Stunning Stellenberg schools Grey College in historic win

Stellenberg’s class of 2026 are history makers. They have stunned South Africa’s schools rugby giants Paarl Gim and Grey College in the past fortnight in the most dramatic two victories.

Stunning Stellenberg on top of the world

The win against Paarl Gim came at home in the northern suburbs of Western Province, but it was at the traditional home of Bulls schools rugby, Affies, that the boys from Stellenberg got the prized head of Grey College, South Africa’s most consistent performing rugby school for the past 25 years.

Stellenberg, giant slayers a year ago, are now the giants.

In 2025 they beat all four traditional Western Province southern suburbs schools – Wynberg, Bishops, Rondebosch and SACS – and pushed Outeniqua to the brink. This year, it all came to fruition, first in the 20-19 win against Paarl Gim and then Grey College.

Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images

The transformation, as outlined in reporting by Rugby365, didn’t happen overnight. Head coach Hein Molnar traces it back to around 2017, when the school shifted its ambition from being the best in the northern suburbs to competing with, and beating, the Western Cape’s traditional heavyweights.

SA Schools Rugby is prospering.

The strategy was clear: build depth, not just a first XV.

Stellenberg invested heavily in their pipeline, prioritising development from U14 level through to U19. Instead of chasing talent with bursaries, they focused on retaining local players and offering a comparable rugby experience to the big-name schools. Crucially, they strengthened coaching structures across all teams, appointing specialist forwards and backline coaches throughout the system.

The result? A programme that now fields 21 teams and produces players conditioned to compete at the highest level.

Equally important has been continuity. Key coaching figures have remained in place for years, creating consistency in philosophy and standards. That stability, combined with long-term planning, has driven a steady upward curve.

Garsfontein, who edged Stellenberg by a point a few days earlier, shocked Paarl Boys High 31-28 to complete a Western Cape double

North-South Day 1 results
Paul Roos Gimnasium 21 Monument 17
Paarl Boys’ 37 Jeppe 10
Garsfontein 21 Stellenberg 20
Outeniqua 30 KES 16
HTS Drostdy 43 EG Jansen 24
Waterkloof 45 Diamantveld 7

North-South Day 3 results
Transvalia 21 Hugenote 23
Oos-Moot 33 Strand 18
KES 2nd XV 50 Mali XV 8
EG Jansen 31 Framesby 37
Nelspruit 42 Voortrekker 22
Outeniqua 24 Waterkloof 24
Jeppe 34 Diamantveled 28
Monument 75 Drostdy 43
Paul Roos 45 Pretoria Boys’ 14
Stellenberg 26 Grey College 21
Garsfontein 31 Paarl Boys’ 28