Hudson Park were pushed hard by Cambridge for large parts of their schools rugby clash at Hudson on Saturday before establishing their supremacy in the second half to transform a 10-7 halftime deficit into a 36-12 victory.
Using the tactic of turning their opponents with contestable kicks in the first half, Cambridge stayed in the game and showed their intent by crossing for the first try through Sivuyise Salman as they capitalised on a Hudson error.
They were able to add a second try by Sibabalwe Salman after a breakout from their own 22 by Teagan Hardnick, but Hudson gradually began to impose themselves on the game.
Eastern Cape schoolboy rugby teams will once again take centre stage during the annual Easter festival circuit, with several sides travelling across the country to test themselves against top opposition in a series of high-profile fixtures.
At the Pretoria Boys’ High festival in Pretoria, Grey High and Selborne College will fly the provincial flag in a demanding programme.
Grey High open their campaign against Parktown on Saturday before facing the formidable Affies outfit on Monday, a clash that traditionally provides a stern benchmark for any side. With their structured approach and physical pack, Grey will be eager to measure their progress against one of the country’s powerhouses.
Selborne, meanwhile, come up against Rondebosch on Saturday in what should be a fast-paced encounter, before taking on Parktown. Known for their flair and attacking intent, the East London outfit will look to impose their tempo and make a strong early-season statement.
In Durban, Framesby are set for a busy schedule at the prestigious Kearsney Festival.
They begin on Thursday against Zimbabwe’s Peterhouse Boys’ High, offering a different challenge against SA’s neighbouring opposition.
Across all four festivals, the Eastern Cape teams will be eager not only to secure results but also to build combinations and momentum for the season ahead
The Gqeberha team then tackle Glenwood, one of KwaZulu-Natal’s traditional rugby strongholds, before wrapping up against Helpmekaar, another tough outfit, on Monday.
With three matches in quick succession, squad depth and conditioning will be crucial, but Framesby’s reputation for physicality and discipline should stand them in good stead.
The KES Festival in Johannesburg features a strong Eastern Cape contingent, with Hudson Park, Pearson, Marlow, St Andrew’s, Queen’s and Dale College all in action.
Hudson Park face Worcester Gymnasium before taking on Eldoraigne, two fixtures that will test their defensive organisation and ability to adapt.
Pearson meet Eldoraigne first and then Cranbrook, providing an opportunity for the Gqeberha side to showcase their development against varied opposition.
Marlow, known for their forward-oriented game, will come up against Northwood and later Noordheuwel, where their set-piece strength could prove decisive.
St Andrew’s play the feature match against hosts KES on the Saturday, while Queen’s will be well tested by Noordheuwel.
Dale, one of the Eastern Cape’s proud rugby nurseries, tackle Cranbrook and Worcester Gymnasium, fixtures that should offer a balance between physical confrontation and open play.
At the St John’s Festival, also in Johannesburg, Graeme College and Kingswood College will represent the province. Graeme open against St Benedict’s before a marquee clash with Bishops, a match that traditionally delivers high-quality rugby. Kingswood, meanwhile, face St David’s and Monument, two sides known for their structured and disciplined approach.
Across all four festivals, the Eastern Cape teams will be eager not only to secure results but also to build combinations and momentum for the season ahead. These fixtures provide invaluable exposure to different playing styles and high-pressure environments, allowing coaches to assess depth and refine strategies.
With a proud rugby heritage in the region, expectations will be high that the Eastern Cape representatives can make a strong impression. If early-season preparation is anything to go by, they have the talent and determination to do just that on one of school rugby’s biggest stages.
Easter Festival fixtures
Pretoria Boys’ High in Pretoria
April 4:
9am: Grey High v Parktown,
10.30: Rondebosch v Selborne.
April 6:
9am: Selborne v Parktown,
12.00: Grey High v Affies.
Kearsney Festival in Durban
April 2: 9.20am: Framesby v Peterhouse Boys’ High (Zimbabwe),
April 4: 1pm: Framesby v Glenwood,
April 6: 8am: Helpmekaar v Framesby.
KES Festival in Johannesburg
April 4:
Hudson Park v Worcester Gym,
Eldoraigne v Pearson,
Northwood v Marlow,
Dale v Cranbrook,
Noordheuwel v Queen’s,
KES v St Andrew’s College.
April 6:
Eldoraigne v Hudson Park,
Dale v Worcester Gym,
Pearson v Cranbrook,
Marlow v Noordheuwel,
Northwood v St Andrew’s College,
KES v Queen’s.
