Monument are Lions champs once again

What was once taken for granted has now become a welcome return to the summit, even if only for a season. Monument of Krugersdorp are once again the kings of the Lions region in 2026 after edging Helpmekaar 34-26 on Saturday, 23 May.

The glory days when Monnas routinely swept aside all provincial challengers no longer exist. The annual derby against King Edward VII School may have disappeared from the calendar, but victories over provincial heavyweights Noordheuwel and Jeppe — coupled with this latest triumph over Helpies — have taken them as close to a Grand Slam season as the modern Lions landscape allows.

In many ways, the clash in Braamfontein mirrored the one against Jeppe a week earlier. Monnas exploded out of the blocks like a high-performance SUV in full electric mode — immediate acceleration, relentless momentum and devastating efficiency. Their first-half rugby was outstanding, built on dominant front-foot play and lethal counter-attacks that left Helpies scrambling. They finished the half with a commanding 29-7 lead.

Yet the second half painted a very different picture. The EV range-extender played up, making the journey to the 70-minute mark a difficult one. The intensity dropped, the energy levels dipped and the once-fluid attack became increasingly blunt. Despite eventually winning by eight points, the reality is that the game was there for Helpies to steal. A few sharper final passes and cleaner execution in key moments would almost certainly have swung the contest in favour of the hosts.

It is perhaps the one lingering concern for Monnas going forward. Their ability to start matches at a ferocious tempo is unquestionable, but their conditioning and overall match fitness will need attention if they are to maintain that standard deep into big games later in the season.

Still, the Noordvaal Cup points continue to pile up. Monnas remain unbeaten in league play after three matches, although enormous examinations against Garsfontein and Waterkloof still lie ahead.

Driving the latest victory once again was the glue that holds this immensely talented side together — scrumhalf Morne Noble. He is rapidly establishing himself as one of the great matric recruit successes in recent memory. His rugby IQ is exceptional, but it is the maturity of his decision-making, combined with genuine skill and composure, that elevates him into such an influential figure.

Flyhalf Jaydon Viljoen also appears to be growing week by week. Earlier in the season he often sat deeper, but there is now a noticeable confidence to stand flatter and attack closer to the advantage line, which in turn gives Monnas far greater attacking punch.

The midfield contest promised fireworks and largely delivered. The Monnas pairing of Jaundre Ehlers and Blessing Monareng were outstanding early on while quality possession flowed their way. But as Monnas faded physically in the second half and the ball supply dried up, it was Helpies’ Ethan Lourens and his eye-catching u17 midfield partner, Daniel Kelbrick, who arguably left the stronger lasting impression.

It would not be fair not to include a short word of credit for two of the best wings in South Africa this year — Ruan Genis (Monnas) and youngster Zuan Krige (Helpmekaar) — who light up the stage with just about every touch of the ball.

The fullbacks, however, stole the show. Loghan Langeveldt was electric for Monnas during the opening stanza, slicing through broken play with frightening acceleration, while Xander van Niekerk became almost unstoppable for Helpies after halftime as he repeatedly threatened from deep.

Up front, the match followed a similar pattern. Monnas dominated the collisions and physical exchanges during the first half, but Helpies grew increasingly aggressive as the game wore on. Much of that resurgence was driven by versatile prop Diandro Botha, whose shift into the second row added extra size and physicality to the hosts’ engine room.

For many years Monnas entered seasons as overwhelming favourites and almost always delivered on expectation. Their dominance was so complete that the rest of the region often felt like supporting actors in somebody else’s story.

That reality has changed dramatically over the past decade.

Helpies, once the private school that infamously frustrated Lions Division B large schools by refusing promotion to the Makro A-section, eventually stepped up and nearly captured the Noordvaal Cup at their first attempt. They have produced quality ever since.

Jeppe, aided by leadership at headmaster level that reflected a feel-good story of genuine passion for the school, clawed their way back from irrelevance to become a respected rugby force.

Similarly, Noordheuwel transformed themselves from a school often mocked as a “girls’ school” into a serious provincial and national rugby contender, helped by having a rugby-loving leader, excellent facilities and good strategic investment.

KES, arguably guided by the finest headmaster in the country, also upped their game to achieve better high level consistency be it through a more old-school approach — backing their own boys, keeping strong male teacher involvement at the heart of the programme and building a culture rooted in traditional school values.

Collectively, those efforts have reshaped the Lions rugby landscape into one of the most competitive schoolboy regions in South Africa. All five schools now possess the resources, structures and belief required to claim top honours in the province.

And that, more than anything else, is why this Monnas title matters again. It is no longer inevitable. It has become something that must be earned.