South African schools rugby remains one of the most ruthless and efficient production lines in world rugby. While other nations rely on academies and centralized development programmes, the Republic continues to mine its talent from the dusty fields of Bloemfontein, the manicured pitches of Cape Town’s southern suburbs, and the fiercely competitive school grounds scattered across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
From Grey College and Paarl Gimnasium to Bishops, Oakdale and Westville, the school system itself functions as a high-performance pathway long before players ever enter a professional setup. Intensity is baked in early. Fixtures draw crowds that would rival lower-tier professional games elsewhere.
And with that, here is our team of the decade…so far
15. Zekhethelo Siyaya (Westville Boys’ High, 2025)
There is something almost unfair about watching Zekhethelo Siyaya in full flight. The Westville fullback blends elite sprint speed with rugby intelligence well beyond his years, making him one of the most complete backs in schoolboy rugby.
Arriving from Paulpietersburg Primary in rural northern KwaZulu-Natal, Siyaya was initially undersized and unknown. Within two seasons, he had transformed into Westville’s attacking heartbeat. In 2024, he scored 17 tries in 16 matches, before announcing himself nationally at Craven Week with dominant aerial work and devastating counter-attacks.
The 2025 season proved historic as Westville completed their first unbeaten First XV campaign in 70 years, with Siyaya central to their success. Back at Craven Week, he produced standout performance after standout performance.
Former coach Njabulo Zulu summed up his rare skillset: “He’s a triple threat: a great runner, distributor, and a 50-metre kicker.” It is that versatility, combined with genuine game-breaking pace, that makes Siyaya the standout back of the class of 2025.
14. Cheswill Jooste (Noordheuwel, 2024)
When we named Cheswill Jooste our number one prospect for 2024, sceptics questioned whether the Noordheuwel flyer could sustain his 2023 breakout form. He answered emphatically.
Jooste is, by any measure, a genetic outlier. His 100-metre sprint time catches attention at athletics meetings. His vertical leap belongs on a basketball court. On a rugby field, these attributes translate into a winger who can beat defenders through pace, power, or aerial prowess.
His 2023 campaign earned SA Schools ‘A’ selection as a wing. The following year, with the spotlight intensified, Jooste demonstrated his class across multiple positions, playing fullback for the Golden Lions at Craven Week while manning outside centre for Noordheuwel during the school season.
The Bulls recognised his potential early, signing him to a junior contract that will see him integrated into their academy system. His positional versatility adds value, whether at fullback, wing, or centre, Jooste threatens defensive systems.
13. Markus Muller (Paarl Gimnasium, 2025)
Muller has been the standout midfielder across all schools for two consecutive years, a dominance rarely achieved at this level. The statistics alone are staggering: more than 50 tries and try assists to his name, including over 20 tries in the 2025 season alone: four hat-tricks, three braces.
But numbers fail to capture Muller’s influence. At Paarl Gim, where rugby excellence is tradition rather than aspiration, he played with a maturity far beyond his years. Instinctive, intelligent, remarkably composed.
SA Rugby trusted him with the ultimate schoolboy honour: captaining the SA Schools side for their 2025 clash against SA Schools ‘A’ at Hoërskool Middelburg. It was recognition of both his on-field ability and his leadership qualities.
The DHL Stormers moved quickly to secure his signature for his post-matric career. Head coach John Dobson will integrate Muller into a backline that already includes Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse. The pathway to Springbok selection, for a player of Muller’s calibre, is shorter than most.
12. Pieter van der Merwe (Grey College, 2024)
Grey College has produced more Springboks than any school except Paul Roos. Pieter van der Merwe carries that legacy with appropriate gravity.
Standing 185cm and weighing 95kg, Van der Merwe possesses the physical template for international midfield play. More importantly, he understands how to use it. His ability to break tackles and create opportunities has drawn comparisons to Grey alumni Jan Serfontein and Francois Venter, both former Springboks.
Van der Merwe’s 2024 campaign saw him elevated to First XV captain and school captain simultaneously, a dual responsibility that reflects both his rugby intelligence and his character.
His progression through Grey’s system—U16A, U17A, First XV captain—demonstrates the incremental development that produces international players. SA Schools selection confirmed his status as the country’s premier schoolboy inside centre.