St John’s Festival in Johannesburg
April 2:
St Benedict’s v Graeme,
Kingswood v St David’s.
April 4:
Graeme v Bishops,
Kingswood v Monument.
Daily Dispatch
Keeping the ball in hand, they forced Cambridge onto the defensive and this allowed them to find their rhythm as they finally ran out as convincing winners.
In Gqeberha, Pearson made it a match to remember in their 100th anniversary year when they registered a rare win over a tough Selborne College outfit in their clash on the Hannes Strydom Field at Pearson on Saturday.
It was a game of missed chances for the visitors, who did not have the precision to finish off some moves close to their opponents’ line. Pearson, however, must take full credit for a committed defence, which saw them register their fourth straight victory this year.
In contrast, their ability to attack when deep in Selborne territory paid off handsomely as they won 22-5 after leading 15-5 at the break.
The East London team were first to cross the whitewash when Iviwe Kabale scored a try in the corner, only for Pearson to bounce back soon afterwards when some classy distribution in the backline saw big centre Henrico Ferreira dummy his way through the defence to crash over.
A trio of Border schools are set for serious challenges when the annual Standard Bank Grey High Rugby Festival takes place in Gqeberha from April 25 to 27.
Selborne College, Hudson Park and Dale will be involved in the event, with intriguing contests in the pipeline.
The toughest examination arguably looms for the Selbornians, who take on Western Cape side SACS on the opening day and finish off on Monday against the always-competitive Durban outfit Glenwood.
Dale are set for a fascinating fixture against the promising Pearson team, who showed their credentials by beating St Andrew’s in the recent Graeme College Festival.
The Qonce team, though, should be too strong for Muir when they meet on the final day of the festival on the Pollock Oval.
Hudson Park will be well tested in their two games, first coming up against Daniel Pienaar and then facing Somerset West visitors Parel Vallei.
Hosted by Grey High, the festival has built a reputation as one of the premier tournaments in the country, offering a valuable yardstick for teams with ambitions of national prominence.
This year’s programme features a strong line-up of traditional rugby schools, with fixtures spread across Kolisi Field, Pollock Oval and the Crusaders ground.
Much of the spotlight will fall on the hosts, Grey High School, who face two high-quality opponents in what promises to be a revealing weekend for the Eastern Cape giants.
Grey High open their campaign on April 25 with a marquee clash against Michaelhouse at 3.25pm on Kolisi Field. It is a fixture that traditionally produces high-intensity rugby, with both schools known for their physicality and structured play.
For Grey, the encounter offers an opportunity to test themselves against one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most respected rugby institutions.
Two days later, the hosts return to the same field for another headline fixture, this time against Pretoria Boys’ High School.
The 3.25pm kick-off on April 27 is expected to be one of the standout matches of the festival, pitting Grey’s disciplined, forward-driven approach against a Pretoria Boys’ side renowned for its tactical awareness and attacking flair.
With both teams retaining a massive rugby culture, this clash could provide a vivid reminder of their match in Pretoria last year, which Grey narrowly won.
The inclusion of teams such as Framesby, Kearsney College and St Stithians ensures a diverse mix of playing styles, adding to the festival’s appeal as a true national gathering of schoolboy rugby talent.
The first team fixtures are:
April 25
Kolisi Field
9.10: Kingswood v St Charles; 10.25: Graeme v Kearsney; 11.45: Parel Vallei v Framesby; 12.55: SACS v Selborne; 14.05: Glenwood v Rondebosch; 3.25: Grey High v Michaelhouse
Pollock Oval
10.25: Daniel Pienaar v Hudson Park; 11.45: St Stithians v Drostdy; 2.05: Dale v Pearson; 3.25: Muir v Mzwandile Mali XV
April 27
Kolisi Field
8am: Pearson v Drostdy; 9.10: Kingswood v St Stithians; 10.25: SACS v Kearsney; 11.45: St Andrew’s v Michaelhouse; 12.55: Glenwood v Selborne; 14.05: KES v Rondebosch; 3.25: Grey High v Pretoria Boys’
Pollock Oval
11.45: Graeme v St Charles; 2.05: Mzwandile Mali XV v Grey Unicorns; 3.25: Muir v Dale
Crusaders
9.10: Parel Vallei v Hudson Park
Daily Dispatch
Pearson underlined their determination to build pressure when they took the lead (8-5) through a penalty by Keano Beling.
