The 2026 Independent Schools Rugby Festival (ISRF), brought to you by Absa, kicks off at St David’s Marist Inanda on Saturday and runs through to Wednesday, 1 July.
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It’s the biggest gathering yet of private school rugby players at one event, with the Prep Schools U13 Festival being hosted at St David’s Prep and the festivals for all three high school age groups – u14, u16, and u18 – that are usually held at different venues, all taking place at St David’s as part of the school’s 85th Anniversary celebrations.
The result is 64 games to be played on seven fields over the course of three days.
The Association of Independent Schools organises festivals for all the major sporting codes. The rugby festivals began in the 1970s and have become traditional end-of -season events.
Players who will be in provincial action during the school holidays won’t participate in the IRSF, while most of the schools exclude their matric players because academics come first, and those boys are preparing for their preliminary exams.
It’s a stayers’ festival for the 1st XVs, although matrics are allowed to play if they choose to do so. Coming at the end of the season and featuring players who will make up the core of the 2027 1st XVs, it’s an opportunity for schools to gain insight into what they have at their disposal for the next season and what work needs to be done to prepare for it.
It also means that the teams play without the pressure of being a fully-fledged 1st XV, which allows them to play with a greater sense of freedom than they might usually showcase. That’s a win for spectators.
This year, the line-up includes a team from Eton College, one of England’s oldest and most prestigious private schools. There will also be a Golden Lions XV, selected from the Union’s development programme.
Their game at 15:30 on Monday against Eton will bring boys from vastly different backgrounds together. That should make for a fascinating clash.
1st XV Fixtures:
Saturday, 27 June
A Field
10:00 – Cornwall Hill vs St Benedict’s; 11:15 – Golden Lions XV vs St Alban’s; 12:30 – Kingswood vs St John’s; 13:45 – Michaelhouse vs Eton; 16:00 – St David’s vs Bishops.
B Field
11:15 – St Charles vs St Andrew’s School; 13:45 – St Stithians vs Somerset College.
Monday, 29 June
A Field
10:30 – St Charles vs Cornwall Hill; 11:45 – Kingswood vs St Andrew’s School; 13:00 – St Stithians vs Bishops: 14:15 – St David’s vs Michaelhouse; 15:30 – Golden Lions XV vs Eton.
B Field
10:30 – St John’s vs CBC Boksburg; 14:15 – St Alban’s vs Somerset College.
Wednesday, 1 July
A Field
08:00 – Michaelhouse vs St Stithians; 09:10 – Bishops vs St Charles; 10:20 – St Benedict’s vs St Andrew’s School; 11:30 – St David’s vs Eton; 12:40 – Golden Lions XV vs Kingswood.
B Field
09:10 – St John’s vs Somerset College; 11:30 – St Alban’s vs Cornwall Hill.
