Stellenberg’s Jade Brigade supreme among SA Rugby Schools

Stellenberg’s Jade Brigade brushed aside Wynberg Boys High, while Hilton edged Michaelhouse in a big KZN Midlands derby.

Stellenberg play Oakdale and Paarl Boys High in their next two rounds and these results will define their season as being very good or exceptional. One can’t see them losing to any other team in the back end of the season, given who they have already played and who they have beaten.

The 38-10 win against WBHS was supreme in that it was their third match in a week. They won all three and have lost just once in 10 outings this season. Garsfontein beat them 21-20 with the final movement of the match at a Festival a few weeks ago.

Hilton won 23-21 against Michaelhouse on Saturday and Westville and Kearsney drew 14-all.

In Noordvaal, Garsfontein dealt with Helpmekaar 49-24 and earlier in the week Pearson (Eastern Province) drew 15-all with Gauteng’s KES.

My favourite Schools Rugby platform is schoolboyrugby.co.za

Give the platform a visit if you want to know the SA schools rugby landscape. The articles are up to date and the comments section is the most informative because those engaging are actively following the Schools rugby scene.

The platform, courtesy of Bloktrui, also gives a Top 50 ranking and details the primary four ranking sites in South Africa.

Stellenberg’s ranking is either one, two or three, but I’d rank them No 1 this season because of their wins against Paarl Gim, Grey College and Paul Roos.

I’d have Gim and Paul Roos in the top three, but what has made this Schools season so interesting is that Grey College have been vulnerable, losing three times, and Paarl Boys High have dropped a few matches.

All the teams have played in Festivals in the past month, which means context to results. With two matches played in four days and an additional local fixture added, so three matches in a week, squad systems are used to get through all the matches.

The next two months will give a clearer indication of which of the top 10 has the greatest depth.

But there is no disputing that this is Stellenberg High’s finest season in the school’s 40 year history.