Michelin Series gets serious
Quarter-finalists nearly decided
The Michel Series for 16 top schools is nearing the knock-out stages with strong performances by some
Marais Viljoen of Alberton, Affies and Waterkloof of Pretoria, Monument of Krugersdorp and the Rooi Bulle of HTS Middelburg all look certain of places in the quarter-finals to be played on 22 August.
The Michelin Series caters for 16 schools divided into four groups.
The teams are seeded based on last year's performance. Affies are thus seeded 1.
Before the series proper gets going there are play-off matches for 15th and 16th positions. Before the series starts new schools may apply to take part. The applicants are evaluated and the best plays against 16th of the year before, the second best against 15th.
This year Jeugland of Kempton Park played against Jim Fouché of Bloemfontein and Roodepoort played against Eldoraigne of Pretoria. Jeugland and Eldoraigne went through.
The four groups in 2006 are:
Group 1: Affies, Nelspruit, Ermelo, Eldoraigne
Group 2: Klerksdorp, Pietersburg, Waterkloof, Jeugland
Group 3: Monument, HTS Middelburg, HTS Vereeniging, Bastion
Group 4: EG Jansen, Marais Viljoen, Florida, Transvalia
The points system in the Michelin Series is slightly different:
4 for a win
2 for a draw
1 bonus point for three tries
1 bonus point for five tries or more
1 bonus point for a team losing by fewer than 8 points.
Besides the 1st XVs, the Under-16s, Under-15s and Under-14s also play,.
With only a few group matches over, that Affies, Waterkloof, Monument and Marais Viljoen – all unbeaten – will top their groups. Waterkloof have just Jeugland to play, Monnas Bastion. HTS Middelburg beat Bastion and look likely quarter-finalists with just HTS Vereeniging to play and the Tekkies got a hiding from Monnas last weekend.
Now it is a battle for second place in each group.
The matches remaining are:
Jeugland vs Waterkloof
Bastion vs Monument
HTS Middelburg vs HTS Vereeniging
Transvalia vs Florida
The quarter-finals will be played at Florida (Groups 2 and 4) and Bastion (Groups 1 and 3) on 22 April.
The semi-finals will be played on 27 May at LC de Villiers Stadium in Pretoria and the final at the same venue on 6 May.
After that a Michelin Under-18 team will be chosen to play against Tukkies Under-19.
