Happy birthday, Paul Roos
Paul Roos is 150 years old this year – not the player but the great school which bears his name – Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch. Mind you the player, had he been alive, would have been 135 in October this year.
Paul Roos went to the school as a boy when it was called Stellenbosch Boys' High School. But that was not its first name.
Stellenbosch is, after Cape Town, the oldest town in South Africa, named after Governor Simon van der Stel. The first school had been opened in 1683 but education in the town began in earnest in 1859 with the opening of a seminary for the Dutch Reformed Church and a gymnasium which became Het Stellenbosch Gymnasium in 1866. In 1874 some higher classes became Victoria College and then in 1918 the University of Stellenbosch. In 1909 an old boy of the school, Paul Roos, captain of the first team to be called the Springboks, was invited to become the sixth rector of the school. He remained rector till 1940. On his retirement the school's name was changed to Paul Roos Gymnasium. He became a member of parliament and died in 1948.
Not only the name was changed; the premises were also changed till they reached their present site on the other bank of the Eerste River in the late 1940s. For years and years the school had used the university's fields but, thanks largely to a gift from Oubaas Markötter, the school acquired its own fields. Always the school shared the colours of the university – the maroon jersey with the gold collar and cuffs.
The school's rugby has been perhaps its greatest pride, one of the greatest rugby schools in the world with the biggest number of Old Boy Springboks of any school in South Africa.
Its is fitting that the school should have rugby as a part of its birthday party. There are schools coming to Stellenbosch from the Western Cape, including Oakdale of Riversdale, Outeniqua of George and Langenhoven Gimnasium of Oudtshoorn, Jacobsdal (Landboudal), Kimberley (Diamantveld). Polokwane (Pietersburg) and Affies from Pretoria who will play the main match, which will be televised live.
It will be a great day in lovely Stellenbosch, autumn when huge crops of acorns fall from ancient oak trees.
Programme for 28 March 2015
08.00: Hugenote vs Hermanus
09.15: SACS vs Langenhoven Gimnasium
10.30: Oakdale vs Landboudal
11.45: Boland Landbou vs Worcester Gym
13.00: Paarl Gym vs Pietersburg
14.15: Rondebosch vs Outeniqua
15.30: Paarl Boys High vs Diamantveld
16.45: Paul Roos vs Affies
SACS, it is believed, taught Paul Roos's ancestors to play rugby. They will be at the part plus several old rivals from the Western Province. A sad absentee is Bishops who have been playing Paul Roos's ancestors since at least 1878. They had committed themselves to a trip to Grahamstown before the birthday invitation arrived.
Paul Roos's Rugby Springboks: Japie Louw, Jim McKendrick, Arthur de Kock, Robert Shand, Paul de Waal, PO Nel, Koei Brink, the three Luyts – Freddie, Richard and John – WA Krige, Tokkie Scholtz, Kenny Starke, Nic Bosman, Bob Loubser, Japie Krige, Paul Roos (captain), PK Albertyn (captain), AF du Toit, Koot Reynecke, Tom van Vuuren, Charlie Meyer, Ballie Wahl, Attie van Heerden, Jackie Tindall, Daunce Devine, Phil Mostert (captain), George van Reenen, Theuns Kruger, Nico du Plessis, Ferdie Bergh, Gideon Roos, Boy de Villiers, Pinkie Daneel, George Daneel, who is the only Springbok to have lived beyond 100, Tjol Lategan, who died recently at the age of 89, PKMorkel, Manus de Jongh, Boet Prinsloo, Mannetjies Michau, Gert Brynard, Jannie Engelbrecht, Hempies du Toit, Justin Swart, Cabous van der Westhuizen, Cobus Visagie, Francois Hougaard, Andries Bekker, Schalk Brits, Juandré Kruger and Willie le Roux. There are 51 in all.
