Big rugby at Kearsney College
The school rugby season has only just kicked off, but many of the country’s best teams arrive today, preparing to make their mark at the Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival which starts tomorrow (Thursday).
A talented mix of 12 top rugby-playing schools will participate at the festival, including hosts Kearsney College and Glenwood from KZN and festival newcomers Drostdy HTS from Worcester in the Western Cape and Pretoria Boys High. Other schools represented are Monument from Krugersdorp, Dr EG Jansen from Boksburg, HTS Middelburg, Höerskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley, Selborne from East London, Dale College from King Williams Town, Queen’s College from Queenstown and Höerskool Framesby from Port Elizabeth.
Now in its 10th year, the Kearsney festival provides spectators with solid, exciting running rugby and an opportunity to witness some of South Africa’s fledgling talent. Many players from previous Kearsney festivals have become household names in Super and Currie Cup rugby.
Hosts Kearsney traditionally play the first match of the festival, this year against HTS Drostdy. Kearsney won their three fixtures against Pionier, Sarel Cilliers and Welkom Gym comfortably at a recent tour to northern KZN. Their first match in the local fixtures saw Kearsney secure a good 45-3 win against Northwood. At last week’s short tour to the Easterm Cape, where they beat Nico Malan and Marlow, they were put under pressure by Nico Malan, eventually winning by a single point. Opponents Drostdy have played five games this season - with two wins, a draw and two losses. Kearsney’s other two games are against Höerskool Framesby and Queen’s College.
Glenwood will play Framesby from Port Elizabeth tomorrow (Thursday). The latter has only played two matches; winning easily against Oudtshoorn and having a tight encounter against Queen’s which they won 6-3. Glenwood have only played one full match which was against Voortrekker. They won 34-5. Glenwood’s two other festival opponents are Dr EG Jansen and Höerskool Noord-Kaap.
As it is still early in the school rugby season, it is a gamble to predict which schools are likely to be the strongest opponents. Early indications are that Dr EG Jansen do not appear to be as strong as they were last year, but their match against Selborne College from East London tomorrow could be the match of the day.
On Saturday two matches that should be evenly contested are between Glenwood and EG Jansen and the final game of the day, where HTS Middelburg takes on Monument. These two teams played each other on the last Saturday of term; with Monument narrowly winning 14-12.
On the last day of the festival the match between Monument and Selborne College should be a humdinger.
There will be other matches where results should be close, but spectators will want to see fast movement, hard and clean tackling and good sportsmanship prevailing, no matter what the results. Dale College, which has played many games over the years at this festival, seldom fail to entertain with their brand of rugby.
Entry is R20 per person with ample secure parking available, as well as food and refreshment outlets for those wanting a day of entertaining rugby. Go to www.kearsney.com for fixtures, results and festival information.
Now in its 10th year, the Kearsney festival provides spectators with solid, exciting running rugby and an opportunity to witness some of South Africa’s fledgling talent. Many players from previous Kearsney festivals have become household names in Super and Currie Cup rugby.
Hosts Kearsney traditionally play the first match of the festival, this year against HTS Drostdy. Kearsney won their three fixtures against Pionier, Sarel Cilliers and Welkom Gym comfortably at a recent tour to northern KZN. Their first match in the local fixtures saw Kearsney secure a good 45-3 win against Northwood. At last week’s short tour to the Easterm Cape, where they beat Nico Malan and Marlow, they were put under pressure by Nico Malan, eventually winning by a single point. Opponents Drostdy have played five games this season - with two wins, a draw and two losses. Kearsney’s other two games are against Höerskool Framesby and Queen’s College.
Glenwood will play Framesby from Port Elizabeth tomorrow (Thursday). The latter has only played two matches; winning easily against Oudtshoorn and having a tight encounter against Queen’s which they won 6-3. Glenwood have only played one full match which was against Voortrekker. They won 34-5. Glenwood’s two other festival opponents are Dr EG Jansen and Höerskool Noord-Kaap.
As it is still early in the school rugby season, it is a gamble to predict which schools are likely to be the strongest opponents. Early indications are that Dr EG Jansen do not appear to be as strong as they were last year, but their match against Selborne College from East London tomorrow could be the match of the day.
On Saturday two matches that should be evenly contested are between Glenwood and EG Jansen and the final game of the day, where HTS Middelburg takes on Monument. These two teams played each other on the last Saturday of term; with Monument narrowly winning 14-12.
On the last day of the festival the match between Monument and Selborne College should be a humdinger.
There will be other matches where results should be close, but spectators will want to see fast movement, hard and clean tackling and good sportsmanship prevailing, no matter what the results. Dale College, which has played many games over the years at this festival, seldom fail to entertain with their brand of rugby.
Entry is R20 per person with ample secure parking available, as well as food and refreshment outlets for those wanting a day of entertaining rugby. Go to www.kearsney.com for fixtures, results and festival information.
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre