22 February 2025
The 16th edition of the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF), to be played from 17-21 April, will feature a record 28 teams.
There are three first-timers in the 12-team high schools’ section, a 12-team primary schools’ section and, in another first, four u16 girls’ sides.
The primary schools’ and girls’ teams represent an admirable theme that has been embraced by Kearsney of promoting the development of rugby, hockey, and cricket through the festivals the school hosts.
HIGH SCHOOLS’ LINE-UP
The newcomers in the high schools’ event are Peterhouse, from Zimbabwe, and the Western Cape’s Milnerton High School and Hoërskool Durbanville.
Peterhouse, the brother school of Michaelhouse, should be popular with the spectators because Zimbabwe schools, typically, play a free-flowing running game.
They’ll be in action in the festival’s very first match at 08:00 on Thursday, 17 April, against Milnerton, the alma mater of Springbok centre, Damien de Allende, a two-time World Cup winner.
In 2024, Milnerton was one of the most exciting teams in the country because of their hard-running rugby and their strong character, which brought them some eye-opening victories.
That included a 31-28 win at Bishops, where they had trailed 10-28. That, though, was not their most impressive comeback of their season. Playing away, against Rondebosch Boys’ High, a team that went unbeaten at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, Milnerton trailed 3-33 before pulling off a jaw-dropping 34-33 win.
The other newcomer from the Western Cape, Hoërskool Durbanville, after a super 2023, slipped slightly in 2024, but they play a tough schedule against some of the country’s best teams, so their achievements should be judged accordingly. They did, however, demonstrate their skill and enterprise by winning the Cape Schools Sevens, which was part of the national High Schools Sevens Series, proudly sponsored by Toyota.
They’ll take on Dale College in their opener. Dale returns to the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival after missing last year’s event. They’re renowned for their running rugby, so they’re sure to offer excellent entertainment.
KwaZulu-Natal will be represented by the same four sides that flew the province’s flag last year: Kearsney College, Durban High School (DHS), Glenwood High, and Westville Boys’ High.
Kearsney is now under the leadership of the redoubtable Grant Bashford, who has a long and very impressive CV. With Bashford coaching the 1st XV and Keegan Daniel, whom he once coached at The Sharks, serving as the Director of Rugby, Kearsney should be on an upward trajectory.
They haven’t allowed themselves an easy opener, though. They take on Dr EG Jansen, who comfortably won all three of their matches at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival last year, including a 36-11 defeat of Kearsney after leading only 6-5 at half-time.
DHS proved to be one of the best sides in the country last year and was KZN’s number one.
Arguably the best defensive side in South Africa in the top tier of teams, School surrendered only seven points at KERF, in a 38-7 win over Pearson. They also blanked Nico Malan 21-0 and Hoërskool Rustenburg 45-0. They gave up 20 points only once all season.
Their opening game will be against the latter, who will be itching to have a shot at reversing that big loss.
DHS will be inexperienced in 2025, with only two players remaining from their memorable 2024 side. They will, however, be staffed by players from last year’s unbeaten 2nd XV and others moving up from the u16 ranks.
Coached by the outstanding duo of Peter Engeldouw and Ronnie Uys, they should be a team to be reckoned with.
Westville played some of the most exciting rugby to be seen anywhere in 2024, and their 36-36 draw with KES was, for me, the game of the year.
The Griffin, though, were not only good at the back. In what was regarded as an upset at the time, they beat Hoërskool Monument 25-22 at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival, and one of the things that really caught the eye was how they drove a far bigger scrum off the ball in the set pieces.
Zander Erasmus has taken charge of the 1st XV, with Jabz Zulu, his predecessor, moving to KES. Erasmus has been involved with The Sharks u17 Sevens team and has worked within the Craven Week and Sharks Academy structures. He has enjoyed success wherever he has been involved.
Speaking of Monnas, they’ll be in action against Glenwood High School on the opening day. Last year was not a vintage year for either school. Monument lost their way somewhat as the season progressed, while it was the Green Machine‘s worst season in many years.
Glenwood, though, returns a majority of their 1st XV of 2024 and last season’s tough lessons could pay off this year.
As for Monument, they have a strong rugby tradition, and it is seldom that the Wit Bulle have successive seasons of limited success. Watch out for them.
A Kearsney Festival regular, Hoërskool Framesby completes the festival’s line-up, and they’ll take on Westville in the late afternoon game on the opening day.
When one thinks of Framesby, one thinks of a good, solid rugby team, capable of, at times, playing scintillating rugby.
