Standard Bank Grey High Festival fixtures: 2026 April 25,
first team games
Kolisi Field
9.10: Kingswood v St Charles; 10.25: Graeme v Kearsney; 11.45: Parel Vallei v Framesby;12.55: SACS v Selborne; 14.05: Glenwood v Rondebosch; 3.25: Grey High v Michaelhouse
Pollock Oval
10.25: Daniel Pienaar v Hudson Park; 11.45: St Stithians v Drostdy; 2.05: Dale v Pearson; 3.25:Muir v Mzwandile Mali XV
Kingswood vs St Charles
Under new head coach Thabo Sisusa, Kingswood have been ticking along nicely. In their toughest test of the season to date against Monnas, they were not blown away by the powerful Krugersdorp outfit and came away with a respectable result. The feeling is they should have too much for Craig Dwyer’s St Charles.
Graeme vs Kearsney
This should be a cracker. Graeme, driven by a couple of X-factor players, play an exciting, expansive brand of rugby under head coach Jonty van Meulen. They will be chomping at the bit to return to winning ways after their unbeaten start was surprisingly halted away at Selborne last Saturday.
Kearsney remain unbeaten. They are a well-balanced outfit, with their pack laying a strong platform. Veteran head coach Grant Bashford has been a godsend for the College’s backline play over the past two seasons. It has been years since it has looked this sharp, giving the One-Stripe an extra dimension for what could be a long-overdue strong campaign. Their main concern may be the Gqeberha wind, which can wreak havoc with lineouts and passing accuracy.
Parel Vallei vs Framesby
Parel Vallei, coached by Lucas Roothman are also unbeaten in 2026 to date. It is a commendable effort from the Somerset West B-league school, who have long harboured ambitions of growing into something bigger but have not quite matched the progress of the likes of Stellenberg or Durbanville.
Louis Gerber’s Framesby side already have nine matches under the belt and have beaten an impressive list of well-known schools from across South Africa. Aside from one injury-affected dip, they have been consistent, and should start as favourites to claim the win.
SACS vs Selborne
With new coach Kofi Appiah at the helm, SACS are a decent side capable of playing high-quality rugby; they just need consistency across the full 60-70 minutes. Last weekend in the wet against Bishops, their midfield pairing of James Sale and Luca Orgill combined for the first time this season and showed promising signs in the first half.
They have, however, lost a couple of tight contests. While Selborne with coaches Roy Godfrey and Adam Robertson in charge, come off a strong win over Graeme and boast a physical pack, SACS’ variety on attack should give them the edge.
Glenwood vs Rondebosch
This fixture hinges on which Glenwood (coach Justin Hollis) side turns up. If the fired-up Green Machine arrives, Rondebosch are in for a serious battle. If not, it could be a more straightforward outing for Bosch.
Clint van Rensburg’s Rondebosch possess a wide array of attacking weapons and can strike from anywhere. Captain Bertus Versfeld is a standout in the lineout, while winger Caleb Bell is one of the most dangerous runners in the country. Bosch start as favourites.
Grey High vs Michaelhouse
This is shaping up as the match of the festival. Lead by coach Matt King, Grey know their home conditions well and boast a formidable pack. Their lineout, however, will need to function at its usual high standard. Wing Noah Mbizi is arguably one of the best finishers in the country, and Grey will need to find more ways to bring him into the game once they generate momentum.
If Stellenberg did not exist, Michaelhouse would be firmly in the team-of-the-season conversation based on expectations versus output. They are a joy to watch — a true collective with no single standout, but a unit that functions brilliantly. New coach Marco Engelbrecht has revitalised their approach, restoring the innovative edge reminiscent of the Ryno Combrinck era.
The sides drew this fixture 28-all last year at the same venue, albeit without the same hype. This one feels different. A tough call.
Daniel Pienaar vs Hudson Park
Another intriguing clash that could come down to desire. Hudson Park (coach: Ntando Kebe) may be rated the stronger side on paper, but Daniel Pienaar are no pushovers and will be right in the contest.
St Stithians vs Drostdy
This looks the most one-sided fixture of the day. Thoriso Shihau’s Saints opened their season with a solid win over St David’s but have not built on that momentum.
Tobie Botes’ Drostdy, by contrast, are a powerful outfit in 2026 and further strengthened their coaching arsenal by acquiring the talent that is Jeff Fransman from Worcester Gim. Expect them to dominate up front, with a high-tempo backline and one of the most lethal back-three combinations in the country in Brent-Leigh Exstraal, Tristan Syster and Anwill Jacobs. The Donkies should create plenty of scoring opportunities.
Dale vs Pearson
Two sides progressing well. Pearson with Christiaan van Schalkwyk in charge, celebrating their centenary year, made a strong start before being heavily beaten by Outeniqua in George. The lessons from that loss — and the motivation to respond — could prove invaluable.
Roydon Kennedy’s Dale have snapped two long-standing losing streaks in Border rugby with wins over Hudson Park and arch-rivals Queen’s. The latter result has certainly turned heads. This is a difficult one to call.
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