Landbou meets Landbou
These two agricultural schools – Marlow near Cradock and Oakdale in Riversdale – like each other and look forward to their annual meetings, an FNB Classic Clash in Cradock this Saturday.
The two schools enjoy the contact they have each year. The staffs of the two enjoy it enormously. When Oakdale goes to Cradock, they go out on the Friday night, hunting kudo. When the Wolramme go down to Riversdale. They get taken fishing. Exhausting nights!
They are both small schools with vigorous sides. Marlow is 12th on the FNB Top 20, Oakdale knocking on the door. Marlow's last three matches have gone well with victories over Diamantveld (58-5), Framesby (31-30 and St Andrew's (22-3), but Marlow has the greatest achievement in a match they did not win – their 17-all draw with Paarl Gim, a really special team.
Against Common Opponents
Geographically they are not all that far apart but in fact they have, thus far, only one opponent in common – Oudtshoorn. Both beat the Struisies, Marlow 22-6 and Oakdale 57-3.
The season so far
Marlow have played 15 matches, losing to Centurion, Kroonstad's Rooiskool and Die Brandwag. Their notable wins have been over Noord-Kaap, Nico Malan, Diamantveld. Framesby and St Andrew's of Grahamstown.
Oakdale have played 11 matches, losing to Daniël Pienaar, Grey Bloem, Paarl Boys' High and Outeniqua. The strong sides they beat are Louis Botha of Bloemfontein and Drostdy of Worcester.
Recent results between the two
2009: Marlow won 19-10
2010: Oakdale won 22-11
2011: Oakdale won 14-12
2012: Oakdale won 39-10
Representative players
Oakdale falls within South Western Districts. Marlow's provincial team is Eastern Province Country Districts, the strongest by some way of the Country District sides. Eastern Province is the narrow strip from Uitenhage down to Humansdorp. The rest is Country Districts, including Grahamstown, Graaff-Reinet and Cradock.
Just have a look at the representative players at each week and you will realise how classy these two teams are. These are two top South African teams in action.
Craven Week 2013
Marlow for Eastern Province Country Districts: : NJ Oosthuizen, Marco Blom, Ronnie Beyl, Hannes Viljoen, Nelius van Heerden (his second Craven Week), Ockert du Preez, Luigy van Jaarsveld, Peet Schoeman.
Oakdale: Juandré Dique, Nemo Roelofse, Donovan van den Berg, Benjamin Janse van Vuuren, Lorenzo Gordon, Gene Willemse, Maurice White, JP Coetzee (his second Craven Week).
Academy Week 2013
Marlow: Stephen Botha, Jordaan Schoeman, Chuiner van den Heever, Heini Brümm, Dirk van Wyk, Michael Botha.
Oakdale: Hanno Snyman, Dreyer van Zyl, JT Jackson, Ruan Barnard, Dylan Beukes
Marlow have 14 representative players in their team; in fact one of on the bench. Oakdale have 13 representative players in their team, three on the bench. Two Oakdale players on the bench went to Craven Week.
A look the players suggests that the strength of both sides is in its pack. Both teams have entirely representative tight forwards.
Neither side will have a push-over on Saturday.
Teams
Oakdale: 15 Ruan Barnard, 14 DC Giliomee, 13 Jan Oberholzer, 12 Gene Willemse, 11 Lorenzo Gordon, 10 JT Jackson, 9 Pierre du Toit, 8 Daniel Maree, 7 Stephan Streicher, 6 Benjamin Janse van Vuuren, 5 Dreyer van Zyl, 4 Donavan van der Berg, 3 Nemo Roelofse, 2 Hanno Snyman, 1 Juandré Digue
Replacements: 16 Cian Wagenaar, 17 Marcel Barnard, 18 Francois du Toit, 19 rain Gouws, 20 Maurice White, 21 Dylan Beukes, 22 JP Coetzee
Coaches: Malan du Plessis, Tommy Dixon
Marlow: 15 Dirk van Wyk, 14 Michael Botha, 13 Francois Swanepoel, 12 Peet Schoeman, 11 Chuiner van den Heever,10 Heini Brümm, 9 Jordaan Schoeman, 8 Luigy van Jaarsveld, 7 Ockert du Preez, 6 Nelius van Heerden, 5 Hannes Viljoen, 4 Stephen Botha (captain), 3 Ronnie Beyl, 2 Marco Blom, 1 NJ Oosthuizen
Replacements: 16 Lourens Snyman, 17 Ian Smith, 18 Faffa Roodt, 19 Arno Pienaar, 20 Hendrik Venter, 21 Le-Andre Cowley, 22 Hannes Botha, 23 Johann Steenkamp
Coaches: Derik Olivier, Stoney Steenkamp
Date: 27 July 2013
1st XV kick-off: 15.00
Venue: Landbouskool Marlow, Cradock
Expected weather conditions: Sunny with a high of 21°, dropping to 4°
