This schoolboy rugby season continues to throw up matches of unreal quality and drama. It is becoming a rival to soccer’s English Premier League in terms of drama, unpredictability and excitement.
There were another 2 classics played out this past weekend, with the late intercept to win Paul Roos the game against Paarl Gim and KES scoring in the final minute to break Jeppe’s hearts in Joburg.
Once again, there are a number of exciting fixtures to be caught either on SuperSport or on the SuperSport Schools app.
In Bloemfontein, the Premier Interschools clash on Supersport between Grey College and Paarl Boys’ High is bound to be a thriller.
In the Western Cape, Paul Roos will be bouyant after their win last weekend and could well run up a big score against the luckless SACS side in Cape Town. Rondebosch host Paarl Gim in a fixture between two very strong teams. Two teams who have perhaps flown under the radar but are both very competent meet on the farm in Riversdale when Oakdale take on Stellenberg.
Moving to the Eastern Cape, Selborne host St Andrew’s College. Selborne will be boosted by last week’s gallant defeat to Grey College. In Makhanda, Kingswood come up against Framesby. Ironically, both sides have lost to Selborne by 1 point this year. Your humble correspondent will be at Grey High for the occasion of my 20 year Reunion as they clash with Queen’s. The game will have added significance with the unveiling of the new ‘Kolisi Field’ before kick off!
DHS only played their first home game last week, in going down to Hilton in what could have been an unofficial Sharks schools final. They will have to be at their best to beat Michaelhouse this weekend back on the van Heerden field. In another fixture in Durban, Maritzburg College will take on the Green Machine of Glenwood, always a hotly contested fixture.
Finally, Gauteng sees two Lions v Bulls clashes. KES are hosting Affies, while Garsfontein will make the short trip to Krugersdorp to take on Monnas.
Western Cape
SACS v Paul Roos
Paul Roos are the comeback kings of this year’s schoolboy season, and Jurenzo Julius must be the hottest property on the Western Cape circuit! His intercept try last weekend at the death against Paarl Gim was a beauty. What drama!
SACS on the other were on the receiving end of a doughnut against Bishops and this could be another long day for the men in hoops! Hopefully home field advantage will level the playing field somewhat.
Winner: Paul Roos
Rondebosch v Paarl Gim
Rondebosch have had a superb season thus far and will be aiming for the double over the Paarl heavyweights for the first time since 1997, when Gcobani Bobo was leading Bosch. Rondebosch had a tight win over Stellenberg last weekend and are battle hardened for a clash with the highly regarded Gim side.
Paarl Gim have suffered two heartbreaking defeats in recent weeks to Affies and Paul Roos and will want to right those wrongs with a strong performance against a worthy adversary. The battle up front should prove very interesting.
Winner: Paarl Gim
Oakdale v Stellenberg
Oakdale have had an incredibly tough set of fixtures thus far, playing pretty much the most populous boys schools in every province. They are only a school of 460 odd pupils and have a mighty pack of forwards and entertaining backs this year. I expect the SWD team to be powerful this year, when they complement Outeniqua’s stars too.
Stellenberg have had some eye catching results this season and only just lost to surprise package Rondebosch last weekend, 28 – 32. The Jade Brigade will have their hands full on the farm in Riversdale and this is a fixture that perhaps won’t receive the attention it deserves but could prove to be another classic.
Winner: Oakdale
Eastern Cape
Selborne College v St Andrew’s College
I feared for Selborne last weekend when they hosted Grey College but they put up a spirited display in going down 20 – 38 in the end. They are finding their feet after an inauspicious start and will be heavily favoured to beat College in EL.
St Andrew’s have had a poor season by their standards, perhaps reaching its nadir last weekend when they lost to Graeme on Lower Field for the first time in over 20 years! Selborne away is a notoriously difficult fixture and this should prove a mountain to climb for the men from Makhanda.
Winner: Selborne
Kingswood College v Framesby
In another perhaps unheralded fixture, Kingswood take on Framesby at City Lords in a game between two strong sides. An interesting piece of trivia is that both sides have lost to Selborne by 1 point this year.
