Helpmekaar is under the spotlight after cancelling their interschools fixture against KES, scheduled for 6 June 2026, citing player welfare concerns. It marks a significant departure from the norm.
There have been three documented cases in this years where illness has resulted in high-profile interschools Saturdays being called off, the most recent being Grey College versus Selborne. Generally, however, cancellations tend to come down to one of two factors: serious unhappiness with an opponent, often linked to poaching allegations, or a fear of taking a heavy defeat.
Helpies fit neither category.
There is no known animosity between the Johannesburg private and KES. In fact, the opposite could be argued. On paper, Helpmekaar would have entered the fixture as favourites to claim the 1st XV honours. Ironically, it is KES who have endured one of the most injury-ravaged campaigns among South Africa’s leading rugby schools this season, with as many as nine players unavailable for selection at a stage.
The explanation from Helpies is straightforward: player welfare.
According to the school, its top rugby sides have endured an exceptionally demanding schedule. Since and including Wildeklawer, the A teams and 1st XV have played seven matches in six weeks. That run has included fixtures against Boishaai and DHS at junior level, Grey College and Queen’s College at senior level, as well as five consecutive Noordvaal encounters against Garsfontein, Menlopark, EG Jansen, Monument and Noordheuwel.
The workload does not end there. More than 20 Helpies players are set to represent the Lions against the Pumas, while another Noordvaal fixture against Middelburg awaits on 13 June.
Viewed in isolation, the argument has merit. Modern schoolboy rugby places increasing physical demands on young players, and concerns around player welfare have become a growing topic of discussion within the game.
Yet public perception rarely operates in isolation. So expect this decision to be frowned upon. After all it is a commitment made and now broken.
@wanza_15 (Comment #13)
@brentsw3 (Comment #10) The Boys High fixture was also cancelled so KES have only played 12 games thus far – with three more to come next term. Just shows how busy the start of the season is and all the injuries that stacked up prove it too…….
@brentsw3 (Comment #11)
This is exactly what I was thinking too.
They wouldn’t have cancelled a NV Cup game definitely.
The NV Cup is glaringly the priority for the teams that participate, and maybe it is understandable. But then one asks the question, as alluded to in comment #6 by buitestaander, what was the thinking/conversation when these fixtures were put together? Very unfortunate this is in my opinion
@brentsw3 (Comment #11)
I think that’s the reality for all the NV co-ed schools, the focus shifts to NV once it starts. By then your derbies should be done. For many of the NV schools, fielding 13 teams of “full-time practising” boys week-in and and week-out from April through to August is already a challenge.
One wonders if Helpmekaar would have cancelled a Noord Val cup fixture scheduled for this weekend? I’m guessing not…
@Roger (Comment #9) Agreed. The REDS have experienced a particularly challenging season thus far. They commenced with notable victories against St Johns, Queens, and St Andrews. A commendable performance was delivered in their 17-30 loss to Outeniqua; however, they were subsequently outmatched by Jeppe and have since struggled to regain their footing. Perhaps their most impressive display of the season occurred during the 28-46 defeat to Affies, where they exhibited the fighting spirit and resilience characteristic of the REDS. The junior teams have performed exceptionally well this season. The 14A team suffered a narrow loss to Affies, and the 16A team experienced a similar outcome, along with a two-point defeat against Westville away. The fixture against Helpmekaar was anticipated to be both intriguing and demanding across all age groups. This match presented a significant test for our team, while also offering our players an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities against what is widely considered the province’s top-performing school.
@brentsw3 (Comment #3)
that brings a premature end to a rather forgettable semester of rugby for the Reds – once again, blighted by injury. Hopefully with rest and recovery the 3rd term fixtures will be with a full complement of players!
Junior teams look strong though
I get cancelling the A team fixtures or just the 1st XV but what about the rest?
@Loubser (Comment #5)
Ja Menlo het, en kry steeds, baie stok vir daai besluit. Enige iemand wat kyk waardeur hul program is post-Covid, sal moet begrip he vir die besluit. Die tydsberekening van die bepaling was die groot probleem volgens my, vir dieselfde redes as wat Helpmekaar nou aanhaal. Ek dink die feit dat dit 2 jaar in ‘n ry was, asook vir baie Affie-matrieks hul laaste tuiswedstryd sou wees, het bygedra tot die emosies rondom die ontrekking. Dit wil voorkom of Selborne en KES bietjie meer simpatiek is, of die SBR-politiek in Pta-Oos is maar net anders ;)
Ek dink die enigste manier waarop die Affie/Menlo derby sou kon werk is aan die begin van die seisoen, soos Kloof die jaar gemaak het. Hopelik dit kan iewers in die toekoms weer gebeur, vir dieselfde redes waarom ek hoop ‘n Affie/Monnas derby kan ook eendag weer realiseer.
