It's Interschools in Paarl

On Saturday, there are no Rugby Championship matches for the All Blacks, the Springboks and the Wallabies. On Saturday there is no Currie Cup at Newlands. But on Saturday there is the Interschools in the Paarl – the 103rd Interschools, a Premier Interschools match.

But it is not just about Saturday, not at all. Each of these great schools does Interschools for the week – nothing else, just Interschools.

There will be enormous focus on the Faure Street Stadium in Paarl on Saturday – enormous. There will be a huge crown packed into the stadium. Last year there were reported to be 26 000 for the match.

It is the biggest day in Paarl’s calendar, when the lovely Boland town is divided in two – green or blue. After all, these two schools have been in the town for a long time.

Gim was founded in 1858 in the centre of Paarl before moving further down Lady Grey Street and perching on a hillside in a vineyard. It has been a coed school since 1964 with pupils from Grade 1 to Grade 12.  It played an important role in the recognition and development of Africans.

Boys’ High was founded in 1868. It is just a high school and for boys only and is bilingual though with an Afrikaans majority.. It has roughly twice as many boys as Gim.

It’s not just about rugby. There is also golf, chess, hockey for boys and girls, netball for girls, primary school matches, Old Boys matches, functions, a Groot Brag at each schools, singing – that sort of thing with girls from Paarl Girls’ High taking on girls from Paarl Gim, which is coed.

No, it’s not all about rugby, though there is major focus on the 23 rugby matches. Of the matches, only four are played on the Saturday, and say what you like, it is the 1st XV match that counts most. It is broadcast live on television and becomes the core statistic of the day.

Bishops and Rondebosch may meet twice a season as do SACS and Wynberg, but Boys’ High and Gim meet only once. It would be too exhausting to do it twice. That has something to do with being in a small town.

This year Gim are the hosts.

The match should, as it was last year and most other years, be a close-run affair. They are both having excellent – and similar – seasons. Both have well-balanced sides – strong forwards and speedy, skilful backs.

Season So Far

Paarl Gim are ranked No.2 on the Schools Top 20, Paarl Boys’ High No.3.
They have each played 16 matches, 10 against opponents ranked in the Top 20.

Gim have won 15 and lost to Grey Bloem.
Boys’ High have won 14, drawn one and lost to Grey Bloem.

Results against Common Opponents

Affies: Gim won 46-19; Boys’ High won 39-12
Bishops: Gim won 31-10; Boys’ High won 41-23
Boland Landbou: Gim won 59-3; Boys’ High won 60-14
Grey Bloem: Gim lost 47-33; Boys’ High lost 43-24
Monument: Gim won 43-29; Boys’ High won 35-31
Oakdale: Gim won 51-25; Boys’ High won 42-0
Outeniqua: Gim won 11-8; Boys’ High won 34-26
Paul Roos: Gim won 42-15; Boys’ High won 29-16
Rondebosch: Gim won 47-26; Boys’ High won 47-10

Achievers

Both schools, capable of playing against any other school anywhere in the world, have made a great contribution to rugby in South Africa. Both have over 20 Old Boys who have played rugby for South Africa. André de Villiers of Paarl Gim and Corné Krige of Paarl Boys’ High have captained the Springboks.

2019

Both schools’ players are eligible to play for Western Province schools teams.

Craven Week

In 2019 Western Province had two teams at Craven Week, possibly the strongest teams at the week.

Craven Week Representatives

Paarl Gim: Bobby Alexander, Jovan Bekker, Curwin Gertse, Pierich Siebert, Liam Compion, Stephan du Toit, Ethan James, Louwtjie Marais, Louw Nel, Marco van Rhyn, Tiaan Swanepoel.

Paarl Boys’ High: Tyler Bock, Quan Horn, Angelo Osch, Rhynhardt Rijnsburger, Jacques Rousseau, Gideon van Wyk, Allister Williams, Javier Farmer, Kian Meadon, Stass Nel.
Coach: Peter Engledow

In addition, two South African Schools sides have been chosen this year to play against Argentina, England, France and Wales later this month.

Bobby Alexander, Pierich Siebert and Marco van Rhyn of Paarl Gim and Tyler Bock, Kean Meadon, Gideon van Wyk, Quan Horn and Rynhardt Rijnsburger of Paarl Boys’ High will be playing in international competition.

