22 April 2025
The 2025 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival concluded on Monday with all four KZN sides claiming wins. In the 12 matches they played, they won 10, drew one, and lost only one. Rugby in the province, it seems, is in a very healthy state.
Durban High School (DHS) finished unbeaten for a second year in succession, Westville was undefeated for the second time in their history, following 2023’s three wins, Glenwood won two and drew one, while Kearsney won two and lost by just five points to Dr EG Jansen in their opener.
If they could have that first half against the Boksburg boys back, the One-Stripe would grab it. They trailed 0-19 at halftime in that clash but were far better in the remainder of the event, showing huge improvement and playing entertaining and effective rugby.
The home province’s successes were reflected in the All Stars Team, named on the final day, which included nine players from KZN, five of them from DHS. Westville provided only one forward and one back, although that back, Zekhethelo Siyaya, was named the Backline Player of the Festival.
The Best Forward accolade went to Milnerton flank, Briint Davids. He was joined in the All Star lineup by his team-mate, flyhalf Chadwin Sellidon.
Glenwood, Durbanville, Kearsney, Monument, Framesby, and Peterhouse each had one player named in the side.
All Stars Team
Forwards: 1 Eli Pedro (Durbanville), 2 Okuhle Mbanjwa (DHS), 3 Joseph Udo-Idung (DHS), 4 Vimbiso Kasvosve (DHS), 5 Lwandile Mlaba (Westville), 6 Briint Davids (Milnerton), 7 Sambesiwe Ndamase (Glenwood), 8 Nhlanhla Ndlovu (Kearsney)
Backs: 9 Mondre van Heerden (Framesby), 10 Chadwin Sellidon (Milnerton), 11 Ruan Genis (Monument), 12 Zingce Simka (DHS), 13 Andrew Maringa (Peterhouse), 14 Zenkosi Mthiyane (DHS), and 15 Zekethelo Siyaya (Westville).
Hoërskool Monument vs Milnerton High School
In Monday’s opening game, Hoërskool Monument had to dig deep to fend off a courageous Milnerton High School fightback, clinching a tightly-contested 26-21 victory.
After drawing 26-26 with Glenwood and going down 17-32 to a slick DHS outfit on Saturday, the men from Krugersdorp arrived at Stott Field determined to claim a win, lest they leave the festival winless for the first time since 2012.
Milnerton, meanwhile, had impressed with a 34-18 win over Peterhouse before suffering late heartbreak against Glenwood, who snatched a 37-34 win with a penalty after the hooter after a stunning fightback from Millies, which brought the Cape Town side back from 0-29 down to 34-34.
From the outset, Monument took the game to Milnerton with typical physicality and that brought them reward when centre Juandré Ehlers, who showed a good eye for a gap throughout the festival, raced through for the game’s opening score.
After Milnerton missed a simple penalty kick at goal, Monnas added another try, this time through their big prop Juandré Marais. Just before the break, the good news continued for the Wit Bulle when flank Ryno van der Westhuizen went over for his side’s third, which left Monument 19-0 to the good midway through the contest.
If there is a team that embodies a “down but never out” attitude, it’s Milnerton. They boast a remarkable record of comebacks and near-comebacks and they showed that fight at they turned the contest on its head in the second half.
The introduction of the skilful Sellidon twins, Chadlin and Chadwin, proved to be the catalyst, with the Cape Town school running in three tries, all converted by Chadlin Sellidon, to take a 21-19 lead.
Just as the Western Cape side looked set to complete yet another famous comeback, Monument regrouped and found a reply through fullback Ewan van der Walt, who dotted down what turned out to be the match-winning try.
For Monument, it was a case of finishing on a high. For Milnerton, it was a brave performance that earned plaudits, even in defeat.
Glenwood High School vs Dale College
Glenwood High School completed an unbeaten run at the festival with a hard-fought 33-12 win over a resolute Dale College side in the final day’s second game.
After sharing the spoils in a 26-26 thriller against Hoërskool Monument and edging out Milnerton 37-34 with a last-minute penalty on Saturday, the Green Machine produced a composed performance despite being challenged by a rugged effort from Dale.
It was a step up from the boys from Qonce, who had suffered defeats to Durbanville and the hosts, Kearsney College. in their earlier outings. On this occasion, they brought grit and determination in spades, making Glenwood work for every metre of ground.
Despite controlling both possession and territory for long periods, Glenwood were made to wait by a Dale defence that scrambled well and tackled with purpose.
Eventually, the breakthrough came through Lesedi Khumalo, who dotted down to open the scoring for the Durban side. But Dale struck back in spectacular fashion through Milani Madide who dived over to finish off a thrilling 80-metre counterattack that shredded the Durban side’s defences.
Moments before the interval, Glenwood lock Tylo Madaat crashed over, which handed his side a narrow 12-7 advantage at the break.
The second stanza began with a spark, as Dale centre Kungawo Jaca sliced through for a try that brought his side to within two points. But from there, Glenwood shifted gears.
Their captain and centre Lizwe Mtetwa powered his way over to stretch the lead, and then scrumhalf Lian Lochner, ever alert and opportunistic, struck twice to put the result beyond doubt.
While the final margin suggests a comfortable win, it was anything but for the KwaZulu-Natal side, who had to grind it out against a spirited Dale side that showed they’d made strides over the course of the weekend.
Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen vs Hoërskool Framesby
In a game that ebbed and flowed with the tension of a tug-of-war, Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen held out a determined Hoërskool Framesby to score a tense 22-20 victory.
Both sides entered the contest off mixed fortunes. Framesby, after a day one loss to Westville, found their rhythm in a convincing win over Peterhouse on Saturday. EG Jansen, meanwhile, had beaten Kearsney College in their opener, but also suffered a heavy defeat to Westville.
