THE school rugby season has only just kicked off, but the country’s top teams are already preparing to make their mark at rugby festivals over the Easter holidays.
A talented mix of 12 top rugby-playing schools will participate at the Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival from 2 to 6 April, including Glenwood High School, Westville Boys’ High and Kearsney College from KZN. Last year’s leading SA rugby school Grey College from Bloemfontein, Menlo Park and Affies from Pretoria, Dr EG Jansen from Boksburg and HTS Middelburg from Mpumalanga, Selborne, Dale and Framesby from the Eastern Cape and SACS from Cape Town will also take part.
The Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival provides spectators with solid, exciting running rugby and an opportunity to witness some of South Africa’s fledgling talent. Many players from previous Kearsney festivals have become household names in Super and Currie Cup rugby.
Where there is talent, there are also talent scouts, and members of the KZN Rugby Union and Sharks Academy will be on the lookout for future players. The festival has been hailed as having boosted the depth of talent entering the province’s rugby through The Sharks Academy.
Etienne Fynn, managing director of The Sharks Academy, said the festival provided a great opportunity to bring together in KZN some of the top talented schoolboy rugby players from all over the country, and to expose these players and coaches to the Sharks brand.
Rugby has become a realistic career opportunity and the festival is an ideal springboard for players to show their skill and flair for the game, while also providing obvious benefits to rugby in the province.
Play days are Thursday 2, Saturday 4 and Monday 6 April, with kick-off at 9.30am each day.
Glenwood will be in action at 2.30pm on 2 April against Framesby, on Saturday 4 April at 2.30pm against HTS Middelburg and Monday 6 April at 1.15pm against Menlo Park.
Gate entrance is R50 a vehicle or R20 for pedestrians, which includes a 40-page glossy souvenir brochure with player statistics. Ample secure parking will be available as well as food and refreshment outlets for those wanting to enjoy a day of entertaining rugby.
