De Villiers: SA schools rugby stronger than ever

SPOTLIGHT: Former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers chats to Jon Cardinelli about the rise of schoolboy rugby and the decision to throw his weight behind a national Under-16 tournament in Paarl.

The schoolboy rugby season ramps up this week, with most of the country’s leading teams travelling to Affies to compete in the annual North-South tournament.

The tournament in Pretoria will be followed by the Easter festivals at Kearsney, KES, St Johns and St Stithians, as well as the 125th celebration at Pretoria Boys.

The very best of South African schoolboy rugby will be on show over the next two weeks, and the nation will be watching.

“South African schoolboy rugby is the best in the world,” former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers told Rugby365, in a wide-ranging interview on the subject.

“It’s always been competitive, but it’s become a lot more professional over the past few years.

“There are different discussions to be had around that, but the big positive is that more kids are getting exposed to a high level of coaching and getting the chance to make a career out of rugby.”

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Various schools have invested in their rugby programmes over the past few years, with the aim of challenging some of the traditional powerhouses and climbing the national rankings.

Leading coaches have been recruited, as have strength and conditioning specialists.

In short, schoolboy rugby has become a lot more professional, and it’s fair to say that the new status quo has its pros and cons.

“A lot of players are coming out of these well-coached school environments and walking straight into Currie Cup or United Rugby Championship squads.

“For me, that just shows how well things are working at school level,” De Villiers said.

“The reality is that a very small number of players will go onto make it at the highest level. We also have to remember that these are young kids, and a balance needs to be maintained; there has to be a holistic approach.

“While very few players make it at the highest level, one shouldn’t underestimate what that kind of environment does for you as an individual in terms of giving you other skills you can use in all walks of life.

“The commitment, the accountability… these values and skills can be transferred into whatever job you choose to do after school.”

While many fans obsess over First XV results, the strength of a ‘rugby school’ is typically measured by the performances across the respective age groups.

Speak to any schoolboy rugby coach, and they will highlight the importance of the U16 level.

This week, the Jean de Villiers U16 festival will be staged at Paarl Gimnasium, while down the road, another Springbok, Frans Malherbe, will lend his name to the Under-15 competition at Paarl Boys High.

De Villiers, who represented Gimmies before he went on to play for the Stormers and Boks, explained why he has thrown his weight behind the U16 event.

“The actual tournament has been running for the past 34 years, under the Paarl Gim banner. I played in the tournament back in the day, and it was through that competition that I met a lot of guys who went on to be my teammates for professional sides in later years.

“The school contacted me a while back and asked me if I’d be willing to lend my name to the tournament, and I said I’d be honoured. Unfortunately, Covid struck, and we had to wait a bit before getting it off the ground.

“Now we’re into the fourth season of it being linked to my name, and it’s something to be proud of, given it’s some of the most competitive teams in the country producing the best quality of schoolboy rugby.”

Also read: The brains behind Affies’ quest for top status

De Villiers was quick to endorse Malherbe’s tournament and the role it could play in the development of South Africa’s future stars.

“Frans’ U15 tournament will run around the same time as my U16 competition, and will also feature a lot of the top schools in the country. From what I hear, it’s been very successful over the years.

“Canan Moodie’s festival at Boland Landbou was staged a couple of weeks ago, and Willie le Roux’s tournament involving the Under-11 and Under-13s is also this week [at Paul Roos].

“I don’t benefit from this tournament financially; it’s more about giving back to the school and the community,” De Villiers added.

Each team attending the Jean de Villiers U16 Festival will play three matches over a period of five days, with the first round of fixtures scheduled for Thursday, March 26, on the JA Kriel and Stofberg fields.

Arch-rivals Paarl Boys will be in attendance, as will other Western Cape teams such as Durbanville, Drostdy, Stellenberg, Boland Landbou, Outeniqua, Oakdale and Wynberg.

The interprovincial guest list includes Affies, Diamantveld, Garsfontein, Grey College, Grey High, Helpmekaar, Hilton, Marlow, Menlopark, Nico Malan, Noordheuwel, Pretoria Boys, Trio and Waterkloof.

“The U16 level is such a key stage for a rugby player,” noted De Villiers.

“It’s at this level where a lot of the speed and power that might characterise you in later years is already there.

“Even at that level, you start to get an idea of what’s required before the step up to the Under-19, and coaches are starting to assess your abilities.

“All that said, it’s a good opportunity to showcase your skills and push for the next opportunity.”