Kearsney College is a hive of activity with final touches being made to the campus and the arrival of the first teams from around the country, in anticipation of Thursday’s kick off of the 2024 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
The organisers are looking forward to delivering a magnificent 15th festival and spectators at the family-friendly event can expect some exhilarating rugby from the 14 participating high school teams.
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Festival first-timers are Rondebosch Boys’ High, from Cape Town, Pearson High School, from Gqeberha, and Hoërskool Rustenburg, from the North-West.
In addition to the high school battles, there will also be exciting primary school action with 10 local u13 teams – the KZNRU Ibutho u13 Development Team, Ashton International College Ballito Primary, Chelsea Preparatory School, Glenwood Prep, Highbury Prep, Hillcrest Primary, Kloof Senior Primary, Umhlali Prep, Westville Senior Primary, and Winston Park – in action.
Historically there has been an u13 curtain-raiser each day, but this year a full primary schools’ festival will run concurrently on an adjacent field.
On day one, Thursday, the opening encounter will feature Worcester Gimnasium tackling newcomers Hoërskool Rustenburg. The second day’s play is on Saturday, 30 March, and day three on Easter Monday, 1 April.
Kearsney’s 1st XV got the better of the Dr EG Jansen, winning 17-12 on the second day of last year’s event, and will be eyeing a repeat of that hard-earned result.
Neil van Heerden and Tera Mtembu‘s charges open their festival account against Hoërskool Framesby on the first day, ahead of a much-anticipated matchup with Rondebosch Boys’ High in the final game on Saturday.
The hosts are well placed to improve on last year’s one from three record at KERF, having enjoyed a promising start to their 2024 season, with wins in three of their first four matches, including a 16-14 defeat of Maritzburg College.
DHS looks as if they could be the KZN side to beat. They’re talented, hard-working and creative with the ball in hand. The remaining KZN schools are Glenwood High School and Westville Boys’ High, who both went three from three at the 2023 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival.
The Green Machine will look to rebound from an uncharacteristic season-opening defeat to Welkom Gimnasium, although, to be fair, they were hamstrung by a number of early season injuries in that encounter.
Westville, who opened their 2024 account with a loss to Michaelhouse, are loaded with good athletes and they’ll be aiming to improve on a scrappy first outing.
Rustenburg will fancy their chances, having narrowly beaten Glenwood last year, while Pearson and Rondebosch remain litmus tests for any side.
Pearson enjoyed an impressive 2023 and they have already scored three victories in 2024, including a big 19-11 defeat of Queen’s College on 16 March.
‘Bosch, meanwhile, pushed an Oakdale Landbou team, which recently beat Hoërskool Garsfontein 23-17 and Helpmekaar Kollege 41-22 at the NMI Toyota North-South Tournament, all the way, eventually going down 13-17.
Krugersdorp powerhouse, Hoërskool Monument, which won all three of their KERF games in 2023, and had their flyhalf Ceano Everson named the Player of the Festival, are back again, and they’re joined by Hoërskool Noord-Kaap, from Kimberley, Hoër Landbouskool Marlow, from Cradock, and Humansdorp-based Nico Malan High School.
Numerous food outlets, a refreshment tent and a fun KidZone for little ones will be available, with ample on-site parking.
Fixtures are on the Kearsney College website.
Online tickets can be purchased through Quicket at R45pp to avoid queues, or at the gate for R40pp. Children under six years of age are free.
Fixtures
Day 1: Thursday, 28 March
09:00 – Worcester Gim v Rustenburg; 10:20 – Noord-Kaap v Dr EG Jansen; 11:40 – Glenwood v Marlow; 13:00 – DHS v Nico Malan; 14:20 – Framesby v Kearsney; 15:40 – Westville v Rondebosch
Day 2: Saturday, 30 March
07:40 – Noord-Kaap v Nico Malan; 09:00 – Westville v Pearson; 10:20 – Worcester Gim v Marlow; 11:40 – Rustenburg v DHS; 13:00 – Framesby v Monument; 14:20 – Glenwood v Dr EG Jansen; 15:40 – Kearsney v Rondebosch
Day 3: Monday, 1 April
07:30 – Marlow v Noord-Kaap; 08:50 – Rondebosch v Rustenburg; 10:10 – Framesby v Worcester Gim; 11:30 – Glenwood v Nico Malan; 12:40 – Closing Ceremony; 13:00 – DHS v Pearson; 14:20 – Monument v Westville; 15:40 – Kearsney v Dr EG Jansen
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