Ashley Johnson - captain of Paarl Gim
We profile Ashley Johnson, son of Archie, captain of Paarl Gim before the FNB Classic Clash in Paarl on Saturday.
It's the big day of the year in Paarl when Paarl Gim play Paarl Boys' High - Gimmies against Boyshaaiers, Bloedworse against Galpille. It is as tense a rugby test as any boy can endure, the biggest Interschools in South Africa when about 20 000 people head for the rugby ground in Faure Street, television broadcasts it and the rest of Paarl comes to a standstill. And Ashley Johnson will captain Paarl Gim in this emotional cauldron.
Ashley Johnson comes to the game with a great rugby pedigree. His father Archie was a great prop who played for Western Province League and the Federation's Proteas in the Eighties. He played against England in 1984 when a penalty goal won the match for England 23-21 and against the South Sea Barbarians, the forerunners of the Pacific Islanders of today, when the Proteas drew with them 25-25 in an thriller at Stellenbosch.
Archie was a prop and Ashley was a prop, not because his dad told him too. "My has never put pressure on me. He has let me make my own choices.
"He is always there with advice if I want it and keeps statistics on all my matches."
Ashley moved from prop to eighthman in days when Bob Skinstad was his hero, and it is as a powerful eighthman that he has made his mark.
Ashley was at the Laerskool Academia in Eersterivier. A big strong boy he played for the Western Province Craven Week side two years in a row.
Nike had a programme at the time to look for stars. They invited 42 boys to a camp and chose the best. They chose Ashley.
Off he went to Paarl Gim in 2000 on a Nike Bursary which cared for all his educational needs and then some. he has used it to the full. He is a boarder at the great rugby nursery which has five Old Boys in the present Springbok team.
He loves Paarl Gim. "It's a privilege to be here," he said. "I have not looked back since coming here."
His brother Hersholl is also at Paarl Gim - in Std 8 (Grade 10) and playing in the 3rd XV. Last year Hersholl played for Western Province Under-16 as a flank.
His hero has changed, too. Now it is a Gim Old Boy Schalk Burger who, not surprisingly, is his hero. He says of Burger who was at Gim in Ashley's early days: "At school he was too good. The others couldn't play with him.
In 1984 when the Proteas played against England Ashley's father was in the font row and Schalk Burger's father was in the second row! Archie and Big Schalk are still good chums.
He played for Boland Under-15, Western Province Country Under-16, Western Province in 2003 and was chosen for the SA Academy side which lost 25-14 to France In 2004 he was back at Craven Week, this time the captain of Western Province and chosen for the SA Schools side.
He was the only player at Craven Week 2004 to score a dropped goal, but he says: "I have been practising it all year."
Ashley Johnson captains Paarl Gim.
"I have never had such a good leader as a captain," said Nico Momsen, coach of the Paarl Gim 1st XV. He has captained all his teams since Std 6 (Grade 8), except the first team in 2003 when Boys' High won.
The Interschools is big occasion for the young eighthman, the star of the Paarl Gim pack, the target for teams who want to get the better for the unbeaten side.
But he looks forward to the occasion - the build-up over the week, the thousands of people who turn up, the level playing field for both sides.
"What happened last year and what happens during the year don't matter. You start Interschools equal."
Ashley François Johnson was born on 6 May 1986 in Wynberg where his father was a serving soldier, as he still is, now with 9SAI.
Ask Archie how he feels about his sons - "Proud." Ask how mother gets on with her family of three rugby men - "She's just as mad about sport as the rest of us."
Next year? "I have to decide in the next two weeks. I've had a lot of offers but I think I'll be staying in the Cape."