The 2021 1stXV team of Oakale's will be remembered as the team that could have and should have conquered South African schoolboy rugby. Unfortunately, Covid19 put a stop to all the glory for surely one of the best teams to come from this small agricultural school.
With approximately 450 learners it remains a miracle that Oakdale continues to compete and win against most of the top rugby schools in the country. Nineteen teams are fielded on any given day with top quality coaching available to all teams. In 2021 Oakdale provided 25 players to the various provincial teams selected.
Oakdale is located in Riversdal which see them travel hundreds of kilometres in search of quality opponents. Their closest opponent, Outeniqua HS is a trip of 130km one way.
Oakdale first scheduled matches will be at the Noord/Suid Festival hosted in Pretoria in the last week of March 2022. They will play EG Jansen and Monnas which will test their 2022 1stXV thoroughly.
And it does not get easier thereafter, Paarl Boishaai (Away), Grey College (Away) and the Wildeklawer will be played during the next three weekends. At the Wildeklawer Festival, they will play against Affies and Durban High School (DHS). Three top 10 schools and with DHS that appointed Peter Engledow as head of rugby, Oakdale can expect a big test from the Durban boys.
Stellenberg and Outeniqua follow at home. Outeniqua who is building their dream team for their centenary celebrations in 2023, will once again be one of the highlights of the season.
The powerful Paarl Gim 1stXV will be their opponents at the Akkerfees, followed by Drostdy HTS and Paul Roos at home.
The highlight and traditionally last match of the season will be against Boland Landbou, on the 20th of August 2022. Boland Landbou won (26-23) in the last match that was played at Oakdale in 2019.
It will be extremely difficult for any top school to have two years of brilliant 1stXV's, however, there is quiet confidence within Oakdale's rugby community if one asks them to compare the team of 2021 with the expected team of 2022.
1stXV Provisional Fixtures (Home Team 1st)
26/03/2022 EG Jansen vs Oakdale (Noord/Suid)
29/03/2022 Monnas vs Oakdale (Noord/Suid)
09/04/2022 Paarl Boishaai vs Oakdale
23/04/2022 Oakdale vs Grey College
29/04/2022 Oakdale vs Affies (Wildeklawer)
02/05/2022 Oakdale vs DHS (Wildeklawer)
14/05/2022 Oakdale vs Stellenberg
28/05/2022 Oakdale vs Outeniqua
04/06/2022 Durbanville vs Oakdale
11/06/2022 Oakdale vs Paarl Gim
23/07/2022 Oakdale vs Drostdy HTS
30/07/2022 Oakdale vs Paul Roos
20/08/2022 Boland Landbou vs Oakdale
Other important dates:
11/12-03/2022 Oakdale u/13 Festival
25-30/03/2022 u14A Kwagga Week - Outeniqua HS
25-30/05/2022 u/15A Paarl Boishaai Week
25-30/03/2022 u/16A Jean de Villiers Festival - Paarl Gim
25-30/03/2022 Oakdale Rugby Week
05/05/2022 SWD Trials
10/05/2022 SWD Trials