Paul Roos leave it late
Paul Roos snatched victory over Paarl Boys High with time up on the clock when fullback Aidynn Cupido broke through a tackle and scored next to the posts.
The joy was great to see as all 23 squad members, including the coaches, dived onto Cupido to congratulate him.
Paarl Boys were first to open the scoring on a heavy field when a beautiful move down the left touchline, that involved several players and good handling skills, ended with flanker, Christo Mostert, scoring close to the uprights. Flyhalf Stefan Gouws could not convert the easy kick and it set the table for a terrible day of kicking from both team's kickers.
Minutes later, Paul Roos evened up the score when Herschel Jantjies took a blindside ball from No.8, Michael Meyer, and scored in the corner. Cupido could not convert and the score was 5-5. Several attempts at penalty goals ensued with both kickers not enjoying any success with the heavy underfoot conditions.
After the break for halftime and with the score still 5-5, Paarl Boys began to slowly take control of the game through their forwards and controlled the ball well. A great midfield break from inside centre, Heinrich Moller, led to a try for his outside centre, Curtley Grain. Again Gouws missed the conversion and the score was 10-5 for the visitors.
With Paarl Boys in control they received a penalty on the own 25m line. The resulting quick tap by scrumhalf, Paul de Wet, resulted in turnover ball for Paul Roos. They used this opportunity well and from a little grubber kick, the ball bounced perfectly for winger Nico Leonard to score next to the posts. Cupido's conversion hit the uprights and missed. The score was all even again on 10-10.
With four minutes left on the clock, Boishaai received a penalty just outside the Paul Roos 22 area. Reserve fullback, Jean-Luc Cilliers, calmly slotted the first successful kick of the match and Paarl Boys again led 13-10. With time up on the clock, and with the last move of the match, Cupido produced his little moment of magic and it was game over for the brave boys from Paarl. Cupido converted his own try for the final score to read 17-13 to Paul Roos.
The scorers:
For Paul Roos:
Tries: Herschel Jantjies, Nico Leonard, Aidynn Cupido.
Con: Cupido
For Paarl Boys:
Tries: Chris Mostert, Curley Grain.
Pen: Jean-Luc Cilliers
Teams
Paul Roos: 15 Aidynn Cupido, 14 Nico Leonard, 13 Matt Gallow, 12 Edrich Venter, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Reinhardt Foruin, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Michael Meyer (captain), 7 Dean van Tonder, 6 Jacques Oosthuizen, 5 Emile Cloete, 4 Joa Swart, 3 Jerome Korf, 2 Jacques van Zyl, 1 Muammir Salie
Replacements: 16 C Prinsloo, 17 S Hauptfleisch, 18 C Hamman, 19 L Conradie, 20 M Carstens, 21 C Nell, 22 J Vermeulen, 23 M Taljaard
Coaches: Hein Kriek, Dawie Snyman
Paarl Boys: 15 R Lombaard, 14 Tyreeq Cassiem-February, 13 C Grain, 12 H Moller, 11 W Gouws, 10 S Gouws, 9 P de Wet, , 8 CF du Toit (captain), 7 C Mostert, 6 A van Wyk, 5 R de Villiers, W Botha, 3 D Marais, 2 C van Zyl, 1 Q Vorster.
Coaches: Sean Erasmus, Elmo Wolfaardt.
