28 April 2026
Viewed from a simple won/lost vantage point, the Absa Wildeklawer Rugby Tournament was a disaster for KZN 1st XVs, without a win in eight matches. However, when the quality of the opposition is taken into consideration, and the narrow margins between the teams in most matches, one could conclude that rugby in the land (sea?) of the Sharks is in a healthy state.
The manner in which Maritzburg College pushed Stellenberg High, the number one team in the country so far in 2026, and College’s heartbreaking, last-second defeat to Outeniqua, along with Northwood‘s three-point loss to Paarl Boys’ High, followed by a five-point defeat to Garsfontein, reflects positively on the KZN contingent in Kimberley.
Westville Boys’ High and Durban High School (DHS), the province’s top teams in 2025, would have felt less satisfied. The Griffins were in the hunt against Oakdale Landbou before falling off the pace late in that game. That was followed by a tough three-point loss to Waterkloof, who are enjoying a good season.
Of the four, DHS will feel the most dissatisfied. They were competitive against a good Monument team but lost 27-41. Their second outing, against Paarl Gimnasium, who have struck a rich vein of form, would surely have left a sour taste in the Horseflies‘ mouths. They were well beaten, falling 7-47, the kind of hiding that hasn’t been dealt to DHS in many seasons.
School will take heart, though, that they have quality coming through the age groups. Their u16A side scored wins over Monument and Helpmekaar, their u15A team lost to Monnas by three points but beat Helpies, and their u14As laid a whipping on both of those schools.
There were further encouraging showings from other KZN schools’ age group sides, including Maritzburg College’s u15A team, who beat Stellenberg by 20 points and Outeniqua by eight.
Take a look at the festival results below, with the KZN schools listed first each day.
RESULTS
1st XV
Friday, 24 April
Nico Malan 31-24 Dr EG Jansen
Diamantveld 40-29 Queen’s College
Paul Roos 21-18 Garsfontein
Saturday, 25 April
Monument 41-27 Durban High School
Stellenberg 24-19 Maritzburg College
Oakdale 40-24 Westville Boys’ High
Paarl Boys’ High 21-18 Northwood
Waterkloof 27-21 Durbanville
Jeppe 31-26 Boland Landbou
Affies 55-26 Outeniqua
Grey College 34-12 Noordheuwel
Paarl Gim 45-10 Helpmekaar
Marlowe Landbou 38-17 NC Barbarians
Rustenburg 41-14 Central Barbarians
Monday, 27 April
Outeniqua 30-29 Maritzburg College
Garsfontein 33-28 Northwood
Paarl Gim 47-7 Durban High School
Waterkloof 31-28 Westville
Stellenberg 31-20 Diamantveld
Helpemkaar 73-31 Queen’s College
Boland Landbou 16-14 Noordheuwel
Paul Roos 15-13 Oakdale Landbou
Grey College 54-14 Jeppe
Affies 40-37 Paarl Boys’ High
Central Barbarians 35-21 NC Barbarians
Rustenburg 38-22 Marlow Landbou
Durbanville 36-28 Dr EG Jansen
Monument 52-15 Nico Malan
Under-16
Friday, 24 April
Jeppe 48-10 Boland Landbou
Diamantveld 24-7 Queen’s College
Saturday, 25 April
Stellenberg 21-10 Maritzburg College
Waterkloof 26-14 Northwood
Oakdale Landbou 21-14 Westville Boys’ High
Durban High School 30-29 Monument
Paarl Boys’ High 16-13 Helpmekaar
Affies 43-17 Outeniqua
Paul Roos 49-26 Garsfontein
Grey College 47-14 Noordheuwel
Monday, 27 April
Outeniqua 18-17 Maritzburg College
Durban High School 22-19 Helpmekaar
Garsfontein 61-0 Northwood
Waterkloof 17-13 Westville Boys’ High
Boland Landbou 39-28 Noordheuwel
Stellenberg 28-22 Diamantveld
Affies 28-20 Paarl Boys’ High
Paarl Roos 50-3 Outeniqua
Monumet 48-10 Queen’s College
Grey College 70-21 Jeppe
Under-15A
Friday, 24 April
Queen’s College 19-17 Diamantveld
Boland Landbou 24-19 Jeppe
Saturday, 24 April
Monument 13-10 Durban High School
Maritzburg College 34-14 Stellenberg
Oakdale Landbou 8-7 Westville Boys’ High
Waterkloof 19-14 Northwood
Paarl Boys’ High 17-13 Helpmekaar
Grey College 61-5 Noodheuwel
Affies 42-5 Outeniqua
Paul Roos 45-7 Garsfontein
Monday, 27 April
Durban High School 30-21 Helpmekaar
Maritzburg College 15-7 Outeniqua
Monument 31-15 Queen’s College
Boland Landbou 22-14 Noodheuwel
Paul Roos 22-3 Oakdale Landbou
Stellenberg 33-29 Diamantveld
Grey College 33-22 Jeppe
Affies 26-10 Paarl Boys’ High
Under-14A
Friday, 24 April
Diamantveld 17-8 Queen’s College
Boland Landbou 10-5 Jeppe
Saturday, 25 April
Oakdale Landbou 12-3 Westville Boys’ High
Stellenberg 40-0 Maritzburg College
Northwood 17-3 Waterkloof
Durban High School 50-7 Monument
Helpmekaar 18-15 Paarl Boys’ High
Grey College 22-13 Noordheuwel
Paul Roos 31-19 Garsfontein
Affies 29-19 Outeniqua
Monday, 27 April
Garsfontein 38-12 Northwood
Outeniqua 40-22 Maritzburg College
Durban High School 29-3 Helpmekaar
Westville Boys’ High 28-26 Waterkloof
Paul Roos 42-7 Oakdale Landbou
Stellenberg 33-14 Diamantveld
Noordheuwel 25-20 Boland Landbou
Paarl Boys’ High 28-17 Affies
Grey College 48-14 Jeppe
Monument 35-9 Queen’s College
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