Schoolboy rugby fixtures: A feast of action awaits in derbies
It's another feast of action, including the big Eastern Cape derby between Dale and Queen's.
There should be plenty of quality schoolboy rugby action on offer this weekend. Picture: Supplied
It's King Price Derby time, but also the Noordvaal series (cup division), so there's plenty of quality schoolboy rugby to look forward to this weekend.
A number of teams have only had a few days off following the Wildeklawer rugby tournament in Kimberley last week and they're back in action on Saturday.
In the new King Price Derby series there are four hugely exciting matches taking place on Saturday.
Matches in Western and Eastern Cape
Down in the Western Cape, two big rivalries are happening.
In Paarl, Paarl Boys High host Grey College from Bloemfontein at 2pm, while in Stellenbosch Paul Roos Gimnasium host Paarl Gimnasium, the current number one team in the country, also at 2pm.
Boys High have in their coaching ranks the likes of Sean Erasmus and Neil de Bruin, both men who've worked with the Lions in Joburg, while former Irish Test star CJ Stander is also involved in the coaching staff. The Paarl team recently beat Monument from Krugersdorp 85-0.
The last four meetings between Boys High and Grey have all belonged to the boys from Bloemfontein. In their coaching team are the likes of former Boks Wian du Preez and Helgard Muller.
There are also two big derbies in the Eastern Cape. Dale College host Queen's College (3.30pm) and Grey High host Wynberg Boys High (5pm).
Noordvaal matches
In the Noordvaal series upcountry, there are five matches on the go on Saturday.
Transvalia host Rustenburg, Monument entertain EG Jansen, Helpmekaar welcome Noordheuwel, Menlopark take on Nelspruit while Pretoria rivals Garsfontein and Waterkloof clash at the former team's home field.
Garsfontein are currently ranked sixth in the country, while Waterkloof are 20th.
Kickoff times for these matches are not available.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
5 hours ago
- eNCA
Mametsa confident Bulls will bring United Rugby Championship title home
PRETORIA - The Bulls are all geared up for their all-important grand final in the United Rugby Championship, against Irish side Leinster this weekend in Dublin. This will be the Bulls' third appearance in the final, but they have never won the title. So they will be hoping the third time will be the charm for them. Leinster, by contrast, have won eight times, their most recent victory in 2021 against Munster. Former Bulls wing John Mametsa is confident the Pretoria franchise can write their names in the history books, as eNCA's Siphokazi Malinga had a sit down with Mametsa, to get his expectation as his former side heads to the final.
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Bulls aim for third-time luck in United Rugby Championship final against Leinster
Bulls captain Ruan Nortjé and Leinster counterpart Jack Conan are all smiles with the United Rugby Championship trophy in Dublin this week. Will it be a case of third time lucky for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final? The Pretoria side are in Dublin for Saturday's title decider against Leinster at Croke Park (6pm South African time kick-off), and are hoping to finally get over the line at their third attempt. Coach Jake White's team went down 18-13 to the Stormers in a Cape Town final in 2022, and last year, the Bulls lost 21-16 to Glasgow at Loftus Versfeld. But Irish province Leinster are clear favourites for Saturday's showdown, as they boast a powerful side with several Test stars in their midst, including James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier. They are also hungry for a trophy after losing in the Champions Cup semi-finals a few weeks ago, and are in fact taking part in their first URC final since the South African franchises joined the competition in the 2021-22 season. There is sure to be a thrilling atmosphere at the 82,300-capacity Croke Park arena, and White doesn't feel that there is extra pressure on the Bulls due to their prior final defeats. 'It's massive. We have football stadiums like this, but I've heard a lot about Croke Park,' White said. 'It's, it is magnificent, it's wonderful. I just hope, I suppose like all players and supporters that, and people involved, that (on Saturday), it will be as full as it can be because it's a great stadium to have so many people here. 'Every year it's a new year. This Saturday is a new game, a new final, so I don't think we take anything into account of what happened the previous years.' Bulls captain Ruan Nortjé and his team have beaten 2023 champions Munster and 2024 winners Glasgow away from home this season, which will make them quietly confident of pulling off an upset against Leinster. While the South Africans are missing injured stalwarts such as Springboks such as Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw and Gerhard Steenekamp – as well as star wing Kurt-Lee Arendse, who returned too late from a sabbatical at a Japanese club – the Bulls still have a strong outfit. Apart from Nortjé, other current Boks include Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who will spearhead their quest to stop the slick Leinster squad in what is expected to be wet conditions in Dublin. 'I think we can just go on what we've been doing this year,' White said. 'I think like I said, we've been really good away from home. For some odd reason, the group has really been getting together quite well, especially on tour. 'We really enjoy each other's company, really have a good time together, and that camaraderie just gets better and better. 'So, we'll just definitely go out this weekend and give it everything we've got. I think that's the only thing we can do.'
