2026 season
On 2026 results, the best rugby school in South Africa is Paarl Gimnasium: No. 1 of 251 first XV schools, 14-0-1 with a rating of 2356.
Schools Rugby Rankings is an open rating of every South African first XV team, built from 7 932 match results since 2025. This list ranks schools on results only, not on facilities, fees or famous old boys.
Updated , with results to .
| # | School | Rating | W-D-L | 2025 | Stands out for | Weak spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Paarl GimnasiumWestern Cape | 2356 | 14-0-1 | 2 | No. 2 for points per match (50.7) | Lost 19-20 to Stellenberg |
| 2 |  AffiesGauteng | 2162 | 13-0-4 | 3 | 13 wins from 17 | Lost 24-51 to Paarl Gimnasium |
| 3 |  GarsfonteinGauteng | 2156 | 13-0-3 | 8 | 13 wins from 16 | Lost 26-29 to Jeppe |
| 4 |  Paul Roos GimnasiumWestern Cape | 2153 | 14-0-2 | 6 | 14 wins from 16 | Lost 22-68 to Paarl Gimnasium |
| 5 |  ZwartkopGauteng | 2096 | 22-0-2 | 11 | No. 1 for most wins (22) | Lost 14-31 to Durban HS |
| 6 |  MonumentGauteng | 2079 | 16-0-4 | 50 | No. 3 for most wins (16) | Lost 32-61 to Garsfontein |
| 7 |  Paarl Boys' HighWestern Cape | 2065 | 8-1-5 | 1 | 8 wins from 14 | Lost 11-25 to Paarl Gimnasium |
| 8 |  StellenbergWestern Cape | 2056 | 15-0-2 | 22 | 15 wins from 17 | Lost 7-29 to Paarl Boys' High |
| 9 |  Grey CollegeFree State | 2027 | 11-0-5 | 4 | 11 wins from 16 | Lost 14-29 to Paarl Gimnasium |
| 10 |  Durban HSKwaZulu-Natal | 1984 | 11-1-4 | 5 | 11 wins from 16 | Lost 7-47 to Paarl Gimnasium |
| 11 |  DrostdyWestern Cape | 1969 | 12-0-2 | 32 | 12 wins from 14 | Lost 41-75 to Monument |
| 12 |  CenturionGauteng | 1956 | 14-0-0 | 67 | No. 1 for win rate (100%) | No defeat in our results |
| 13 |  Graeme CollegeEastern Cape | 1949 | 16-1-1 | 35 | No. 3 for most wins (16) | Lost 24-36 to Selborne College |
| 14 |  Hilton CollegeKwaZulu-Natal | 1949 | 11-0-2 | 14 | 11 wins from 13 | Lost 9-14 to Maritzburg College |
| 15 | PietersburgLimpopo | 1938 | 17-0-3 | 52 | No. 2 for most wins (17) | Lost 15-27 to Kempton Park |
| 16 |  Rondebosch Boys' HighWestern Cape | 1929 | 12-0-5 | 17 | 12 wins from 17 | Lost 24-52 to Paarl Gimnasium |
| 17 | WilgerivierFree State | 1926 | 11-0-0 | 28 | No. 1 for points per match (52.2) | Only 11 matches on file |
| 18 |  Westville Boys' HighKwaZulu-Natal | 1907 | 9-1-6 | 7 | 9 wins from 16 | Lost 24-40 to Oakdale Landbou |
| 19 |  Parel ValleiWestern Cape | 1900 | 13-0-1 | 44 | 13 wins from 14 | Lost 5-19 to SACS |
| 20 |  MichaelhouseKwaZulu-Natal | 1894 | 9-0-5 | 76 | 9 wins from 14 | Lost 19-52 to Westville Boys' High |
Rating after each school's last 2026 match. "2025" is the final 2025 rank. The full list of 251 schools is on the SA schools rugby rankings.
1. Paarl GimnasiumPaarl Gimnasium (Western Cape) went 14-0-1 in 2026, scoring 760 points and conceding 227. Best win: 51-24 against Affies, a match the ratings gave them a 58% chance of winning. Lost to Stellenberg (19-20). Finished 2025 at No. 2.
2. AffiesAffies (Gauteng) went 13-0-4 in 2026, scoring 702 points and conceding 438. Best win: 40-37 against Paarl Boys' High, a match the ratings gave them a 40% chance of winning. Lost to Paul Roos Gimnasium (28-45), Michaelhouse (27-29), Paarl Gimnasium (24-51), Garsfontein (34-38). Finished 2025 at No. 3.