Then came a flash of quick thinking by nuggety scrumhalf Kadin Kretzmann, when he took a tap from a five-metre penalty and darted over for a crucial score five minutes before half-time. Beling added the conversion to make it 15-5.
It was followed by a period when Selborne should have capitalised, camping on the Pearson line for several minutes before the break, but being unable to get through.
In the second half, the visitors continued to challenge the Pearson defence, especially when the home side were down to 13 men through two yellow cards at one stage. But commitment in the tackle and a few Selborne errors — they were over the line twice but the referee ruled knock-ons — saw Pearson hold out.
Eventually Pearson put further space between the two sides when flank Henrico Bodenstein charged through for a try under the posts that virtually sealed the victory with just over 10 minutes remaining.
In a thrilling — and also frustrating — finish, Stirling had to settle for a draw with Daniel Pienaar, after an attempt to win the match with a conversion after the hooter saw the ball hit an upright and bounce back to the field of play at the Wildeklawer Graeme College Rugby Festival in Makhanda on Saturday.
That outcome made it 24-24 as the referee blew the final whistle.
In other action, Grey High had too much gas across the board for Hudson Park, winning 33-12, and Union High outgunned Port Rex Tech 39-11.
Meanwhile, Stirling hit back in the closing stages after Daniel Pienaar led 24-19 with just seven minutes remaining. The Kariega side had a chance to exit their territory with a kick downfield but were ruled offside. From the ensuing penalty, Stirling grabbed their chance to level the scores with a try by Salusiwe Madalane, only to be then denied by the upright.
In the Hudson-Grey High game, the former must be given credit because they never gave up trying and scored two tries in the second half to make sure the score did not spiral out of control. Grey held a 19-0 lead at the break, and after conceding a try early in the second half, they hit back with two more tries to give them enough breathing space, even with Hudson Park having the final say.
Union High, meanwhile, were full of invention and running as they took command after conceding an early try against Port Rex. In a purple patch they ran in three quick tries to surge ahead 19-5 and, although Port Rex kept in sight with two penalties, Union led 22-11 at break.
With centre Leander Kraai a constant threat on attack and deadly accurate with the boot, they consolidated that lead in the second half with two more tries, while Kraai kicked four conversions and two penalties.
Graeme College beat Marlow in thriller
Hosts Graeme College and Marlow delivered a gripping finale to another highly successful festival, with the hosts securing a thrilling 42-28 victory. In scoring six tries, the Graemians were able to use their potent backs to blunt a powerful forward performance by Marlow, who threatened to take complete control up front as they repeatedly pushed the home team back to their line.
This enabled them to power over for three tries in the first half, but Graeme showed dynamic running from the backline for fullback Lucritia Magau to cross for a hat-trick of tries. His first effort came from a clever chip ahead by scrumhalf Luke Doyle, enabling the Graeme No 15 to speed past the Marlow defenders to gather and crash over.
With centre Erin Nelson on song with the boot — he slotted all six conversions — the Graemians would have breathed a sigh of relief when they went into halftime level-pegging at 21-21.
The period soon after the restart proved crucial to the final outcome as Graeme began to come to terms with Marlow’s mauls, holding them up on occasion and also stealing the ball from time to time. This robbed the Cradock team of their early effectiveness, while Graeme continued to look dangerous on attack.
A prolonged period deep in Marlow bore fruit when Doyle slipped the ball to flank Iviwe Mshubeki, who burst through for a try under the posts. That was followed by arguably the try of the festival. Getting the ball around his own 22, Doyle unleashed the backs, and the final pass put Magau in the clear as he used his pace to sprint 60m for another try under the posts.
That made it 35-21, but Marlow wing Jurgens van Staden kept the home supporters on the edge of their seats when he slipped past the Graeme defence with little space to work in along the touchline for an outstanding try, closing the gap to seven points.
However, Graeme were not about to let this one go. From another scrum inside the Marlow 22, they worked the ball to the right and Magau went over in a tangle of bodies in the righthand corner for his hat-trick and the score, which made the game safe for the hosts with two minutes left.
Daily Dispatch
The in-form Graeme College side continued to impress, with a runaway victory against Port Rex in East London, with wing Asakhe Ranuga scoring a hat-trick as they crossed for eight tries overall.
The Graemians set the tone early on by scoring from the first play of the game and, while Port Rex were full of fight throughout, they were unable to contain the slick running of the visiting team. Graeme led 24-10 at the break.
At Stirling, Queen’s produced a solid performance to defeat the home side 27-17.
Daily Dispatch
