A Rivalry Rooted in History

The Paul Roos–Grey College fixture dates back to 1967, making it one of the country’s most respected school sporting rivalries. What began as a single rugby match has grown into a multi-day festival spanning 13 sporting codes, with dozens of teams from each school competing across disciplines from rugby and hockey to tennis and cross country. For many old boys, the weekend is as much about reunion as it is about competition — a chance to reconnect with classmates and relive the atmosphere that shaped their school years. Click here for the weekend programme.

Bloemhof and Oranje: A Tradition of Its Own

Running alongside the boys’ fixture is the equally spirited meeting between Bloemhof and Oranje, which has its own distinct history. It began in 1996, when Bloemhof girls joined the Paul Roos boys on their trip to Bloemfontein and arranged matches of their own against Oranje. The early years were famously modest, with pupils sleeping on trains to keep costs down. Today, the exchange has grown into a large-scale event involving a substantial portion of the Bloemhof student body.

The programme now reaches well beyond netball and hockey, taking in debating, drama, choir, chess, athletics and volleyball. It’s an occasion the Bloemhof community often describes as offering “something for everyone” — a weekend where academic and cultural pursuits share the spotlight with sport. Click here to view the weekend programme.

A Weekend That Shapes the Town

For Stellenbosch residents, Interskole weekend is impossible to miss. Guesthouses fill up, restaurants see a surge in visitors, and the streets around the schools take on a festival feel. Beyond the matches themselves, the weekend typically includes social events such as dinners and gatherings that bring together current pupils, parents and generations of alumni.

The weekend culminates in the main rugby game between Paul Roos and Gray at 14:00 on 15 August, also broadcast on channel 216 on DStv.

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Both schools have enjoyed strong but contrasting 2026 campaigns in what remains a highly competitive season. Paul Roos started the year impressively, delivering statement wins such as a commanding victory over Affies and a solid win against Grey High, establishing themselves among the top-ranked teams nationally early on. However, they suffered a notable loss to Stellenberg (20-10). Yet, they have shown strong recovery form with high-scoring victories in recent weeks. Paarl Boys’ High, the 2025 powerhouse, has maintained an excellent overall record with dominant performances against most opponents, including a convincing 29-7 win over Stellenberg, though they have had some tougher outings, such as a narrow loss to Affies at Wildeklawer.

The day kicks off at 8:00 on Saturday 23 May, culminating in the under 19A match at 14:00. Click here for the full programme.

Enjoy the rugby!

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The celebrations follow a standout academic year for SU, which awarded over 10,000 qualifications in 2025 alone. A significant portion of these were postgraduate degrees, highlighting SU’s continued strength in advanced research and academic excellence.

This year’s ceremonies also mark the beginning of a transition period. From 2027, the University will consolidate its graduation calendar into a single, extended series in March/April, moving away from the long-standing split between December and March events.

In addition to the graduates, several influential figures will be honoured with honorary doctorates. These include Nobel Prize-winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah, public health leader Olive Shisana, and digital banking pioneer Tjaart Johannes van der Walt – a fitting tribute to impact across literature, healthcare and innovation.

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The event takes place on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March 2026 at the Paul Roos grounds in Krigeville. Organisers have arranged a full programme featuring rugby and hockey matches across multiple age groups, creating one of the largest school interschools gatherings in the country.

Friday sees 17 hockey games headlined by the 19A game at 18:30 at Maties A, followed by 31 rugby fixtures on Saturday culminating in the 19A game at 12:30 at the Markotter field.

The two institutions, both steeped in tradition, have discussed this partnership for several years. Governing bodies from both schools recently gave their approval, with the 2026 weekend in Stellenbosch serving as the inaugural meeting. Plans are already in place for Affies to host the return event in 2027 if all goes well.

The weekend offers more than competition. Paul Roos parents are hosting Affies learners on Friday night, an important part of the interschools tradition that builds friendships across provinces. Supporters from Stellenbosch and further afield can look forward to a family-friendly atmosphere on the fields, with matches spread across the school’s rugby and hockey venues.

Tickets for the main day are available through official channels. Families and supporters are encouraged to attend, enjoy the matches, and be part of this memorable North-South gathering. In true interschools spirit, the focus remains on sportsmanship, community, and the joy of school sport.

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The event marked the culmination of a formative journey for more than 270 matriculants, celebrating not only academic and sporting excellence but also the enduring brotherhood that defines this storied institution. Rector Jannie de Villiers reflected on the year with a message of gratitude and encouragement, reminding the young men to “step boldly into the world as ambassadors of integrity, resilience and service.”

