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The Citizen
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Craven Week: WP on top as Bulls survive scare, Sharks stutter, Pumas and Lions roar
As promised, the final day of the FNB U18 Craven Week delivered crunching tackles, sensational stepping and thrilling tries! Middelburg Hoërskool in Mpumalanga played host to a week-long spectacle of provincial schoolboy rugby, which culminated in the announcement of the SA Schools squads. Western Province have the most representatives across the two groups. Here's what you need to know from the last day's action. EP vs Bulls Bulls flyhalf and captain Ruben Groenewald of Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool got the action underway on the A-field. However, it was the opposition flyhalf, Tristan Kemp of Grey High School, who opened the scoring, slotting a penalty awarded to his side in the fifth minute. He also won the early kick-tennis battle, putting his side within 5m of the tryline with a well-placed 50:22. EP flanker Liyema Katikati (Kingswood College) cut through the Bulls' defence, just as he did against Border on Thursday, to score the opening try. Tristan converted. EP went at a point-per-minute ratio, scoring another try – this time by centre Erin Nelson (Graeme College). Tristan converted it as their tally reached 17 points in as many minutes. At this stage, it looked like it was going to be a long day at the office for the team in blue, but a good cross-field kick by captain Ruben resulted in winger Junaide Stuart (Hoërskool Garsfontein) dotting down for a try. Ruben added the extras from about 5m in from the touchline. Minutes later, flanker Elwin Jansen van Vuuren (Affies) pulled the Bulls within five points by scoring in the same corner. This time, however, Ruben failed to add the two extra points. The pendulum seemed to have swung as EP lost their opening momentum. A try by Bulls No 8 and vice-captain Stefan McDonald of Affies saw Ruben's conversion put his side in the lead for the first time as half-time approached. The captain kept the hammer down, kicking a 50:22 to set up a Bulls lineout. In classic Bulls fashion, a rolling maul followed, and replacement hooker Charl Els (Affies) scored. Ruben added the conversion and at half-time, the Bulls had turned things around to lead 26-17. The Bulls started the second half with real intent. Prop Jeffrey Singo of Pretoria Boys High School powered through a couple of EP defenders to score his second try of the tournament. Not long after, centre Dylan Stumke (Die Hoërskool Menlopark) – the schoolboy who grabbed headlines with a mammoth penalty kick last year – added another five-pointer. Ruben converted the first of the two tries, as well as No 7 Elwin's second of the match (and his team's seventh), to take the score to 45-17. EP were not down and out yet, with No 10 William Stevens (St Andrew's College) adding five points to their total, plus two more by Tristan as the score read 45-24 with 20 minutes to go. The Bulls hit the 50-point mark when fullback Junade Pasensie (Garsfontein) scored a try. Ruben failed to convert, but added the extras when winger Thabiso Simelane (St Alban's College) scored his fifth try of the tournament. The conversion sent the Bulls' score to 57 points with just over 57 minutes played. Another Affies schoolboy, Zirk Meyer, scored the Bulls' 10th try, and Ruben took his personal tally to 14, and his side's to 64. Ruben set up winger Thabiso's second of the match, and his sixth of the tournament, with another good cross-kick. He missed the conversion. EP had one last attack but failed to score, and a turnover saw Bulls No 12 Dylan score his side's 12th try to put the cherry on top of a convincing Bulls win. Ruben's conversion meant the combined scoreline hit the 100-point mark when the final whistle was blown: 76-24. Lions vs WP XV Lions flyhalf Jeandre Uithaler (Hoërskool Noordheuwel) opened the scoring with a penalty. Fullback and vice-captain Ty Ax of Helpmekaar Kollege extended