Classic Clash in Mossel Bay
On Saturday Langenhoven Gimnasium will wander down the glorious Robinson pass with stunning views over the bay and with aloes to form a guard of honour on their way from Oudtshoorn to Van Riebeeck Stadium for their interschools, and FNB Classic Clash, with Hoërskool Punt.
The stadium looks out over the beautiful bay where explorers from Europe first landed in South Africa, back in 1488. The Dutch named the bay for the mussels which improved the sailors' diets as they came on their way to India. For a while the English named it Aliwal South but it remains Mossel Bay with its oil from gas refinery that has brought the lovely town greater prosperity.
The two schools have much in common, along with Hoërskool Oudtshoorn the next tier after the powerhouses of Outeniqua and Oakdale.
Season so Far
Punt have played 13 matches, winning nine of them and losing to Outeniqua and Paarl Boys' High who are both in the FNB Top 20, Die Brandwag and King's School in Cheshire.
Langenhoven Gimnasium, who spread wider in search of rugby opponents, have played 18 matches, winning 12 and losing to Outeniqua and Oakdale of the FNB Top 20, Montagu, Landboudal of Jankempdorp, Oosterlig and Seavuna.
Results against Common Opponents
Outeniqua: Punt lost 36-3; Langenhoven Gim lost 88-17
Hottentots Holland: Punt won 50-5; Langenhoven Gim won 33-22
Nico Malan: Punt won 41-8; Langenhoven Gim won 26-14
Representative Players
Both schools' players are eligible to play for South Western Districts.
Craven Week
The Craven Week team was essentially a combination of Oakdale and Outeniqua players, which means that Langenhoven Gim did well to have one in the side that ended as one of the best two teams at Craven Week.
Langenhoven Gimnasium: Nevada Jacobs, who, with team-mate Curtley de Laan, was at the Grant Khomo Week in 2013.
Punt:: –
Academy Week
Here, too, Outeniqua and Oakdale dominated.
Langenhoven Gimnasium: Shelwyn Dyssel, Curtley de Laan
Punt: Luhan Potgieter, Jahnlo Swanepoel
Under-19
Punt: Lohan Potgieter, Hélin Petersen
Experience
In Oudtshoorn in 2013 Langenhoven Gim won 38-18. Each team this year has just one survivor of the 2013 starting team. Shelwyn Dyssel was on the right wing for Langenhoven Gimnasium and Lorenzo Joseph's was at flyhalf for Punt. In addition Langenhoven Gim's captain this year, Werner Heunis was on the bench last year.
Otherwise the teams are both new sides.
Teams
Punt: 15 Walter Bartman, 14 Danwin Thomas, 13 Marnus Nortjé, 12 Juan van Eyck, 11 Wade Coetzee, 10 Lorenzo Joseph, 9 Francois Maartens, 8 Xandré Prinsloo, 7 Francois Botha, 6 Lohan Potgieter, 5 Stephan Visagie, 4 JP de Koker (captain), 3 Herman Venter, 2 Reinhardt Stears, 1 Jahnlo Swanepoel
Replacements: 16 Johan Venter, 17 Armandt Dykstra, 18 Jean Bailey, 19 Thomas Swart, 20 Henard de Villiers, 21 Hélin Petersen, 22 Chavon Jaftha, 23 Schalk van der Merwe
Coaches: Gawie Mynhardt, Riekie Lessing
Langenhoven Gimnasium: 15 Jean Heunis, 14 Louis Nel, 13 Shelwyn Deysel, 12 Piet Keller, 11 Brendon Sinden, 10 Winrey Stoffels, 9 Ruan Steyn, 8 Nevada Jacobs, 7 Wikus Heunis, 6 Jackie Botes, 5 Robin Lolo, 4 Leandré Boshoff, 3 Christo Greyling, 2 Werner Heunis (captain), 1 Leono Oosthuizen
Replacements: 16 Curtley de Laan, 17 Ockert Potgieter, 18 Jaco Glinister, 19 Justin Bekker, 20 Herscelle le Roux
Coaches: P Potgieter, Jaco Spies
Date: 16 August 2014
Kick-off: 12.30
Venue: Van Riebeeck Stadium, Mossel Bay
Expected weather conditions: Sunny with a high of 19°C and a low of 17°C
Rugby Programme
A Field
08.30: Under-15A
09.30: Under-16A
10.30: 2nd XV
12.30: 1st XV
B Field
08.30: Under-14A
09.30: Under-14B
C Field
08.30: Under-16B
