As the 2025 school rugby season approaches, anticipation is building around a cohort of exceptional young athletes poised to make their mark on the South African rugby landscape. These players have demonstrated remarkable skill, determination, and rugby intelligence, setting the stage for a thrilling year ahead. Below, we highlight 15 school rugby players to watch in 2025, each bringing unique talents to their respective teams.
15) Zekhethelo Siyaya (Westville)
The term wonderkid is thrown around a lot, but how else does one describe a player of Siyaya’s immense talent?
He exploded upon the local scene, Westville were not among the top schools in the nation last year so to stand out as much as Siyaya did shows his outstanding pedigree. Hardly a weakness exists in his game – ability under the high ball is advanced for his age, running lines and rugby IQ far ahead of most of his peers and the kid has a work rate second to none.
2025 could truly be a special year for Siyaya and he will push his Westville teammates hard to ensure that they return to the pinnacle of the KZN league.
14) Jarrel Mbuyi (KES)
An outstanding overall athlete Mbuyi made a big splash on the local scene as a rookie, although much was expected from KES they were slightly overshadowed by fierce rivals Jeppe in what was meant to be their best team in over a decade on paper. Mbuyi however really stood out, a highly physical winger who is outstanding in the air and has the killer instinct you look for in a wing expect him to stand out and push hard for SA Schools colours by seasons end.
13) Ethan Adams (Grey College)
A player who made his name known already as an Under 14, Adams has created his own cult like following often overshadowing established internationals at senior level with young players all wanting to get their photo taken next to the tank.
He was one of the standouts last year and that as a rookie, much will be expected from him this year and only a fool would bet against him.
12) Markus Muller (Paarl Gim)
Before his rookie year there where whispers around an unreal talent, someone we should really be keeping a close eye on but we get these mails every week and some we take seriously and others not too seriously, Muller we took seriously. The youngster showcased unbelievable skills last year, a player that reminds one of a young Danie Gerber with excellent vision and determination.
But it is perhaps his ability to rip open opposition defenses that made everyone take notice last year, in our opinion he is a player who is not even close to being fully developed and has more runway than virtually all of his contemporaries. Muller will go all the way, it is not a question of if but when.
11) Junaide Stuart (Garsfontein)
Garsfontein had a hit and miss season last year but the shining light was their group of extraordinary rookies and Pasensie was among the top of the list.
A devastating finisher with pace to burn, his performances during the season were solid, a player who looked like he belonged and with a level of maturity and confidence that belied his rookie status.
Craven Week was his stage and his try against Free State stood out, nothing more beautiful than a wing who pins his ears back and goes for it. Expect it to rain tries in Pretoria this year.
10) Ruben Groenewald (Affies)
Affies were unlucky last year, everyone knows it and with a bit more luck they could have easily found themselves as the number 1 ranked team in the country last year. The school has had some hit and miss seasons but if there is one thing they consistently do is produce extraordinary flyhalves.
Just over the last few years we have seen the likes of Stian Heymans and Ruben Pienaar come to the fore, to me Groenewald is being overlooked by many pundits and this year he will showcase his ability to a national audience. We remember seeing him as an Under 16, already mature beyond his years with a boot and IQ that was already at 1st XV level.
Affies have a solid group this year, the boys performed well at junior level and we are left with little doubt that if they can take their individual talent and combine as a team they could be the years dark horses.
9) Jayden Brits (Boland Landbou)
What a standout Brits was in 2024. The talented playmaker returns to the first team fold with renewed confidence after outstanding performances last year.
A born leader, Brits’s ability to distribute quickly and effectively was vital in some of Landbou’s performances last year as his link up play was among the best in the nation. His tactical kicking while not over utilized is pin point accurate and his speed saw some outstanding breaks in 2024. Expect big things from him come the 2025 season.