The programme included musical performances by the school choir and orchestra, the traditional candle-lighting ceremony symbolising the passing of the Paul Roos legacy, and the awarding of top academic and leadership honours.

Families, teachers and alumni gathered to applaud the achievements of a group who, as De Villiers noted, “have shown what it means to lead with purpose in a changing world.” As the Class of 2025 tosses their maroon caps into the Stellenbosch sky, they carry forward a legacy more than a century in the making.

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’N SKOOL WAT ná 150 jaar steeds in volle bloei staan, moet sterk wortels hê. En dit het die Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof by uitstek. Van toe tot nou. Die skool is – soete vrugte! – einde 2024 as die héél beste kwintiel 5-skool in die land aangewys. Vanjaar breek daar ’n nuwe era vir Bloemhof aan. Skoolhoof Wilna van Heerden, geloof vir haar toewyding aan die kultuur van waardes en uitnemendheid wat sy daar staanplek gegee het, het einde verlede jaar afgetree. Haar opvolger, Maré Bosch, gaan, soos elke hoof voor haar, haar eie stempel op die skool afdruk. Om hulde te bring aan almal wat Bloemhof help uitbou het, het die skool ’n besonder mooi gedenkboek uitgegee. Bloemhof 150 jaar vang in woord en beeld vas hoe die nederige akkertjie ’n lushof geword het. Die uitgewers is Tip Africa Publishing, wat ook Stellenbosch Visio uitgee.

In die gedenkboek neem klasfoto’s uit ongeveer 1896 jou na matriekleerlinge met hul pofmoutabberds en perdebylyfies geskaar om die skoolhoof, en na ’n kookkunsklas van 1910 met leerlinge in vollengte wit voorskote by ’n houtstoof. Geplaas naas dié van huidige studente in hul mooi skooldrag agter rekenaars of in moderne koshuiskamers, word dit ’n visuele tydsreis, ook na leerlinge wat self baanbrekers geword het.

Die stigters, die waardige, bebaarde ds. JH Neethling en prof. NJ Hofmeyr, het met visie en regverdigheid ingesien ook die “bloemen” van die volk moet op die skoolbanke sit. Die beskawing van ’n volk berus immers by die vroue, eerder as by die mans, skryf prof. Hofmeyr met verblydende openhartigheid.

So gesê, so gedaan, en in Januarie 1875 meld die eerste studente, prim en proper in hul Victoriaanse kantkragies, hulle aan by die Girls Public School, gevestig in die ou Gimnasiumgebou in Dorpstraat. Voor hulle staan Miss Juliette Gilson, in Amerika vir hierdie skooltjie in Afrika gewerf. Ná haar volg nog vier Engelssprekende vroue as skoolhoofde: die Misses Carrie Ingraham, Etta Colby, Alicia Bleby, en ’n ene Miss Hannay.

Troebele oorlogstye lê voor toe Miss Lucie Joubert in 1897 die eerste Afrikaanse hoof word van die skool wat intussen tot Bloemhof herdoop is. Op een van die besonderse foto’s in die gedenkboek sit sy in haar kantoor in die Ryneveldstraatgebou wat die skool in 1907 betrek het, inkpotjie en vasie met blomme voor haar op die lessenaar, hekellappie op die plantstaander, alles fyn en vroulik. Maar haar houding en oogopslag sê hier is nie ’n vrou wat jy ligtelik durf opneem nie. Groot veranderinge vind tydens haar hoofskap van 25 jaar plaas. Denneoord Onderwyskollege word in 1920 as dogterinrigting geopen en voortaan sou Bloemhof nie meer onderwyseresse oplei nie. Net voor haar aftrede word Afrikaans in 1921 die skool se voertaal.

Diep Spore

Elke skoolhoof het deur die jare onuitwisbare spore nagelaat. Die knap en intellektuele May le Roux se taak was om Bloemhof volledig te verafrikaans en die skool deur die moeilike depressiejare te lei. Die jong Walla van der Walt wat in 1934 by haar oorneem, kry dit reg om die skool se goeie naam tot buite die landsgrense te laat weerklink. Sy spits haar op die breë opvoedingstaak toe, met praatjies deur kundiges oor wetenskap, musiek en kuns, en begin Bloemhof se indrukwekkende kunsversameling.

Louisa Swart wat Walla in 1955 opvolg, is eweneens ’n formidabele vrou. Sy dra haar deel by tot die beplanning en ingebruikneming van die nuwe skool in Krigeville, maak van die tuin ’n klein paradys en besiel leerlinge met haar botaniese kennis.

