Top schools gear up for Easter feast

SPOTLIGHT: With that annual North-South tournament done and dusted, South Africa’s leading schools will shift their focus to the festivals staged in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Kearsney, KES, St. John’s and St Stithians will host their annual Easter festivals, while Pretoria Boys High will stage a two-day tournament as part of their 125th anniversary celebrations.

Also Read: Stellenberg, Garsfontein score stunning upsets at North-South tournament

Most of South Africa’s leading schools will be in action this weekend, while touring sides from Australia, England, Namibia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe are also set to feature at the respective tournaments.

Rugby365 looks ahead to some of the biggest match-ups at each of the festivals.

SELECTED EASTER WEEKEND FIXTURES – APRIL 2-6

KEARSNEY FESTIVAL

The KwaZulu-Natal showpiece kicks off with a cracker of a matchup, with Glenwood facing one of Joburg’s leading teams in Helpmekaar.

The Grasshoppers lost to Northwood and Kearsney earlier this season, but managed to beat Milnerton at the recent festival staged at Glenwood.

Helpmekaar racked up more than 100 points across the recent matches against Witteberg and Maritzburg College, but were handed a lesson by Grey College in the 19-51 defeat at the North-South tournament this past week.

It will be interesting to see how Helpies approach their first fixture on Thursday, given that they will face Westville – the leading side in KZN in 2025 – on Saturday.

THURSDAY
Glenwood v Helpmekaar
Framesby v Peterhouse (Zimbabwe)
Westville v Transvalia
Kearsney v Rustenburg
Milnerton v EG Jansen
DHS v Zwartkop

SATURDAY
Milnerton v Peterhouse
DHS v Rustenburg
EG Jansen v Zwartkop
Glenwood v Framesby
Kearsney v Transvalia
Westville v Helpmekaar

MONDAY
Helpmekaar v Framesby
Glenwood v EG Jansen
Rustenburg v Peterhouse
Westville v Milnerton
DHS v Transvalia
Kearnsey v Zwartkop

KES FESTIVAL

After last season’s struggles, Dale College have made a positive start to 2026 by beating other Eastern Cape teams such as Victoria Park, Hudson Park and Brandwag.

Dale will face a very different challenge this weekend, when they tackle Cranbrook from Sydney, Australia. Cranbrook will play another Eastern Cape team in Pearson on Monday.

The matches involving the hosts should be especially interesting.

KES should be determined to make a statement against St Andrews on Saturday, while their battle against Queens College on Monday could be one of the games of the tournament.

Queens and Graeme were the most consistent teams in the Eastern Cape last season. This year, Queens have produced a mixed bag, beating Ooskus Gim and Cambridge, but losing to Nico Malan.

While Queens have a tough schedule this weekend, they may view the matches against Noordheuwel and KES as an opportunity to claim valuable interprovincial scalps.

SATURDAY
Hudson Park v Worcester Gim
Eldoraigne v Pearson
Northwood v Marlow
Dale v Cranbrook (Australia)
Noordheuwel v Queens
KES v St Andrews

MONDAY
Eldoraigne v Hudson Park
Dale v Worcester Gim
Pearson v Cranbrook
Marlow v Noordheuwel
Northwood v St Andrews
KES v Queens

ST JOHN’S FESTIVAL

St. John’s will play host to Westlake from Auckland, New Zealand this year – among others.

The Kiwis will be put to the physical test against Monument on Thursday, before facing Welkom Gim and Randburg on subsequent matchdays.

Followers of schoolboy rugby may be interested to see how another touring sides – Nudgee from Queensland, Australia – fare against Grey College, one of South Africa’s best performing rugby schools.

Grey and Nudgee will collide on Thursday, before the Aussies tackle Hilton – who’ve made a positive start to the season – on Saturday. Grey are coming off a shock loss to Stellenberg at the recent North-South tournament.

A lot has been said about the rebuild at Bishops – and how it may be several years yet before they’re the force they once were in South African rugby.

That said, Bishops have won all four of their matches this season and will take some momentum into the coming weekend’s clashes against St. John’s and Graeme.

Like Queens, Graeme may be out to make a statement about their potential as a national force.

They’ve started the season well, scoring more than 40 points in wins against Daniel Pienaar and Marlow.

THURSDAY
St Benedicts v Graeme
Kingswood v St Davids
Monument v Westlake (NZ)
Nudgee (Australia) v Grey College
Hilton v Nelspruit
Bishops v St Johns

SATURDAY
St Davids v Randburg
Nelspruit v St Albans
Welkom Gim v Westlake
Graeme v Bishops
Monument v Kingswood
Hilton v Nudgee

MONDAY
Westlake v Randburg

ST STITHIANS FESTIVAL

Hartpury College from Gloucester, England will join the rugby party in Sandton this weekend, facing Middelburg on Thursday and Northcliff on Monday.

Windhoek High will target the battle against Northcliff on Saturday as a chance to make a statement about the quality of Namibian rugby.

St Johns from Harare, Zimbabwe may have similar ambitions ahead of their showdown with Pietersburg.

Wynberg have been one of the leading teams in Cape Town for the past two seasons, and should look to pick up wins against a Garsfontein Invitational XV as well as the hosts.

THURSDAY
St Charles v Northcliff
Kempton Park v Pietersburg
Hartpury (England) v Middelburg
Wynberg v Garsfontein Inv XV

SATURDAY
St Charles v Kempton Park
St Johns (Zim) v Clifton
Windhoek (Namibia) v Northcliff
Hartpury v Garsfontein Inv XV
Pietersburg v Middelburg
St Stithians v Wynberg

MONDAY
Hartpury v Northcliff
Garsfontein Inv XV v Kempton Park
Pietersburg v St Johns (Zim)

PRETORIA BOYS 125TH FESTIVAL

While the annual Easter festivals play out in Johannesburg and Kearsney, another intriguing tournament stacked with high-profile teams will be staged around the corner from Loftus Versfeld.

Affies are coming off two good wins against Oakdale and Durbanville at the North-South tournament, and will fancy their chances against Michaelhouse this Saturday.

Michaelhouse made a statement recently when they beat Northwood – one of the better sides in Durban – and are looking far stronger than they were in 2025.

SACS have a couple of tough fixtures, playing Pretoria Boys on Saturday before tackling Maritzburg College on Monday.

Jeppe showed their quality at the North-South tournament, and may be targeting back-to-back wins against teams from the KZN midlands this weekend.

The final match between Pretoria Boys and Rondebosch on Monday could be one to savour.

Bosch have been among the top 20 schools for some time, and will take some confidence from their recent 72-14 win against Tygerberg.

They will expect to beat Selborne this Saturday and to claim a significant win against the hosts thereafter.

Pretoria Boys beat St Stithians 31-24 earlier this season, before losing 14-45 to Paul Roos at the North-South tournament.

Given the magnitude of the occasion, however, they may lift themselves up for the battle against Bosch and push the more fancied side close.

SATURDAY
Grey High v Parktown
Rondebosch v Selborne
Affies v Michaelhouse
Jeppe v Maritzburg College
Pretoria Boys v SACS

MONDAY
Selborne v Parktown
Maritzburg College v SACS
Affies v Grey High
Jeppe v Michaelhouse
Pretoria Boys v Rondebosch