Following the publication of several lists of U19 players contracted by the four South African rugby franchises for 2026, we compiled our own list, leading to some noteworthy insights.
The belief that talent is still abundant at smaller schools has been thoroughly disproven. No players were contracted from small schools, while the top five schools accounted for 44.42% of all contracted boys.
The Top 5 schools supplying talent for franchises in 2025 are: Affies (10), Grey College (8), Paarl Boishaai (8), Paul Roos (7) and Boland Landbou (6).
Twenty-nine players from the Stormers, which includes Paarl Boishaai, Paarl Gimnasium, Boland Landbou and Paul Roos, were contracted. The Bulls (17), Lions (13), Sharks (11), Free State (8) and SWD (7) are the other major areas that produced the talent.
The positions in demand for the 2026 intake are Loosies (18), Props (15), Centres (12), Locks (11) and Wings (9).
| Nic Grobler | Affies | Bulls | Centre |
| Ruben Groenewald | Affies | Bulls | Flyhalf |
| Albert Smit | Affies | Sharks | Loosie |
| Stefan McDonald | Affies | Bulls | Loosie |
| Luan Potgieter | Affies | Bulls | Loosie |
| Elwin Janse van Vuuren | Affies | Bulls | Loosie |
| Roal Kruger | Affies | Bulls | Prop |
| Stefan de Bruyn | Affies | Bulls | Prop |
| Zirk Meyer | Affies | Sharks | Scrumhalf |
| Divan Fourie | Affies | Sharks | Wing |
| Pieter Bergh | Boland Landbou | Sharks | Flyhalf |
| Heindrich Bezuidenhout | Boland Landbou | Sharks | Hooker |
| Kody Nell | Boland Landbou | Sharks | Loosie |
| Derik du Preez | Boland Landbou | Lions | Prop |
| Dante Christianes | Boland Landbou | Sharks | Scrumhalf |
| Jayden Brits | Boland Landbou | Stormers | Srumhalf |
| Zenkosi Mthiyane | DHS | Lions | Centre |
| Joseph Udo-Idung | DHS | Stormers | Prop |
| Junaide Pasensie | Garsfontein | Bulls | Fullback |
| Luan van den Berg | Garsfontein | Bulls | Prop |
| Junaide Stuart | Garsfontein | Bulls | Wing |
| Lizwe Mtetwa | Glenwood | Sharks | Centre |
| Ethan Adams | Grey College | Lions | Centre |
| Toriq Schambreel | Grey College | Lions | Centre |
| Xander Smit | Grey College | Sharks | Hooker |
| AJ Meyer | Grey College | Stormers | Lock |
| Claude Steyn | Grey College | Sharks | Lock |
| David Hayidakis | Grey College | Lions | Prop |
| Sherwin Buys | Grey College | Lions | Scrumhalf |
| Tristan Maree | Grey College | Lions | Wing |
| Ty Ax | Helpmekaar | Lions | Fullback |
| Eugene de Lange | Helpmekaar | Sharks | Loosie |
| Dylan Engelbrecht | Helpmekaar | Bulls | Prop |
| Liyema Nela | Hilton | Bulls | Flyhalf |
| Lindelani Nkambule | Jeppe | Lions | Centre |
| Andre Poulton | Jeppe | Lions | Prop |
| Chinedu Amadi | KES | Bulls | Loosie |
| Sam Bruwer | KES | Lions | Loosie |
| Regan McGurk | KES | Sharks | Scrumhalf |
| Jarel Mbuyi | KES | Lions | Wing |
| Rio Tshimbalanga | Marais Viljoen | Bulls | Loosie |
| Lee-Rynne Sinkfontein | Maritzburg College | Bulls | Wing |
| Mumbere Vayambwera | Maritzburg College | Sharks | Loosie |
| Lesken Samuels | Menlopark | Bulls | Centre |
| William Ridl | Michaelhouse | Sharks | Centre |
| Stefan Moolman | Michaelhouse | Sharks | Flyhalf |
| Matthew Abbey | Middelburg | Lions | Flyhalf |
| Tinyiko Silubane | Nelspruit | Bulls | Wing |
| Jeandré Uithaler | Noordheuwel | Lions | Flyhalf |
| Clinton Agu | Noordheuwel | Sharks | Hooker |
| Lian Terblanche | Northwood | Lions | Lock |
| Chris Vorster | Oakdale | Bulls | Centre |
| Kai Pratt | Oakdale | Sharks | Prop |
| Jandrian Goosen | Oakdale | Bulls | Scrumhalf |
| Zander Vorster | Oakdale | Bulls | Scrumhalf |
| Reinhart Viljoen | Oakdale | Lions | Wing |
| Keenan Myners | Outeniqua | Lions | Hooker |
| Iwan Jordaan | Paarl Boishaai | Sharks | Centre |
| Christiaan Grundling | Paarl Boishaai | Bulls | Hooker |
| Jordan Jooste | Paarl Boishaai | Stormers | Lock |
| Matthys Laubscher | Paarl Boishaai | Bulls | Lock |
| Wege van Zyl | Paarl Boishaai | Sharks | Loosie |
| Cruz Davey | Paarl Boishaai | Sharks | Prop |
| Bernhard du Toit | Paarl Boishaai | Sharks | Prop |
| Juan vander Merwe | Paarl Boishaai | Lions | Prop |
| Markus Muller | Paarl Gim | Stormers | Centre |
| Migael Turner | Paarl Gim | Bulls | Lock |
| Quintin Potgieter | Paarl Gim | Stormers | Loosie |
| Adriaan van der Lingen | Paarl Gim | Lions | Prop |
| Lethoko Mallane | Parktown | Bulls | Hooker |
| Altus Rabie | Paul Roos | Stormers | Hooker |
| Zak Hickman | Paul Roos | Stormers | Lock |
| Truspe Schoeman | Paul Roos | Sharks | Lock |
| Gert Kemp | Paul Roos | Stormers | Loosie |
| Caleb Koeberg | Paul Roos | Bulls | Loosie |
| Luke Kent | Paul Roos | Lions | Loosie |
| Jordan Steenkamp | Paul Roos | Stormers | Wing |
| Akin Akingbola | Pretoria Boys High | Sharks | Loosie |
| Jeffrey Singo | Pretoria Boys High | Sharks | Prop |
| Randell-John Davids | Rondebosch | Stormers | Centre |
| Matthew van der Merwe | Rondebosch | Stormers | Prop |
| Franko Rossouw | Secunda | Bulls | Lock |
| Raphael Ajibade | St Charles | Bulls | Lock |
| Marko Kok | Waterkloof | Lions | Loosie |
| Zekhethelo Siyaya | Westville | Sharks | Fullback |
| Lwandile Simelane | Westville | Bulls | Loosie |
| Liam Simpkins | Westville | Sharks | Scrumhalf |
| Jaythen Orange | Wynberg | Lions | Lock |
| Albert Lourens | Wynberg | Bulls | Wing |