The path forward leads to the Junior Springboks (U20) in 2026, where he will be expected to dominate. His versatility, having played loose forward before converting to centre adds a physical edge that outside backs typically lack.
11. Ebenezer Tshimanga (Wynberg Boys’ High, 2020)
Tshimanga’s bulldozing runs down the touchline achieved cult status at Wynberg Boys’ High long before he reached matric. At 1.88m and 102kg, he ran over opponents with ease, a skill that intimidated defenders from U14 level through to senior rugby.
The 2019 season established him as one of the country’s premier schoolboy wingers. He almost single-handedly carried Wynberg to an unlikely victory over Paul Roos during the Western Province rugby day in 2020, a performance that scouts never forgot, even without Craven Week to showcase it.
Despite the disrupted season, Tshimanga was called up to the Western Province U20 side, where he dominated opposition wingers with five tries in five appearances. His Currie Cup debut followed in 2022, representing Western Province against the Pumas.
His journey then took an unconventional turn. Section Paloise in France recognised his potential, signing him to develop in their training centre. He was crowned champion of France Espoirs Accession, then moved to FC Grenoble on an espoir-pro contract. Now back with Section Paloise in the Top 14, Tshimanga has proven that South African schoolboy production extends to European leagues.
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Bishops, 2020)
No schoolboy from the past decade has scaled professional heights faster than Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. The Bishops product is already a Springbok. Already a record-breaker. Already redefining what South African flyhalves can be.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s pedigree was evident from his early years at Bishops. He represented Western Province at U16 Grant Khomo Week, then earned Craven Week selection.
COVID-19 disrupted the traditional pathway, but it merely delayed the inevitable. Western Province signed him professionally in 2020. By 2022, aged just 19, he was appearing off the bench in the Stormers’ United Rugby Championship quarter-final, semi-final, and final victories. A URC title in his debut season.
His international debut came in June 2024 against Wales. Fifteen months later, he set a new record: 37 points in a single match against Argentina, the most by any South African player in Test history.
The accolades have followed: SA Rugby’s Young Player of 2024, South Africa’s URC Player of the Season in 2025, MyPlayers’ 2025 Players’ Player of the Year, and selection to the World Rugby Dream Team at flyhalf.
His contract extension through July 2029 confirms Cape Town as his home. Leicester, Saracens, and Northampton had offered deals while he was still at Bishops. He chose South Africa. The Stormers. The Springboks.
9. Caleb Abrahams (Grey College, 2022)
When NextGenXV named Caleb Abrahams their number one prospect of 2022, it raised eyebrows. By season’s end, Grey College’s dominance and Abrahams’ control of matches made the verdict unavoidable: he was the premier scrumhalf in schoolboy rugby.
A Kimberley native, Abrahams’ time at Grey aligned with one of the school’s strongest eras. His speed to the breakdown, razor-sharp service and dangerous left-footed kicking gave Grey constant front-foot momentum. Standout performances against Monument and Paarl Boys’ High, including multiple-try displays and a man-of-the-match showing, underlined his influence. SA Schools honours soon followed.
The Bulls secured his signature and placed him into the SA Rugby Academy pathway, but it was a loan move to Griquas that accelerated his professional rise. Handed the number nine jersey in Kimberley, Abrahams quickly became first choice and played a key role in Griquas’ historic Currie Cup triumph, steering the side with composure well beyond his years.
His performances drew attention from franchises across the country and interest from the Springbok Sevens setup, before he committed to a two-year deal with Griquas, calling the move a “no-brainer” return home. Continued URC opportunities have since been discussed, a sign of his growing stock in professional rugby.
From Grey College’s heartbeat in 2022 to a Currie Cup-winning scrumhalf in the senior game, Abrahams’ journey has been one of rapid, well-earned progression.
8. Siba Mahashe (Hudson Park, 2022)
Leadership defines Sibabalwe Mahashe. The Hudson Park loose forward didn’t just represent SA Schools in 2022, he captained them. He didn’t just win the International Series, he was named player of the series after leading South Africa to a 49-17 destruction of France.
Mahashe’s journey from East London to national captaincy represented everything right about South African rugby’s developmental pathways. He wasn’t from a traditional powerhouse. Hudson Park doesn’t carry the weight of Grey College or Paarl Boys’ High. Yet Mahashe’s talent transcended circumstance.
