The Jade Brigade slays a third giant!
With Paul Roos Gimnasium up 10-0 at the half-time break on Saturday, one might have thought that the highlights of Stellenberg’s 2026 campaign would end with their 20-19 win over Paarl Gimnasium and a 26-21 victory over Grey College. Stellies had other ideas.
The Jade Brigade marched on in the second half in Bellville, with the Maroon Machine unable to stop their momentum, resulting in their dismantlement, and a historic 20-10 triumph for the hosts, their first-ever victory against the Stellenbosch powerhouse.
The defeat was also the first loss suffered by Paul Roos this season.
Down by double digits, the start of an epic comeback began when right-wing, Ralton Rhode, cut inside to wrongfoot the nearest defender and dot down in the 44th minute.
Then, lock Juvan Burden, who was in the thick of the action throughout, ploughed over for a try in the 64th minute. At 10-10, history beckoned if Stellenberg was able to seize the opportunity.
In the 68th minute, tighthead prop Janu van Deventer squeezed his way through two defenders for the home side’s third five-pointer to give them the lead, and victory was assured when flyhalf Ethan van Biljon slotted a penalty in the last minute of the match. Van Biljon moved to outside centre in the second half with fullback, Liam Jacobs, slotting into the flyhalf berth which gave their side even more of a cutting edge in the back.
It was also another momentous performance by the Jade Brigade’s captain and eighthman, Yanos Molnar. He led the side once again from the front, and his combination with Carlo Brink in the loose kept the Maroon Machine at bay. The Western Province selectors can’t ignore Molnar anymore when the Craven Week trials comes around.
Stellies’ victory over Paul Roos was certainly no fluke. They’ve already taken down three of South Africa’s biggest powers and suffered a heartbreaking last-minute defeat to Hoërskool Garsfontein, and it’s only mid-April. More tough challenges await, but one wonders if their remaining opponents have the firepower to handle the Jade Brigade’s battle-hardened unit.
For Hoërskool Hermanus, Saturday was one of those days on which not much seemed to go their way. However, for the home side, HTS Drostdy, it was an almost perfect start to the new school term.
The Donkies delivered a ruthless performance, powering their way to a one-sided 80-15 victory.
Their inside centre, Jano van Deventer, elicited cheers from the home crowd, bagging himself a hat-trick of tries, and landed 10 conversions, to tally an incredible 35 points for his team.
The Worcester locals could have reached triple digits after going into the halftime break with a 54-10 lead, but their coastal visitors didn’t roll over and play dead.
Rather, they showed strong character and firmed up their defence, allowing the hosts less than half the points they scored in the opening stanza after the break.
A smooth-flowing victory will boost Drostdy’s confidence, but Hermanus will have plenty of work to do before their next outing.
As suggested in a preview of the match, Saturday’s showdown proved that this was not the same Parel Vallei outfit which had lost 7-20 to Milnerton last year.
The Bulldogs ran out onto the field determined to shed their underdog status, and they were successful, handing Millies a 32-17 defeat.
PV fullback Shudley Rhoda was on song, crossing for two tries to secure 10 points, which fell just short of his flyhalf Stephen Niemann, who picked up his 12 points from three conversions and two penalties off the kicking tee.
Despite the loss, Millies’ fullback Chadlin Sellidon shone, scoring all 17 points for the home outfit. With two tries, two conversions, and a penalty, he showed why he is his team’s talisman.
Based on their performance on Saturday, Parel Vallei could reverse more of 2025’s defeats this season, while, with Sellidon as their playmaker, Milnerton should enjoy some success.
Scorers:
Stellenberg 20 (0) – Tries: Ralton Rhode, Juvan Burden, Janu van Deventer. Conversion: Ethan van Biljon. Penalty: Van Biljon. Paul Roos Gimnasium 10 (10) – Try: Stef de Villiers. Conversion: Travis Pheiffer. Penalty: Pheiffer.
HTS Drostdy 80 (54) – Tries: Jano van Deventer (3), Tristin Syster (2), JP Lotriet, Werno Ramshauer, Simamkele Lahlekile, Anwill Jacobs, Juan Jansen van Vuuren, Yurick van der Berg, Ruan Nortje. Conversions: Jano van Deventer (10). Hermanus 15 (10).
Parel Vallei 32 – Tries: Shudley Rhoda (2), Rafael von Loeper, Michael Kent. Conversions: Stephan Niemann (3). Penalties: Niemann (2). Milnerton 17 – Tries: Chadlin Sellidon (2). Conversions: Sellidon (2). Penalty: Sellidon.
Other Results:
u19 – Stellenberg I 20, Paul Roos I 10; Stellenberg II 0, Paul Roos II 38; Stellenberg III 10, Paul Roos III 21; Stellenberg IV 21, Paul Roos IV 7; Stellenberg V 0, Paul Roos Gim V 54; Stellenberg VI 7, Paul Roos VI 60; Stellenberg VII 0, Paul Roos VII 67; Milnerton II 10, Parel Vallei II 15; Milnerton III 7, Parel Vallei III 27.
u16 – Stellenberg 5, Paul Roos 52; Milnerton 21, Parel Vallei 15; Stellenberg II 7, Paul Roos II 24; Milnerton II 19, Parel Vallei II 7; Stellenberg III 0, Paul Roos III 38; Stellenberg IV 7, Paul Roos IV 54.
u15 – Stellenberg A 5 Paul Roos Gim A 48, Stellenberg B 0 Paul Roos Gim B 36, Stellenberg C 10 Paul Roos Gim C 59, Stellenberg D 3 Paul Roos Gim D 45; Milnerton A 19 Parel Vallei A 0, Milnerton B 12 Parel Vallei B 22.
u14 – Stellenberg A 0 Paul Roos Gim A 34, Stellenberg B 7 Paul Roos Gim B 15, Stellenberg C 0 Paul Roos Gim C 68, Stellenberg D 3 Paul Roos Gim D 80; Milnerton A 5 Parel Vallei A 27, Milnerton B 5 Parel Vallei B 19.
