Schoolboy Rugby - 8 March preview

The 2025 Schoolboy season starts in earnest this weekend

Jeppe loosehead Andre Poulton will be hoping to continue on his upward trajectory in 2025.

After a few weeks of Varsity Cup action, with duds being made out to be world beaters, I couldn’t be happier that the schoolboy season starts this weekend with a number of good games to get one’s teeth into.

Michaelhouse v Helpmekaar

Michaelhouse and Helpmekaar meet at Meadows in the Midlands on Saturday lunchtime for their annual season pipe-opener in what should be a close game between two evenly matched sides.

Michaelhouse have a tall pack this year and plenty of lineout options (Carr, Arde and Sesink-Clee) and some bulk (Salamousas and Peach) that should see them have a solid set piece. It will be interesting to see how Grade 11 tighthead Salamousas goes at 1st XV level - he was very impressive at Grant Khomo last year.

The Michaelhouse 9-10-12-13 axis all played 1st XV rugby last year so they will be expected to perform well if they get the platform the pack are capable of. Having said that, will they be allowed to play rugby or be ‘coached’ to persist with the risk averse approach that paid such little dividend in 2024? I’ll never forget them persisting in kicking for poles against St John’s (HARARE)!!! - and then still losing! Aissing and Moolman have played together as halfbacks, while Ridl the 2025 skipper will be hoping to produce the kind of form his brother Campbell managed in 2022 and 2023, as he partners O’Sullivan, the Saints import - red flag :)

Helpmekaar have a bit of a dream team in 2025, as their excellent U16A side of 2023 (ranked third in the country) graduate to the 1st XV, and they have a host of players returning from 2024. That 2023 side contributed the entire tight five to the Lions Grant Khomo side and they all start on Saturday, albeit one of the locks (Zian Smith) now plays No. 8. Their centres Cloete and Ax played in that Grant Khomo side too and should form a deadly combination this year. Interestingly Shaye Lourens, their excellent Lions Grant Khomo 9, who was in the SARU U16 EPD mix is only on the bench this weekend.

This should be a great match and an early sign of whether these sides will be able to be kings in their region in 2025.

Kick off is at 12:30.

Jeppe v Garsfontein

In a Jukskei derby, Jeppe welcome Garsfontein in a tough opening game for the men from Kensington who have lost almost all of their star players from the stellar 2024 side. The last two Jeppe U16A sides have been ranked outside the Top 20, but these boys do seem to grow an extra leg when they don their first team jersey, just ask Grey College.

Jeppe’s star player is undoubtedly their loosehead Andre Poulton who would be high on my list of recruits for 2026. He has probably his toughest examination first up, as he packs down against Luan van der Berg, the squat Garsfontein tighthead who must be favourite for the SA Schools 3 shirt at the start of the season. This will be an instructive matchup.

Garsfontein have their usual two Boland Grant Khomo imports in the backline in the form of Pasensie (10) and Stuart (15), as well as two diminutive wingers in George and Baron who could prove a handful on the hard Gauteng fields in the depths of winter.

This should also prove to be an even encounter, with early season rust bound to be a feature.

Diamantveld v Affies

Since 2017, Affies have used a trip to Diamantveld in Kimberley as a way to ease into their season, before it gets serious at Noord-Suid. After a year of three narrow defeats to the only schools ranked above them, Affies will be hoping they can finish the job in tight games, but this is bound to be a blow out.

A LOT is expected of this Affies side, with 12 players called up to the two EPD camps at the end of last year. They are going to have a massive pack again and they will take some stopping, with an experienced halfback combination in Meyer and Groenewald who were the Bulls pair in 2023. The man to watch in the pack is loosehead Roal Kruger (1.89m - 119kg), as well as Albert Smit, the burly blindside who was so consistent in 2024 for the Witbulle.

Far too much has been made of Molnar and Bergh since they arrived in Kimberley. Look at their fixtures for God’s sake - talk about padding your win rate! This will be a proper test, before they go back to playing their annual fodder and I fully expect Affies to shame them, notwithstanding the lack of cohesion so early in the season.

Stellenberg v Worcester Gim

Stellenberg go into this game against their Boland neighbours with SIX U17s in their pack! Lock Juvan Burden is the real deal and I am looking forward to following his progress this season. It is a pity that fellow Grade 11 and star flyhalf Ethan van Biljon is injured, but when he is fit he will go straight into the 10 shirt. Their youthful pack is balanced out by an all-U18 backline.

Stellenberg face Paarl Gim next weekend and then Paul Roos at the WP Rugby Day three days later so they will be happy with this soft landing, with far bigger fish to fry before we finish March.

Welkom Gim v Grey College

Grey College were missing their locks Steyn and Meyer as well as likely hooker Erasmus and loose forward Booysen in the pack in their 2025 bow against Trio two weeks ago in a comfortable 38-10 win at the President Steyn Sports Day. They were also without flyhalf JH van der Linden and utility back Maree.

Even if all the six above are still out this weekend they are unlikely to have much trouble in seeing off Welkom Gim, before tougher fixtures against Oakdale and Monnas ahead of simpler-looking fixtures at Noord-Suid against Noordheuwel (dud factory) and Jeppe.

Grey’s kick-off receipt was poor last year and it wasn’t assured against Trio either. They also struggled at lineout time, but the return of the the two locks mentioned above should sort that out fairly quickly… I am looking forward to seeing if loosehead David Hayidakis can put his hand up again as a darkhorse for the SA Schools mix this year - he scrummed his Trio opponent into the ground, albeit a doppelganger of Billy Bob from Varsity Blues!

This should be an entertaining watch, even if it is likely to be one-sided.

Nico Malan v Outeniqua

Outeniqua had a disastrous 2024, nearly conceding 100 to Grey College who were on a mission after losing to Jeppe in fairness. Their 60-point defeat to SWD rivals Oakdale was another low point and their fixtures in 2025 almost makes them a Tier 2 side. They have Menlopark and Welkom Gim at Noord-Suid, whilst also having derby days against Brackenfell, Pearson, Worcester Gim and Durbanville. Amazing how far they have fallen in a couple of years!

This trip to Humansdorp is a potential banana skin so early in the season and next week they have a daunting trip to face Boland Landbou on the Plaas in Agter-Paarl.

This should be a competitive day across the board and the results should tell us what kind of year the Kwaggas can expect to have, before what is sure to be a demoralising day next weekend.