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SA school rugby’s Easter takeover: festivals that define the next generation

Easter is schoolboy rugby’s biggest shop window in South Africa. Here’s every major 2026 festival, the schools, dates and the platforms driving the coverage.

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Stellenberg High are the movers and shakers in SA Schools Rugby

Easter weekend is schoolboy rugby’s biggest stage in South Africa, where reputations are made, bragging rights are reinforced and many of the country’s future Springboks will be on display. Mostly it is the biggest school rugby carnival of the year because it is South Africa school rugby Easter festivals 2026

The beauty of the festivals is that schools brings squads and mix and match to play two matches in three days.

It also gives the best of each province a chance to experience other provincial schools, with the Festivals also inviting schools from overseas.

South Africa School Rugby Easter Festivals 2026:

In 2026, the Schools Rugby landscape is bigger and more diluted than ever, with traditional festivals at Kearsney, St John’s, St Stithians and King Edward VII running alongside an expanded calendar that now includes a major Pretoria Boys High 125-year celebration festival.

The Festivals are more than getting a ‘W’, and it is more about a celebration of the South African Schools rugby landscape, through exposure, opposition strength and platform reach.

THE PLATFORMS DRIVING SA SCHOOLBOY RUGBY

1. SchoolboyRugby.co.za (PRIMARY HUB)

  • Daily fixtures, results, festival previews
  • Most consistent festival coverage (KES, St John’s, St Stithians, Kearsney)
  • Provincial segmentation (WP, KZN, Noordvaal, EP)
  • Breaking team news and squad tracking

 The closest thing to a central database of SA school rugby

2. SuperSport Schools

  • Video-first platform
  • Festival livestreams and highlights
  • Multi-sport integration (rugby + hockey + athletics)
  • Covers major festivals like Saints Festival

 Best for visibility and broadcast reach

3. Rugby365 (Schools Section)

  • Big-picture calendar
  • Tournament previews and context
  • Connects schools rugby to pro pathway

4. Ruggas.co.za

5. SARugbymag (Schools section)

6. SA School Sports

  • Rankings-driven ecosystem
  • Cross-sport credibility

H2: 2026 EASTER FESTIVALS  

1. KEARSNEY EASTER RUGBY FESTIVAL (KZN) 2, 4, 6 April 2026

Key Schools:

  • Kearsney
  • Glenwood
  • Durban HS
  • Westville
  • Framesby
  • Rustenburg
  • Dr EG Jansen
  • International: Peterhouse (Zimbabwe), Irish schools

Format:

  • 12 top schools
  • 3 match days
  • Includes primary schools + girls fixtures

2. ST JOHN’S COLLEGE EASTER FESTIVAL (JHB)

 2, 4, 6 April 2026

Key Schools (confirmed returning powerhouses):

  • Grey College
  • Monument
  • Bishops

Traditionally the most balanced fixture list, with elite vs elite match-ups.

3. KES EASTER RUGBY FESTIVAL (JHB)

 4–6 April 2026 (fixtures released)

Notable Match-ups:

  • KES vs St Andrew’s
  • Dale vs Worcester Gim
  • Northwood vs Marlow

4. ST STITHIANS EASTER FESTIVAL

5. PRETORIA BOYS HIGH 125TH FESTIVAL (NEW POWER PLAYER)

3–6 April 2026

Early Confirmed Schools:

  • Affies
  • Grey High
  • Jeppe
  • Maritzburg College
  • Michaelhouse
  • Rondebosch
  • SACS
  • Selborne

A festival strong enough to split the traditional Easter talent pool.

ALL THE FESTIVAL MATCHES

KEARSNEY
Thursday, 2nd April

Helpmekaar 24 Glenwood 5
Transvalia 26 Peterhouse 5
Westville 83 Framesby 0
Kearsney 43 Rustenburg 14
EG Jansen 27 Milnerton 20
Durban HS 31 Zwartkop 14

Saturday, 4th April

Kearsney College 33 Transvalia 13
Framesby 15 Glenwood 14
DHS 38 Hoërskool Rustenburg 7
Peterhouse 29 Milnerton 23
Zwartkop 41 EG Jansen 32

Monday, 6th April

Framesby 10 Transvalia 7
Glenwood 14 EG Jansen 12
Rustenburg 26 Peterhouse 17
Westville 41 Milnerton 3
Durban HS 39 Helpmekaar 27
Kearsney 22 Zwartkop 19

 

SCHOOLS WRAP: Jade Brigade shock Grey College

KES
Saturday

Hudson Park 37 Worcester Gim 10
Pearson 56 Eldoraigne 14
Northwood 47 Marlow 7
Cranbrook (Australia) 29 Dale 24
Queen’s 13 Noordheuwel 7
KES 45 St Andrew’s 12

Monday

Hudson Park 17 Eldoraigne 10
Dale 15 Worcester Gim 7
Noordheuwel 29 Marlow 5
Pearson 26 Cranbrook (Australia) 14
Northwood 52 St Andrew’s 21
KES 33 Queen’s 13

ST JOHN’S

St John’s Day 1 results:
Grey College Cherries 38 Noordheuwel 2nd XV 14
Golden Lions XV 38 Welkom Gim 36
St Albans 11 St Josephs Nudgee 2nd XV 24
St Benedict’s 5 Graeme College 57
Kingswood 40 St David’s 5
Monument 56 Westlake 35
Grey College 26 St Josephs Nudgee 29
Hilton 68 Nelspruit 14
St John’s 7 Bishops 26

Saturday

St David’s 28 Randburg 26
Nudgee 2nd XV 48 St Benedict’s 7
Nelspruit 24 St Alban’s 21
Monument 43 Kingswood 27
St John’s 24 Golden Lions XV 19
Graeme College 39 Bishops 26
Westlake Boys’ High 36 Welkom Gim 26
Hilton College 17 Nudgee 12

Monday

Westlake 42 Randburg 8

ST STITHIANS
Thursday

Hartpury 2nd XV 14 Windhoek HS 25
St Stithians 21 St John’s (Harare) 24
Mali XV 34 Clifton 21
St Charles 7 Northcliff 18
Kempton Park 27 Pietersburg 15
Hartpury 14 Middelburg 21
Wynberg 84 Garsfontein Inv XV 0

Saturday

Hartpury College 47 Garsfontein Invitational XV 18
Northcliff 40 Windhoek 35
St John’s College (Harare) 22 Clifton College 18
St Charles 24 Kempton Park 17
Hartpury 2nd XV 55 Mzwandile Mali XV 33
Hoërskool Pietersburg 27 Hoërskool Middelburg 14
Wynberg Boys’ High 28 St Stithians 12

Monday

Windhoek HS 47 Mali XV 35
Hartpury 54 Northcliff 20
Kempton Park 47 Garsfontein Inv XV 18
Pietersburg 38 St John’s (Harare) 18

PRETORIA BOYS’
Saturday

Maritzburg College 35 Jeppe 12
Michaelhouse 29 Affies 26
Rondebosch 57 Selborne 17
Grey High 40 Parktown Boys’ 18
Pretoria Boys’ High 35 SACS 34

Monday

Selborne 26 Parktown 5
Maritzburg College 24 SACS 7
Affies 59 Grey High 19
Michaelhouse 40 Jeppe 36
Pretoria Boys High 20 Rondebosch 43

 


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