Boishaai Fixtures 2016

They will play 19 matches, against some of the top rugby schools in the country. In fact, they will be facing no fewer than six schools of 2015's Top 10 and another five that ended in the Top 20.

They kick off the season on the 12 March at the Porterville sports festival, where they will face Die Brandwag from the Eastern Cape.

Apart from the usual challenge from the local schools, the Paarl outfit will also be severally tested by the likes of Affies, Nelspruit, Helpmekaar, who, according to some informed rugby people, have a very strong line-up and, of course, the Free State giants Grey Bloemfontein.

Nine players that qualified for first team colours in 2015, will still be available in the new season. Some of these were regular starters including SA Schools players Salmaan Moerat (lock), Khanya Ncusane (No.8) and Manual Rass (centre).

A good portion of 2015's unbeaten second team will still be in the mix and the Under-16 side from last year , which had no fewer than ten Western Province Grant Khomo players, will surely challenge for the First Fifteen.

This all sounds very promising, but as some of the old heads will tell you 'Don't count your chickens before they are hatched'. In the past, Boishaai, like other schools, have also came unstuck with a so called 'Dream Team'. Coaches Sean Erasmus and Elmo Wolfaardt are well aware of this, and will keep the high expectations of the school's supporters in check.

Paarl Boys' High Fixtures 2016

12 March: Brandwag (Porterville )

15 March:  Newlands (WP Schools Day)

St John's Easter Festival

24 March: Lions XV (St John's Festival)

26 March: Helpmekaar (St John's)

28 March: Nelspruit (St John's)

9 April: Outeniqua (away)

16 April: Bishops (home)

23 April: Wynberg (away)

Wildeklawer

30 April: Waterkloof (Wildeklawer)

2 May: Affies (Wildeklawer)

14 May: Stellenberg (home)

21 May: Grey Bloem (home)

28 May: Paul Roos (away)

4 June: Oakdale (home)

11 June: Boland Landbou (away)

23 June: Rondebosch (home)

30 June: SACS (away)

6 August: Paarl Gim. (home)

20 August: Drostdy (home)

*It is worth noting that 11 players of the 2015 First team, who were in matric, have been contracted by various unions.

For Western Province:  Wikus Groenewald (prop), Ruben de Villiers (lock), David Meihuizen (lock) and Jandré Grobler (flyhalf)

For the Golden Lions: MC de Jongh (hooker), Leo Kruger (prop), Bradley Thain (scrumhalf), Jan-Louis le Grange (centre), Tyreeq February (wing) and Jeanluc Cilliers (fullback)

For the Leopards: JC van Schalkwyk (flank)

The captain, Andreas van Wyk, was already Under-19, and is now a student at Stellenbosch.

By Kattes Kruger