Rondebosch unbeaten, Framesby in last-second win over Worcester Gim
Hoër Landbouskool Marlow vs Hoërskool Noord-Kaap
Gideon Jordaan‘s personal tally of 20 points lifted Hoër Landbouskool Marlow to a 30-26 win over Hoërskool Noord-Kaap in the first game on Monday, the final day of the 2024 Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF).
Neither side had yet tasted victory on Stott Field, which made it likely that the contest would be decided by a slim margin. As it turned out, mature decision-making and the accurate goal-kicking of flyhalf Jordaan made the difference for the boys from the Karoo, in a match played in the mist of a Botha’s Hill morning.

Jonaden Links opened the scoring for Noord-Kaap after speeding in from close range, but Marlow pulled a penalty back through the boot of Jordaan.
The Kimberley side had started strongly and were awarded a penalty try after Marlow illegally brought down a driving maul just short of their try line.
Jordaan then knocked over another penalty, before crossing the whitewash himself, with his successful conversion and another penalty pushing Marlow out to a narrow 16-14 half-time lead.
Loosehead Hermanus Steyn‘s try just after the break gave Marlow a big psychological lift, and a further score to No 8 Jan Els put them in control of the clash.
However, an Abdul Fisher touchdown kept Noord-Kaap in the game, and they were then awarded a second penalty try, following a high hit by Els on Bjorn Olifinger. It was too little too late, however, as Marlow hung on for a morale-boosting win.
Rondebosch Boys’ High vs Hoërskool Rustenburg
Rondebosch Boys’ High sealed a third win at KERF with a hard-fought 22-13 victory over their fellow festival debutants, Hoërskool Rustenburg, in the second game of day three.
Despite resting several first-choice players, ‘Bosch was again a cut above on the day, after having already seen off the challenges of Westville Boys’ High and the hosts, Kearsney College.
Rustenburg, who had fallen to Worcester Gimnasium and Durban High School (DHS) in their first two matches, played some impressive rugby but didn’t have enough possession to create more than a handful of meaningful chances.

Rusties’ mauling worked to good effect, though, and it was only some well-organised Rondebosch defence that kept them at bay in the opening exchanges. Their early pressure told when Lorenzo Snyers slotted a three-pointer to nudge the North-West side in front.
Rondebosch stormed back, with 8th-man Travis van den Berg and hooker Ismaeel Conrad going over for tries, while Snyers added another penalty for Rusties. Towering Tom Barnard then dotted down a third for ‘Bosch to stake them to a comfortable 17-6 half-time lead.
Despite dominating possession and territory for the duration of the second half, Rondebosch found it difficult to open the Rustenburg defence again, and a break-away try by flyhalf Jaden Meyer brought Rusties back to within four, against the run of play.
Justin Amos, however, had the final say of the game for the boys in navy, who return to Cape Town unbeaten.
Hoërskool Framesby vs Worcester Gimnasium
Logan Muller nailed a penalty on the final play of the game, for Hoërskool Framesby to pip Worcester Gimnasium 36-34 in a firecracker of a third match on day three.
The Gqeberha boys’ physicality was on full display from the first whistle, but the Bosvarke weathered an early storm to hit back hard and come within a whisker of claiming their third one-point win of the week.
As it happened, Muller’s three-pointer, with time up on the clock, won it for Framesby, who bounced back well from their day two loss to Hoërskool Monument.
Despite both teams being shown a plethora of cards, nothing could detract from one of the best games of the festival.
Framesby scored within seconds of kicking-off through their big tight-head Sean Vermaak and they very quickly doubled their lead through Jason Niemand. A Jayden Brewis try extended their advantage.

Worcester was living off scraps, before a breakaway try from Tyron Abrahams, against the run of play, pulled five back to keep the Western Cape outfit in the game.
Whatever head coach Jeff Fransman said at half-time worked wonders for Worcester, who came out of the break flying, immediately scoring twice through their fullback, Lorenzo Harmse, whose second, a sublime chip and chase effort, went down as one of the tries of the week.
They weren’t done, though, and a five-pointer to loosehead Amaan Adendorff took Worcester into the lead for the first time in the contest.
Framesby counter-punched through their trusty driving maul, with eighth man Johan van Zyl going over, only for his opposite number Ryan Jacobs to show off great feet before dotting down Worcester’s fifth.
Valentino Nomadluka and Eden Calitz traded further tries, with less than 10 minutes left, with Calitz’s effort coming off the back of yet another telling Framesby driving maul. But when Chris O’Neil received a second yellow for Worcester, the boys in red and blue picked up steam.
After earning a penalty within striking distance, and with time set to expire, up stepped Muller to secure a thrilling win for a delighted team and head coach Louis Gerber.
Nico Malan vs Glenwood High School
Nico Malan were good value for a 19-12 win over Glenwood High School in a convincing performance on day three. From the start, it was all Nico Malan, whose relentless pack kept the Green Machine on the back foot throughout the game.
The Humansdorp side was full of running and deservedly bagged their second win of the week.

There were seven points in it at the end, but that was not a true reflection of Nico Malan’s dominance. Had they finished a little better, they could have achieved a convincing margin of victory, but Glenwood defended manfully.
The Durban boys, however, struggled for possession as Nico Malan launched wave after wave of attack.
Jean Joubert gave the boys in blue a six-point lead with two penalties before Aya Blaauw powered over for a try after a prolonged period of pressure, which left the Eastern Cape boys in a comfortable 13-point lead at the break.
Nico Malan picked up where they left off in the second half, with Joubert adding another six points from the boot to enhance the lead and all but wrap up the result.
Glenwood kept battling, though, and Sthabiso Dube and Nkululeko Khumalo scored for the Green Machine, but it was, objectively viewed, a deserved second win of the festival for Nico Malan.
Scores and scorers
Marlow Landbou 30 (16) – Tries: Gideon Jordaan, Hermanus Steyn, Jan Els. Conversions: Jordaan (3). Penalties: Jordaan (3). Noord-Kaap 26 (14) – Tries: Penalty Try (2), Jonaden Links, Abdul Fischer. Conversion: Fischer.
Rondebosch Boys’ High 22 (17) – Tries: Travis van den Berg, Ismaeel Conrad, Tom Barnard, Justin Amos. Conversion: Caleb Belelie. Hoërskool Rustenburg 13 (6) – Try: Jaden Meyer. Conversion: Meyer. Penalties: Meyer (2).
Framesby 36 (19) – Tries: Sean Vermaak, Niemand, Jayden Brewis, Johan van Zyl, Eden Calitz. Conversions: Logan Muller (4). Penalty: Muller. Worcester Gimnasium 34 (5) – Tries: Lorenzo Harmse, Tyron Abrahams, Amaan Adendorff, Ryan Jacobs, Valentino Namodluka. Conversions: Tyron Abrahams, Harmse.
Nico Malan 19 (13) – Try: Aya Blaauw. Conversion: Jean Joubert. Penalties: Joubert (4). Glenwood 12 (0) – Tries: Sthabiso Dube, Nkululeko Khumalo. Conversion: Leo Weber.