Boishaai descend on Bishops
There is an exciting prospect at the Diocesan College on Campo Ground Road on Saturday when high-riding Paarl Boys' High [play Bishops on its Piley Rees Fields.
The first recorded match between the two schools was in 1929 but between Bishops and 'Paarl" in 1884, a Grand Challenge match.
But this town-vs-country match has always been a highlight of the rugby season, with Bishops generally giving as good as they got, though last year, in the mud Boishaai won 36-3. On of the try-scorers was wing Tyreeq February who scored a hat-trick, He will be back playing again this Saturday.
Boishaai also have back their loosehead prop Wikus, who went to Craven Week last year, as did the Bishops tighthead JP Smith. That may be an interesting battle in the midst of the battle as a whole.
At present Boishaai are ranked No.1 on the FNB Top 20. Bishops are in a group just below the Top 20, though they beat Paarl Gim who are ranked 12th. Boishaai would love to emulate Bishops on the first Saturday of August.
Bishops have played seven matches, winning five and losing to Grey PE in PE and SACS on the Piley Rees Field. Their best victory was that over Paarl Gim in an astonishingly magnificent game of rugby.
Boishaai are unbeaten in 11 matches this season. Scalps include four Top 20 sides – Monument, Outeniqua, Dr EG Jansen and Grey Bloem in Bloemfontein. They would certainly start Saturday's match as firm favourites.
It will not be a muddy match on Saturday.
Teams
Bishops: 15 Tristan Leyds, 14 Lubelo Scott, 13 Seb Hanekom, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Abndre Manuel, 10 James Macdonald, 9 Brandom Salomo 8 Francois Stassen 7 Jarryd Lurie (captain), 6 Jean Pienaar, 5 Luciano da Graca, 4 Connor Osborne, 3 JP Smith, 2 Keanan Alexander, 1 William Day
Paarl Boys' High: 15 Jean-Luc Cilliers, 14 Tyreeq February, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Jan-Louis la Grange, 11 Elester Becker, 10 Rayhaan Lombaard, 9 Bradley Thain, 8 Khanya Ncusane, 7 JC van Schalkwyk, 6 Andreas van Wyk (captain), 5 Salmaan Moerat, 4 Ruben de Villiers, 3 Reece Bezuidenhout, 2 MC de Jongh, 1 Wikus Groenewald.
Rugby Programme
Piley Rees Field
09.10: 3rd XV
10.15: 2nd XV
11.30: 1st XV
Sahara Field
08.15: Under-14A
09.10: Under-16B
10.15: Under-16 A
Avenue Field
08.00: 6th XV
09.10: 5th XV
10.15: 4th XV
Cemetery Field
09.10: 8th XV
10.15: 7th XV
Range Field
08.00: Under-15C
09.00: Under-15B
10.15: Under-15A
Lutgensvale A
08.00: Under-16C
09.00: Under-14C
10.00: Under-14B
Lutgensvale B
08.00: Under-14E
09.00: Under-15D
10.00: Under-14D
Photo: The 2014 match. It was wet.
