Kearsney College has confirmed that its annual Easter Festival has been called off due to the continuing threat of Covid-19.

The highly anticipated tournament is one of four traditional schools rugby festivals played during the Easter weekend holiday.

The 2020 Kearnsey Festival would have been the 13th edition, but on Monday the school announced that they had no option but to cancel the event amid the growing fears about coronavirus pandemic.

Kearsney headmaster Elwyn van den Aardweg said the school would heed the civic co-operation required of South Africans to best ensure health and safety within the country, and had therefore decided to cancel the highly popular event which was scheduled to kick off in three weeks.

‘In line with president Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement last night with regard to the coronavirus crisis, the 13th Kearsney Easter Rugby Festival has been cancelled.

‘Next year is Kearsney’s centenary and a special edition of the festival is being planned with exciting new teams. These include some traditional schools with which Kearsney has had a long relationship over many decades, to ensure a suitable commemoration of the 100-year milestone.’

Photo: Tracey van Aardweg/Kearsney College