As captain of the Border U18 Craven Week side, he demonstrated the leadership qualities that would define his career. His performances earned him the 2022 JUMBO Sports Excellence Scholarship and a contract with the Lions Rugby Company.
Since joining the Lions, Mahashe has continued his upward trajectory. Standing 1.87m and weighing 93kg, he possesses the athletic profile for modern loose forward play. Lions management have publicly touted him as a future franchise captain, and potentially a Springbok.
His pathway from Hudson Park to Ellis Park represents exactly the kind of story South African rugby needs to tell.
7. Divan Fuller (Paarl Boys’ High, 2023)
Divan Fuller announced himself to schoolboy rugby in 2019 with a tackle so brutal that the video went viral, viewed more than two million times across Australia, Canada, and America. He was 14 years old.
That physicality defined Fuller’s career at Paarl Boys’ High. As blindside flanker, he brought an intensity that opponents found difficult to match. His 2022 performances earned him SA Schools selection and appearances against France in the International Series.
By 2023, Fuller had established himself as one of the country’s premier loose forwards. He was selected at number seven for Western Province’s Craven Week side, then named in the SA Schools team at number six, positional flexibility that demonstrated his complete skill set.
The Premier Interschools derby against Paarl Gim showcased both his best and his competitive edge. Fuller scored a try for Boishaai but also received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle against Paul Roos, the kind of incident that reflects the fine line between controlled aggression and overstepping.
Fuller committed to Western Province for his post-school career, combining professional development with a B.Com Business Management degree. His pathway mirrors that of the Stormers’ established loose forwards: physical, uncompromising, and relentlessly competitive.
6. Paul de Villiers (Oakdale, 2021)
Oakdale Landbou, nestled in the rural Western Cape, has built a reputation for producing rugged, technically proficient forwards. Paul de Villiers is their finest recent export.
Born in George in 2003, De Villiers developed at Oakdale before joining Western Province’s academy system. His rise was methodical: provincial U21 rugby, then Junior Springbok selection in 2022. By 2023, he wasn’t just playing for the Junior Boks, he was captaining them at the World Rugby U20 Championship.
That leadership extended to Western Province U21, where he led the side to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024. The Stormers recognised his readiness for senior rugby, integrating him into their URC squad for the 2024 season.
What happened next exceeded expectations. De Villiers became, in the words of Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson, “invaluable to our game model.” His breakdown work earned him serial man-of-the-match awards. His work rate at ruck time made him a statistical outlier. His tactical intelligence allowed him to thrive as a traditional openside flanker, a position that rewards specialists.
A contract extension through 2029 secures his future in Cape Town. Speculation about a Springbok debut during the 2026 season is not unfounded, De Villiers has moved from decorated youth career to pivotal professional role faster than almost any forward of his generation.
5. JF van Heerden (Grey College, 2022)
Jacob Frederick Nel van Heerden embodies everything Grey College produces: size, skill, and an understanding of what the famous Bloemfontein institution represents.
At 2.01m and 122kg, Van Heerden possesses the physical dimensions that professional franchises covet. More importantly, he arrived at Grey with the mindset to maximise them.
“Tradition, History. It is a very proud school which makes it easy to work hard,” he said. “You know you are part of 150 years of history, and you want to be remembered as having been a benefit to the school during your time.”
His Craven Week performances for Free State earned him SA Schools selection in 2022, followed by the SA U18 team that won the International Series later that year. The Bulls moved quickly to sign him, integrating him into their U20 setup in 2023.
Van Heerden’s transition to senior rugby has been seamless. He made his first-team debut during the 2023/24 season, appearing across the Investec Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship. His reward: a three-year senior contract that will see him at Loftus Versfeld until June 2027.
Seven Junior Bok caps have followed. At 21, he is already a significant figure in the Bulls’ second-row stocks. The pathway to Springbok selection, particularly with South Africa’s historic strength at lock remains competitive, but Van Heerden possesses the tools to force his way through.
4. Connor Evans (Bishops, 2020)
The COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 Craven Week. For Connor Evans, this meant missing what promised to be a legendary season for Bishops, one that scouts had circled since his dominant 2019 performances.
Evans was our first ever number one prospect heading into 2020. The Bishops lock, capable of playing across the second and back rows, had “wowed opponents in his rookie year with some truly standout performances.”
