Premier Interschools: College vs Affies
On Saturday, 21 July (2012) Maritzburg College host Affies of Pretoria in a Premier Interschools, the new initiative of Megapro under the former Springbok captain Tiaan Strauss.
They are two of the finest rugby schools in the land. This year Affies are ranked third on the FNB Top 20 and Maritzburg College have been in the Top 20 and have just dropped slightly lower in the last ranking.
Season's results:
So far this year Affies have lost just twice in 13 matches – to Pretoria rivals Waterkloof and to Paul Roos. Maritzburg College have won six times, lost four times and drawn once in 11 matches.
Results against common opponents:
Kearsney: Affies won 22-10; Kearsney beat Maritzburg College 30-10
KES: Affies won 15-13; KES beat Maritzburg College 42-25
Pretoria Boys High: Affies won 34-11; Maritzburg College won 19-18
Paul Roos: Affies lost 32-22; Maritzburg College lost 22-21
The seasons results favour Affies.
History:
The keen rugby contact between Maritzburg College and Affies is relatively new, part of a newish trend for South African schools to take virtually their whole school to another big school for a variety of activities of which rugby is the most prominent. For this occasion Affies will take 26 rugby teams down over the Drakensberg – apart from 17 hockey teams and others. They have been doing it since 1996.
The First XVs have met 17 times. Affies have won 17 of those, Maritzburg College two.
Results down the years:
1996: Affies won 12-9
1997: Affies won 21-16
1998: Affies won 36-15
1999: Affies won 29-7
2000: College won 16-10
2001: Affies won 20-5
2002: Affies won 20-19
2003: Affies won 25-24
2004: Affies won 33-3
2005: Affies won 32-7
2006: College won 19-15
2007: Affies won 31-19
2008: Affies won 52-15
2009: Affies won 10-0
2010: Affies won 32-20
2011: Affies won 19-6
History is certainly on the side of Affies.
Player achievements:
Maritzburg College had three players in the KwaZulu Natal Craven Week side – fullback Jesse Kriel, who was the outstanding players at Craven Week in Port Elizabeth, prop Mvevo Khumalo and hooker Vuyo Khatide. Maritzburg College also had three players inn the KwaZulu Natal Academy side – Njabula Gumede, Banele Ngwenya, Richard Bamber and scrumhalf Kelvin Elder.
KwaZulu Natal started off with a great win over Free State at Craven Week but then lost to the Golden Lions and Eastern Province. The Blue Bulls were far and away the best team at Craven Week winning the prestigious final match 47-0 against the Golden Lions on a day of bad weather.
Of that powerful Blue Bulls side, eight were from Affies – Marcus Kleinbooi, Jurie Linde, Ryno Eksteen, Steven Meiring, Heinrich Viljoen, Janse van Rensburg, François Steyn and their captain Pierre Schoeman, who played for SA Schools in 2011. They had another players in the Blue Bulls Academy side – Constant Pretorius, Louis Venter and Henry Mphago.
At the end of the Craven Week a squad of 50 players was announced to take part in trials for the selection of an SA Schools team to play France, England and Wales. Jesse Kriel of Maritzburg College was in that team. Affies had six in that squad – Heinrich Viljoen, Jurie Linde, Nicholas Janse van Rensburg, Pierre Schoeman, Ryno Eksteen and Marcus Kleinbooi.
Representative players certainly suggest that Affies are much the stronger side.
Rugby programme:
Under-19
On Goldstones
08.30: Fifth XV
09.40: Fourth XV
10.50: Third XV
12.00: Second XV
13.15: First XV
On Snows
1.30: Sixth XV
On Nicholsons
08.30: Ninth XV
10.50: Eighth XV
12.00: Seventh XV
Under-16
On Snows
10.30: Under-16A
On Nicholsons
09.40: Under-16B
On Lammonds
08.30: Under-16C
09.40: Under-16D
10.50: Under-16E
Under-15
On Snows
09.30: Under-15A
12.30: Under-15B
On Leaches
08.30: Under-15C
09.30: Under-15D
10.30: Under-15E
11.30: Under-15F
Under-14
On Snows
08.30: Under-14A
10.20: Under-14B
11.15: Under-14C
12.10: Under-14D
On Leaches
08.30: Under-14F
09.25: Under-14E
The teams:
Maritzburg College: : 15 Jesse Kriel, 14 Cyle Muil, 13 Marcel Coetzee, 12 Richard Bamber, 11 Banele Ngwenya, 10 Lukas Booysen, 9 Josh Rencken, 8 Reegan Smith (captain), 7 Cameron Christie, 6 Jacque Conradie, 5 Robert Kamhoot, 4 Everett Pieterse, 3 Mvelo Khumalo, 2 Vuyo Khathide, 1 Njabula Gumede.
Replacements: 16 Alex Cahill, 17 Seko Buthelezi, 18 James Smith, 19 Jacque Conradie, 20 Kelvin Elder, 21 Thato Molelekoa, 22 Murray Janse van Rensburg.
Affies: 15 Costant Pretorius, 14 Marcus Kleinbooi, 13 Jurie Linde, 12 Nico Lee, 11 Andries van der Merwe, 10 Ryno Eksteen, 9 Louis Venter, 8 Steven Meiring, 7 Heinrich Viljoen, 6 Albert van Heerden, 5 Nicolas Janse v Rensburg, 4 Jean Droste, 3 WP Eloff, 2 Francois Steyn, 1 Pierre Schoeman (captain).
Replacements: 16 Cornell de Waal, 17 Xander Swart, 18 Gerhard de Beer, 19 Calvon Allison, 20 Heine Lombaard, 21 Marchant van der Heever, 22 Thys van Wyk.
Date: Saturday, 21 July (2012)
Kick-off: 13.15
Venue: Goldstones, Maritzburg College
Television broadcast: SuperSport One at 17.00
Expected weather conditions: Partly couloudy with a high of 26°, dropping to 10°
