Schools Top 20 - 2017

This one is based on the information we have for the whole season and not a reaction to the week's events. 

Slowly we went over the schools, examining their results and the calibre of their opponents.

Inevitably, there will be disagreements with this ranking of ours, perhaps there may even be some bias in the criticism and by the way, none of the people who drew up this table has any connection with any of the teams in the Top 20.

Just when you want to burst out with "but we beat..", it is worth remembering that one result is a dangerous yardstick. Grey College is second and Selborne beat them. Then Hudson Park beat Selborne. Then Dale beat Hudson Park. Then Queen's beat Dale. Then Grey Port Elizabeth beat Queen's. Then Grey Bloem beat Grey Port Elizabeth. Then Selborne beat Grey Bloem.

There are other circles like that.

Calibre is important in the greater scheme of things. DHS and Glenwood have week after week been on the Top 20 and are not there now. Of their 13 matches, DHS played two Top 20 sides, losing to both of them; of their 13 matches Glenwood played five Top 20 teams, losing to four of them – and they lost to DHS. 

Let us acknowledge that this table is only an opinion and that nothing else is possible as the schools do not play each other. 

Schools Top 20 – 2017

1 Paarl Boys' High

2 Grey College

3 Monument

4 Paarl Gim

5 Waterkloof

6 Paul Roos

7 Helpmekaar

8 Affies

9 Grey High

10 KES

11 SACS

12 Stellenberg

13 St Andrew's

14 Outeniqua

15 Boland Landbou

16 Oakdale

17 Selborne

18 Garsfontein

19 HTS Drostdy

20 Nelspruit

There is no pressure group this time because there is no time left to exert pressure.

There have been 15 Top 20s since the first on 19 April 2017. These teams were not in the Final Top 20 of 2016: KES, SACS, Stellenberg, St Andrew's and HTS Drostdy.  

These teams were in the Top 20 this year but did not make the Final Top 20: Ben Vorster, Dale, Die Brandwag, Eldoraigne, Framesby, Glenwood, HTS Middelburg, Hudson Park, Kearsney, Marlow, Menlopark, and Rondebosch.

Top 20 teams since 2007:

2007: Grey College

2008: Grey College & Paarl Gim

2009: Grey College

2010: Grey College

2011: Grey College

2012: Paarl Boys' High

2013: Paarl Gim

2014: Grey College

2015: Paarl Boys' High

2016: Paarl Boys' High

2017: Paarl Boys' High