Daily Maverick
12 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Bulls coach Jake White talks up Leinster in classic mind game ahead of URC final
Irish big spenders Leinster will host the Bulls in the 2025 URC final, brimming with experience and Test talent. In 2022 the Bulls caused the first great upset of the fledgling United Rugby Championship by beating the mighty Leinster in the semifinal in Dublin. The 27-26 win was more convincing than the final score suggested as Leinster scored late when victory was out of reach. It was a statement win by Jake White's team and one that probably represents the high mark of the Bulls' history in the URC. On that occasion the match was played at the multipurpose RDS Arena, which seats 18,500, although it was far from full that day, such was Leinster's confidence that winning was a formality. In 2025 the same two sides will meet again in the URC final – this time at the 82,300 capacity Croke Park. It's highly unlikely Croke Park will be more than half full for the showpiece match. That would be disappointing as a URC record 80,468 attended a group-stage match between Leinster and great rivals Munster earlier this season. Which is probably good news for the Bulls as the challenge of toppling Leinster at home is daunting enough in front of about 40,000, never mind 80,000. The Bulls subsequently lost the 2022 final against the Stormers and last year were defeated at home at Loftus against Glasgow. Their record in the final is disappointing, especially the home setback last season, but at least they're in it again. The Bulls remain consistent – much like Leinster – in the group stage, but have yet to find the secret to getting over the line in the big one. They have experience now – 10 players who competed in the 2022 semifinal are in the squad for the 2025 final. But there has been a significantly high turnover of players from 12 months ago with only 13 survivors from the 2024 final, featuring this year against Leinster. Lottery While the challenge against a team that has not lost a home URC game this season will be immense, White was his usual optimistic self in the build-up this week. 'The wonderful thing for us is that we have a Lotto ticket. You can't win the Lotto if you don't have a ticket. We have a 50% chance of winning on Saturday. That's how sport works,' White said this week. The URC has slowly started gaining traction in South Africa since the disintegration of Super Rugby, and a Bulls win in Dublin would be a further boost for the fledgling tournament. 'People didn't buy into Super Rugby at first either. They didn't know who the guys from Otago or Waikato were, and over time they saw the value,' White said about the URC's status. 'It's the same with the URC. They still don't fully understand what counts as URC or EPCR [European Professional Club Rugby].' 'We need to win this tournament as it could help our public take it more seriously. I've got some messages from back home, and it's from people in Cape Town who are supporting the Bulls, and people in Durban who are supporting the Bulls. 'That's just what happens when rugby fever hits; they've bought into it, and it's no different to how it happened in Super Rugby.' Leinster standard White is an experienced coach and he knows how to play the psychological battle as well as anyone. He was quick to remind everyone how brilliant Leinster are individually, as well as collectively. 'Let's be fair, we're playing Ireland on Saturday, just in a different colour jersey. That's probably why South Africa have all tuned in because they know these players as Irish internationals,' White said. 'Leinster is a quality, well-coached team that is revered by many in this competition. My message to my players for the last four months was to try and match Leinster's consistency, and we have, and now we're in the final. 'I think they've got 23 internationals, and that's only because they're only allowed to play 23. So, they've got many more internationals than we've got. I'll repeat myself, they are the benchmark of where every club team wants to get to. 'When you think about it, if you have a board meeting and you ask for a tighthead prop and you get Rabah Slimani, and you ask for a lock and you get RG Snyman, and you ask for an inside back and you get Jordie Barrett, there's not many clubs in the world that would be able to go into a board meeting and not just firstly get that, secondly not only get the positions but thirdly get that calibre of player. 'We've got better, and our team is growing, and we are much better than we were four years ago when this group started. As I said to Ruan [Nortje] when we walked in, he was 21 when he started playing and now he's 26. And a lot of his teammates from juniors were in that team, and then came the younger guys like Canan [Moodie]. 'So we're still not where we want to be, and that's selfishly from me as a director, but we are far better.' There is great pressure on Leinster – if they lose, it will mark their fourth straight season without a trophy. Leinster coach Leo Cullen knows that his side are under pressure but he was not buying the line that the loser of the final should be considered a 'failure.' 'They're all individual games. Every playoff game is a final as such,' Cullen said. 'We have played in lots of playoff games, whether they come in a quarterfinal, semifinal or final. The group is learning all the time, young players come through and you are adding layers of experience. 'I think the way some of the questions are leading me it's like whoever loses is a failure in this game. They are two good teams going at it. If you lose in a final, are you classified as a failure? 'Look through their team, there's a ton of experience,' Cullen said with a laugh. 'I know Jake was saying they're a young squad. I'm not sure what squad he's talking about. That's not a young group;that's not a young team. 'Is he trying to lull us all into some false sense, is he? A young group? Do you see a young group there? They're a serious experienced group we're up against and a team that has unbelievably high standards, that is used to winning. It's in their blood isn't it?' DM Teams Leinster: 15 Jimmy O'Brien, 14 Tommy O'Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan (captain), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Jamie Osborne. Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Ruan Nortje (captain), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Devon Williams. Date: 14 June Kick-off: 6pm
