Top Derby in Stellenbosch
On Saturday Paul Roos play hosts in Stellenbosch to Paarl Boys' High. It can only be a great game between two of South Africa's oldest schools and greatest rugby schools in the past and in the present.
Paul Roos were founded in 1868, Paarl Boys' High in 1964.
They are both regarded as 'country' schools – in Stellenbosch and Paarl, two of the ,most beautiful towns in the world, set amongst mountains and valleys of vineyards. Many of their Old Boys have gone on to play great rugby. In fact more Old Boys of Paul Roos have played rugby for South Africa than Old Boys of any other schools. On Saturday afternoon when the Springboks play there will be Willie le Roux and Schalk Brits of Paul Roos and Gurthrö Steenkamp of Paarl Boys' High in the team.
Schools rugby is gaining in popularity for it is still the purest most innocent form of rugby, where players are allowed to play a game of skill and adventure, not regimented into the thump and kick of the senior game.
It will be wet in Stellenbosch on Saturday and it may even rain during the match but still those boys will play with determination, concentration and enjoyment, a game to carry with them throughout their days.
At present Paul Roos, who had a slow start to the season are 10th on the FNB Top 20, Paarl Boys' High 12th. That is far closer than it seems as all of the Top Schools in South Africa are close.
Season So Far
Paul Roos have played 12 matches, winning 10 and losing to Grey PE with a penalty in the last minute and Waterkloof. The other Top 20 sides they have played are Nelspruit, Dr EG Jansen, Paarl Gim and Wynberg.
Paarl Boys High have played 16 matches, five of them in seven days in Japan. They have lost only one match in South Africa – to Grey Bloem, a match that they could have won. And then they drew with Noord-Kaap. The Top 20 teams they have played are Outeniqua, Wynberg and Grey Bloem.
Common Opponents
They have only two opponents in common and beat them both. The first are San Isidro, a club side from Buenos Aires at the very start of the season and the second against Wynberg.
San Isidro: Paarl Boys' High won 31-18; Paul Roos won 42-17
Wynberg: Paarl Boys' High won 24-22; Paul Roos won 24-22
Representative Players
Paul Roos have six players in the Western Province Craven Week side -. Edrich Venter, Eddie van der Merwe, Herschel Jantjies, Jacques van Zyl, Jerome Korf and Aidynn Cupido.
Paarl Boys' High have three in the Western Province schools side – Ruben de Villiers, Wikus Groenewald, who is not playing against Paul Roos, and CF du Toit
Hein Kriek, the Paul Roos coach, is the coach of the Western Province side.
Paul Roos also have six players in the Academy Week side – Joshua Vermeulen, Michael Meyer, Mitchell Carstens, Emile Cloete, Muammir Salie and Dean van Tonder, of whom Vermeulen and Carstens are on the bench for the Boys' High match.
Paarl Boys' High have two – Derrick Marais and Rayhaan Lombaard
The Academy coach is Elmo Wolfaardt of Boys' High.
Results This Century
2001: Paarl Boys' High won 14-9
2002: Draw 18-18
2003: Paul Roos won 12-9
2004: Paul Roos won 22-7
2005: Paarl Boys' High won 16-11
2006: Paul Roos won 10-6
2007: Paarl Boys' High won 26-8
2008: Paul Roos won 42-29
2009: Paarl Boys' High won 16-11
2010: Paul Roos won 31-17
2011: Paarl Boys' High won 20-18
2012: Paarl Boys' High won 22-17
2013: Paarl Boys' High won 20-19
Teams
Paul Roos: 15 Aidynn Cupido, 14 Nico Leonard, 13 Matt Gallow, 12 Edrich Venter, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Reinhardt Fortuin, 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 Carl Prinsloo, 17 Stef Hauptfleisch, 18 Christiaan Hamman, 19 Louis Conradie, 20 Mitchell Carstens, 21 Calvin Nell, 22 Morné Taljaard, 23 Joshua Vermeulen
Paarl Boys High: 15 Rayhaan Lombaard, 14 Tyreeq Cassiem-February, 13 Curtley Grain, 12 Heinrich Möller, 11 Wian Gouws, 10 Stefan Gouws, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 CF du Toit, 7 Christo Mostert, 6 Andreas van Wyk, 5 Ruben de Villiers, 4 Wian Botha (captain), 3 Derrick Marais, 2 Carel van Zyl , 1 Quintin Vorster
Date: 7 June, 2014
Kick-off: 12.15
Television broadcast: Supersport channel 210
Venue: Markötter Stadium, Stellenbosch
Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a high of °C , dropping to 9°C
