Schools Top 20 - May 30

There are three criteria that we try to use, simple ones – victory, defeat and venue which includes weather.

This week there have been surprises in the first two criteria, starting with Paarl Gim.

These upsets have to be seen in the context of the 2017 season and within the movement of teams around them.

Paarl Gim were No.2 and they lost, but so did No.3 (KES). No.4 (Grey College) did not play and No.5 (Waterkloof) lost. Others that lost were 7 (Glenwood), 10 (HTS Drostdy), 13 (Paul Roos) and 16 (Selborne).

Selborne who lost to Dale, beat Grey Bloem and lost to St Andrew's in consecutive weeks.

Some have risen and some have plunged. These schools are so close to each other that there is not a great difference between them. That makes Paarl Boys' High's achievements all the greater.

Relevant results

SACS v Paarl Gim, 22-19

Monument v KES, 24-19

Helpmekaar v Waterkloof, 45-8

DHS v Glenwood, 20-17

Noord-Kaap v Drostdy, 22-20

Paarl Boys' High v Paul Roos, 21-9

St Andrew's v Selborne, 26-5

Garsfontein v Menlopark, 66-21

There was much discussion with debate, scratchings-out and puttings-in.

Schools Top 20 – May 30

1 Paarl Boys' High

2 Paarl Gim

3 Monument

4 Grey College

5 Affies

6 SACS

7 DHS

8 KES

9 Grey High

10 Glenwood

11 Helpmekaar

12 Waterkloof

13 Stellenberg

14 Paul Roos

15 Outeniqua

16 Drostdy

17 Framesby

18 Selborne

19 Die Brandwag

20 Boland Landbou

The pressure group just under these: Ben Vorster, Bishops, Dale, Eldoraigne, Garsfontein, Hermanus, Hudson Park, Kearsney, Maritzburg College, Marlow, Nelspruit, St Andrew's.

Of this group, the strongest candidate for promotion is Maritzburg College but we debated long about the lower end of the table. Framesby had won, Selborne recently beat Grey Bloem who beat College 30-3, and Die Brandwag and Boland Landbou did not play.

New in the group are Garsfontein and St Andrew's College of Grahamstown.