his side's lead with his second try of the tournament, and the match's first five-pointer. Jeandre's boot took the score to 10-0. WP XV hooker Thomas Muller's (Paarl Boys' High School) try was correctly ruled out by the television match official (TMO), as he knocked the ball on before the tryline. A large part of the match was an uncharacteristic scrappy affair with no points scored until less than five minutes to go until the break. Lions fullback Matthew Hunt (Northcliff High School), who played Academy Week earlier this week, extended his side's lead to 15 points, with Jeandre adding the extras. At 17-0, the Lions looked in control, but on the stroke of half-time, WP XV flyhalf Leighton Brinkhuis of Paarl Boys' High showed individual brilliance and scored a sublime try to get his side on the scoreboard. He converted his try, and the half-time score was 17-7 for the Lions. Lions winger Aidan Bester (Noordheuwel) added five more points in the opening stages of the second half. From near the touchline, Jeandre slotted the conversion to take the score to 24-7. Minutes later, he added another three points after WP XV were penalised at a breakdown. The score was 27-7 with 15 minutes to go. A yellow card to Lions No 8 and captain Chinedu Amadi of King Edward VII School, for a dangerous tackle, saw WP XV capitalise on the numerical advantage. Lock Gershom Pieters of Paarl Boys' High scored a try, converted by Leighton. However, he failed to add the extras when replacement Caleb Koeberg (Paul Roos Gimnasium) scored his third try of this year's showpiece. As the hooter went, Caleb Bell of Rondebosch Boys' High School – another player who featured in the Academy Week earlier this week – scored a five-pointer. Centre Iwan Jordaan of Boishaai took over the kicking duties and converted from the touchline. Despite WP's valiant efforts, at full time, the score was 27-26 in favour of the Lions. Sharks vs Free State Sharks fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya (Westville Boys' High School) – a SA Schools selection hopeful – got the penultimate match on the A-field underway. It was the Free Staters who opened the scoring, through hooker Marinus Oosthuizen's (Grey College) try from a rolling maul, just over 14 minutes in. A fellow Grey learner, flyhalf Darius Erwee, was unable to add the extras. The Sharks failed to score from an attacking lineout 5m from the Free State tryline. Little scoring action followed, but spectators were treated to a fullback match-up after Free State 15 Lamla Mgedezi (another Grey schoolboy) showed dazzling feet and then a chip-and-chase kick, ultimately gathered by counterpart Zekhethelo. The Sharks' No 15 came out on top in this mini-battle, stepping his opponent, who ended up on the ground. It took another 14 minutes for more points to be scored. This time, Free State flyhalf Darius' kicking shoes were on and he sent a penalty kick through the uprights to give his side an 8-0 lead with just over seven minutes left in the half. Another rolling maul by the Free Staters saw captain Xander Smit of Grey adding five more points as the hooter went. Darius failed to kick the conversion over, but with the Sharks scoreless, Free State had a 13-point lead at half-time. In the 41st minute, the first red card of the tournament was shown to Sharks winger Rourke O'Sullivan (Michaelhouse) for a dangerous tackle. The resulting penalty, and two more later on in the match, were scored by Darius. The Free State had a 22-point lead when replacement Toriq Schambreel (Grey College) thought he scored a five-pointer, but the try was rightly chalked off by the TMO for a forward pass in the build-up. The Sharks finally got onto the board in the 60th minute, when winger Jadrian Afrikaner (Westville Boys' High School) scored a try. Zekhethelo missed the conversion, and the scoreboard read 22-5. Free State's magic man Lamla showed brilliance as he scored his fifth try of the showpiece, but Darius again failed to add the extras. Toriq got his try minutes later, and Darius