Top Class Schoolboy Rugby Kicks Off
The Easter weekend is syonymous with school rugby festivals, but this year it is later than normal, coming three weeks into the second term for state schools. Many of those playing in the 12th Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival have already played a number of matches, providing some indication of comparative strengths.
The 12 teams from seven provinces participating at the festival which starts on Thursday, 18 April 2019 were among the top schools in the country last year, which promises some exhilarating rugby.
Joining hosts Kearsney from KwaZulu-Natal are Glenwood and DHS, the latter two the top schools in KZN last year. The three Gauteng schools include debutants Transvalia from Vanderbijlpark, another that was highly ranked last year, Dr EG Jansen from Boksburg who return after missing last year with an uncompromising style always felt by the opposition, as well as Pretoria Boys High, being close sporting friends of Kearsney.
HTS Drostdy, from Worcester in the Western Cape, will participate for the second year. Strong schools from the Eastern Cape are Selborne College from East London and Hoërskool Framesby from Port Elizabeth. Kimberley’s Hoërskool Noord-Kaap, HTS Middelburg from Mpumalanga and Free State’s Welkom Gimnasium complete the participating teams.
Kearsney traditionally play the opening game of the festival and on Thursday face Pretoria Boys. The visitors have not had much rugby and here Kearsney may have the advantage, with four major games under their belt, in comparison to Pretoria’s single game which they lost away against King Edward’s. Kearsney won their game against Michaelhouse, drew with Hilton, beat St Charles and lost to Kingswood. The experienced gained should stand them in good stead.
Glenwood, the power-house of KZN school rugby for a number of years, will play the penultimate match on Thursday against Dr EG Jansen. The KZN boys again look to have a formidable side with four wins under their belt, all against quality opposition of Westville, Hilton, King Edward’s and Maritzburg College. Arguably the defeat of KES by 48-36 was the most significant.
EG Jansen have played five matches this season, winning four which they would have expected to beat, but losing 32-45 to Stellenberg. Thursday’s game will be keenly contested with Glenwood likely to prevail in this match.
The final game of the first day sees DHS against Transvalia. The KZN side has lost most of their talented players from last year and, although there is a core of six players who remain, they have struggled against opposition played so far. A narrow win against Westville followed three losses against Hilton, Framesby and Grey High. Transvalia are also not the force thay were last year, having yet to record a win after six matches; so this match could be evenly contested.
On Saturday Kearsney come up against Framesby, where the latter will be the favourites after four wins, including a 54-10 drubbing of DHS. DHS will have to be at their best when they play against EG Jansen. Glenwood close the second day against Selborne. This should go Glenwood’s way as the East London side is rebuilding with only two players returning from last year’s team.
The three KZN teams play the last three festival matches on Easter Monday. DHS will face HTS Drostdy in the third last match, the latter a team which has won two matches and lost two, against Paarl Boys High and narrowly against Oakdale. This game will be followed by Glenwood taking on Transvalia, which should see plenty of running rugby by Glenwood. The final game sees the hosts playing Welkom Gimnasium. Welkom have arguably the most experienced side at the festival, with 11 players returning from 2018. Kearsney will hope to have formulated strategies after watching Welkom’s two previous games, but it will be difficult for the home side.
The support by major sponsors Standard Bank, Halfway Ford, MTN, Coopertires and the Sharks Academy endorses the prestigious status of the festival.
There will be six fixtures on each of the three play days over Easter weekend: Thursday 18, Saturday 20 and Monday 22. A match between three primary school teams – Highbury, Hillcrest Primary and Umhlali Preparatory – and the KZNRU Ibutho Under-13 development team will kick off each day’s action.
Numerous food outlets, a refreshment tent and fun KidZone will ensure spectators can fully enjoy the special family atmosphere. Entry is R25 per person with ample parking available.
Fixtures:
Maundy Thursday
08.30: Umhlali Prep vs Under-13 KZN Ibutho Development Team
09.30: Kearsney vs HTS Middelburg
10.45: Queen’s vs Pretoria Boys High
12.00: Glenwood vs Drostdy
13.15: Dale vs Framesby
14.30: Selborne vs Durban High School
15.45: Welkom Gimnasium vs Noord-Kaap
Holy Saturday
08.30: Hillcrest Primary vs Under-13 KZN Ibutho Development Team
09.30: Framesby vs Pretoria Boys High
10.45: Durban High School vs Queen’s
12.00: Kearsney vs Noord-Kaap
13.15: Glenwood vs Dale
14.30: Drostdy vs Welkom Gimnasium
15.45: Selborne vs HTS Middelburg
Eastern Monday
08.30: Highbury vs Under-13 KZN Ibutho
09.30: Glenwood vs Welkom Gimnasium
10.45: Noord-Kaap vs Framesby
12.00: HTS Middelburg vs Queen’s
13.15: Durban High School vs Dale
14.30: Drostdy vs Selborne
15.45: Kearsney vs Pretoria Boys High
By Sue Miles of Working Words
