Rampant Stellenberg target rare clean sweep

PREVIEW: No.1-ranked Stellenberg will face last year’s trendsetters in Paarl this Saturday, while Affies go searching for a rare win against Grey College in Pretoria.

At this stage, Stellenberg are the leading team in South Africa.

While Paarl Gim and Paul Roos also boast 90 percent win-records, both have sustained losses to the Bellville outfit in recent months.

Meanwhile, Affies and Grey College have joined the chasing pack – although recent results suggest they may have recovered from an early-season slump.

Paarl Boys High – the No.1 team in South Africa in 2025 – have also struggled for consistency in recent months, sustaining three losses and a draw.

Also Read: Paarl Boys coach: Schools success is a long-term game

With three months remaining in the regular season, the race for the No.1 ranking remains wide open.

That said, Stellenberg will strengthen their grip on the position if they secure a win at Boishaai this weekend.

Rugby365 looks ahead to some of the big match-ups scheduled for Saturday.

PAARL BOYS V STELLENBERG

Stellenberg were marked as an up-and-coming side in 2025.

And yet, few could have predicted that they’d win 11 of their first 12 games in 2026 – or that they’d sweep Gimmies, Grey College, Paul Roos and Oakdale aside in the process.

This weekend, the No.1 side in the country will face last season’s leading team.

It’s fair to say that Boishaai are not as strong as they were in 2025, and recent results speak to that statement.

Boishaai have won five, lost three and drawn one – and have stumbled against other leading sides like Garsfontein, Oakdale, Affies and Grey College.

Nevertheless, Sean Erasmus’ charges will have the chance to turn things around when they face Stellenberg and Paul Roos in the next two weeks, and when they tackle Paarl Gim in the big derby on August 1.

They should be desperate to prove a point at Brug Street this Saturday, after drawing with Oakdale at the venue on April 11, and after delivering a mixed showing against Wynberg in difficult conditions a week later.

Also Read: Schools Rankings – May 10

Conditions may present a challenge again this week, as the Western Cape has been lashed by storms in recent days.

Stellenberg will be full of confidence after clinching a 15-13 win against Oakdale in Riversdale. They will believe that a victory at the Paarl stronghold is possible.

They’ve played non-stop since the start of the season – 12 matches in 10 weeks – and their endurance will be put to the test against a Boishaai side that has played three fewer games to date.

And yet, there’s every reason for Stellenberg to lift themselves for this marquee clash.

The Jade Brigade are on the brink of a clean sweep of some of South Africa’s leading sides – having already beaten Gimmies, Grey, Paul Roos and Oakdale (they won’t play Affies this season).

Either way, the result is going to have a significant impact on the schoolboy rugby narrative as well as the race for the No.1 ranking.

AFFIES V GREY COLLEGE

Both of these juggernauts have turned a corner over the past three weeks.

Affies have beaten Outeniqua, Paarl Boys and Jeppe during this period – handing the Joburg outfit a 78-10 hiding in the most recent match staged in Pretoria.

Meanwhile, Grey have bounced back from their early season defeats to down Noordheuwel, Jeppe and Boishaai.

What’s interesting to note is that Grey have struggled on the road this season.

After making a statement against Oakdale in Riversdale on March 14 – winning 38-7 – they lost festival matches against Stellenberg and Nudgee College (Australia), before going down 14-29 at Paarl Gim.

Affies have won three out of four at home – winning the North-South fixtures against Oakdale and Durbanville, as well as the recent clash against Jeppe.

They were humbled by a ruthless Gimmies side on April 11, though, losing 24-51.

The upshot is that both teams will view the coming fixture as an opportunity to make a statement.

A fourth-consecutive win is in the offing, as well as the scalp of one of South Africa’s traditional powerhouses.

Affies will be all too aware of the history around this fixture, and the fact that they haven’t beaten Grey since 2015.

The class of 2026 could become the first team in a decade to beat Grey – and knowing that, they shouldn’t want for motivation.

On the other hand, the visitors will be equally desperate to preserve their winning streak against Affies – and to avoid sustaining a fourth defeat for the season.

OAKDALE V OUTENIQUA

Oakdale were among the leading teams in South Africa last season, and proved especially difficult to beat at their base in Riversdale.

Their 2026 record suggests that they have regressed on both fronts. Oakdale have won four, lost four and drawn one – and two of those defeats have come on the farm.

Meanwhile, Outeniqua have trended upwards, winning six, drawing one and losing two.

While they were swept aside by Affies at the Wilderklawer Tournament – losing 26-55 – they impressed in their other loss, pushing Boishaai close in a 22-26 defeat at Brug Street.

The big question is whether the Kwaggas can meet the challenge of the Oakdale pack, or at least neutralise it, in Riversdale on Saturday.

While their 2026 results have been underwhelming, Oakdale have troubled most teams at the set pieces and collisions, and their giant forwards will be key in the coming regional derby.

OTHER TEAMS TO WATCH

Several teams from Paarl and the Winelands will battle the leading teams in Cape Town’s southern suburbs this Saturday.

Since losing to Stellenberg in the season opener, Paarl Gim have been unstoppable, winning nine consecutive matches by margins of 15 points or more. They will be favourites to extend both records when hosting a rebuilding Bishops on Saturday.

Rondebosch barely managed to beat SACS at home last week and may struggle to contain Paul Roos this Saturday. Like Gimmies, the Maroon Machine have lost one match this season (also to Stellenberg) and are coming off a 64-19 win against Durbanville.

Elsewhere, Garsfontein could steal a march on Monument at the top of the Noordvaal Cup standings when they host Noordheuwel. Monnas will face Jeppe in a regular-season fixture this Saturday.

DHS will have their work cut out for them when they travel up to Kearsney, who are enjoying something of a resurgence. Kearsney have won six, drawn one, and lost two this season, while DHS have lost their last four in a row.

Hilton could stretch their winning run to nine matches when they face Pretoria Boys in the capital, while Graeme College could add another victim to their tally – they’ve won nine of their last 10 games – when they host Hudson Park.

SELECTED FIXTURES – MAY 16:

NOORDVAAL
Affies v Grey College
Menlopark v Waterkloof
Helpmekaar v EG Jansen
Middelburg v Rustenburg
Garsfointein v Noordheuwel
Monument v Jeppe
Pretoria Boys v Hilton
St Johns v Michaelhouse
St Albans v Clifton

CENTRAL
Sentraal v Jim Fouche
Witteberg v Trio
Goudveld v Bethlehem Voortrekker
Diamantveld v Fichardtpark

EASTERN CAPE
Selborne v Queens College
Dale v Stirling
Graeme v Hudson Park
Pearson v Muir

KWAZULU-NATAL
Northwood v Maritzburg College
Westville v KES
Kearsney v DHS
St Charles v Glenwood

WESTERN CAPE
Bosmansdam v Parel Vallei
Wynberg v Grey High
Paarl Gym v Bishops
Boland Landbou v SACS
Rondebosch v Paul Roos
Paarl Boys v Stellenberg
Oakdale v Outeniqua