Affies head for Gimmies
In the rankings on our Top 20, Affies were ranked fourth and Paarl Gim fifth in 2016 and in 2015 Paarl Gim were second, Affies fifth. They are clearly two of South Africa's top rugby schools, capable of competing with any school sides in the world.
This is only the 17th match between the two schools since the first in 1967, and 11 of those matches will have been this century. It was not easy to find a date, much as the two schools wished to play each other.
The two schools have Afrikaans connections. Apart from being Afrikaans-medium school, Paarl Gim played a leading role in the recognition of Afrikaans. Most of the founder member of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners had Gim connections. The school had been founded in 1958 as a Dutch-medium school but switched to Afrikaans in the 1930s.
Affies is really Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool. It was founded in 1920 as an Afrikaans-medium school, the first to be founded in South Africa and that five years before Afrikaans was fully recognised.
Both schools were church foundations.
But they are also different kinds of school. Paarl Gim is coed and provides schooling for all 12 years. Affies is a boys-only senior school (Grades 8 to 12). Gim has about 550 boys in the senior school, Affies has roughly 1250 pupils.
The difference in numbers has made it harder to get the schools to play each other. After all, Affies has 28 teams to accommodate each week, while Paarl Gim has 17.
The two schools got together in November and the only day that fitted was March 25, at a time when it is inordinately hot and dry in Paarl. The Western Case has been suffering a drought and heat waves. The match takes place at noon when the temperature is expected to be 28°C
Results Down the Years
1967: Gimmies won 11-0
1972: Gimmies won 19-0
1973: Gimmies won 38-3
1976: Affies won 10-3
1979: Gimmies won 23-3
1999: Affies won 19-11
2002: Affies won 24-20
2005: Gimmies won 38-18
2006: Draw 17-17
2007: Affies won 13-8
2008: Gimmies won 21-3
2009: Gimmies won 22-16
2011: Affies won 59-6
2012: Affies won 27-20
2014: Gimmies won 40-7
2015: Draw 22-22
Results this Season
The season has hardly started. Gimmies have played once, Affies twice. They are hardly at the zenith of their powers yet.
Paarl Gim vs Stellenberg 31-19
Affies vs Diamantveld 45-10
Affies vs Helpmekaar 31-19
Programme for the Day
JA Kriel-veld
08.15: Under-15A
09.15: Under-16A
10.30: 2nd XV
12.00: 1st XV
The 1st XV match will be televised live on Supersport, channel 206 and channel 210.
Stofberg-veld
08.15: Under-14A
09.30: Under-15B
10.30: Under-16B
Oukraal-veld
09.30: Under-14B
First Teams
When Gim played Stellenberg, the entire backline were playing for the side for the first time. For that reason you will see all but the fullback playing with borselkoppe, a Gim tradition. The fullback Muller du Plessis makes up for it. He is a top athlete and played on the wing for South African Schools last year.
Affies have three backs back from last year – Charles Goedhals, who has moved from fullback to flyhalf, Ruben Meiring and Marnus Potgieter, who was the outside centre for the Blue Bulls at the 2016 Craven Week. Gim have two forwards back – eighthman Henco Martins and lock Adriaan Ludick.
Affies: 15 Regardt Roets, 14 Ruan Wasserman, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Zach Briel, 11 Ruben Meiring, 10 Charles Goedhals, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Philip Potgieter, 7 Jaco Labuschagne, 6 Divhan du Preez, 5 Carl Els, 4 Michael de Waal, 3 James Combrink, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Wihan Bezuidenhout
Replacements: 16 Marius Potgieter, 17 Dewald Donald, 18 Sarel Joubert, 19 Michael Harding, 20 Reinhardt Ras, 21 Steyn van der Spuy, 22 Jeandré du Piesanie, 23 Jason Scheepers
Coaches: Jaco Koch, Jan–Hendrik Hattingh
Paarl Gim: 15 Muller du Plessis, 14 Stravino Jacobs, 13 Dawid Kellerman, 12 Ruben Scholtz, 11 Hanco Hanekom, 10 Daniël Beukes, 9 Hanro Geldenhuys, 8 Henco Martins, 7 Dean Nieuwoudt, 6 Corné Uys, 5 Ryno Beukes, 4 Adriaan Ludick, 3 Adriaan Staples, 2 Chris Rossouw, 1 Daniël Wessels
Replacements: 16 Hugo Pienaar, 17 Francois Staples, 18 Dedrich Glas, 19 Dré Engelbrecht, 20 AJ Wedgwood, 21 Jean Janse van Rensburg, 22 Janke du Toit, 23 Curt Mackier
Coaches: Pieter Rossouw, Helmut Lehmann
Date: Saturday, 25 March 2017
1st XV kick-off: 12.00
Television broadcast: Supersport Select (channel 210) and Supersport 6 (Channel 206)
Venue: Paarl Gim
Referee: Divan Uys (Western Province Referees' Society)
Top Achievers
Both have long rugby histories and several Springboks have emerged from the schools.
Paarl Gim Springboks
Japie le Roux
Pietie le Roux
Steve Joubert
Pierre de Villiers
JC van der Westhuizen
Jan Pickard
Hugo van Zyl
Wynand Mans
Schalk Burger Snr (Groot Schalk)
Kobus Burger
Kobus Wiese
Balie Swart
Mornay Visser
Pieter Rossouw, who currently the director of coaching at Paarl Gim.
De Wet Barry
Louis Koen
Chris Rossouw
Marius Joubert
Jean de Villiers (captain 37 times)
Schalk Burger Jnr (Klein Schalk) (captain once)
Ashley Johnson
Lourens Adriaanse
Handré Pollard
Affies Springboks
Louis Schmidt
Tonie Roux
Pierre Edwards, who currently is the school's headmaster
Grant Esterhuizen
Fourie du Preez (captain, four times)
Wynand Olivier
Pierre Spies
Dean Greyling