They were involved in three exciting matches at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival last year, edging out Kearsney 18-17, going down 17-22 to Monument, and sneaking a 36-34 win over Worcester Gimnasium with a last gasp try.
SPONSORS
The festival’s headline sponsor, as it has been since 2015, is Standard Bank. Kuben Chetty, the head of Standard Bank’s Commercial Banking in KwaZulu-Natal, commented: “We believe that sports and education are pivotal in cultivating well-rounded individuals, fostering healthy competition, and encouraging teamwork for a prosperous future.”
Halfway Ford Waterfall, another of the major sponsors, is again backing the festival. Chilton Penery, the COO of the Halfway Group’s Auto Division, described being involved with the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival as a privilege. “Team sports are great platforms to mould our youth and provide a deeper purpose in life,” he added.
GIRLS’ AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS’ TEAMS
The four girls’ teams that will make history at the 2025 event are Adams College, from Amanzimtoti, Mowat Park, from Montclair, Durban’s George Campbell School of Technology, and Richards Bay High School.
Eleven primary schools from KZN will be joined by the Harare Lions, a junior Zimbabwean club team. The KZN line-up features Chelsea Prep, Glenwood Prep, Hillcrest Primary, Highbury Prep, Kloof Senior Primary, Penzance Primary, Umhlali Prep, Westville Senior Primary, and Winston Park; as well as the uThukela team, from Bergville, and the KZN Ibutho Development side.
Kearsney and Stott Field, where the high school games will be played, are a wonderful combination at Easter, despite rain sometimes putting a slight damper on proceedings. There are few venues that are as picturesque.
The Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival has earned itself a well-deserved reputation of being one of the best run festivals in the country and the play on the field continues to be of a very high quality. If you have the time over the Easter weekend, a visit to the festival is highly recommended. There is something for the entire family there.
BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL FIXTURES
Thursday, 17 April
08:00 – Milnerton High School vs Peterhouse
09:20 – Hoërskool Durbanville vs Dale College
10:40 – Durban High School vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
13:00 – Kearsney College vs Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen
14:20 – Hoërskool Monument vs Glenwood High School
15:40 – Westville Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Framesby
Saturday, 19 April
08:00 – Hoërskool Durbanville vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
09:20 – Hoërskool Framesby vs Peterhouse
10:40 – Milnerton High School vs Glenwood High School
13:00 – Westville Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen
14:20 – Kearsney College vs Dale College
15:40 – Hoërskool Monument vs Durban High School
Monday, 21 April
08:00 – Hoërskool Monument vs Milnerton High School
09:20 – Glenwood High School vs Dale College
10:40 – Hoërskool Framesby vs Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen
12:50 – Closing Ceremony
13:00 – Durban High School vs Hoërskool Durbanville
14:20 – Westville Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
15:40 – Kearsney College vs Peterhouse
GIRLS’ U16 FIXTURES
Thursday, 17 April
12:00 – Mowat Park High vs Adams College
12:00 – George Campbell vs Richards Bay High School
Saturday, 19 April
12:00 – Adams College vs George Campbell
12:00 – Mowat Park High vs Richards Bay High School
Monday, 21 April
11:00 – Mowat Park High vs George Campbell
12:00 – Adams College vs Richards Bay High School
PRIMARY SCHOOL FIXTURES
Thursday, 17 April
08:00 – Highbury Prep vs Kloof Senior Primary
09:00 – Penzance Primary vs uThukela Team (Bergville)
10:00 – Winston Park Primary vs Westville Senior Primary
11:00 – Hillcrest Primary vs Chelsea Prep
13:00 – Umhlali Prep vs KZN Ibutho Development Team
14:00 – Glenwood Prep vs Harare Lions
Saturday, 19 April
08:00 – Kloof Senior Primary vs Winston Park Primary
09:00 – Chelsea Prep vs Harare Lions
10:00 – Westville Senior Primary vs Hillcrest Primary
11:00 – Glenwood Prep vs uThukela Team (Bergville)
13:00 – Highbury Prep vs KZN Ibutho Development Team
14:00 – Penzance Primary vs Umhlali Prep
Monday, 21 April
08:00 – Hillcrest Primary vs Winston Park Primary
09:00 – Kloof Senior Primary vs uThukela Team (Bergville)
10:00 – Glenwood Prep vs Westville Senior Prep
12:00 – Highburg Prep vs Umhlali Prep
13:00 – Penzance Primary vs Harare Lions
14:00 – Chelsea Prep vs KZN Ibutho Development Team
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