CC in Middelburg
Two great rugby schools meet in an FNB Classic Clash in Middelburg, Mpumalanga on Saturday – Hoërskool Middelburg and HTS Middelburg.
There was a time when this match was a foregone conclusion for the Rooi Bulle but no longer as Hoërskool Middelburg has grown more competitive, despite being well and truly outnumbered by the Rooi Bulle who have nearly three times their number of pupils.
The Rooi Bulle would be favourites, but nobody will be unaware of 2009 when the Middies won a massive 33-10. Rooies won 25-10 the year after that and just 20-18 last year when they scored near the end.
HTS Middelburg have just two back from last year scrumhalf Kobus Wolmarans and prop Ivan Gouws where was the Middies have eight back – wings Pieter Wilke and Khomotso Tladi, centre Erard van der Heever, eighthman Anele Blaauw, who is likely to go to Craven Week, the captain Seon de Jager, who is playing his third year in the First XV, locks JP van der Kolff and Martin van der Merwe and loosehead Willem Steenkamp.
Both of the sides do not shy away from tough opposition but the only opponents they have in common are Nelspruit. HTS Middelburg beat them 36-11 and Hoërskool Middelburg beat them 55-27.
Waterkloof, Boland Landbou and Kemptonpark have beaten the Rooi Bulle but they have accounted for strong sides such as Transvalia, Monnas, Eldoraigne and Centurion. Powerful Garsfontein beat the Middies and so did Bethlehem Voortrekker (31-29) but they have beaten Die Brandwag of Uitenhage, Zwartkop and Potch Gimmies (76-6).
It could just be a tense contest – again.
The teams:
Hoërskool Middelburg: 15 Paul Maritz, 14 Pieter Wilke, 13 Jacques le Roux, 12 Erard van den Heever, 11 Vincent Sibiya, 10 Jacques Bruce, 9 Pieter Jordaan, 8 Anele Blaauw, 7 Louw de Waal, 6 Seon de Jager, 5 Martin van der Merwe, 4 Christopher van Leeuwen, 3 Dewald Pretorius, 2 Riaan Scholtz, 1 Willem Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Lamprecht, 17 Gavin Bresler, 18 Joubert du Toit, 19 Sibusiso Phore, 20 Xander Kritzinger, 21 Jacques Petzer-Moore.
HTS Middelburg: 15 Michael Chabant, 14 Ruan du Plooy, 13 Wygie Johnstone, 12 Justin Hallett, 11 Christo Meyer (vice-captain), 10 Juandré Schmidt, 9 Kobus Wolmarans, 8 Janó Venter, 7 Brandon Krause, 6 Willandré Kotzenbergh, 5 Chris Robbertse, 4 Michael Basson, 3 Ivan Gouws, 2 JP (Vleis) Schönfeldt (captain), 1 JP Zaayman.
Replacements: 16 Nelius Smit, 17 Zander Taljaard, 18 Waldo Morris, 19 Christo de Jager, 20 Rowan Gouws, 21 George Fritz, 22 Lourens Basson, 23 Stephan Liebenberg.
Coaches: Alec Strydom, Dirkie Strydom
Date: Saturday, 26 May, 2012
Kick-off: 12.45
Venue: HTS Middelburg
Expected weather conditions: Sunny but cold – a high of 17°C, dropping to just 1°C
