Captain's Profile: Johan du Preez

HS Pietersburg will look to emulate their feats of 2014 which saw them claim their first Classic Clash victory over HS Ben Vorster in eight years of the rivalry.

Johan du Preez will be donning the captain's armband for PHS and the hooker, who has already tasted representative rugby, will be looking to impart some motivation on his already full-strength, experienced team.

"We managed to claim victory for the first time in eight years in 2014 and will be looking to repeat that result but we know it is going to be a hard game because they will come at us with everything they have.

"We have had a fairly tough season thus far but we are a young group that is highly motivated and will be fully focused as we look to give it our all and show are massive will to win," he said.

The 18-year-old hooker, known to his peers as Bakkies, is currently in his second year of playing in the first team and believes that "Pain is temporary but glory lasts forever."

"I am very happy and proud to lead such a dynamic group of players and will definitely look to draw on and share the feeling of beating Ben Vorster in 2014 to help motivate us again on Saturday.

"To me, being a captain means that I need to set the example that the rest of the team can follow. Not just any example though, but a positive and influential example that will bring out the best in everyone. It does not take much to motivate the team but I can see the impact my words has on them when I look into their eyes and see their hunger to succeed," he added.

Once he leaves school, du Preez is set to study Agriculture which will set him up to join his dad as a farmer.