It's the #BIG north-south derby for SA schools heavyweights

PREVIEW: Many of South Africa’s leading schools will be in action at the Noord-Suid (north-south) tournament at Paul Roos this weekend.

Other top teams from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal will do battle at the Grey High School festival in Port Elizabeth.

Leading teams from around the country have returned to action – some sooner than others – and come the weekend, all of South Africa’s top dogs will feature in the first major interprovincial tournament of the season.

Paul Roos – who dominated the South African schools scene in 2024, with 15 consecutive wins – will host the Noord-Suid tournament from Friday, March 28 to Tuesday, April 1.

Grey College, Affies and the Paarl heavyweights will be in attendance, as will many of the other ‘top 20’ schools that excelled last season.

In Port Elizabeth, Grey High will welcome some of the biggest teams from the Eastern Cape well as a few heavy-hitters from outside the province – Durban High School chief among them.

@Rugby365com looks ahead to some of the biggest match-ups across both festivals this weekend.

NOORD-SUID FESTIVAL

In 2024, the wider schoolboy rugby narrative was shaped by the upset at the Noord-Suid tournament in Pretoria.

After losing heavily to Paarl Boys in their opening fixture, Jeppe beat Grey College 22-19.

That result set the tone for further upsets – Milnerton against Rondebosch and Bishops, Wynberg against Boishaai – and Grey never fully recovered, as Paul Roos finished the year at the top of the unofficial rankings.

How many upsets will we witness in 2025?

Grey will certainly be warier this year. After playing Noordheuwel on Saturday, they will face Jeppe on Tuesday in a rematch of last year’s fixture.

Grey travel to this festival on the back of convincing wins against Welkom Gym, Oakdale and more recently Monument.

Meanwhile, Jeppe claimed wins against Die Anker, Pretoria Boys, and KES.

It remains to be seen whether Jeppe will have a full crack at Grey on Tuesday – and strive for back-to-back wins against the juggernauts from Bloemfontein.

They could have their hands full in their first fixture against Rondebosch. The Capetonians drew with Paarl Gym at the recent WP Schools Day recently, before beating Oakdale.

There’s talk of Affies being the team to beat this year, and they’ve already claimed convincing wins against Diamantveld and Helpmekaar.

In Stellenbosch, the Pretoria side will face Drostdy – who pushed Paul Roos close last week – before tackling Boishaai.

The Paarl heavyweights will be involved in some intriguing battles, with Boishaai taking on Waterkloof in their first fixture, and Gimmies battling KES and Monument.

The hosts will face Garsfontein on Saturday and Noordheuwel on Tuesday.

Garsfontein beat Noordheuwel 34-28 in Pretoria last week, while Paul Roos, who have a much-changed side this year, edged Drostdy 25-20.

GREY HIGH FESTIVAL

Grey High will battle Michaelhouse on Saturday, before facing another Midlands side in Hilton on Monday.

DHS were the leading team in KZN last year, and have started the 2025 season well, with wins against Voortrekker Bethlehem, Martizburg College and Michaelhouse. The Durbanites will be determined to extend their streak when they face Kingswood and Selborne this weekend.

Northwood was also among the better sides in the east last year, and recently claimed a comeback win against Martizburg College. They should fancy their chances against Dale College and Kingswood at the festival in Port Elizabeth.

Other interprovincial clashes to watch include Pretoria Boys against Kearsney and Bishops against Michaelhouse.

With regards to the latter, Bishops will be desperate to make a statement, after recording 12 losses across a disastrous 2024 season.

@rugby365com