Five players to watch at the Grey High Rugby Festival
The fixtures are out, and 22 matches to be played over two days, await rugby enthusiasts at the Standard Bank Grey High School Rugby Festival.
There will be plenty of exciting talent on show, and SuperSport Schools’ rugby writer Marlowe Bloem has identified five players who are sure to be at the forefront of their team’s challenges.
Grey High – Ciaran Killian
The home team’s captain and inside centre, Ciaran Killian, has long caught the eye. Back in grade 10, he was selected for the SARU u16 Elite Player Development camp.
He’s a strong running, well-balanced centre, wrapped up in a tall and athletic frame.
Killian possesses a wide variety of skills, enabling him to attack the opposition in different ways. He’ll beat them with his feet or beat them with his distribution, depending on what is required. He runs deceptive and well-judged lines, and he mixes that with a variety of passes, which bring his teammates into play.
The Grey High captain is also a sound defender. He leads from the front, charging the opposing offensive line from the middle of the field. With Killian at the wheel, Grey High will head into their home festival with confidence.
Rondebosch Boys’ High – Caleb Bell
Caleb Bell moves like lightning on the left wing. He has a knack for clever positioning, and his finishing is even more impressive. Just last Saturday, he scored four tries in a narrow loss to Boland Landbou.
He’s also a capable scrumhalf and often scores tries with sneaky snipes from the base of the ruck.
With his lethal speed and fast feet, it’s no surprise that he was selected for last year’s Western Province XV Craven Week side. He was also invited to the SARU u17 Elite Player Development camp.
Bell instinctively knows his way to the try line better than most, and it would be no surprise should he end the festival as one of the top try-scorers.
HTS Drostdy – Jano van Deventer
Jano van Deventer is a burly, ball-carrying inside centre, yet he also boasts the kicking, passing, and playmaking skills of a flyhalf.
In a recent match against Hermanus, he scored 35 of the Donkies‘ 80 points, dotting down three times while also slotting 10 conversions.
When he was in grade 10, he was selected for the Boland Grant Khomo side. Since stepping up to the HTS Drostdy 1st XV, he has continued to excel, whether playing at flyhalf or inside centre.
The Donkies have been one of the most exciting teams early this season, and Van Deventer has been one of the drivers of their creative attacking play.
If it’s entertainment you’re after, you can’t go wrong with Jano van Deventer and his HTS Drostdy teammates.
Michaelhouse – Nicola Salamousas
It’s been quite a year for Michaelhouse so far. Since narrowly losing to Durban High School (DHS) on the Horseflies‘ fortress, Van Heerden’s Field, in their first match of the season, they’ve gone on an exciting run, beating Northwood, Affies, and Jeppe – all strong teams, which means ‘House is a side to be respected.
Their captain and tighthead prop, Nicolas Salamousas, has been at the forefront of the Balgowan outfit’s outstanding run of form. He’s a powerhouse in the set scrums. As a ball carrier, he’s also a heavy-duty load. On defence, he delivers bone-jarring hits.
In rugby, set pieces play a crucial role in a team’s success and with Salamousas anchoring their scrum, Michaelhouse is well-prepared to meet any challenges.
The 2025 rugby season was challenging for the Balgowan boys. In 2026, though, with Nicolas Salamousas leading the way, Michaelhouse is a team that has caught the eye time and time again.
Pretoria Boys’ High – Ayabonga Mabuza
Ayabonga Mabuza has proven himself to be a reliable finisher on the left wing for the Candies. Look no further than the three tries he scored in a 20-20 draw with SACS at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Anniversary Festival for evidence of his excellent finishing.
He’s been a prolific try scorer throughout 2026 – a player who is capable of finishing in tight spaces thanks to his agility and instinct for predicting where spaces will open up.
With only one game to play, Monday’s last match of the festival against Grey High, Mabuza and company will be aiming to make the Candies’ stay in Gqeberha short and sweet.