3. GarsfonteinGarsfontein (Gauteng) went 13-0-3 in 2026, scoring 642 points and conceding 341. Best win: 31-28 against Paarl Boys' High, a match the ratings gave them a 28% chance of winning. Lost to Jeppe (26-29), Paul Roos Gimnasium (18-21), Waterkloof (26-27). Finished 2025 at No. 8.
4. Paul Roos GimnasiumPaul Roos Gimnasium (Western Cape) went 14-0-2 in 2026, scoring 552 points and conceding 338. Best win: 21-18 against Garsfontein, a match the ratings gave them a 49% chance of winning. Lost to Stellenberg (10-20), Paarl Gimnasium (22-68). Finished 2025 at No. 6.
5. ZwartkopZwartkop (Gauteng) went 22-0-2 in 2026, scoring 996 points and conceding 412. Best win: 39-26 against Montana (BB), a match the ratings gave them a 50% chance of winning. Lost to Durban HS (14-31), Kearsney College (19-22). Finished 2025 at No. 11.
6. MonumentMonument (Gauteng) went 16-0-4 in 2026, scoring 1000 points and conceding 605. Best win: 75-41 against Drostdy, a match the ratings gave them a 27% chance of winning. Lost to Diamantveld (35-36), Grey College (15-31), Paul Roos Gimnasium (17-21), Garsfontein (32-61). Finished 2025 at No. 50.
7. Paarl Boys' HighPaarl Boys' High (Western Cape) went 8-1-5 in 2026, scoring 402 points and conceding 278. Best win: 29-7 against Stellenberg, a match the ratings gave them a 42% chance of winning. Lost to Garsfontein (28-31), Affies (37-40), Grey College (21-31), Paul Roos Gimnasium (22-28), Paarl Gimnasium (11-25). Finished 2025 at No. 1.
8. StellenbergStellenberg (Western Cape) went 15-0-2 in 2026, scoring 622 points and conceding 250. Best win: 26-21 against Grey College, a match the ratings gave them a 16% chance of winning. Lost to Garsfontein (20-21), Paarl Boys' High (7-29). Finished 2025 at No. 22.
9. Grey CollegeGrey College (Free State) went 11-0-5 in 2026, scoring 706 points and conceding 295. Best win: 38-7 against Oakdale Landbou, a match the ratings gave them a 57% chance of winning. Lost to Stellenberg (21-26), Nudgee (26-29), Paarl Gimnasium (14-29), Affies (21-28), Paul Roos Gimnasium (29-37). Finished 2025 at No. 4.
10. Durban HSDurban HS (KwaZulu-Natal) went 11-1-4 in 2026, scoring 506 points and conceding 308. Best win: 36-24 against Kearsney College, a match the ratings gave them a 51% chance of winning. Lost to Northwood (14-17), Monument (27-41), Paarl Gimnasium (7-47), Maritzburg College (17-18). Finished 2025 at No. 5.
Every first XV result we can source goes into one rating, the same for every school. A school needs 5 or more matches in the season to be ranked. We publish the formula, the data sources and how well it predicts: it picked the winner of 70% of 6 299 matches before kick-off. Read the full method or see how it compares with Rugby365 and the Fairtree rankings.
On 2026 results it is Paarl Gimnasium: No. 1 of 251 ranked first XV schools, with a 14-0-1 record and a rating of 2356. They finished 2025 at No. 2.
On 2026 results: 1. Paarl Gimnasium, 2. Affies, 3. Garsfontein, 4. Paul Roos Gimnasium, 5. Zwartkop, 6. Monument, 7. Paarl Boys' High, 8. Stellenberg, 9. Grey College, 10. Durban HS.
Affies, No. 1 in Gauteng and No. 2 nationally in 2026, with a 13-0-4 record.
Paarl Gimnasium, No. 1 in Western Cape and No. 1 nationally in 2026, with a 14-0-1 record.
Durban HS, No. 1 in KwaZulu-Natal and No. 10 nationally in 2026, with a 11-1-4 record.
Paarl Gimnasium (2 in 2025, 1 in 2026), Affies (3 in 2025, 2 in 2026), Garsfontein (8 in 2025, 3 in 2026), Paul Roos Gimnasium (6 in 2025, 4 in 2026), Paarl Boys' High (1 in 2025, 7 in 2026), Grey College (4 in 2025, 9 in 2026), Durban HS (5 in 2025, 10 in 2026).
Of schools with 10 or more matches, Centurion won the biggest share: 14 of 14 (100%).
No. It ranks first XV teams on their match results only. Famous old boys, facilities and fees play no part, so a school's place reflects how its current team played.
By a rating built from every first XV result: beating a stronger side earns more, bigger margins count a little more, and home ground is allowed for. The same formula picked the winner of 70% of 6 299 matches before kick-off.
After each weekend of the season, which runs from about March to August. Out of season it shows the final 2026 table.
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