Paarl Boys' High take on SACS
This year though they face a confident SACS team that has lost only once themselves this season and the Boishaai coaches will know that they cannot afford to take their eye off the ball.
Boishaai have had another brilliant season thus far, winning all twelve of their matches played in South Africa and four from five on their pre-season tour on New Zealand. Other than Monument they have played virtually all the top schools in South Africa with notable wins on the road against Grey College and Oakdale as well as victories over Paul Roos, Glenwood and Affies.
Those results though were achieved with their inspirational captain Francke Horn leading from the front. We saw last week at Craven Week how he was missed by Western Province Schools team. Boishaai have enviable depth and no doubt there will be a more than able replacement stepping in but these are big shoes to fill!
SACS have played two fewer matches but have only lost to Paul Roos thus far while drawing against two of their local rivals Rondebosch and Bishops. What SACS have proved is an ability to score tries and unbelievable fitness and resilience that has seen them snatch numerous victories at the death, the most recent two being against Grey High and Selborne College at Cape Schools Week.
Ironically SACS’s most famous win of the season came against Boishaai’s arch-rivals and opponents next week Paarl Gimnasium. SACS are also without a regular loose-forward in No.8 Oliver Schuurmans who scored the dramatic winning try against Paarl Gim. No doubt the Boishaai players and coaches watched that match with much glee but how ironic would it be if the same fate befell them this week!
Boishaai have proved themselves to be the No. 1 team in South Africa this year. They have stuttered at times but their superior skills, coaching, spirit and belief have seen them come up trumps on every occasion.
SACS have based their season’s success on very similar attributes but one would think playing at home and with the quality and depth of athletes Boishaai have at their disposal they should win this match but stranger things have happened.
*The match will be streamed live. See rugby365.com
Teams
Paarl Boys' High: 15 Thaakir Abrahams (captain), 14 Stuart Tait, 13 Divan Enslin, 12 Le Roux Malan, 11 Luka Ferreria, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Eric Myburgh, 8 Cornell Kotze, 7 Louwan Horn, 6 Vian Fourie, 5 Adrian Alberts, 4 Armandt Conradie, 3 Josh du Preez, 2 Cullen van der Merwe, 1 MJ Strauss
SACS: 15 Michael Abrahams, 14 Ben Mazzullo, 13 Jordy Hop, 12 Chad van der Loo, 11 Aaron Zeederberg, 10 David Hayes, 9 Vusile Dlepu (captain), 8 Declan O’Connor, 7 Sujai Ikemefuna, 6 Craig Bylin, 5 Jean Minnaar, 4 Storm Balchin, 3 Joshua Barrett, 2 Anathi Kalipa, 1 Ethan Burger
By Graeme Wepener
Rugby Programme for Saturday, 29 July 2017
A-VELD
08.00: Under-15A
09.00: Under-19D
10.10: 3rd XV
11.20: 2nd XV
12.30: 1st XV
B-VELD
08.00: 8th XV vs SACS 7th
09.00: 9th XV vs JUDD
10.00: 5th XV
11.20: 6th XV
12.30: 7th XV vs Spine Road – (55min)
C-VELD
08.00: Under-16D vs SACS C
09.10: Under-16E vs SACS D
10.10: Under-16A
11.20: Under-16B
12.30: Under-16C vs Spine Road
D-VELD
08.00: Under-14E vs SACS D
09.00: Under-14A
10.00: Under-14B
11.00: Under-14C vs Spine Road
12.00: Under-14D vs SACS C
E-VELD
08.00: Under-15D vs SACS C
09.00: Under-15E vs SACS D
10.00: Under-15B
11.00: Under-15C vs Spine Road
12.00: Under-16F vs JUDD