8) Gert Kemp (Paul Roos)
A key part of the first unbeaten Paul Roos team since 1991 which ironically included his father Bles, Kemp was immense in 2024 and in a team stacked with talent he still became a regular and one of the standouts despite only being a rookie.
An exceptional work rate, discipline on the field and an unmatched engine Kemp will look to continue the proud legacy of not only Paul Roos, but the Kemp family as well.
7) Josh Neill (Wynberg)
What a 2024! If he can match his performances last year every Union in the nation will be after him, if he exceeds his performances expect the overseas clubs to throw in an offer. Neill is a hugely physical specimen that stands back for no man.
At Craven Week he set the tone for just what utter destruction he could bring to his opponents and he followed those performances up with being arguably the player of the tournament for SA Schools during the international series. A lot will be expected of Neill in 2025, expect him to deliver and then some.
6) Briint Davids (Milnerton)
Milnerton surprised friend and foe alike in 2024 with memorable wins over the likes of Rondeboch. Davids was one of the star player of that Milnerton team and the fact a “small school” such as this were able to retain him speaks volumes of the faith there is in this program to build into a premier schools rugby program in the Western Cape.
Davids has an engine on him, he is lethal at the breakdown and is not scared to mix it up physically with players far bigger than him. We cannot wait to see what he unleashes upon the scene this year.
5) AJ Meyer (Grey College)
His brother Lukas featured on this list before, a special player with an incredible engine. We knew he had a younger brother, we knew this brother was said to be incredibly talented but we certainly did not expect him to step up like he did in 2024.
Just when you think it could not get much better in terms of depth at lock with the likes of JF van Heerden making their mark in the senior game, up comes AJ Meyer and shows that there is still gold yet to be fully mined.
When it comes to the lineout there has simply been no school rugby player we have ever seen who is as effective as Meyer, the only way to describe him is a hybrid Victor Matfield and Pieter-Steph du Toit. Watch this space!
4) Jayden Joubert (Paarl Boys)
We like many have been carefully watching the Joubert twins over the past few years. Tristan was extremely unlucky not to make this list, but two generational talents like Muller and Adams are hard to overcome but this does leave place for at least one Joubert in our list.
Jayden is a towering figure but extremely athletic and very mobile for a man of his stature. Last year many saw Booishaai’s season as a disappointment but those in the know understand that this was a great rebuild with the majority of last years team containing rookies many of which will come back this year and are battle hardened and ready.
3) Luan van den Berg (Garsfontein)
Proppies showed last year that he was more than ready to step up physically. We love the old school prop build that Proppies has, a low center of gravity and a maniac in the loose and a brute in the scrums, just like it should be.
Garsfontein’s 2024 rookies will look to 2025 to make their mark, this years group could easily have 4-5 players who are ready to make the step up to the national stage. This team of journeymen from all over the country have to gel together as a unit, we have a feeling with the likes of van den Berg up front he will lead by example and if so they should be in with a shout to end up in the upper end of the rankings.
2) Altus Rabe (Paul Roos)
While some players made their bones at Craven Week and others came out with a bang over the first match Rabe’s progress was slow and steady, not to say he began badly – everyone and their uncle knew about him before the school year began but he just kept on improving and by seasons end was arguably one of the top 3 hookers in the nation.
The final act where Rabe painted his masterpiece was the fixture against Grey College. In a game to determine the best school in South Africa, a tight affair was expected but instead Roos romped to a record victory over their fierce rivals and Rabe’s physicality and passion was there for all to see. One would certainly expect this season to be a one to remember for the youngster, Paul Roos will defend their unbeaten record until the end.
1) Kai Pratt (Oakdale)
A man mountain, Pratt is not only physically imposing but a destructive carrier of the ball and takes names for fun. He is certainly no slouch in the scrum either besting many an opponent even in his rookie year.
Not since the class of 2021 have we had an Oakdale team this talented, their Under 16 group was immense and many believe that they could push the traditional big 5 all the way to the finish line. Kai Pratt staying injury free will play a large part in that push.
