Gym Battle in Paarl
They are two schools with long traditions. Paarl Gim was founded in 1858, Paul Roos in 1866. The younger school started playing rugby quite a bit before the older school, because Gim's principal did not believe in playing sport. "Garden if you want exercise," he told the boys.
The two schools are not far apart at all but very different. Paul Roos teaches in Afrikaans and English, while Paarl Gim is an Afrikaans-medium school. In fact the movement to free Afrikaans from Dutch in South Africa started at Paarl Gim.
Paul Roos is solely a boys' school, Gim co-ed. Paul Roos has many more to choose from. Paul Roos has roughly 1 200 boys in the high school as against roughly 500 at Gim.
Schools rugby in the Western Province has a huge input from the four 'country' schools – Paul Roos in Stellenbosch and Paarl Gim, Paarl Boys' High and Boland Landbou in Paarl. They are all excellent rugby schools, and that means that the competition amongst them is fierce.
Both schools have many Springboks amongst their Old Boys.
Top 20
Last year the Top 20 ranking ended with Paarl Boys' High first, Paarl Gim second and Paul Roos third. Boland Landbou were 17th. In the Western Province, they were first, second, third and fifth. At present Paul Roos is fifth, Paarl Gim 11th.
This Season
But then it's a new year. Schools change. Both schools have lost one of their matches this year – Paul Roos to Affies (17-24) and Gimmies to Garsfontein (3-15). Last week Gim beat Boland Landbou 34-14 while Paul Roos beat Grey PE 34-21.
Experience
Paul Roos has more experience than Gimmies. After all they have two players who played SA Schools last year – flyhalf Damian Willemse and fullback Joshua Vermeulen who is in his third year in the first XV. (He turned 19 in February and so will not be eligible for Craven Week this year.)
Paul Roos has three players who played in this match last year – Vermeulen and Willemse and scrumhalf Tiaan Coetzee.
Paarl Gimnasium has four players back – fullback Wian van Zyl, No.8 Muller Uys, who was a lock last year and loosehead André Booysen. In addition this year's flyhalf Theo Boshoff was on the bench last year. Of them, Wian van Zyl played for Western Province at the Craven Week in 2015. Gimmies left wing, Muller du Plessis, played for Western Province at Grant Khomo Week in 2015.
Television
Being a Premier Interschools match it will be televised live and replayed. For Paul Roos, this is the second week in a row that the nation can watch them play.
Results this Century
2001: Gim won 11-0
2002: Gim won 28-12
2003: Draw 16-16
2004: Gim won 15-10
2005: Paul Roos won 23-13
2006: Paul Roos won 19-14
2007: Gim won 28-8
2008: Gim won 17-14
2009: Paul Roos won 47-36
2010: Gim won 30-27
2011: Paul Roos won 34-30
2012: Gim won 28-8
2013: Gim won 24-15
2014: Paul Roos won 34-16
2015: Gim won 23-21
Lots of close matches.
Rugby Programme, April 16
JA Kriel Field
10.10: Under-16 A
11.20: Third XV
12.30: Second XV
14.00: First XV
Stoffberg Field
09.00: Fourth XV
10.15: Under-14A
11.15: Under-15A
Oudekraal
09.00: Under-15E
10.00: Sixth XV
11.30: Fifth XV
Lemoenkloof
09.00: Under-16B
10.15: Under-16D
11.30: Under-16C
Fonteintjie
09.00: Under-15B
10.00: Under-15D
11.15: Under-15C
Dammetjie
09.00: Under-14B
10.00: Under-14C
11.15: Under-14D
First XVs:
Paarl Gim: 15 Wian van Zyl, 14 Jan Jordaan, 13 Christopher Willemse, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Muller du Plessis, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Muller Uys, 7 Ryno Beukes, 6 Janus Swart, 5 Raymond Nel, 4 Adriaan Ludick, 3 Francois Staples, 2 Sehan du Toit, 1 André Booysen.
Replacements. 16 Michael Houndsome, 17 Daniël Wessels, 18 Bryan Buitendag, 19 Henco Martins, 20 Bernu Engelbrecht, 21 Juvan Robinson, 22 Reinhardt Louw.
Coaches. Piieter Rossouw, Helmut Lehmann.
Paul Roos: 15 Joshua Vermeulen, 14 David-Lee Moses, 13 Dylan de Villiers, 12 Lyle Hendricks, 11 Aidan Lombard, 10 Damian Willemse (captain), 9 Tiaan Coetzee, 8 Bruce Coetzee, 7 Johan Joubert, 6 Hanré du Toit, 5 Philip van Dyk, 4 Jesse Johnson, 3 Tristan Leitch, 2 Daneel Steinmann, 1 Martin Louw.
Replacments: TBC
Coaches: Stephan Jordaan, Lucas Roothman
Date: April 16
Kick-off: 14.00
Venue: JA Kriel Field, Paarl Gim
Expected weather conditions: Hot. Clear with a maximum of 30°C and a minimum of 16°C
Old Boy Springboks
Paarl Gim: Steve Joubert, Pierrie de Villiers, JC van der Westhuizen, Jan Pickard, Hugo van Zyl, Wynand Mans, Schalk Burger Snr, Kobus Burger, Kobus Wiese, Balie Swart, Mornay Visser, Pieter Rossouw, De Wet Barry, Louis Koen, Marius Joubert, Jean de Villiers, Schalk Burger Jnr, Ashley Johnson, Lourens Adriaanse, Handré Pollard.
Paul Roos: Arthur de Kock, Japie Louw, Jim McKendrick, Bob Shand, Paul de Waal, Japie Krige, Bob Loubser, PARO (PO) Nel, Paul Roos, Koei Brink, Pinkie Daneel, Boy de Villiers, Freddie Luyt, Dick Luyt, Koot Reynecke, Gideon Roos, Wakkie Krige, John Luyt, Tom van Vuuren, Nic du Plessis, Theuns Kruger, Charlie Meyer, Mannetjies Michau, Phil Mostert, Tokkie Scholtz, Jackie Tindall, Attie van Heerden, PK Albertyn, Nico Bosman, Daunce Devine, Kenny Starke, George Daneel, Manus de Jongh, AF du Toit, PK Morkel, Boet Prinsloo, Ferdie Bergh, George van Reenen, Ballie Wahl, Tjol Lategan, Jannie Engelbrecht, Gertjie Brynard, Hempies du Toit, Cabous van der Westhuizen, Justin Swart, Cobus Visagie, Andries Bekker, Schalk Brits, Francois Hougaard, Juandré Kruger, Willie Le Roux.
