Jeppe Boys top players to watch at this year’s KES Easter Festival
As Jeppe marks its 15th KES Festival appearance, these standout players are set to make an impact.
The King Edward VII School Easter Festival has been going since 2002.
This will be the 15th time Jeppe will play at this festival.
The school played in the St Stithians Easter Festival in 1987 and made appearances there throughout the 1980s and 90s. Schools were invited for two year stints in those days.
St John’s College began its Easter Festival in 1998 and Jeppe was invited to the first one.
The school has been there five more times since then.
Results at the Easter Festivals have varied through the years but, overall, Jeppe has won more matches at them than we have lost.
Recent results have been positive – Jeppe has only lost one Easter Festival game since 2018.
First team coach
The head coach is Drickus Venter.
He has been teaching at the school since 2019 and is the head of the department of maths literacy.
He has been the head coach since 2023 and has been with the first team as an assistant coach since 2018.
Jeppe doesn’t have a nickname, really, but the team is known as the Black and Whites.
The school’s motto is Forti Nihil Dificilius which means “For the brave nothing is too difficult.”
The saying Turning Black and White into Gold has become associated with the school, and it refers to the diversity at Jeppe, and to our goal of making every boy as good as he can be.
Three players to watch
Andre Poulton – Tight head prop
Andre represented the Lions in the junior age groups and played in the U18 Craven Week as an U17 last year. He was selected for the SA Schools A team. He is a strong scrummager, and also a skilful ball player with high work rate.
Talent Sithole – Scrumhalf
Talent played for the Lions at the Grant Khomo Week and, last year, at the U18 Academy Week. He has a very fast service and is a handful for defences, with his sniping breaks. He has scored a number of tries for the team.
Phano Letsie – Centre
Phano represented the Golden Lions at the Grant Khomo Week last year and was included in SA Rugby’s Elite Player Development programme. He is a strong runner with the ball and a solid defender.