Kingswood have produced a strong set of results and this will be a real test of their credentials for the remainder of the season.
Framesby have blown hot and cold this year. They have a solid forward pack and are a massive threat at the breakdown. The winner of this can look forward to the rest of the season and laying claim to be one of the top schools in the province in this unpredictable season in the Eastern Cape.
Winner: Kingswood
Grey High School v Queen’s College
Grey followed up their upset win over Rondebosch with an equalling upsetting perfromance in going down to Wynberg in PE last weekend. It is Reunion Weekend in PE so there will be a massive crowd to cheer on the men in azure.
Queen’s have had a difficult season thus far and will come to PE possibly fearing the worst. The last time they were in PE before a crowd, Siya Kolisi was Grey’s cheerleader and they were given 70 points.
The match will perhaps be overshadowed by events away form the action as the Philip Field will be renamed the Kolisi Field prior to kick off of the First XV game. I will be in attendance as a happy coincidence for my 20 year Reunion and there should be a real buzz around the school!
Winner: Grey
Kwazulu-Natal
DHS v Michaelhouse
DHS bizarrely only played their first home game of the season last weekend. They went down narrowly to the highly rated Hilton College in a great game, in a clash between the province’s best school sides this year. They will be keen to put that result right against Michaelhouse this weekend in Durban.
Michaelhouse however had a good result against Kearsney on their Reunion weekend, and the score could have even been bigger had they taken more of their chances.
The sides appear to be well matched. They are both well drilled, have solid packs and exciting backlines. I for one am looking forward to reporting on this game next week.
Winner: Michaelhouse
Glenwood v Maritzburg College
The Green Machine play host to Maritzburg College this weekend, in a match between two underperfoming sides.
Glenwood have recently been boosted by the transfer of Zuki Tom from Grey High, as he switches back to his favoured position of flank. Glenwood have lost 4 of their last 5, including a surprising result last weekend against Westville. They should still fancy themselves against a struggling College side.
Maritzburg College have been underwhelming this year, considering some of their star power in the backline. They snuck home last weekend against Northwood and will be facing a Glenwood side determined to right the ship after a tricky set of fixtures. This is always a big fixture and despite this year’s results, I expect a good game.
Winner: Glenwood
Gauteng
KES v Affies
In the first of two trans-Jukskei derbies this weekend, KES play Affies in Johannesburg. Both sides have only lost once this season.
KES will be glad they pulled a win out of the fire in the final minute last week against bitter rivals Jeppe. They have had a good season thus far, only losing to Grey High. This, as always, will be their toughest test when the Wit Bulle arrive.
Affies are on a fine run, and will be well rested, having had a bye last weekend. This clash will be a good barometer of where this side is in their development and it should be an uncompromising battle. It will be a good test before the crunch clash against Grey College next week.
Winner: Affies
Monument v Garsfontein
The second trans-Jukskei derby takes place in Krugersdorp when Monnas play Garsfontein. Both sides have been impressive this season, with Garsies already claiming the famous scalp of Affies in a nailbiter.
Monnas are always a tough nut to crack on the West Rand and they will be relishing the prospect of knocking over a major rival in Gauteng.
Garsfontein’s only reverse this season has been against Grey College and I fancy them to win this one.
Winner: Garsfontein
Free State
Grey College vs Paarl Boys’ High
In the TV game this weekend as part of the Premier Interschools series, Grey College host Paarl Boys’ High in Bloemfontein.
Grey College have been somewhat out of sorts this season. Having already lost one and drawn one, a poor season by their standards already. Their purchasing power is perhaps being caught up by coaching at other schools.
Paarl Boys’ High have had a solid season and will be smirking at the two narrow defeats their Paarl counterparts have suffered in recent weeks. The trip to Bloemfontein is always a long one from the Winelands, but the streeptruie will be quietly confident they can put another dent in Grey College’s record.
Winner: Grey College