Elize Coetzee wat in 1964 skoolhoof word blaas nuwe energie in die skool wat die volgende jaar ’n eeu oud word. Sy voer nuwe skooldrag in, stel die huisstelsel in, is die besieling agter die Kersprogram in die Moederkerk en speel ’n groot rol in onderwysverenigings. Dit is ook weer ’n onstuimige tyd in die land se geskiedenis toe Louise Barrie in 1985 skoolhoof word – en ook die skool ervaar beroering. Die hele onderwysstelsel het op die drumpel van onomkeerbare verandering gestaan en in 1992 word Bloemhof vir alle rasse oopgestel.

Onder leiding van Sanette Nowers wat in 1994 skoolhoof word, betree die skool ’n belangrike tydvak.

Sanette is ’n opvoedkundige in elke vesel en hou Bloemhof op die voorpunt van prestasies op akademiese sowel as sport- en kultuurfront. Die leerdertal styg van net 189 tot 700 in die jaar toe sy aftree.

Wilna van Heerden se naam het in die dertig jaar dat sy by Bloemhof was (eers as adjunkhoof, sedert 2010 as hoof) sinoniem geword met Bloemhof. Sy bring nie net vernuwing nie, maar ook verdieping. Erkenning van Bloemhof as Skool van Uitnemendheid bly nie uit nie. Haar belangrikste bydrae beskou sy self as die omvorming van Bloemhof tot ’n waardesgedrewe skool.

Soveel van die duisende jong meisies wat as Bloemhof se “bloemen” die wêreld kon aandurf kan van die skool se invloed op hul lewens getuig.

Oudleerling Lisa Lubbe skryf uit die buiteland aan die huidige leerders: “Die manier van praat, doen, dink en probleemoplossing wat julle geleer word, is goed genoeg om julle na die toppunt te neem in enige posisie en op enige plek in die wêreld.” So was dit van Bloemhof se stigting af.

Voorlopers

Onder die voorlopers wat by Bloemhof op skool was, was vroue soos Lydia van Niekerk, die eerste vrou wat professor aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) geword het, Lulu Latsky, die eerste vrou wat ’n doktorsgraad aan die US ontvang het, en Maria Fismer wat die eerste professor aan die US se musiekskool geword het. Hul invloed strek ook verder as Stellenbosch: Anna de Villiers is die eerste vrou in Suid-Afrika wat prinsipale word van ’n tersiêre instelling (Hugenote-Universiteitskollege) en Tobie Muller die eerste vroulike professor aan ’n mediese skool (Tuks). Onderskeidings bly nie uit nie: Malie Smuts word die eerste vrou wat Onderstepoort se Theilermedalje as topstudent ontvang en in 2009 word Esthea Kruger die eerste musiekstudent wat die US se Kanseliersmedalje wen.

Dis nie net in die akademie dat oud- Bloemhoffers uitblink nie. Marlene van Niekerk, wat ook die US se Kanseliersmedalje ontvang het, verwerf internasionale aansien as skrywer en digter. Die kunstenaar Marlene Dumas verwerf wêreldroem. Een van haar kunswerke is in Mei vanjaar vir $13,6 miljoen (rofweg R246 miljoen) verkoop. Dit is ’n nuwe rekord vir ’n lewende vroulike kunstenaar. Ook op sportgebied ding Bloemhoffers met groot sukses mee en verwerf kleure op provinsiale, nasionale en internasionale vlak. Mari Rabie behaal ’n uitsonderlike prestasie. Sy is ’n Rhodesbeurshouer én neem by twee Olimpiese Speles (2008 en 2016) aan driekamp deel. By die 2024-Olimpiese Spele in Parys is daar nie minder nie as twee Bloemhoffers betrokke: driekampatleet Vicky van der Merwe en hokkieskeidsregter Wanri Venter.

Maar Bloemhof is soveel meer as sy uitblinkers; dit is ’n lewende monument vir elkeen wat die waarde van uitnemende onderwys uitgeleef het en steeds nastreef.

Van die Ou Skool…

Van die geboue waar die eerste geslagte Bloemhoffers skoolgegaan het, het behoue gebly as deel van Stellenbosch se argitektoniese erfenis. Die mooi klein Victoriaanse gebou, die Stellenbosch

Gimnasium, Dorpstraat 120, waar die eerste skool gevestig is, staan steeds trots sy plek naas ander historiese geboue vol. Die tweede skool in Kerkstraat, ’n dubbelverdieping- Kaaps-Georgiaanse gebou is ongelukkig gesloop, maar die derde skool, die treffende gebou in die Vlaamse Renaissance-styl in Ryneveldstraat, huisves nou die Stellenbosch Universiteitsmuseum.

