11th North/South Tournament features a Western Cape flavour
The 11th NMI Toyota North/South tournament will feature a tasty Western Cape flavour this year.
Follow all the action live on SuperSport Schools – (www.supersportschools.com)
The event has moved from Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies), in Pretoria, to Paul Roos Gimnasium, in Stellenbosch, and the newcomers include more newbies from the Western Cape, who will be in action on one of the biggest stages on the South African Schools circuit.
The North/South Tournament has also become a can’t-miss event for selectors ahead of the provincial season, which takes place in July. It’s also a showcase for many players who will earn selection for the SA Schools and SA u18 teams later in the year.
Parel Vallei, one of the newcomers from the Western Cape, makes their bow with an outing against a dangerous Mzwandile Mali XV side. The Eastern Cape team was selected at the Mzwandile Mali Rugby Festival in 2024 and has already travelled across the pond to test the strength of clubs in England. Melkbosstrand, another side from down south, will tackle the Mzawandile Magic.
The hosts, Paul Roos Gimnasium, ranked number one in South Africa in 2024, will get their challenge underway against the powerhouse Bere from Hoërskool Garsfontein. Both sides have clean records after two outings and will have to put it all on the line in a match that promises fireworks up front, especially with Paul Roos’ old-boy and Springbok lock, Andries Bekker, assisting with coaching the Bere’s lineout this year.
Paul Roos will take on Noordheuwel in the main match on the final day, which will also feature a rematch in the curtain-raiser between Grey College and Jeppe High School for Boys, who sent shock waves through schoolboy rugby last season when they beat the Bloemfontein powerhouse at the festival. Garsfontein, meanwhile, will test themselves against Stellenberg‘s Jade Brigade in their second match.
The first day’s action will be highlighted by a high-intensity clash between Paarl Gimnasium and King Edward VII School (KES), which will see Gim’s robust offence challenged by a strong defensive outfit.
The penultimate day will also feature a scrumptious showdown between two of the countries’ big dogs, Hoër Jongeskool Paarl (Boishaai), and their old foe, Affies. It will be the first of Affies’ big clashes with the big four, which also includes Grey College, Paul Roos and Paarl Gimnasium.
FIXTURES
Day One – Friday – 28 March
08:30 – Parel Vallei vs Mzwandile Mali XV
10:00 – SACS vs Welkom Gimnasium
11:30 – Outeniqua vs Menlopark
13:00 – Boland Landbou vs EG Jansen
14:30 – Durbanville vs Monument
16:00 – HTS Drostdy vs Afrikaans Hoër Seuns Skool
17:30 – Hoër Jongenskool Paarl vs Waterloof
19:00 – Paarl Gimnasium vs King Edward VII School
Day Two – Saturday – 29 March
08:00 – Framesby vs Duineveld
09:30 – Diamantveld vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
11:00 – Worcester Gimnasium vs Marais Viljoen
12:30 – Nico Malan vs Helpmekaar Kollege
14:00 – Stellenberg vs Voortrekker
15:30 – Oakdale vs Hoërskool Nelspruit
17:00 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Jeppe
18:30 – Grey College vs Noordheuwel
20:00 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Garsfontein
Day Three – Monday – 31 March
08:30 – Melkbosstrand vs Mzwandile Mali XV
10:00 – Outeniqua vs Welkom Gimnasium
11:30 – HTS Drostdy vs Menlopark
13:00 – Durbanville vs EG Jansen
14:30 – Boland Landbou vs Waterkloof
16:00 – SACS vs King Edward VII School
17:30 – Paarl Gimansium vs Monument
19:00 – Hoër Jongenskool Paarl vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool
Day Four – Tuesday – 01 April
07:30 – Brackenfell vs Marais Viljoen
09:00 – Nico Malan vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
10:30 – Duineveld vs Voortrekker
12:00 – Framesby vs Diamantveld
13:30 – Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Nelspruit
15:00 – Stellenberg vs Garsfontein
16:30 – Oakdale vs Helpmekaar Kollege
18:00 – Grey College vs Jeppe
19:30 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Noordheuwel
