EG Jansen gears up for rugby action

Twelve prominent South African rugby schools will play over three days and, as in the past nine years, bumper crowds of largely school rugby enthusiasts will enjoy the six matches each day.

There are two teams from KZN, hosts Kearsney College and Glenwood, being the top two teams in the province last season.

They will both be keen to come away with good results against the three schools they play.

Debutants this year are Drostdy HTS from Worcester in the Western Cape and Pretoria Boys High.

Other schools represented, apart from EG Jansen, are HTS Middelburg, Selborne from East London, Dale College from King William’s Town, Queen’s College from Queenstown, Höerskool Framesby from Port Elizabeth and Monument from Krugersdorp.

Three players at the festival, identified as having the most promise, will be awarded bursaries to the Sharks Academy immediately after the final match on Monday.

This comprises a contract to the Sharks Academy and a tuition bursary with an academic institution.

Hosts Kearsney traditionally play the first match of the festival, this year against HTS Drostdy.

As it is early stages of the school rugby season, it is a gamble to predict which schools are likely to be the strongest opponents.

EG Jansen will play against Selborne College on Thursday, Glenwood on Saturday and then Höerskool Framesby on Monday.

Noël Ingle, head of the SA Schools Rugby Association, said the festival provides players the opportunity to test themselves against some of the best in the country, and this system of strength against strength keeps schoolboy rugby strong.

“It is our collective responsibility to facilitate rugby development and transformation at this critically important stage in rugby. This festival provides the platform for the growth of rugby in South Africa through transformation and development of the game,” said Ingle.

Visit www.kearsney.com for fixtures, results and festival information.