Gimmies Too Good for Affies

Paarl Gim certainly have a strong side – again – this year. They scored their highest score in 19 matches with Affies in winning 46-19 on an overcast afternoon in Paarl.

The crowd was big and festive, both schools singing their support for their teams. Affies had flown 500 boys down for this meeting of two great schools – at the cost of nearly a million rand. They sang but they could not match their opponents, a coed school, who had the advantage of a large contingent of singing girls.

Affies had to replace Craven Week lock Christian Kamffer and flyhalf Terblanche van Lill before the match started. The places were taken by Reinhardt Ludwig and JC Potgieter.

There was a wind blowing, apparently bringing rain to the dry Western Cape. Affies had the wind in the first half which ended with Gimmies leading 20-19. Affies did not score in the second half while Gimmies piled on the points.

Gim kicked off, attacked and scored the first points of the match, a penalty goal by fullback Tiaan Swanepoel. Affies kicked off and attacked and score dc the first try of the match as they went through powerful phases and flank Willie Potgieter scored. 5-3 after 7 minutes.

A penalty gave Paarl Gim man attacking lineout. Left wing Stravino Jacobs took a miracle pass from eighthman Juan Wilson and scored in the right corner. That made the score 8-5 after 10 minutes. It was a lead that Gim built on. The building process did not take long, for a minute later they made it 15-5.

From the kick-off, Gim went wide left to outside centre Ethan James who chipped ahead. Jacobs got the bouncing ball and the sturdy wing raced through some 60 empty metres to score near the posts.

There was a long delay. Affies flank, big MJ Janse van Rensburg, tackled wing Curwin Gertse with his head on the “wrong” side and was knocked out. He was attended to and taken off the field. A later medical report said that he had suffered concussion but no further damage. His place was taken by Brendhan Kelbrick.

Play restarted, Affies were penalised and Gim kicked out for a five-metre lineout. They mauled and heaved their way over for a try credited to flank Louw Nel 20-5 after just 15 minutes, and it seemed that Affies were in for a hiding, but they do not give up quite so easily. But on 25 minutes, they lost flank Willie Potgieter, his place taken by Gustav Bester

Gim were playing far too quickly, thanks in no small measure to the quick clearing of the breakdown by Bobby Alexander but from time to time their handling was fragile. From a scrum, Affies’ scrumhalf Michael van Aswegen did some artful dodging and played to Bester who, barely on the field, scored a try which Dieter Crafford converted. 20-12.

A Crafford grubber caused confusion in the Gim defence with some more inaccurate handling. This led to a five-metre scrum from which flyhalf Potgieter threw a dummy and accelerated through the gap for a try, and the half-time score was 20-19.

It looked as if it could be Affies’ day after all, but it was all Gimmies as Eric Basson, replacing eighthman Juan Wilson, scored a try. Then a penalty set Gimmies on the attack. They bashed close and hooker Liam Compion scored. Johan Smal’s conversion made it 32-19.

There was a sweet switch on the Gimmies side. Their captain, Marco van Rhyn, who is the head boy of the school, went off bleeding and his place was taken by his twin brother Johan, who is the deputy head boy.

Gim went wide left and then, on advantage, wide right\right where effective centre Stephan du Toit took an inside pass from Gertse to score. 39-19 with 11 minutes to play.

Jacobs came close to a hat-trick but lost the ball in the act of scoring. But from a maul Gimmies flank Pierich Siebert was over for a try which flyhalf Johan Smal converted.

Affies fought with might and main, but Gimmies were just too good.

Scorers:

For Paarl Gim:
Tries: Stravino Jacobs 2, Louw Nel, Eric Basson, Liam Compion, Stephan du Toit, Pierich Siebert.
Cons: Tiaan Swanepoel, Johan Smal 2, Jandré Burger
Pen: Swanepoel.

For Affies:
Tries: Willie Potgieter, Gustav Bester, FC Potgieter.
Cons: Dieter Crafford 2

Teams

Paarl Gim: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Curwin Gertse, 13 Ethan James, 12 Stephan du Toit, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Johan Smal, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Juan Wilson, 7 Pierich Siebert, 6 Louw Nel, 5 Marco van Rhyn (captain), 4 Reynhardt Crous, 3 Jovan Bekker, 2 Liam Compion, 1 Gerhard van Niekerk
Replacements: 16 Delarey Nel, 17 Louwtjie Marais, 18 Danté Booyens, 19 Johan van Rhyn, 20 Eric Basson, 21 Bradley Davids, 22 Jandré Burger, 23 Prevann Isaacs
Coaches: Pieter Rossouw, Helmut Lehmann

Affies: 15 Dieter Crafford, 14 Christiaan du Toit, 13 Gerrard Botha, 12 Johan du Toit, 11 Kyle Liebenberg, 10 JC Potgieter, 9 Michael van Aswegen, 8 George Oosthuysen, 7 Willie Potgieter, 6 MJ Janse van Rensburg, 5 Adolph Visser, 4 Reinhardt Ludwig, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Jaques-Lois du Toit (captain), 1 Ruben Windell
Coaches: Jaco Koch, Jan-Hendrik Hattingh, Janus Kruger
Manager: Pieter Cronje

Referee: Nathan Barry (Western Province Referees’ Society)
Assistant referees: Samuel Passens (Western Province Referees’ Society), Ashley Jacobs (Western Province Referees’ Society)

Paarl Gim vs Affies Down the Years

1967: Gimmies won 11-0
1972: Gimmies won 19-0
1973: Gimmies won 38-3
1976: Affies won 10-3
1979: Gimmies won 23-3
1999: Affies won 19-11
2002: Affies won 24-20
2005: Gimmies won 38-18
2006: Draw 17-17
2007: Affies won 13-8
2008: Gimmies won 21-3
2009: Gimmies won 22-16
2011: Affies won 59-6
2012: Affies won 27-20
2014: Gimmies won 40-7
2015: Draw 22-22
2017: Gimmies won 35-33
2018: Gimmies won 41-21
2019: Gimmies won 46-19