Gimmies win in Stellenbosch

Paarl Gim went across to the Markötter Grounds in Stellenbosch and beat Paul Roos Gymnasium 24-15.

The result was closer than many expected but then Paul Roos have been improving after a shaky start to the season and in this match they played their hearts out. This is the closest the powerful Gim side has come to defeat, and in fact they at not stage looked like losing,

Gimmies led 10-3 at half time. Wyatt Murphy, an excellent goal-kicker, had opened the score  with a penalty after 4 minutes. Aidynn Cupido, son the great Western Province centre Wilfred Cupido, levelled the scores with a penalty. Gim's great lock, JD Schickerling scored a try which Murphy converted. Schickerling is a massive boy who played SA Schools last year, turned 18 recently and plays with all the verve and skill of a centre three-quarter. He really is a wonderful player.

An early try in the second half by right wing Leaviel Gouws, who was given an overlap and scored in the right corner, stretched the visitors' lead to 17-3 but then speedster Joel Heugh scored the great individual score of the match as he cut back to his left from the right wing and sped and weaved past six defenders to score at the posts, to make it 17-10, and Paul Rood were not out of the game.

In fact they nudged even closer when left wing Edwill van der Merwe raced over. 17-15 but Grant Hermanus, the versatile Gim fullback, raced over for a try near the end to make the final score 25-15.

It was an excellent match. Certainly the match was enriched by the refereeing of Jonathan Kaplan.

Scorers:

For Paarl Gim:

Tries: JD Schickerling, Dylon Fairbridge, Leaviel Gouws

Cons: Wyatt Murphy 3.

Pen: Wyatt Murphy

For Paul Roos :

Tries: Joel Heugh, Edwill van der Merwe

Con: Aidynn Cupido

Pen: Aidynn Cupido.

Teams:

Paarl Gim: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Leaviel Gouws, 13 Wayno Visagie, 12 Ryan Oosthuizen, 11 Dylon Fairbridge, 10 Wyatt Murphy, 9 Brendon Nell, 8 Rikus Bothma (captain), 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Gareth Cilliers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Johan Momsen, 3 DJ van Niekerk, 2 Wilner Conradie, 1 Gavin van den Berg.

Replacements: 16 Jasper Wiese, 17 Jacques De Klerk, 18 Jaco Willemse, 19 Edrich-John Pretorius, 20 Luhandré Luus, 21 Zandré de Koker, 22 Walter Smit, 23 Ruan Stander.

Paul Roos Gymnasium: 15 Chris Smith, 14 Joel Heugh, 13 Tristan Cramer, 12 Daniel du Plessis, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Aidynn Cupido, 9 Calvin Nel, 8 Michael Meyer, 7 Christo van der Merwe (Captain), 6 Mitchel Carstens, 5 Lohann Louw, 4 Daniel Buitendag, 3 Jerome Korf, 2 Jacques van Zyl, 1 HW Barnard.

Replacements: 16 Gerrie le Roux, 17 JP Botha, 18 Vernon Petersen, 19 Andrew Yoko, 20 Jan-Louis Eigelaar, 21 Reinhard Fortuin, 22 Matthew Gallow.

Referee: Jonathan Kaplan