Bloemhof 150 Jaar-Gedenkboek

Die Bloemhof 150 jaar-gedenkboek is op 11 Maart vanjaar in die ou Bloemhofskool in Ryneveldstraat bekendgestel. Die boek, saamgestel en uitgegee deur Tip Africa Publishing, bied ’n treffende blik op die skool se geskiedenis, geslagte van oud-Bloemhoffers en prestasies oor die afgelope 15 dekades. Dié glansboek is teen R750 te koop. Klik hier vir die bestelvorm van dié besondere gedenkboek.

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A Storied Rivalry: Paul Roos & Grey

Since their first clash in 1967, Paul Roos and Grey have built one of South Africa’s most respected Interschools traditions. This year, the weekend is packed with 13 sporting codes and cultural activities, with 81 Paul Roos teams competing against Grey across multiple disciplines. Click here for the weekend programme.

For Acting Rector Gwen Olivier, the event embodies the school motto Semper Splendidior (“Always better, always more excellent”) – urging learners to focus not only on the scoreboard but on the sportsmanship, pride, respect, and gentlemanship that define true competition.

Quoting Nelson Mandela, she reminds the community, “Sport has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

Olivier also gave a special word of thanks to everyone involved in organising the momentous occasion, noting that the contribution of Grey’s staff and parents, the coaches and managers of both schools, and the officials cannot be ignored.

Friendship in Competition: Bloemhof & Oranje

The annual meeting between Bloemhof and Oranje has its own unique spirit – one that combines fierce competition with deep friendship. The tradition began in 1996 when Bloemhof joined Paul Roos on their trip to Bloemfontein, arranging their own fixtures against Oranje and St Michael’s. From humble beginnings, including sleeping on trains to save costs, it has grown into a large-scale exchange involving nearly two-thirds of the school.

Today, the programme spans far more than netball and hockey. From debating and drama to choir, tennis, chess, athletics, and even volleyball, the event offers “something for everyone,” as the Bloemhof community likes to say. Whether home or away, visiting learners are hosted by local families, a tradition that fosters lasting bonds.

As the schools mark their 27th Interschools in 2025, old stories resurface: lost sneakers spotted on station platforms, buses breaking down en route to the Free State, and the unforgettable chaos of travel days. But above all, it’s the laughter, late-night chats, and shared experiences that make these weekends so treasured.

More Than a Scoreboard

For both sets of fixtures, the heart of Interschools lies beyond the results. It’s in the friendships forged, the voices hoarse from cheering, the proud traditions upheld, and the lessons learned in teamwork and resilience.

This weekend, Stellenbosch-learners will decorate Bloemfontein with colour, sound, and school spirit. Here’s to every player, performer, and supporter who will make the 2025 Interschools one for the history books!

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Based in Stellenbosch, Paul Roos has played a significant role in shaping South African school rugby, with many of its players going on to represent provincial and national teams. The school’s 2024 season was particularly impressive, culminating in a strong victory against Grey College. This performance contributed to their rise in the rankings, cementing their place at the top.

NextGenXV’s rankings acknowledge schools that consistently produce skilled players and maintain high standards of competition. Paul Roos’s success, alongside fellow South African schools Paarl Gimnasium and Grey College, reinforces the country’s reputation for strong rugby development at the school level.

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From the pre-match festivities to the post-game celebrations, the interschools weekend promises to be a memorable occasion, highlighting the enduring spirit of school sports in South Africa. Whether you’re a passionate supporter or a casual observer, this is a match that promises excitement and drama from start to finish!

The main rugby event will take place on Saturday, 17 August, at 15:00 on the Markötter Sports Complex grounds. Book your tickets here.

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Stellenbosch University (SU) has found a new ‘playground’ in Paternoster, the quaint fishing village on the windswept West Coast. But on this playground play is regarded as work – as perhaps the most important work children can do. 

For this is what Kinderkinetics is about: using movement to help children develop, physically and mentally, to the best of their abilities. The targeted exercises provide a leg-up for healthy development during those all-important formative years up to age 13. For children with developmental delays or disabilities, it offers a chance to catch up. On top of it, Kinderkinetics kindles a love for movement that will stay with children for the rest of their lives.  

Two Kinderkinetics graduates, Diané Ungerer and Joné Marx, decided to do community service this year and joined the team of the Paternoster Project NPC, a non-profit company. They are currently working at both the Educare Centre for pre-schoolers and at Hoopsig, the project’s educational and life skills centre. In collaboration with Dr Eileen Africa, who initiated the Kinderkinetics Honours programme at SU, they are creating a special physical activity programme for the children of Paternoster.

