Middies take on the Rooi Bulle

The match this year is at HTS Middelburg.

In recent years the Rooi Bulle of HTS Middelburg have been too strong for the Middies of Hoërskool Middelburg, but this was not always the case, as the results below show. But the last time the Middies won was in 2009 and then it was a surprise – the fact that they won and the extent of their victory. But of late the Rooi Bulle have become one of the powerhouses of South African rugby. They were invited again to the high-profile Wildeklawer tournament.

Season so Far

This year the HTS has been not as strong as usual. Last year they were ranked 10th on the FNB Top 20 but this year they have dropped just off the list after six defeats in 11 matches, but all six of their defeats were against sides on the Top 20. They lost to Glenwood, Selborne, Eldoraigne, Dr EG Jansen, Paul Roos and Diamantveld – none of them by a large margin.

Middies on the other hand have not played a Top 20 school. They have lost two of their six matches – to Martin Oosthuizen and Lichtenburg and drawn with Wonderboom.

The schools have played no common opponents.

Experience

The most experienced player in the two teams is the Middies' captain, prop Steven Pieterse who is in his third season for the 1st XV. In 2015 he played for the Pumas at Craven Week and in the SARU Under-19 competition. He is the only player in the current team to have been to Craven week though Ryan Phiri an Wandile Shabangu went to the Academy Week – Shabangu as a wing – and Shane Botha was a scrumhalf in the Pumas Grant Khomo side.

The HTS captain, JC Pretorius, a flank, has had remarkable experience. He was at Craven Week last year and then was chosen for the Junior Blitsbokke, the Under-18 Sevens team that won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa last year. Pretorius is the only one back of the Rooi Bulle Craven Week players last year though this year's halfbacks, Riekert Barnard and Uys du Preez, were at the Grant Khomo Week.

The match will be broadcast live in television's channel 210.

1st XVs

Hoërskool Middelburg: 15 Henrico Storm, 14 Thys Potgieter, 13 Ryan Phiri, 12 Telvin Mhlongo, 11 Mpumi Mathias, 10 Morné Sonnekus, 9 Shane Botha, 8 Shannon Cappa, 7 Dewald Coetzee, 6 Wandile Shabangu, 5 Ruan Wohlitz, 4 Jacques le Roux, 3 Mario Leemans, 2 Loyiso Masinyane, 1 Steven Pieterse (captain)

Replacements: 16 Delmaine Pieterse, 17 Anton Hoogenboezem, 18 Dylan Saunders, 19 Stephan Kempen, 20 Nathan Mey, 21 Cornel Els, 22 Barend Ditle, 23 Zama Mhlongo

HTS Middelburg: tba

Date: 14 May 2016

1st XV kick-off: 14.00

Television broadcast: Channel 210.

Venue: HTS MIddelburg

Expected weather conditions: Rain with a high of 22°C, dropping to 10°C

Results Down the Years

1935: Hoërskool Middelburg won 16-6

1945: Hoërskool Middelburg won 10-8

1950: Draw

1950: HTS Middelburg won 9-3

1963: HTS Middelburg won 11-0

1964: Hoërskool Middelburg won 8-3

1965: Hoërskool Middelburg won 3-0

1966: Hoërskool Middelburg won 11-6

1969: HTS Middelburg won 12-5

1976: HTS Middelburg won 11-9

1977: Hoërskool Middelburg won 10-6

1978: Hoërskool Middelburg won 12-3

1979: Draw 4-4

1983: Hoërskool Middelburg won 31-3

1987: Draw 13-13

1989: HTS Middelburg won 13-4

2009: Hoërskool Middelburg won 33-10

2010: HTS Middelburg won 25-10

2011: HTS Middelburg won 21-18

2012: HTS Middelburg won 30-27

2013: HTS Middelburg won 29-16

2014: HTS Middelburg won 44-12

2015: HTS Middelburg won 41-26