5. Westville (24) Rustenburg (17)
Bomb Squad Blitz: Siyaya Sparks Late Surge as Westville Edge Rustenburg in Thriller
Westville produced a composed yet thrilling finish to keep their unbeaten run alive, overcoming a spirited Rustenburg 24-17 in a nail-biter that had the crowd on edge until the final whistle.
Within minutes, Westville were on the board, first through the explosive Lwandle Makhanya, who opened the scoring, and then Avumile Lisa, who added to his growing highlight reel with a blistering finish down the touchline to make it 12-0.
Yet Rustenburg were far from done. Still buoyed by their dramatic comeback win over Durbanville, the Leopards side responded with grit. Tristan Myburgh bulldozed his way over to bring Rusties back into contention before the break, but a clever lineout move from Westville saw Ross Calvert peel off for a sharp finish, stretching the halftime lead to 17-7.
The second half saw momentum tilt. Thian Labuschagne surged over to close the gap to three, and when Ayden Willemse calmly slotted a penalty with 10 minutes remaining, parity was restored.
Enter the cavalry. With their top guns now on the park, Westville seized control. A fateful kick into space landed in the hands of SA Schools fullback Zekhethelo Siyaya, a decision Rustenburg would rue. In full stride, Siyaya cut through the defence and flicked a perfectly timed offload to Lux Sononkonkono, who touched down what would be the match-winner.
4. MONUMENT (26) GLENWOOD (26)
No Winners, No Losers: Glenwood and Monument Trade Blows in Epic Stalemate
In a contest worthy of the festival stage, Glenwood and Monument delivered a bruising, breathless 26-26 draw that left nothing on the field and everything in the balance. It was a battle of equals, two proud rugby schools refusing to back down, with momentum swinging like a pendulum until the final whistle.
The Green Machine drew first blood through a clinical rolling maul, with hooker Nkululeko Khumalo controlling it perfectly at the back before dotting down. But Monnas responded with their own firepower, Tasliem Guyan punching through in midfield to level matters.
Glenwood struck again with a thundering run from inside centre Lizwe Mtetwa, who shrugged off defenders to crash over, only for Jason Joubert to reply in kind for the boys from Krugersdorp, slipping over out wide after sustained pressure.
Still, Glenwood edged the first half thanks to a sharp finish from Sambesiwe Ndamase, giving them a slender 19-14 lead at the break.
The second half was no less intense. Glenwood seemed to be pulling away when Rorisang Ngwenya broke the line and surged in for their fourth try. But Monument, ever resilient, roared back. Ayden van Zyl powered over to keep them in touching distance before Jaydon Viljoen broke through with just over five minutes remaining. He added the extras himself to level the scores.
With both teams throwing everything into the dying minutes, neither could find the killer blow. It was a draw that felt more like a war won than a game tied; two giants trading haymakers in a contest that will be remembered as one of the festival’s finest.
3. EG JANSEN (29) KEARSNEY (24)
Jansies Strike Fast and Hold Firm in Five-Try Shootout Against Brave Kearsney
EG Jansen burst out the gates with ruthless precision and weathered a late storm to edge out hosts Kearsney College 29-24 in a pulsating encounter.
From the opening whistle, the Boksburg boys showed no intention of easing into the contest. Their intent was clear, and within moments, they were on the board. A pair of devastating counterattacks saw Deashean Pietersen and Otlotleng Zulu finish off sweeping moves from deep, before Juan van Aswegen pounced on a loose pass to streak away for a third. At 19-0, the warning signs were flashing for Kearsney.
The hosts attempted to claw their way back just before halftime, but basic errors and ferocious EG Jansen defence stifled their momentum. The visitors dominated the gain line, while Kearsney’s execution at key moments betrayed them, leaving them scoreless at the break.
The second half, however, was a different story. Lwandile Mkhize sparked the revival with a breathtaking 80-metre solo try, lifting the home crowd to their feet. Inspired by the moment, captain Simanye Mlakalaka crashed over minutes later to bring Kearsney within striking distance at 12-19.
But just as the tide threatened to turn, Jordan van der Westhuizen slid in out wide to re-establish the buffer. The closing stages descended into a frenetic exchange, with Kearsney’s Joseph Roylance and Doan Nel both dotting down, while De Wet Muller grabbed a vital fifth try for the visitors to keep them ahead.
Kearsney threw everything at Jansies in the dying minutes, but the Valke side’s early dominance and clinical edge proved decisive. It was a bruising, breathless affair, and one that showed EG Jansen will go from strength to strength this year.
2. NOORDHEUWEL (21) JEPPE (20)
Noordheuwel Rise from the Ashes to Stun Jeppe in One-Point Thriller
What began as a Jeppe procession turned into a classic comeback as Noordheuwel staged a gritty second-half surge to snatch a dramatic 21-20 victory in a match that had it all: early dominance, defensive grit, and a late twist few saw coming.
From the opening kickoff, Jeppe looked in full control. Their intent was immediate and brutal, with prop Joshua Hamman bulldozing his way over the line just two minutes in. Moments later, a calamitous error on their own tryline gifted Jeppe centre Phano Letsie the easiest of finishes. At 14-0 inside five minutes, the Joburg outfit looked untouchable.
A penalty from Nehemia Hollenbach extended the gap to 17-0 as the first half wound down, but then came five minutes of madness that flipped the script. Noordheuwel finally clicked into gear, first through a rumbling surge by hooker Clinton Agu, then an electric break from deep by Jayden Steyn, who carved through the defence to dive in under the posts. Suddenly, at halftime, it was 17-14, and the tide had turned.
Jeppe added another three points early in the second half to stretch their lead to 20-14, but from there, it was all Noordheuwel. Attack after attack crashed against the Jeppe wall, which just about held, until it didn’t.
JB Blout picked the perfect angle and powered his way over to level the scores. Jeandré Uithaler, cool under pressure, slotted the conversion to edge Noordheuwel in front for the first time.
Jeppe, stunned, fought to reclaim the lead but couldn’t find the magic they’d shown early on. When the whistle blew, it was Noordheuwel who stood tall.
1. KES (20) RONDEBOSCH (17)
KES Shock Festival with Gritty Upset Over High-Flying Rondebosch
KES delivered one of the most unexpected results of the festival, toppling a highly rated Rondebosch side 20-17 in a bruising, high-tempo contest that showcased determination, discipline, and defensive steel.
Rondebosch looked every bit the favourites early on. They launched into the match with pace and purpose, their loosehead prop storming downfield before linking with captain Joshua Neill, who finished the move to give the Cape side an early 5-0 lead.
But KES were unfazed. They struck back immediately, turning pressure from the kickoff into a lineout opportunity, which they converted into points with a sweeping try in the opposite corner. With Samuel Smith dotting down and Indi Gusha-Mboniswa adding the extras, KES moved into a 7-5 lead.
The see-saw continued as Shellvon Mabooi muscled over in the corner after a period of controlled build-up from Rondebosch. The lead swung back again before the break, though, when KES’s enterprising play finally broke through a stubborn defence, scrumhalf Regan McGurk sniping over to take the halftime score to 14-10 in favour of the Johannesburg outfit.
KES extended that lead with a pair of well-struck penalties by Gusha-Mboniswa, each one a nail in the coffin of Rondebosch’s attempted comeback. For 20 minutes, Rondebosch hammered away at the red wall, but KES were unbreakable.
A late glimmer of hope came when Danil-Nicolas Oosthuizen finished a sweeping move to narrow the gap to just three, but it was too little, too late. The final whistle signaled jubilation for KES, whose defensive resolve and tactical maturity stunned a side many tipped to dominate.
