Paarl legend on why local derby is so special

INTERVIEW: Long-serving Boishaai coach Sean Erasmus lifts the lid on the rivalry with Gimmies and why the annual Paarl derby is like nothing else in schools rugby.

More than 20,000 fans will descend on the Faure Street Stadium this Saturday, when Paarl Boys tackle arch-rivals Paarl Gimnasium in what is widely recognised as the biggest derby in schools rugby.

Hundreds of thousands more will watch the game via broadcast and streaming services, and while the result will mean a great deal, the occasion will serve as a celebration of South African schoolboy rugby.

Sean Erasmus, who has been involved at this level for more than three decades, explains why the week leading up to Interskole is something else.

“Everybody should experience this derby, because it’s quite possibly the best rugby experience you’re ever going to have,” the Boishaai coach told Rugby365.

We’re chatting in Erasmus’ office at Paarl Boys High School, just a short walk away from Faure Street Stadium.

The ground sits in the centre of Paarl, and during derby week, the town is split down the middle – with citizens donning either the blue of Boishaai or the maroon, green and gold of Gimmies.

“It’s the one week where everyone wears their hearts on their sleeve, and it’s usually a case of people flying the colours of Gim in the north of town and Boishaai in the south.

“Pictures of the players are everywhere, even on cupcakes. Old boys travel back to Paarl from all corners of the world, and in the week, everything is a competition, whether you’re playing a social rugby game or downing a beer.

“I will never forget the first time I watched the old boys game – Gimmies had [former Springboks] De Wet Barry and Marius Joubert in the midfield. The guys were going hard, and I was wondering what their bodies might feel like the next day.”

Rugby is more than a game in Paarl, and when coaches like Erasmus share these stories, one cannot help but recall scenes from famous sport movies, such as Varsity Blues and Friday Night Lights.

Everyone in the community knows the players as well as their stats, and on game day, the town comes to a standstill.

“When you walk into church or pop into the local store for groceries, people want to know about the team and your strategy,” Erasmus says with a chuckle.

“We posted a message on social media recently, and it got over one million hits. People are invested in the local teams, and a lot of people are invested in schoolboy rugby.

“The average guy on the street will be able to tell you who played for Boishaai and what the result was. I don’t think many people will follow the pro game as closely, or will know as much about a specific team.

“The pressure is closer to home, of course, and people feel they can come up to you and talk about it,” he adds.

“Maybe it’s not the same at pro level, where fans don’t know every little detail, or feel that they can approach the coach on the street.”

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Erasmus steered Boishaai to a thrilling 35-33 win over Gimmies last year.

While it was a crucial result in isolation – and atoned for the 8-30 hammering they suffered at the hands of Gimmies in 2024 – it also ensured that Boishaai finished the season as the No 1 team in the country.

In 2026, Erasmus’ side has been less consistent, winning just nine of their 14 games.

Meanwhile, Pieter Rossouw’s Gimmies have been the leading team in the country, winning 14 of the last 15 matches – and many of those by emphatic margins.

“Pieter and Gim do a really good job, and there’s no getting away from the fact that they are going to do what they do this Saturday – and because of the occasion, they are going to take it to another level,” Erasmus said.

“Last year, a lot of people told me that the Paarl derby was the best schoolboy game they had ever seen.

“With 10 minutes left, we were three tries down, and we scored three tries to win it 35-33.

“It all came together in those final minutes – and not just in a rugby sense. That’s when everything you’ve put into place in terms of your culture and values comes to the fore. It was special to see.”

In the aftermath of that fixture, several Boishaai players rushed to console their Gimmies counterparts.

Having featured in the 2024 loss, many of the boys understood what it meant to fall short in the biggest game of the schools calendar.

The result still matters a great deal, to the coaches, players and communities.

But Erasmus is philosophical about the derby, and why it means so much to both teams.

He suggests that the spirit of the contest is its unique selling point.

It’s an interesting perspective from a well-travelled schools coach, who looks set to join Maties ahead of the 2027 Varsity Cup.

“Why is this derby special? It just brings rugby people together.

“It’s been a battle over the past couple of years, but it felt like nobody lost that derby in 2025.

“The vibe was amazing, and it was a privilege to be part of that.

“After we won, I watched the boys from both sides and the contrasting emotions.

“None of our players screamed or rubbed it in their opponents’ faces – and you saw how some went to console the Gimmies players.

“That’s what people seem to forget about this derby – it’s a big match and a massive occasion, but at the end of the day, these guys are great mates off the field.

“When the game is over, the boys will get changed into their jeans and then head out together.

“They understand what a privilege it is to be involved in this game, and to be part of the next generation of South African rugby.”

LAST FIVE PAARL DERBY RESULTS

2025: Paarl Boys 35-33 Paarl Gim
2024: Paarl Boys 8-30 Paarl Gim
2023: Paarl Boys 17-20 Paarl Gim
2022: Paarl Boys 26-24 Paarl Gim
2019: Paarl Boys 17-18 Paarl Gim