In an abrasive encounter, the margins were slim.
Framesby drew first blood through the boot of Miles Feltham, who slotted a penalty early on. But it wasn’t long before the men from Boksburg struck back, with hooker Marco Ventura muscling over off the back of a powerful rolling maul.
The Eastern Cape side responded in style. Flyhalf Jaco George threaded through a clever grubber and regathered to dive over under the posts, restoring their lead.
Not to be outdone, EG Jansen replied through Jordan van der Westhuizen, who finished expertly in the corner to level matters once more.
A second penalty from Feltham nudged Framesby back in front, but their lead was short-lived as Ventura, once again directing a surging maul from the back, crossed for his second try to send EG Jansen into the break with a narrow 17-13 advantage.
Fullback Deshean Pietersen extended that lead shortly after the restart with a well-taken try, giving Jansies some breathing room heading into the final quarter.
But Framesby wasn’t done yet. George added a second try with just three minutes remaining, which set up a nerve-wracking finish, with only two points separating the sides.
The Gqeberha school pressed hard for victory, but EG Jansen kept their cool to claim their second win from their three matches.
Durban High School vs Hoërskool Durbanville
Durban High School (DHS) confirmed their status as one of the standout sides of the 2025 Standard Bank Kearsney College Easter Rugby Festival by completing a perfect record for a second year in succession after a 33-5 defeat of Hoërskool Durbanville.
Durbies gave it a good go and DHS led only 14-5 at half-time. After the break, though, the Durban boys tacked on 19 points without reply to win going away.
It was a performance built on structure, physicality, and clinical finishing – all hallmarks of coach Peter Engledow‘s well-drilled unit.
From the outset, DHS made clear their intentions and their powerhouse centre Zingce Simka crashed over for the opening try. Durbanville found a response, though, thanks to a moment of individual brilliance from Valrhinio Olckers, who found a gap and gassed it to the line.
Simka, who was nearly unstoppable from close range all weekend, bagged his second before halftime to take his festival tally to five, handing School a nine-point advantage at the interval.
Durbanville, who began the festival with an impressive 66-22 win over Dale College before falling to a 22-26 loss against Rustenburg, showed plenty of grit on defence in the first half. But once DHS kicked into gear after the break, it was one-way traffic.
The second half belonged to the Horseflies‘ Nathan Aneke. The outside centre brought the crowd to its feet with a sensational solo effort from first-phase ball and followed it up with two more scores to complete a deserved hat-trick and seal the result for DHS.
Westville Boys’ High School vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
Westville matched DHS with three wins from three, but they were made to grind out a hard-fought 24-17 win over Rustenburg after claiming convincing victories in their two earlier outings.
With one eye on a looming Friday fixture against Jeppe High School for Boys, Westville head coach Zander Erasmus rolled the dice, naming seven of his frontline players on the bench. The move presented an opportunity for the wider squad to step up, and they did just enough to get over the line.
To their credit, Rustenburg, buoyed by their dramatic comeback victory over Durbanville on Saturday, arrived brimming with belief. Although they came up short, they pushed the Griffin all the way.
Early signs pointed to a routine afternoon for the home side. Tries from Lwandle Makhanya and Avumile Lisa in quick succession had them flying at 12-0 within the opening exchanges. But the North West boys had no plans to roll over.
Tristan Myburgh muscled over from close range to put Rustenburg on the board, trimming the lead. Then, just before halftime, Westville hooker Ross Calvert caught the defence napping with a slick lineout move, which allowed him to waltz over in the left-hand corner and increased Westville’s lead to 17-7 at the break.
Whatever was said in the Rustenburg huddle at halftime, it appeared to have an effect. Ten minutes into the second stanza, Thian Labuschagne stormed over the whitewash, narrowing the deficit to just three. And when Ayden Willemse calmly slotted a penalty with 10 to play, the scoreboard read 17-17 and the contest was anyone’s.
But cometh the hour, cometh the impact players. Erasmus turned to his bench, unleashing Westville’s “bomb squad”, and it didn’t take long for the dynamic to shift.
Rustenburg kicked deep – too deep – and found SA Schools’ fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya in space. It was a costly mistake. Siyaya sliced through the first wave of defenders before linking with Lux Sononkonkono, who finished the move and sealed the result.
Kearsney College vs Peterhouse
The 2025 Standard Bank Kearsney College Easter Rugby Festival wrapped up with the hosts turning on the style to comfortably putting away Peterhouse, scoring 24 points in both halves, on their way to a one-sided 48-8 victory, which was highlighted by the One-Stripe’s enterprising and physical play.
Coach Grant Bashford‘s boys improved with each match, and had they not been caught cold by Dr EG Jansen in the first half of their opener, they, too, could have put together an unbeaten record.
Against Peterhouse, they ran in seven tries, led by a brace from flyhalf Jayden Jonsson, who crossed for the opening score after setting up the opportunity with a well-judged 50/22.
Peterhouse mustered a response through Andrew Maringa, who knocked over a drop goal, but Jonsson then picked out Valentino Lenge with an accurate cross-kick to give the home side a second five-pointer.
Kearsney added two more tries before the break, with the speedy Lwandle Mkhize going over for their third and Keanu Williamson dotting down their fourth, which enabled the One-Stripe to turn with a handsome 24-3 lead in hand.
In the second stanza, Mkhize made it a double with another try before Peterhouse scored a superb consolation try through Michael Marimo.
Kearsney, though, still had more to come and they crossed the whitewash three more times, through Lwazi Mbebe, Simo Mnqokoyi, and Jonsson, to complete a dominant performance.
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