Preview: Hoogenhout vs Ermelo
Hoërskool Hoogenhout and Hoërskool Ermelo have faced each other on numerous occasions over the years, but will meet for only a second time in a Classic Clash on Saturday.
Ermelo won the inaugural Classic Clash 24-12 last year and are unbeaten in the overall tie since 2008.
They had home ground advantage last year, but this time around they are will travel to Bethal as the class of 2015 aims to keep their seven year unbeaten run against Hoogenhout intact. Ermelo head coach Koos de Jager feels his team will be in for a tough encounter.
"Our preparations have gone very well and we had some good practice matches. Hoogenhout will be playing at home and they will come at us with everything they have. It will be difficult," he said.
Hoogies will be aiming to turn the tide, but will try and do so with what is looking like a very young team. They only have three players left from their first team from 2014, while Ermelo will have six, which includes their captain Pieter Brink.
Hoogies head coach Fires van den Heever knows what his team are up against on the weekend.
"We are on track with our preparations, but this is a game we have not won since 2008. I am expecting them to do a lot of running and be right in our faces on defence," said Van den Heever.
Both teams are also coming off defeats last weekend, which will sure add some extra motivation to go for a victory. Hoogenhout are coming off a 14-21 defeat to Ligbron in Ermelo, while Ermelo were thrashed 6-47 at the hands of Marais Viljoen in Alberton.
Teams:
Hoogenhout: 15 Ruben Lello, 14 Hendrik Susan, 13 Shaun Jacobs, 12 Tiaan Barnard, 11 Ashley Methula, 10 Hano van der Linde, 9 Stoffel Smith, 8 Janco Smith, 7 Christiaan Vermeulen, 6 Louis Theron, 5 Armand Reynecke, 4 Gerdus Grobler, 3 Dillon Henegan, 2 Armando du Preez (captain), 1 Hendrik Lombaard.
Replacements: 16 Lorenzo Segeel, 17 Dewald Barnard, 18 Luan Bothma, 19 Gerbrand de Vos, 20 Lungelo Mtshali, 21 Marco Jardim, 22 Hanno Fourie, 23 Rudy Wright, 24 Quinton Manana.
Ermelo: TBC
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