finally landed his first conversion of the tournament, despite having already slotted a few penalties, to extend his side's lead to 34-5. It was, however, the Sharks who had the final say, with Zekhethelo conjuring a five-pointer out of nothing. This was his second try of the tournament. Sharks replacement Stefan Moolman of Michaelhouse slotted in the conversion, and the Free Staters won 34-12. WP vs SWD The Eagles came flying out of the blocks, dominating possession in the opening minutes of the unofficial final. Flyhalf Virgil Pockpas (Hoërskool Outeniqua) put the first points on the board with a successful penalty. He did so again just 10 minutes in, extending his side's lead to 6-0. Turnover ball by WP got the boys in the blue and white hoops onto the scoreboard, when No 15 Jadon Ocks (Hoër Landbouskool Boland), playing on the wing, scored a try. Flyhalf Ethan van Biljon (Stellenberg High School) had a difficult conversion from the touchline. He failed to convert – only his second miss of the week. SWD's one-point lead disappeared shortly after when WP captain and flanker Josh Neill (Rondebosch Boys' High School) scored from a rolling maul. The conversion, again from the touchline, was missed by Ethan, but WP had a 10-6 lead. SWD flyhalf Virgil cut the deficit to one point with a successful penalty. Province extended their lead thanks to a five-pointer by No 8 Quintin Potgieter (Paarl Gimnasium) – his third of the week. Kicking duties were taken over by scrumhalf Jayden Brits (Hoër Landbouskool Boland), who took the half-time score to 17-9 in favour of WP. There were 35 minutes to go for WP to bag their sixth consecutive victory in the main game of the final day. WP flyhalf Ethan returned to kicking duties with a successful penalty in the opening minutes of the second half. The boys in blue then put their feet down. A strong run by Markus Muller of Paarl Gimnasium sparked an attack that led to No 14 Jeneall Davids (Paarl Boys' High School), playing fullback, scoring a try. Ethan had a tough kick from the touchline, but converted to put the score at 27-9. WP were reduced to 14 players when hooker Altus Rabe (Paul Roos Gimnasium) was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements by his team. The Eagles showed their wings were not yet clipped as they made the numerical advantage count. Prop Kai Pratt (Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale) scored a try, but the missed conversion by fullback Reinhart Viljoen (also from Oakdale) meant WP led 27-14. Their fightback was made tougher when replacement Jade Petersen (Outeniqua) was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle. A rugby collision saw the match halted due to a head injury to Reinhart. With five minutes left on the clock, WP No 15 Jadon was the third player in the match to be yellow-carded. He was temporarily suspended in the final minute due to a deliberate knock on. The Eagles could not score from the resulting lineout, but earned an attacking opportunity from a scrum close to the WP tryline. They made things interesting as a try by centre Anrich Scheffer (Oakdale), followed by a conversion from scrumhalf Jandrian Goosen (also Oakdale), closed the gap to six points ahead of the final restart. The Eagles had one last opportunity, but a darting run towards the tryline ended with a kick that landed in WP's hands. Province then kicked the ball out to seal a 27-21 victory. More rugby action was witnessed on the B-field, and these were the results: Boland beat Griffons 38-36. Leopards thrashed Limpopo 54-7. Griquas beat Valke 26-19. Pumas thumped Border 48-12. That's full-time on the Craven Week for 2025.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Schoolboy rugby fixtures: Paarl Boys v Paul Roos, Affies v KES
