Wit Bulle ready to charge as Monnas joins elite line-up at Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival
In 2024, Monnas’ Wit Bulle had mixed fortunes, with one win and one loss.
Hoërskool Monument High School (Monnas) is among the 28 teams participating in this year’s Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival (KERF) in Durban.
The line-up of competitive teams includes 12 boys’ high school sides, 12 primary school teams and, for the first time, a girls’ U16 division.
Durban High School (DHS), Westville Boys’ High, Glenwood and hosts Kearsney will represent KZN in the senior boys’ division, and a touring Zimbabwean team from Peterhouse Boys’ School will demonstrate their brand of rugby.
Perennial powerhouse teams from Gauteng – Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen (Boksburg) and Monument – with Eastern Cape teams Hoërskool Framesby (Gqeberha) and Dale College (Qonce) and Hoërskool Rustenburg (North West).
The newcomers are Hoërskool Durbanville and Milnerton High School from the Western Cape, who will add another dimension to the action.
Play days over the Easter weekend are April 17, 19 and 21.
In 2024, Monnas’ Wit Bulle had mixed fortunes, with one win and one loss. They came out on top against Framesby from Port Elizabeth with a 22-17 victory but suffered a 25-22 defeat against Westville.
However, in 2023, the Wit Bulle were brutal as ever, overpowering Frames by 28-7 first up before touching down eight times in a 50–5 drubbing of Hoërskool Noord-Kaap from Kimberley.
A good second half in their final matchup with Dale earned them a 41-5 result, with the ill-disciplined Eastern Cape side finishing with 13 players on the park. Ceano Everson, scrum half for the Wit Bulle, was player of the tournament.
The Wit Bulle’s success over the years:
While they would want to set the record straight in 2025, the Wit Bulle has been a dominant force and successful outfit during Easter rugby festivals over the years.
According to the head of rugby at Monnas, Reinhard Gerber, this includes regularly playing against the best schools in SA. They are the only school to beat Grey College on four consecutive occasions.
• 1991: Monnas 16-14 Grey;
• 1992: Monnas 11-6 Grey;
• 1993: Monnas 34-12 Grey;
• 1994: Monnas 36-30 Grey.
He added that the Wit Bulle has been a trademark name since 1979.
They are also proud of the many talented players who reached various achievements, including:
• 450 Craven Week players;
• 34 SA school players;
• 20 SA Academy players;
• 24 SA U20 players;
• Nine internationals.
• Nine Springbok players: Christo Wagenaar (1977) and Brendan Venter (1994, played in two World Cups), Jaque Fourie (2003, played in three World Cups), Jorrie Muller (2003, played in one World Cup), Heinke van der Merwe (2007, played in one World Cup), Willem Alberts (2010, played in two World Cups), Jaco Taute (2012), Julian Redelinghuys (2014) and Ruan Dryer (2017).
Henco van Wyk (currently playing for the Lions in the United Rugby Championship) has since been included in the Springbok training group but has yet to debut.