His combination of size (1.98m, 112kg), athleticism, and rugby intelligence marked him as a generational talent.
His post-school career saw him join the Baby Boks for their successful summer series in Italy, finishing unbeaten alongside fellow Bishops product Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Western Province and the Stormers integrated him into their professional structures, where he now competes for second-row positions in the Currie Cup and URC.
Evans represents the “what might have been” of the COVID generation, a player whose schoolboy ceiling was never fully displayed, but whose professional trajectory suggests the talent was always real.
3. Jean Erasmus (Grey College, 2023)
Not every dominant schoolboy announces themselves early. Jean Erasmus forced his way onto the radar through a 2023 season so commanding that selectors had no choice but to recognise him.
The Grey College tighthead prop was, alongside number eight JJ Theron, the forward around whom Grey’s unbeaten 2023 campaign was constructed. His scrummaging provided platform; his ball-carrying provided go-forward; his fitness levels allowed him to influence matches deep into the second half.
One moment captured his abilities perfectly. Against St Andrew’s College, Grey won a restart just inside their own 22. Flank JH Smit fielded the ball and danced through the heart of the defence before finding Erasmus in support. The prop, theoretically the slowest player on the field outpaced the covering scrumhalf to score under the posts.
Craven Week confirmed his status. SA Schools selection followed, with Erasmus wearing the number three jersey.
The Bulls signed him, integrating him into their academy and Baby Boks setup. He is now considered among the best young props in the country. For a player who “wasn’t initially on the radar,” Erasmus has forced his way into every conversation about South African scrummaging futures.
2. Luca Bakkes (Paarl Gimnasium, 2022)
Paarl Gimnasium has produced Springbok hookers before. Luca Bakkes carries that tradition into the present, with a playing style that defies positional conventions.
Bakkes is described as “tough as nails” and a “fourth loose forward”, a hooker who contributes beyond lineout throwing and scrum stability.
His father, Luther Bakkes, represented SA Schools in 1989. The son has not only matched that achievement but exceeded it. Five Paarl Gim players represented Western Province at the 2022 Craven Week; four made SA Schools or SA Schools ‘A’ teams. Bakkes was among them, coming off the bench to score “off the back of a brilliant maul” as SA U18 defeated England 40-24.
Western Province Rugby announced him as part of their 2023 junior intake, alongside fellow SA Schools representatives Zachary Porthen and Bruce Sherwood. The pathway comparison was explicit: Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Damian Willemse, Salmaan Moerat. All walked this route before pulling on Springbok jerseys.
Junior Springbok selection followed. Bakkes was named in the squad for the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship hosted in South Africa, joining the SA Rugby Academy Programme alongside the country’s best young talents.
His trajectory from Paarl Gim to Junior Bok contention represents the system working exactly as designed: identify talent, develop skill, integrate into professional structures, and release into the wild.
1. Kai Pratt (Oakdale, 2025) – Loosehead Prop
The number one jersey belongs to a number one. Kai Pratt of Oakdale is not merely the best schoolboy loosehead prop in South Africa, he is as highly rated as any front-rower in the country.
Standing 185cm and weighing 115kg, Pratt cuts an imposing figure. But physical dimensions only partially explain his dominance. At scrum time, he bests opponents even in his rookie year. In open play, he carries like a back-rower. His athleticism allows him to contribute in phases where props traditionally rest.
The 2024 season established him as Oakdale’s talisman. The 2025 campaign confirmed him as a schoolboy of rare quality. His performances at both Craven Week editions earned him SA Schools selection, the national confirmation of what observers already knew.
But it is Pratt’s personal story that elevates him beyond mere rugby excellence. He lost his mother when he was just five years old. The Sharks were her team. She loved watching them.
“The Sharks were my mom’s team. She loved watching them, and so did I,” Pratt said upon signing with the Durban franchise.
The contract feels like destiny, a tribute to a mother who never saw her son become a rugby player, but whose influence shaped the man he is becoming.
“My first goal is to make the U21s,” he stated. “By the end of the year, I want to break into the Currie Cup mix.”
For a player with Pratt’s trajectory, those goals are baseline expectations. The Springbok jersey that hangs in his future will carry more than personal achievement. It will carry memory. It will carry meaning.
That combination—elite talent and profound purpose—makes Kai Pratt the number one selection for the South African Schools Rugby Team of the Decade So Far.
