The Easter weekend has become the time when the cream of rugby-playing schools from across the country converge on Gauteng for the three big FNB-sponsored schools festivals.
This year is no exception and a mouth-watering array of schoolboy rugby is on offer at St Stithians College, St John's College and King Edward School.
Of the schools that have been topping the national rankings over the past few years, three of the big ones - Grey College, Paarl Gimnasium and Grey High School - will not be in Johannesburg this year, but there are enough other top sides to make for some quality rugby.
A number of top 10 schools will be here, including Pretoria's Affies, who have been at the very top for a good number of years now.
They will be playing at the St John's Festival, along with Paul Roos of Stellenbosch, another of the elite rugby schools, and the match between the two on the Saturday will be a highlight of the weekend.
Also at St John's will be SWD champions Outeniqua, Monument, the top local school, and Maritzburg College.
College did not perform well at this festival last year, but they improved greatly at home as the year progressed and it is very unlikely that they will come here and lose three games in a row ever again.
King Edward have broken new ground by inviting, for the first time, two of the traditional rugby schools from the Karoo in Marlow and Union High.
Both have produced great sides in the past and are likely to come with big forwards, hardened by country living.
Other drawcards at KES, apart from the hosts with their fanatical support, include top Durban sides Westville Boys' High and Glenwood, as well as Pretoria Boys' High.
The St Stithians line-up includes Bishops and St Andrew's, two schools who have traditionally epitomised all that is good in open schoolboy running rugby.
As a balance to that, they also have the power of Boland Landbou and Pretoria's rising stars Hoërskool Eldoraigne.
St Stithians: Thursday April 9 - 11am FNB Invitation v Bishops, 12.15pm St David's v St Andrew's, 1.30pm St Stithians v St Charles, 2.45pm Boland Landbou v Parktown Boys, 4pm St Alban's v Wynberg. Saturday April 11 - 11am St David's v FNB Invitation, 12.15pm Boland Landbou v St Charles, 1.30pm St Alban's v Bishops, 2.45pm Parktown Boys v Wynberg, 4.15pm St Stithians v St Andrew's. Monday April 13 - 11am St Alban's v FNB Invitation, 12.15pm Parktown Boys v St Charles, 1.30pm St David's v Wynberg, 2.45pm Boland Landbou v St Andrew's, 4pm St Stithians v Bishops.
St John's: Thursday April 9 - 8.45am Golden Lions v Paul Roos, 10am Affies v FNB Invitation, 11.15am Helpmekaar v Monument, 12.30pm Maritzburg College v Outeniqua, 1.45pm Glenwood v Jeppe, 3pm Pirates Madalas v SA Legends, 4pm Paarl Boys' v St John's. Saturday April 11 - 9.45am Golden Lions v FNB Invitation, 11am St John's v Helpmekaar, 12.15pm Glenwood v Outeniqua, 1.30pm Opening Ceremony, 1.45pm Paarl Boys' v Monument, 3pm Affies v Paul Roos, 4.15pm Maritzburg College v Jeppe. Monday April 13 - 9.45am FNB Invitation v Maritzburg College, 11am Jeppe v Golden Lions, 12.15pm Helpmekaar v Glenwood, 1.30pm Outenqua v St John's, 2.45pm Affies v Paarl Boys' 4pm Paul Roos v Monument.
King Edward: Thursday April 9 - 8.45am Rondebosch v Westville, 10am Rob Ferreira v Florida, 11.15am Pretoria Boys' High v Eldoraigne, 12.30pm FNB Invitation v Hudson Park, 1.45pm King Edward v Marlow, 3pm Trinityhouse v Muir College, 4.15pm St Benedict's College v Union High. Saturday April 11 - 8.45am FNB Invitation v Trinityhouse, 10am Union High v Hudson Park, 11.15am St Benedict's v Muir College, 12.30pm Florida v Marlow, 1.45pm Eldoraigne v Rob Ferreira, 3pm Pretoria Boys' High School v Westville, 4.15m Rondebosch v King Edward. Monday April 13 - 8.45am FNB Invitation v Muir College, 10am Union High v Trinityhouse, 11.15am St Benedict's College v Rob Ferreira, 12.30pm Florida v Eldoraigne, 1.45pm Westville v Marlow, 3pm King Edward v Hudson Park, 4.15pm Pretoria Boys' High v Rondebosch.