Kwaggas look back and forward
It was Paarl Boys High last Saturday and this led to Point of Mossel Bay this Saturday and leads to Paarl Gymnasium this coming Saturday. All on the track of the Outeniqua juggernaut as it jigga-jiggas its way along.
How mouth-watering is the game this weekend going to be? I venture to say this might very well be the game to settle who the number one side in the country will be this year! It is highly likely that whoever wins this game will go unbeaten this year. I know I’m tempting fate with that but, hey, it is quite a possibility is it not?
Before we look ahead let’s just consider last weekend and the Outeniqua – Punt game. I haven’t written a match report because it was unfortunately a little one-sided and while the Punt team never gave up there was really no facet of the game that they could say they had parity in. Dian Koen stood out for Outeniqua again and I think he would be my man of the match. His eighthman play is really exemplary and he checks all the boxes of a classical No.8.
Warrick Gelant excelled as usual but the really stand-out thing about Saturday was his kicking, particularly for poles. He converted all his kicks except the last one which was one of the easier of the day ironically. Why the kicking was so exceptional was that it was done in a really stiff breeze, probably a good 20 or 25 km/h. It was great and drew appreciative oohs and aahs after every kick!
The final score was 71-3 and if one was brutally honest it could have been a little more but for a few fumbles and stumbles.
On to this Saturday and any Schoolboy Rugby aficionado must be looking forward to this one. It is being televised and will I am sure be an absolute spectacle.
It’s being touted as being a game that will test who has superiority: the Outeniqua backs or the Gym forwards. This might not be entirely accurate though as I believe that upfront there will an almighty tussle. The lineouts are going to be fascinating with the contest between JD Shickerling of Paarl, who is the old hand having represented SA Schools last year, and the youngster, Eduard Zandberg of Outeniqua. Both are 2m tall and over 110 kgs. Incredible for schoolboys.
In the tight loose on must favour the Paarl boys as the loose trio is exceptional but never underestimate the talent of this Outeniqua side. You will do so at your peril.
As to the backs, well, any team will do well to contain these Outeniqua boys. Give them the ball and you will see magic happen. Talking to a player from another school today he indicated that they saw a possible weakness at 13 for Outeniqua. I don’t think that is the case at all. Douw Schoeman would be welcome in any first fifteen in the country and fortunately for Outeniqua he is in their first fifteen!
The Paarl backs are also a force to be reckoned with and will not I am sure give Outeniqua an inch. It will be exciting to see if this Outeniqua backline can unlock the Paarl defence. Outeniqua’s defence has been a little porous at times this year but they have the All Black attitude of “we don’t care how many points you score, we are going to score more!”
A feast of rugby is to be expected and hope to see you all there or at least sitting in front of you TVs! Broadcast: 13.35 on SS7.
By Deon de Waal
Punt vs Outeniqua
Scorers:
For Outeniqua:
Tries Geor Malan, Dian Koen 2, Remu Malan, Duhan van der Merwe, Warrick Gelant, Douw Schoeman, Leighton Eksteen 3
Cons: Warrick Gelant 7, Leighton Eksteen 2
Pen: Warrick Gelant
For Punt:
Pen:T Botha