To cancel a fixture has enourmous implications, and it should only be done in really exceptional circumstances. It harms the reputation of a school, it is not fair and reasonable towards the other school involved, it disrupts planning, has financial implications, and the most important of all: the boys want to play and they are the main losers. Every schools plans its own fixtures. They accept or decline invitations to festivals. They are familiar to the demands of provincial trials. Managing player wellness should be one of the key factors to concider in planning the next year’s fixture list. Once you need to start to explain the reason for opting out, it raises questions.
Ek onthou goed toe Menlo teen Affies ontrek het, was my seun nog in Affies en ek het ook baie te se gehad, toe skuif ek my seun Menlo toe verlede jaar en besef toe die moelike situasie waarin een sit as jy nie die diepte van n seun skool het nie. Daarom bv het skeduleer Menlo nie eers n nuwe westryd in plek van die oud Affie durbie nie want dit was gewoonlik ook die tyd dat Menlo met meeste beserings en seuns wat siek is. Dit is so dat skole dalk beter moet beplan want dit raak bietjie rof met al die hoe profiel wedstryde, maar partykeer werk dinge nie uit nie, Menlo bv kon n klomp spanne bymekaar sit wat seuns op die veld sou sit teen Affies wat skaars rugby kan speel net om nie te ontrek nie, en dan wat sou gebeur, 100-0 scores? en ons bly vergeet dit bly skoolkinders, maar mense het nou nog baie te se oor Menlo, en ons moet ook besef dat baie skole soveel moontlik wil kompeteer op hoe vlak maar iewers moet mens groot genoeg wees en se sorry mense maar dit raak te veel. ja ek verstaan wedstryde was gereel, geld was dalk spandeer ens., maar tog as ouers moet mens kan se my kind se welstand moet 1ste kom. Daar het Grey “ontrek” of om dit beter te stel die durby teen Selborne gekanseleer oor te veel seuns siek was, die goed gebeur, dit is hoe dit hoort.
I was also looking forward to this game. Reminds me of Menlo cancelling v Affies last year or two. I agree with OudAffie. Player exhaustion is real. Schools rugby administrators need to plan better, be smarter. There is too much pre-season / early season big festivals and Helpies went to too many. But they gotta envision this when they plan.
Disappointing. Was looking forward to this fixture…
Verstaan die meriete, maar soos OudAffie tereg uitwys kon mens dit voor die seisoen geweet het. Die realiteit is dat die seisoen te lank is en die wedstryde te veel is, vir baie van die top 30 skole. Veral die Noordvaal-skole sal moet mooi dink hoeveel “voor-seisoen” rugby hul wil speel, as dit by toere, NWU-reekse, Noord-Suid en Wildeklawer kom…. en dan begin hul “liga” eers.
.
Ek sien eintlik net 2 alternatiewe vorentoe indien jy workload wil beperk. Een is jy speel feeste en derbies, of twee jy beperk jou voorseisoen tot een of twee warm-ups, een fees/toer en dan fokus op Noordvaal. Vir my is 15-16 wedstryde die sweetspot.
Ek wil net uitwys dat Helpmekaar Kollege self verlede jaar hul program en aantal wedstryde vir hul A-spanne op papier gesit het, om te sê daar word te veel rugby gespeel in ‘n kort tydperk maar jy reël die program self is effe lagwekkend. Ek sê nie dit is nie ‘n geldige probleem vir die spelers en hul werksladig nie, ek noem net dit is swak om te sê ons speel te veel rugby, maar jy self het dit so beplan. Reël dan minder wedstryde, sekerlik kan die ‘higher ups’ voorspel dat tussen Wildeklawer, Noordvaal, Leeus wedstryde en vriendskaplike wedstryde dat dit te veel gaan wees. En dan beplan mens mos rondom dit. OF soos Menlopark wat in die verlede uit wedstryd onttrek het agv groot aantal beserings, as jy weet jou seisoen kan lank raak of die spelers gaan te veel rugby speel, hoekom beplan jy nie beter itv bepalings nie. Sekerlik as die seuns in die skool se belang was sou iemand dit uitwys (vroegtydig), en dit tel ook vir al die skole wat Festivals, NoordSuid en Wildeklawer speel en 8 tot 9 wedstryde in 6 weke speel.