One of South Africa's biggest rivalries play out while Affies also take on KES, and Rondebosch take on Boland Landbou. Paul Roos Gim and Paarl Boys' High School will compete in one of South Africa's biggest schoolboy rugby rivalries this weekend. Picture: Petri Oeschger/Gallo Images One of South Africa's most distinguished schoolboy rugby rivalries headlines this weekend's action, though it is not alone. Paarl Boys' High hosting Paul Roos Gimnasium is one of three games featuring in the King Price Schools Derby Series on Saturday, with Nico Malan taking on Marlow Landbou, and Wynberg Boys' High competing against Diocesan College are two of the other big fixtures. Paul Roos come from a scintillating 40–36 win over another top school, Boland Landbou, thanks to a last-minute penalty try from a rolling maul last weekend. Paarl Boys also come from a close win, clinching a 32–26 victory away at Wynberg. They sit second in the latest schoolboy rugby rankings while Paul Roos will look to climb up from fifth. Other big fixtures this weekend include Affies against KES, Rondebosch host Boland Landbou, Stellenberg entertain Oakdale and Paarl Gim welcome Drostdy. All these schools rugby fixtures take place on Saturday. Selected fixtures Eastern Cape Queen's vs Grey HS Hudson Park vs Graeme Nico Malan vs Marlow Kingswood vs Port Rex St Andrew's Selborne Free State Voortrekker (Beth) vs Trio Jim Fouche vs Landboudal Kwa-Zulu Natal Glenwood vs Northwood Westville vs Durban HS Noordvaal St Stithians vs Northcliff Parktown vs St David's St Alban's vs Pretoria BH St Benedict's vs St John's Affies vs KES Noordvaal Cup Menlopark vs Garsfontein Noordheuwel vs Monument EG Jansen vs Helpmekaar Wesvalia vs Oos-Moot Potch Gim vs Potch Volkskool Western Cape Outenique vs Framesby SACS vs Durbanville Rondebosch vs Boland Landbou Stellenberg vs Oakdale Wynberg vs Bishops Paarl Boys High vs Paul Roos Gim Paarl Gim vs Drostdy
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Schools rugby: Grey battle past Affies, Transvalia triumph, KZN action heats up
Grey College fought back from 10-0 down to beat Affies in Bloemfontein, while Paul Roos held off a spirited Boland Landbou. Affies made a dream start thanks to fullback Lamond Baatjies and flyhalf Ruben Groenewald, before a yellow card for a cynical foul helped Grey get back into the game. Tries by fullback Lamla Mgedezi, outside centre Ethan Adams and No 8 Adem Nieuwoudt saw the hosts lead 21-17 at half-time. Adams and Mgedezi scored again in a second half that Grey dominated, before Affies finished strongly with two late tries. However, Grey fully deserved their 42-37 victory and their pack most of the plaudits for subduing Affies' highly-rated forwards. Watch the highlights: In the Western Cape, Paul Roos won a high-scoring thriller at Boland Landbou 40-36, Rondebosch claimed a convincing 40-17 win at SACS, and hosts Wynberg made Paarl Boys' work hard for a 32-26 victory. At the Sharks Schools Rugby Day at Hilton College on Friday, the hosts hammered Glenwood 55-15, DHS defeated Kearsney 42-20 and Westville edged Maritzburg College 22-21. Meanwhile, in Vanderbijlpark, the SDC Noordvaal Cup Division match between Hoërskool Transvalia and Hoërskool Dr. E.G. Jansen ended in victory for Transvalia. Vaalweekblad reports that one of the team's weapons was its seven-flank Daniel Kazambo, who scored three tries. Selected schools results (May 16-17): KZN St Charles 47 Clifton 14 Northwood 43 Michaelhouse 29 DHS 42 Kearsney 20 Westville 22 Maritzburg College 21 Hilton 55 Glenwood 15 Eastern Cape Selborne 15 Dale 13 Kingswood 60 Mary Waters 0 St Andrew's 17 Queen's 38 Port Rex 17 Stirling 17 Central region Grey College 42 Affies 37 Voortrekker (Bethlehem) 57 Goudveld 15 Trio 20 Witteberg 19 Jim Fouche 37 Sentraal 21 Fichardtpark 52 Burgersdorp 26 Welkom Gim 26 Hentie Cilliers 3 Noordvaal Pretoria Boys' 29 St Stithians 27 Klerksdorp 21 Lichtenburg 13 Noordheuwel 22 KES 23 St John's 6 Jeppe 31 Waterkloof 27 Menlopark 19 Nelspruit 13 Helpmekaar 22 Transvalia 39 EG Jansen 26 Wesvalia 32 Ligbron 19 HTS Middelburg 11 Middelburg 16 Kempton Park 20 Marais Viljoen 30 Secunda 48 Piet Retief 18 Heidelberg 53 Ben Vorster 17 Bergsig Academy 18-17 Merensky Randburg 33 Potch Gim 33 Dinamika 17 Jeugland 34 Eldoraigne 10 Zwartkop 59 Western Cape Hopefield 32 Melkbosstrand 10 Swartland 9 Drostdy 61 Oakdale XV 29 Charlie Hofmeyr 23 Bishops 13 Stellenberg 38 SACS 17 Rondebosch 40 Boland Landbou 36 Paul Roos 40 Wynberg 26 Paarl Boys' 32 Bellville 7 Strand 29 Parel Vallei 7 Milnerton 20 Worcester Gim 48 Robertson 29 St Benedict's 10 Northcliff 29 The post Schools wrap: Grey Bloem battle past Affies appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The South African
