	KEA	STC
53	49	Kearsney	KZN	5.33	4.25	5	3	3	0	0	11.45	3.82	3.83				RUS	TRA	ZWA	GRA	SAC
54	41	Drostdy	BOL	5.33	4.25	5	3	2	0	1	9.68	3.23	3.83				EGJ	MON	HER	STS	PEA
55	37	Bishops	WP	5.19	4.00	5	4	2	0	2	11.05	2.76	3.69				STA	SJC	GRA	SAC	HIL
56	46	Middelburg	PUM	5.17	3.50	6	6	1	1	4	7.39	1.23	3.17			WIT	WES	HPY	PIE	BV	HTS
57		Sentraal	FS	5.10	3.50	6	5	4	0	1	11.07	2.21	3.10			WTR	WAG	ANK	LAN	FIC	DUI
58	61	Jim Fouche	FS	5.10	3.50	6	5	3	0	2	9.20	1.84	3.10			BWB	INV	ROO	FIC	LAN	TBA
59	68	Daniel Pienaar	EP	5.10	3.50	6	5	2	0	3	6.09	1.22	3.10			ELL	MV	ROB	FRA	OTT	HP
60	26	St Andrew’s	EP	5.08	3.50	4	3	0	0	3	5.57	1.86	4.08					BIS	KES	NW	MHS
61		Charlie Hofmeyr	BOL	5.00	3.00	6	5	5	0	0	12.50	2.5	3.00			BVJ	LIC	PR	STR	HOP	WOL
62	44	St Stithians	LIO	4.92	3.00	5	3	1	0	2	4.42	1.47	3.42				BEN	SJH	WYN	DRO	KIN
63	17	Hilton	KZN	4.83	4.50	4	3	3	0	0	12.18	4.06	3.83					HEI	NEL	NUD	BIS
64	64	Beth. Voortrekker	GRF	4.83	3.00	4	3	0	0	3	4.76	1.59	3.83					ZWA	NEL	WEL	HEN
65	14	Wynberg	WP	4.81	4.25	4	4	3	0	1	14.85	3.71	3.81					INV	STS	RBH	HJS
66	53	Kingswood	EP	4.75	3.50	4	2	1	0	1	5.73	2.87	3.75					SDC	MON	STC	STS
67		Ben Vorster	LIM	4.75	3.00	4	2	0	1	1	4.93	2.47	3.75					MID	EGJ	DIN	RPG
68	28	Brandwag (EP)	EP	4.70	3.50	5	5	3	0	2	9.91	1.98	3.20				MV	SWA	HER	MAR	MUI
69	55	Oos-Moot	BUL	4.69	3.50	4	4	2	0	2	9.40	2.35	3.69					HUG	STR	MEN	NEL
70		Montana	BUL	4.67	3.00	4	3	2	0	1	8.45	2.82	3.67					WES	KEM	ZWA	WES
71	45	HTS Middelburg	PUM	4.63	3.50	4	4	3	0	1	12.04	3.01	3.63					TRI	NM	EGJ	MID
72	58	Hudson Park	BOR	4.63	3.00	5	4	2	1	1	8.76	2.19	3.13				WOR	ELD	CAM	MAR	DAN
73	60	Wesvalia	LEO	4.63	3.50	5	4	2	0	2	4.92	1.23	3.13				MTA	MID	WAG	HEI	MTA
74	47	Witteberg	GRF	4.50	3.00	4	3	2	0	1	6.70	2.23	3.50					MID	ZWA	HEN	GOU
75	72	Muir	EP	4.50	3.50	4	2	0	0	2	3.60	1.8	3.50					NM	BW	MAL	DAL
76		Klerksdorp	LEO	4.33	3.50	4	3	1	1	1	6.57	2.19	3.33					KEM	TRI	MV	ZWA
77	63	St John’s	LIO	4.25	3.00	4	4	3	0	1	9.45	2.36	3.25					PAR	BIS	GL	ITA
78	57	St Charles	KZN	4.25	3.50	4	2	1	0	1	2.67	1.33	3.25					NC	KEM	KIN	GRA
79	70	Hugenote	BOL	3.83	3.50	3	3	2	0	1	5.83	1.94	3.33						OM	TRA	BEL
80		Parel Vallei	LIM	3.75	3.00	3	2	2	0	0	5.67	2.83	3.25						MIL	STR	FRA