To use the crystal ball of the Auntie in her caravan on the corner might just be as accurate as the schoolboy rugby pundits in 2026. I do think that an unbeaten season will not happen in 2026 with more surprises and upsets than in 2025.
We often make the mistake of using the performance of the U16 teams of the age groups that make up the 1stXV; however, there are several examples of schools that invested a lot of money and effort in their well-scouted junior teams just to fall flat in their U17 and U18 years.
Then there is the question of players who represented their school’s 1stXV in their grade eleven year and disappointed the next year.
Add to all of the above the signing of post-school contracts with unions, which is normally completed during April to July, and then they get selected to the U18 Craven Week and U18 SA Schools squads, which tend to slow the boys down, as the fear of injury is more important than the pride of the school.
To compete consistently at the top, one needs player depth and an established rugby programme and coaching staff. That does not leave us with many schools that can compete constantly at the top.
That brings us to our top 1stXV’s of 2026.
Nobody will argue when Paarl Gim and Pieter Rossouw are made favourites by the bookies. Paul Roos and Grey should battle it out for second and third, and the changes of the coaching staff should make things exciting in Bloemfontein; however, facing Paarl Gim and Paul Roos away should settle the debate over who ends second and third.
Underselling Paarl Boishaai again, never. Sean Erasmus is famous for taking thirty young men and moulding them into the best 1stXV in the country, and despite seeing them at four, I will not be surprised to crown them once again as best 1stXV in South Africa.
The men in charge at Affies will smile, being placed a possible fifth in the country, knowing that their team in 2027 is already talked about and given the privilege to mould them in 2026 into a match-winning squad. They will be testing all the top contenders and losing one or two against the big boys.
Oakdale apparently have once again a monster pack with brilliant backs. They should cruise into a top five at the end of 2026, and the match against Affies at the Noord/Suid should settle positions five and six.
And then follow the bunch:
Garsfontein and their new coaching staff will be tested; however, it is expected that Stellenberg, Drostdy HTS, Helpmekaar, Monnas, DHS, Boland Landbou and Jeppe could make the fight for a top ten position extremely exciting.
To make this even more interesting, the Young Guns of Westville should stay unbeaten and once again find it difficult to break into the Top 10, as in 2025, due to the quality of their opponents.