Schools Rankings - April 28: A showcase of Green-and-Gold diamonds
OPINION: What a remarkable weekend of schoolboy rugby unfolded in Kimberley. Long famed for its Big Hole, the city is fast cementing its reputation as the unofficial capital of the best schoolboy rugby – a place where raw diamonds are refined into the proud future of South African rugby.
The standard of play across the weekend made it difficult to single out any one fixture. On Friday, the maroon machine of Paul Roos were pushed to the very limit by the determined challenge of Garsfontein from Pretoria. In a gripping contest, Garsfontein were perhaps unfortunate not to come away with the victory. However, as the late Oom Boy Louw so famously said, “Looks at the scoreboard.” Paul Roos held on for a hard-fought 21-18 win.
The Stellenbosch outfit were also tested in a tightly contested clash against Oakdale from Riversdale, edging the encounter 15-13. Despite their narrow defeat to Paul Roos, Oakdale demonstrated why they deserve recognition among the country’s top sides. They underlined their quality with an impressive 40-24 victory over Westville on Saturday. While the scoreline may suggest a comfortable win, the match was far more competitive than it appears. Nevertheless, six tries to three tells its own story, and the Wit Bulle from Riversdale were deserving winners.
Monument’s Wit Bulle continue to gather momentum after an inconsistent start to the season, which included an early loss to Diamantveld. Their steady improvement is now evident. This past weekend, they firmly announced themselves as a top-tier side with a 41-27 victory over DHS, followed by a commanding 52-15 win against Nico Malan. On current form, they have every right to be considered a top-10 team. Welcome to Rugby365’s top 10, Monnas.
While Stellenberg -“the Jade Brigade”- retains the number one spot in the Rugby365 rankings, the pressure is mounting. Paarl Gimnasium are rapidly closing the gap and making a compelling case for top honours. Stellenberg secured narrow victories over Maritzburg College (24-19) and Diamantveld (31-20), while Paarl Gimnasium set a formidable benchmark with emphatic wins over Helpmekaar (46-10) and DHS (47-7). Notably, these performances came without their prolific points-scorer, Louis Koen. This well-drilled Paarl Gim side appears to have no obvious weaknesses, and they are strong contenders to finish the season at number one.
Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) seems to have rediscovered their form after a challenging start to the season. Heavy defeats to Paul Roos and Paarl Gimnasium, along with losses to Michaelhouse and Garsfontein, raised questions early on. However, signs of resurgence were evident in their second-half display against Garsfontein last week. At Wildeklawer, Affies emerged as one of the surprise packages, delivering dominant performances against both Outeniqua and Paarl Boys’ High. Their forwards laid a powerful foundation, outmuscling larger packs, while the backline finally clicked into cohesion. The Wit Bulle appear to be back, and the second half of the season promises much.
The Eastern Cape also showcased its depth of talent. Although the Grey High Festival may have played second fiddle to the Wildeklawer festival, the rugby on display was anything but secondary. Credit must go to the organisers of both festivals for delivering platforms that celebrate the very best of schoolboy rugby. South Africa continues to produce exceptional young talent, and weekends like this reaffirm that reality.
A special mention must go to Grey High School, who break into the top 30 rankings for the first time this year—a well-deserved spot after their recent victories over Michaelhouse and Glenwood.
We are also taking note of Nico Malan, Kingwood, Boland Landbou, and Parel Vallei, who are all making encouraging progress.
Unsurprisingly, the weekend’s results have prompted notable movement in the rankings. With a long season still ahead, further shifts are inevitable as teams continue to measure themselves against elite opposition. These rankings remain, by nature, an informed opinion—what many would call a “thumb suck”—but they are grounded in careful analysis, taking into account the strength of opposition and head-to-head results.
Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and the often-unsung technical and medical teams who ensure these rugby programmes operate at such a high level. To the parents who travel far and wide in support, your contribution does not go unnoticed.
As the legendary Oom Zanberg Jansen used to say, “Nag, ou Grote.”
— In memory of Oom Paul Dobson —
*See the latest Rugby365 schools rankings below!
Photo credit: Absa Wildeklawer Sport FB
