Groundbreaking King Price Derby Series to expand schools’ rugby’s platform
South African schoolboy rugby is to be showcased like never before, with the 55 biggest schoolboy derbies set to feature in the spotlight of the King Price Derby Series, which starts this week.
Provantage, one of Africa’s largest media and marketing companies, and SuperSport Schools will be partnering for the groundbreaking series, with King Price as the title sponsor.
“To be part of something that can change and shape a young person’s life is a privilege, and we believe every young South African is a hero in waiting,” said Justinus van der Westhuyzen, the CEO of King Price Insurance.
“As a ‘very proudly young’ South African brand we wanted to find a project that combines the energy and optimism of our youth with rugby, and hence the King Price Derby Series was born.
“We’ve always believed in the potential of the little guy and some of the schools we’ll showcase are the proverbial little guys, who, for a day, will be turned into giants.”
All 50 derbies will be broadcast on the SuperSport Schools’ linear channel 216 on DStv, as well as on the SuperSport Schools App. Every Saturday, one of South Africa’s biggest schoolboy derbies will be featured on SABC Plus.
Nothing divides and unites a community quite like interschool clashes, including famous traditional rivalries between Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys’ High, HTS Middelburg and Hoërskool Middelburg, Klein Nederburg and New Orleans, King Edward VII and Jeppe, and Hilton College against Michaelhouse, among many other noteworthy games.
The list of prominent schools participating in the King Price Schools Derby Series also includes Grey College, Bishops, SACS, Rondebosch Boys’ High, Boland Landbou, Maritzburg College, Queen’s College, Oakdale Landbou, Selborne College, Waterkloof, and Garsfontein.
“We are excited to give these top school derbies the legitimate platform that they deserve,” said Xhanti-Lomzi Nesi, Managing Director of Provantage Sports.
“Schools’ rugby has been the foundation for the Springboks’ success for a long time and has been pulling bigger crowds, as well as television audiences, than provincial matches for years now. The King Price Schools Rugby Derby Series looks to build on this success.”
Provantage has proved with their very successful management of the SDC Noordvaal Cup their ability to expand an already popular event, while also providing commercial value to the schools that participate in it and creating further opportunities for other stakeholders.
“We are delighted by the announcement of The King Price Derby Series in 2025, where SuperSport Schools will consolidate all major rugby derby matches on Channel 216 and the SuperSport Schools Channel on SABC Plus,” said Thando Bakumeni, General Manager of SuperSport Schools.
“This new series will bring together a diverse and inclusive series of between 52 and 55 live matches during the 18 weeks of the school derby rugby season, showcasing the vibrant culture and intense rivalry that South African school rugby has to offer.
“Our goal is to celebrate the unique character and passion of these community-centric events while significantly boosting their visibility and engagement nationwide.
“We believe that The King Price Rugby Derby Series will not only captivate our current audience but also attract new fans, further solidifying rugby’s place in the hearts of South Africans,” Bakumeni enthused.
Dedicated school rugby fans will have the opportunity to watch three King Price Schools Rugby Derbies live on DStv channel 216 from 12:30 on at least 14 Saturdays throughout the season. The second round of matches will kick off at 14:00, with the final live match of the day showcased from 15:30.
The Fixtures:
15 March 2025
Paarl Gimnasium vs Stellenberg
Grey College vs Oakdale Landbou
Durban High School vs Maritzburg College
21 March 2025
Maritzburg College vs Northwood
Monument vs Grey College
22 March 2025
King Edward VII vs Jeppe High School for Boys
12 April 2025
Paarl Gimnasium vs Affies
Outeniqua vs Grey College
Oakdale Landbou vs Paarl Boys’ High
Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Grey High School
26 April 2025
Grey College vs Paarl Gimnasium
Queen’s College vs Selborne College
Affies vs Garsfontein
Pretoria Boys’ High vs Maritzburg College
10 May 2025
Paarl Boys’ High vs Grey College
Dale College vs Queen’s College
Grey High School vs Wynberg Boys’ High
Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Paarl Gimnasium
17 May 2025
Grey College vs Affies
Selborne College vs Dale College
Boland Landbou vs Paul Roos Gimnasium
24 May 2025
Paarl Boys’ High vs Paul Roos Gimnasium
Nico Malan vs Marlow Landbou
Wynberg Boys’ High vs Diocesan College
31 May 2025
Framesby vs Pearson
Maritzburg College vs Kearsney College
Jeppe High School for Boys vs Affies
Pretoria Boys’ High vs Michaelhouse
7 June 2025
Northwood vs Hilton College
Westville Boys’ High vs Kearsney College
Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High
14 June 2025
Kearsney College vs St Stithians College
Kingswood College vs St Andrew’s College
Michaelhouse vs Westville Boys’ High
21 June 2025
St Stithians College vs St John’s College
Hilton College vs Michaelhouse
SACS vs Wynberg Boys’ High
Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Diocesan College
26 July 2025
Paarl Gimnasium vs Wynberg Boys’ High
Grey High School vs Framesby
Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS
2 August 2025
Jeppe High School for Boys’ vs King Edward VII
Paarl Gimnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High
Affies vs Waterkloof
Grey High School vs Grey College
9 August 2025
Affies vs Pretoria Boys’ High
Hoërskool Upington vs Duineveld
Oakdale Landbou vs Boland Landbou
16 August 2025
Grey College vs Paul Roos Gimnasium
Selborne College vs Grey High School
Hoërskool Durbanville vs Stellenberg
23 August 2025
Queen’s College vs Dale College
Charlie Hofmeyr vs Robertson
30 August 2025
Wynberg Boys’ High vs SACS
Diocesan College vs Rondebosch Boys’ High