“Working with children has many facets; it can be hard, it can be tricky, it can be hilarious, it can be oh-so-many things, but most of all it is fun, inspiring and vital. It is our job to help children develop and discover themselves, and the best way is the Kinderkinetics way, by learning through movement,” Dr Africa says.

A newly constructed, state-of-the-art Fitness Box, is the brainchild of Dagmar Freitag, a member of the German federal government. This sophisticated parcour, known locally as the Fiksboks, is a kind of obstacle course that puts the fun into fitness. Wooden structures invite little ones to leopard crawl, clamber, dangle, balance and swing to develop their gross motor skills. For the rest of the community there’s an outdoor gym with colourful galvanised steel equipment. 

While watching the eagerness with which the children tackle their exercises in the open air, Diané takes a moment to reflect: “I love what small communities have to offer. Since they are more likely to be overlooked, it makes the experience all the more special. The obstacles that arose in the wake of the pandemic pushed all of us to find new ways to realise the potential and dreams of the children we are working with.” Diané herself is from the West Coast and future plans include establishing her own Kinderkinetics practice in one of its towns. 

Even before then, other schools in the Saldanha Bay Municipality will benefit from the expertise of the Kinderkinetics practitioners. Plans are already afoot to invite teachers and learners to workshops at Hoopsig, says Shemoné Bokhary, Hoopsig’s programme manager. 

There are many layers to Kinderkinetics sessions and to the explosion of youthful energy. To the untrained eye, it may be just a merry-play-round of multicoloured hoops and cones and balls, but all activities are underpinned by solid neurological science. In addition, themes and storylines are used to make the exercises an all-encompassing experience for the children. 

For Joné from KwaZulu-Natal, village life on the West Coast has been a fascinating experience. “To work in a small, intimate community is especially rewarding as our efforts affect everyday village life, whether through training sessions with the children or in small interactions walking down the streets of Paternoster. We are a project for the community and within the community.”

Kinderkinetics in a nutshell

Kinderkinetics uses physical activity to promote the holistic development, physical as well as academic, of children between the ages of 0–13 years. Practitioners usually start off by evaluating children’s gross and sensory-motor skills before exercises are developed to help them achieve specific goals. Each session is designed to let children have as much fun as possible and to love physical activities for the rest of their lives. Kinderkinetics aims to promote the growth and development of all children and can be used in rehabilitation programmes as well for children with growth or developmental delays or disabilities. For more information about Kinderkinetics as a highly specialised honours programme in the Department of Sport Science, click here.

A flying start

The link-up between the Sport Science Department at Stellenbosch University (SU) and the community of Paternoster came all the way via Germany. German parliamentarian Dagmar Freitag, who firmly believes sport has the power to change the world by inspiring and uniting people, brought together Professor Elmarie Terblanche of Sport Science and Christian Neuber, founder of Kinder fördern Zukunft stiften and the Paternoster Project NPC. 

Since 2018, the Department of Sport Science has been involved with the children and the community of Paternoster. When offered the opportunity at the annual international conference organised by the foundation to add Kinderkinetics to the project’s programme, director Maike Reinhardt jumped at the opportunity. The following year Nicky de Villiers, an SU Kinderkinetics graduate, joined the team of volunteers in Paternoster and started putting the youngsters through their paces.

Since then a solid partnership has developed between Sport Science at SU and the Paternoster Project NPC. This formidable team has already organised a training camp for Paternoster’s rugby club and has run various other sports events with children and adults. Professor Terblanche guided the design of the Fitness Box equipment. At the opening of the Fitness Box on 20 November 2020, students and faculty members explained and demonstrated routines to guests. “This is where my six-pack will be born,” one of them remarked, with steely determination in his voice.

The Fitness Box, actively supported by Dagmar Freitag, was co-sponsored by Christian’s foundation and the German Government. In a message read at the opening ceremony, the German Consul General to Cape Town, Matthias Hansen, said: “Germany takes a vital interest in the sustainability and long-term success of South Africa as a role model of a diverse and free society, based on democracy and the rule of law. This success depends on the inclusion and active participation of the country’s youth from an early age, on good education, and on the promotion of life opportunities. We sincerely and wholeheartedly want to see the project ‘fly’.”

“I see the Fitness Box as another important cornerstone that we have laid in Paternoster for the sustainable and healthy development of children,” Christian said. “It fills me with pride and great joy to see how committed everyone is, and above all, how all work together to make the best possible use of the Fitness Box.”

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