The champions of the central region take on the champions from north of the Vaalriver

The champions of the central region, Hoërskool Trio, will face the champions of the north, Hoërskool Monument of Krugersdorp, in Kroonstad this Saturday.

Hoërskool Trio may be a new school, but they are looking to build a reputation to be feared within the central region. They will be facing even fiercer opponents this Saturday as they take on the Wit Bulle from Monument. Trio is the Griffons and Kovsie competiton’s Shimla-league champions, while Monnas was crowned Noordvaal champions last year after defeating Garsfontein (30-28) in the final.

There are many standout players on the team of Trio and after winning the Shimla-league last year, they are looking to keep the momentum going. Their captain and scrumhalf, CJ Taljaart, is a very physical player with great leadership skills.

Anrhu Mulder, their loose head prop, played at last year’s Craven Week. Meaning, he is no stranger to pressure and competition. The inside centre for Trio, Charlton Basson, also performed in the 2022 Craven Week.

Hoërskool Monument, in contrast to Trio, is a well established school with quite the reputation on the field. They will be using these shorter games to test the teams and analyse how to approach the season.

Monnas have a few legacy players on their squad, players who’s dads are old boys of the school. Morné and Nathan Venter are two such players, hoping to make their school proud for a second generation. Monument also has a couple players from 2022 returning to the field as part of their current squad, such as scrumhalf, Ceano Everson, and fullback, Jody Schambreel.

These two played a major part in their schools’ success during last year’s season. The clash against Trio will be the Wit Bulle’s first clash of the season. They did however have a bash-out against Hoërskool Pietersburg last Saturday. This will be Trio’s third match of the season as they lost against Grey College (10-38) and managed to down Potchefstroom Gimnasium (38-20) so far this season.

Tjaart van der Walt, head of rugby for Monument, has high hopes for the boys. Stating that all of them would love to go pro.

Ligbron Akademie‘s first team will also travel to Kroonstad where they will lock horns with the Cherries of Grey College. The Cherries are Grey College’s second stringers. Grey first team will face Welkom Gimnasium in Welkom on Saturday so the Cherries will be without their eight best players for the encounter against Ligbron.

Another team from Ermelo, Hoërskool Ermelo, will also travel to Kroonstad as they will face the Kwaggas, Monnas’ second stringers.

Ermelo got a new Director of Sport in Rudy Joubert this year. Joubert is a well-known rugby coach who was part of the Springboks’ management team back in 1995 when they lifted the William Webb Ellis cup for the first time.

The teams:

Hoërskool Trio: 15 Jaco Steyn, 14 Louis Boshoff, 13 Haaron Kabeya, 12 Charlton Basson, 11 Thuto Kekane, 10 Byron Biennas, 9 CJ Taljaart, 8 Ewald, Tolmay, 7 JP Botha, 6 JD Kirstein, 5 Henco Kriek, 4 Maansie Crous, 3 Dandré Bloem, 2 Heinrich Loubscher, 1 Anrhu Mulder.

Monument: 15 Jody Schambreel, 14 Nathan Venter, 13 Zain Henery, 12 Christi Botes, 11 Kelvin Van Wyk, 10 Daylon Myners, 9 Ceano Everson, 8 Jamaal Feldman, 7 Morné Venter (captain), 6 Tristan da Costa, 5 Michiel Burger, 4 Jacques Botha, 3 Juandré Marais, 2 Theunis Smal, 1 Ricardo Du Plessis.

Kick-off: 17:00

Other matches: 

Trio Sports Day 

17:00 – Hoërskool Trio vs Monument; 16:00 – Ligbron Akademie vs Cherries; 15:00 – Hoërskool Ermelo vs Monument II.

Wesgrow Series 

13:45 – Sentraal vs Witteberg; 13:10 – Jim Fouché vs Goudveld-Hoërskool.