Paul Roos celebrate victory
It was a match that went with the wind that blew down the Markötter Field on a lovely autumn day in Stellenbosch when hosts Paul Roos turned the tables in the main game and beat Affies of Pretoria 29-12 on Saturday.
The match was the climax to a day of rugby to celebrate Paul Roos Gymnasium's 150th birthday. It was also the first Premier Interschools match of 2015.
Things did not look all that promising at half-time when Affies led 12-3. But Affies were playing with the wind and did not score again in the second half when their hosts scored 26 points from four tries. It may have been not only the wind that made the difference. The Affies' defence was not great and being held up over the Paul Roos line obviously had a serious effect.
Both sides ran more than they kicked and in fact the match was a marvellous advertisement for schoolboy rugby and confirmed the belief that it is a game best played by the innocence of youth.
In the whole match, one scrum collapsed. There were sanctions for putting the ball in skew and being 'foot up'. Phased were not limited to one pass and most of the time scrumhalves passed to flyhalves. And there were no sanctionary cards. It is a good game played this way, and in no way less of a stern contest.
Paul Roos had special jerseys for the occasion. Instead of their usual maroon with gold trim they had their original colours – thin maroon and white stripes.
Both teams had players back from 2014 – Paul Roos six, Affies 12. two of the Affies players, Eduan Lubbe and Eddie Fouché, played for the Blue Bulls at the 2014 Craven Week. Both sides had played a match before this – Affies beating Helpmekaar 24-0 while Paul Roos lost to Rondebosch in Schools Day at Newlands.
Each side missed relatively easy kicks at goal but when Affies advanced against one, the referee moved the mark on 10 metres and Joshua Vermeulen goaled. It was the only penalty goal of the match. 3-0 after 9 minutes.
Affies then settled down to a serious offensive. They attacked after winning a turnover, played with their backs with some excellent play by flyhalf Ruan de Swardt and then bashed till fullback Henco Jordaan swirled over at close quarters. 5-3 after 22 minutes.
But it was obvious not going to be an easy day for scoring tries as both sides were determined on defence.
Than just before half-time Affies had the benefit of a turnover and then a referee's allowing advantage. Henco Jordaan broke strongly down the left and the next thing Affies were charging at the line with burly eighthman Eduan Lubbe prominent. Tall centre Louritz van der Schyff was held up over the line and from the five-metre scrum Affies bashed again till tall lock Ruben van Heerden got the ball down on the line for a try which Eddie Fouché converted.
That ended the half with Affies leading 12-3.
Affies started the second half attacking but Paul Roos then got deep into their opponents' territory with a long kick by flyhalf Damien Willemse. Centre Nico Leonard chased the kick and charged down the attempted clearance winning the race to the ball just before it reacted the dead-ball line and just ahead of Henco Jordaan. Fullback Joshua Vermeulen converted. 12-10 to Affies after 42 minutes.
Two minutes later Paul Roos had the lead. It all started innocently enough in the Affies half when the ball went to Joshua Vermeulen. The fullback stepped two opponents and then accelerated immediately at top speed as he raced 42 metres to score. 15-12 to Paul Roos after 44 minutes.
Paul Roos now had a spring in their step and Damien Willemse went racing 40 metres in counterattack, stepping and swerving, beating opponent after opponent. He was over with opponents clinging to him and the referee decided that he was held up, to the flyhalf's obvious disappointment. But from the five-metre scrum huge wing Troy cut back to his right and scored despite the attentions of several Affies players. 22-12 after 49 minutes.
At a scrum just outside their 22 Paul Roos were awarded a free kick. Tiaan Coetzee tapped and Damien Willemse created a gap for Joshua Vermeulen who raced down field, passing inside to Jason Myburgh who scored the splendid try. 29-12.
There is a thing called Affies guts and again the men from Pretoria drew on it driving back in search of a try. Phillip Karuse burst upfield and Eddie Fouché was actually diving for the line when the ball was dislodged from his grasp. At the five-metre scrum Affies won a tighthead and Eduan Lubbe charged but a lost ball brought the final whistle and a happy horde in maroon blazers ran onto the field for their traditional victory celebration, the Jolla Bolla.
Teams
Paul Roos: 15 Joshua Vermeulen, 14 Troy Payne, 13 Nico Leonard, 12 Sebastian Uys, 11 Jason Myburgh, 10 Damien Willemse, 9 Tiaan Coetzee, 8 De Wet Castelyn, 7 Roelf Burger, 6 Dean van Tonder, 5 Joa Swart, 4 Louis Conradie, 3 Dre Calitz, 2 R Matthee, 1 Muammir Salie.
Replacements: 16 Christiaan van Deventer, 17 Abrie Coetzee, 18 Stephan Annandale, 19 Lazlo Pschorn, 20 Malan Basson, 21 Jacques Hanekom, 22 Hein Steenkamp, 23 Adrian van Niekerk.
Affies: 15 Henco Jordaan, 14 Janco Booysen, 13 Louritz van der Schyff, 12 Eddie Fouché, 11 Christian Strydom, 10 Ruan de Swardt, 9 Jack Hart, 8 Eduan Lubbe, 7 Vic Meyer (captain), 6 Phillip Karuse, 5 Juan Basson, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Niell Bezuidenhout, 2 Schalk Erasmus, 1 Jano Espag.
Replacements: 16 Viaan Mong, 17 Cabous Eloff, 18 Henk Pretorius, 19 Lombard Grobler, 20 Divan Henning, 21 Jacobus van Staden, 22 Pieter Coetzer, 23 Arno van Wyk.
Referee: Joey Klaaste-Salmans (Western Province Referees' Society)
Rersults Down the Years
1946: Affies won 6-3
1952: Paul Roos won 8-3
1976: Affies won 15-13
1978: Affies won 32-11
1979: Paul Roos won 32-12
1992: Paul Roos won 8-4
1999: Paul Roos won 26-23
2000: Affies won 31-21
2005: Affies won 19-7
2006: Paul Roos won 25-7
2007: Paul Roos won 22-15
2008: Darw 17-17
2009: Affies won 25-22
2010: Affies won 18-6
2011: Affies won 28-25
2012: Paul Roos won 32-22
2013: Affies won 17-10
2015: Paul Roos won 29-12
