The Standard Bank Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival will kick off this Thursday (14th) as scheduled, despite the widespread flooding and heavy rainfall experienced in KwaZulu-Natal this week.
The campus is ready and the organisers are looking forward to delivering a magnificent 13th festival after a two-year Covid-enforced absence. The 12 participating teams are among the top rugby-playing schools in the country and spectators should experience some exhilarating rugby at the family-friendly event.
Joining hosts Kearsney from KZN, are Glenwood, Westville and Durban High School (DHS). Four schools from Gauteng include Dr EG Jansen from Boksburg, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Hoërskool Monument and Pretoria Boys High. There is a strong pair from the Eastern Cape in Selborne College from East London and Hoërskool Framesby from Port Elizabeth, with debutant Hoër Landbouskool Marlow from Cradock. Hoërskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley completes the line-up.
Kearsney College traditionally play the opening game of the festival and on Thursday they will be playing Marlow. This season the visitors have had three games, but against relatively weak opposition. Kearsney may have the advantage, with six games under their belts, although two were narrow losses against Westville and Marais Viljoen, by two and one point respectively.
Glenwood, the power-house of KZN school rugby for a number of years, will play the penultimate match on the opening day against Pretoria Boys High. The latter have not had a very good start to the season, losing all four games. Glenwood, perhaps not as strong as they have been in the past, have had victories against Northwood and Michaelhouse and a loss against Paarl Gimnasium.
Westville begin the festival with a difficult match against Hoërskool Monument, who have also lost against Paarl Gim, but have beaten Oakdale and Welkom Gim. Westville has started the season well with victories against Clifton, Queens and Kingswood. This game will be a good test for them.
The second game of the first day sees Durban High School (DHS) against Waterkloof. The KZN side has lost both matches played so far, against Kearsney and Voortrekker from Bethlehem. Waterkloof lost against Grey College, winning three other matches against weaker opposition.
The only school besides the hosts to have participated in all previous festivals at Kearsney, Selborne College from East London play Hoërskool Noord-Kaap at lunchtime on the first day.
Festival play days are Thursday, Saturday and Monday, with kick-off at 09h30 on the first and last days and at 08h00 on Saturday to accommodate the Sharks afternoon game. Each day starts with a primary schools’ fixture between Umhlali Prep, Hillcrest Primary or Highbury against the KZNRU Ibutho U13 development team.
Gate entrance is R30 per person with ample secure parking. Food and refreshment outlets, a coffee shop, beer tent and KidZone will ensure a full day of entertainment for the whole family.
Fixtures and festival information are available on kearsney.com – and all matches will be live-streamed on the supersportschools.com app and website.
Fixtures:
Thursday 14 April
08h00 Umhlali Prep School vs KZN lbutho/Mark Godefroy U13
09h30 Kearsney College vs Hoër Landbouskool Marlow
10h45 Durban High School vs Hoërskool Waterkloof
12h00 Westville Boys’ High School vs Hoërskool Monument
13h15 Hoërskool Noord-Kaap vs Selborne College
14h30 Glenwood High School vs Pretoria Boys High School
15h45 Hoërskool Framesby vs Dr EG Jansen
Saturday 16 April
07h00 Hillcrest Primary School vs KZN Ibutho/Mark Godefroy U13
08h00 Hoërskool Noord-Kaap vs Westville Boys’ High School
09h30 Hoërskool Monument vs Hoër Landbouskool Marlow
10h45 Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Waterkloof
12h00 Dr EG Jansen vs Durban High School
13h15 Pretoria Boys High School vs Hoërskool Framesby
14h30 Glenwood High School vs Selborne College
Monday 18 April
08h00 Highbury Preparatory School vs KZN Ibutho/Mark Godefroy U13
09h30 Glenwood High School vs Dr EG Jansen
10h45 Westville Boys’ High School vs Selborne College
12h00 Hoërskool Monument vs Durban High School
13h15 Hoër Landbouskool Marlow vs Pretoria Boys High School
14h30 Hoërskool Waterkloof vs Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
15h45 Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Framesby
Accommodation Near Kearsney College