Rugby Programme for Interschools

Thursday, 1 August 2019

Oukraal
16.10: 7th XV
15.00: 8th XV

Lemoenkloof
15.00: Under-16E

Fonteintjie
15.00: Under-15E

Dammetjie
15.00: Under-14E

Friday, 2 August 2019

JA Kriel
14.00: 4th XV
15.10: Under-14A
16.15: 3rd XV

Stofberg
14.00: Under-16B
15.10: 6th XV
16.20: 5th XV

Lemoenkloof
14.00: Under-16D
15.10: Under-16C

Oukraal
14.00: Under-15C
15.00: Under-15B
16.00: Under-15D

Fonteintjie
14.00: Under-14B
15.00: Under-14C
16.00: Under-14D

Saturday, 3 August 2019

Faure Street Stadium
12.05: Under-15A
13.15: Under-16A
14.35: 2nd XV
16.00: 1st XV

1st Teams

Paarl Gim: 15 Tiaan Swanepoel, 14 Curwin Gertse, 13 Ethan James, 12 John du Toit, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Jandré Burger, 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 Johan Smal, 23 Migael Basson
Coaches: Pieter Rossouw, Helmut Lehmann

Paarl Boys’ High: 15 Jacques Rousseau, 14 Angelo Osch, 13 Quan Horn, 12 Tyler Bocks, 11 Javier Farmer, 10 Kian Meadon, 9 Wian van der Sandt, 8 Gideon van Wyk, 7 Eon van der Berg, 6 Stass Nel, 5 Niel Venter, 4 Evan Roode, 3 Sebastiaan Lombaard, 2 Allister Williams, 1 Rhynhardt Rijnsburger
Coach: Peter Engledow

Referee: Quinton Immelman (Western Province Referees’ Society)

Date: 1 – 3 August 2019
1st XV kick-off: 16.00 on 3 August 2019
Live television broadcast: SuperSport channel 2010
Venue: Faure Street Stadium, Paarl
Expected weather conditions: Sunny to partly cloudy with a high of 18°C and a low of 6°C

Paarl Gim vs Paarl Boys’ High Down the Years

1915: Boys’ High won 10-0
1916: Gim won 7-5
1917: Gim won 3-0
1918: Gim won 3-0
1919: Gim won 9-0
1920: Gim won 20-0
1921: Draw 6-6
1922: Draw 3-3
1923: Boys’ High won 3-0
1924: Boys’ High won 13-5
1925: Boys’ High won 7-3
1926: Boys’ High won 6-5
1927: Gim won 5-3
1928: No match
1929: Draw 3-3
1930: Boys’ High won 5-3
1931: Gim won 6-0
1932: Gim won 7-3
1933: Boys’ High won 3-0
1934: Boys’ High won 5-4
1935: Draw 0-0
1936: Gim won 11-6
1937: Gim won 5-3
1938: Gim won 5-3
1939: Gim won 9-8
1940: Draw 3-3
1941: Gim won 6-0
1942: Draw 0-0
1943: Gim won 9-6
1944: Boys’ High won 6-0
1945: Boys’ High won 14-6
1946: Draw 3-3
1947: Boys’ High won 8-3
1948: Draw 3-3
1949: Gim won 9-3
1950: Boys’ High won 6-3
1951: Boys’ High won 6-0
1952: Boys’ High won 11-0
1953: Boys’ High won 6-5
1956: Gim won 6-3
1957: Gim won 5-3
1958: Gim won 11-0
1959: Boys’ High won 11-3
1960: Gim won 9-3
1961: Boys’ High won 6-0
1962: Boys’ High won 6-0
1963: Boys’ High won 8-0
1964: Gim won 9-8
1965: Gim won 11-0
1966: Gim won 8-0
1967: Gim won 8-6
1968: Gim won 3-0
1969: Boys’ High won 8-5
1970: Gim won 19-8
1971: Boys’ High won 11-6
1972: Boys’ High won 6-3
1973: Boys’ High won 19-6
1974: Gim won 9-3
1975: Boys’ High won 3-0
1976: Gim won 8-6
1977: Boys’ High won 15-6
1978: Gim won 13-10
1979: Gim won 12-6
1980: Gim won 9-3
1981: Gim won 12-0
1982: Boys’ High won 16-15
1983: Gim won 15-6
1984: Gim won 10-4
1985: Boys’ High won 16-6
1986: Draw 0-0
1987: Boys’ High won 15-7
1988: Draw 6-6
1989: Gim won 15-4
1990: Boys’ High won 10-6
1991: Boys’ High won 8-4
1992: Gim won 20-15
1993: Boys’ High won 19-17
1994: Boys’ High won 11-6
1995: Boys’ High won 17-3
1996: Gim won 18-16
1997: Gim won 13-10
1998: Boys’ High won 16-5
1999: Gim won 13-6
2000: Boys’ High won 15-7
2001: Boys’ High won 12-3
2002: Gim won 15-0
2003: Boys’ High won 25-6
2004: Gim won 13-3
2005: Gim won 22-10
2006: Gim won 23-17
2007: Gim won 10-0
2008: Gim won 35-8
2009: Boys’ High won 24-12
2010: Draw 19-19
2011: Gim won 22-19
2012: Gim won 16-9
2013: Gim won 37-26
2014: Gim won 16-15
2015: Boys’ High won 16-10
2016: Boys’ High won 26-25
2017: Boys’ High won 18-13
2018: Boys’ High won 24-21