The first-ever Fairtree Sport Festivalguided by Stadio bursts into life on Friday, 24 April, with a strong Noordvaal contingent in attendance.
The event, which takes place on the same weekend as the ABSA WildeklawerFestival in Kimberley, provides valuable preparation for the forthcoming Virseker Noordvaal Cup, with 11 sides from north of the Vaal River and two from the south – Hoërskool Tygerberg and Hoërskool Fichardtpark – visiting from the south.
Hoërskool Swartland was initially part of a trio of visiting schools from the south but has, however, withdrawn since. They have since been replaced by Ligbron Akademie of Ermelo.
Die Hoërskool Menlopark is the host of the festival and tackles Tygerberg in the opening match at 19:30 on Friday. The rest of the matches take place on Saturday and Monday, which is Freedom Day, a public holiday.
The Capetonians follow their Friday night outing with a highly anticipated fixture against Hoërskool Pietersburg on Monday.
Saturday’s 1st XV action begins at 11:50, when Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) XV outfit takes on Meyerton’s Dr Malan.
One of the day’s highlights will be the main match showdown between Pietersburg and Hoërskool Fichardtpark at 19:15. Another of the noteworthy clashes on Saturday is the Buffels of Hoërskool Ben Vorster squaring off against Hoërskool Dinamika.
Ben Vorster is one of two schools travelling from behind the citrus curtain in Tzaneen. The other is Merensky Landbou Akademie, who face Hoërskool Marais Viljoen on day one before a daunting Monday meeting with Ligbron Akademie. Ben Vorster’s second outing will be a test as they take on the challenge of Hoërskool Randburg on Monday.
Heidelberg Volkskool, initially set to face Swartland on Saturday, will kick off their first and only encounter against Fichardtpark at 13:00 on Monday.
FIXTURES
Friday, 24 April
19:30 – Menlopark vs Tygerberg
Saturday, 25 April
11:55 – Affies XV vs Dr Malan 13:15 – Menlopark XV vs Overvaal 14:35 – Randburg vs Ligbron Akademie 15:55 – Marais Viljoen vs Merensky Landbou Akademie 17:05 – Ben Vorster vs Dinamika 19:15 – Hoërskool Pietersburg vs Fichardtpark
Monday, 27 April
08:00 – Overvaal vs Dinamika 09:15 – Menlopark XV vs Dr Malan 10:30 – Hoërskool Pietersburg vs Tygerberg 11:45 – Menlopark vs Swartland – Cancelled 13:00 – Heidelberg Volkskool vs Fichardtpark 14:15 – Ben Vorster vs Randburg 15:30 – Marais Viljoen vs Merensky Landbou Akademie
Franco is a sports fanatic from Tzaneen, a small town in Limpopo. Obsessed with both cricket and rugby, he still does the sport at club level when given the chance. Combining the rush of sports with his other passion, writing, gives him the fix any sport-crazy fan needs. In his spare time, he spends quality time with family and friends, preferably around a braaivleis fire.