To say it has been a tough week for Dr EG Jansen of Boksburg would be something of an understatement.
Following the drama that unfolded at Menlopark last Saturday — footage scenes that spread rapidly across social media, brought a host of consequences and inflicted significant damage on the school’s reputation — another setback that has been looming for some time has now arrived: relegation to the Noordvaal Cup Plate Division.
The OosRanders have been one of the defining members of the Noordvaal Cup Premier League since its inception. There have been good times, plenty of rugby success and more than enough memorable battles along the way.
But in 2026, the Premier League eventually proved a bridge too far.
While Rustenburg and, in particular, Middelburg — both schools widely tipped to be in danger of relegation — produced impressive seasons across their full age-group rugby programmes, it was Waterkloof who emerged as the surprise relegation contenders.
In the end, however, EG’s position was compounded by the fact that they will have no representation in the playoffs.
The Jansies finished the league phase on 197 points, four behind Waterkloof. So even with the playoffs still to be played, EG’s fate is effectively sealed.
Their place in the Premier League is set to be taken by Nelspruit, who suffered the indignity of finishing last in the ProReg table and being relegated at the end of the 2025 season.
There is, perhaps, a measure of encouragement in that.
Nelspruit treated relegation not as an endpoint, but as a wake-up call. The school responded with a significant restructuring of various facets of their rugby programme.
A year later, the dividends are clear. Nelspruit are on ttheir way straight back into the Premier League.
For EG Jansen, the challenge now is to decide whether relegation becomes a setback or the catalyst for something better.
The Jansies have been part of the Premier League’s fabric for years. They now have to prove they can rebuild quickly enough to make their absence a brief one.
PROREG TABLES
| # | NV CUP | P | PTS | AVG |
| 1 | Garsfontein | 8 | 277.5 | 34.7 |
| 2 | Monument | 8 | 263.5 | 32.9 |
| 3 | Helpmekaar | 8 | 258.5 | 32.3 |
| 4 | Noordheuwel | 8 | 238.5 | 29.8 |
| 5 | Rustenburg | 8 | 225.5 | 28.2 |
| 6 | Menlopark | 8 | 218.0 | 27.3 |
| 7 | Middelburg | 8 | 207.5 | 25.9 |
| 8 | Waterkloof | 8 | 201.0 | 25.1 |
| 9 | EG Jansen | 8 | 197.0 | 24.6 |
| # | NV PLATE | P | PTS | AVG |
| 1 | Nelspuit | 8 | 232.5 | 29.1 |
| 2 | Transvalia | 8 | 218.5 | 27.3 |
| 3 | Zwartkop | 8 | 212.0 | 26.5 |
| 4 | Wesvalia | 8 | 184.0 | 23.0 |
| 5 | Kempton Park | 8 | 174.5 | 21.8 |
| 6 | Oos-Moot | 8 | 172.5 | 21.6 |
| 7 | HTS Middelburg | 8 | 161.0 | 20.1 |
| 8 | Montana | 8 | 159.0 | 19.9 |
| 9 | Klerksdorp | 8 | 142.0 | 17.8 |
| # | NV SHIELD | P | PTS | AVG |
| 1 | Pietersburg | 8 | 226.0 | 28.3 |
| 2 | Ben Vorster | 8 | 223.5 | 27.9 |
| 3 | Piet Retief | 8 | 201.0 | 25.1 |
| 4 | Ligbron | 8 | 199.5 | 24.9 |
| 5 | Marais Viljoen | 8 | 185.0 | 23.1 |
| 6 | Heidelberg VS | 8 | 176.0 | 22.0 |
| 7 | Secunda | 8 | 167.0 | 20.9 |
| 8 | Lichtenburg | 8 | 144.0 | 18.0 |
| 9 | Eldoraigne | 8 | 132.0 | 16.5 |
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.