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Paarl Gym end Grey College's eight-year streak in Bloem
We bring you the best bits from this weekend's schools rugby action from around the country. It was touted as the blue-ribbon fixture of this weekend's schools rugby action and the showdown lived up to expectation with Paarl Gymnasium ultimately coming away as victors. The visitors from the Cape ran in seven tries on their way to a remarkable 43-31 win, with midfielder Markus Muller front and centre throughout the clash. Muller, who is the Gimmies captain, was embroiled in a titanic midfield battle with Ethan Adams, but it was the former who scored two tries to come out on top in the epic showdown between the two best schoolboy centres in the country. Like his skipper, Gimmies winger Johan Kleynhans also bagged a brace of tries. The result marks Grey College's first defeat at home in Bloemfontein since 2017, when they lost 46-31 to the other Paarl giants – Boishaai – eight years ago. Grey College suffered their first home loss since 2017, while there were wins for Affies, Kearsney, Queen's, Paarl Boys' and Paul Roos on Saturday. In other schools rugby results across the country, Affies scored six tries to register a 41-25 win against their Pretoria rivals Garsfontein, while just down the road, Pretoria Boys' suffered a 45-28 defeat to Maritzburg College. Meanwhile in Cape Town, Paarl Boys' ran Rondebosch ragged in a 55-12 victory, while Paul Roos also picked up a big away win against Bishops (41-10). SACS slumped to a 29-7 home defeat to Stellenberg and Wynberg won a high-scoring match at Durbanville 37-31. In KwaZulu-Natal, Kearsney edged Glenwood 32-31, DHS beat Northwood 22-19 and Michaelhouse hammered Zimbabwe's Peterhouse 80-5. And in the Eastern Cape, Grey High smashed Dale 43-3 and Queen's beat Selborne 40-22. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Helpmekaar and Affies U16s dominate final day at St John's Easter Rugby Festival
Helpmekaar Kollege and Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) delivered standout performances in the U16 games on the final day of the St John's Easter Rugby Festival, securing impressive wins against Pretoria Boys High and Hoërskool Noordheuwel (Nories) respectively. Helpmekaar claimed a hard-fought 23–11 victory over Pretoria Boys High in a physical and closely contested match. The first half was a tight affair, with both teams exchanging penalties and battling for territory. Also read: Thrilling U16 clashes to close out 2025 St John's Easter Rugby Festival Helpmekaar led 11–6 at the break and held their nerve in the second half, responding to a Pretoria try with sustained pressure and a decisive late try that sealed the win. Their defensive organisation and discipline under pressure proved the difference in a gritty encounter. Affies, by contrast, delivered a dominant display against Nories, running in six tries by halftime to lead 40–0 after a string of clinical finishes and powerful forward play. Despite an early second-half injury to a Nories lock, Affies continued their assault, adding another try eight minutes into the second half to stretch their lead to 50–0. Read more: KES U16 team runs riot with 50-8 victory over Lions Invitational Their control at the breakdown and pace in attack left Nories with few answers in a one-sided affair. Both Helpmekaar and Affies showcased their strength and depth, finishing the festival on a high with commanding performances. Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and Caxton School's TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
