A 101-point Game in Paarl
At half Gim led 35-7 and the game as a contest seemed over. It was just a matter of how much the home side would win by but that reckoned without the spirit of the Kwaggas who actually outscored Gim 35-24 in the second half, not enough to win but enough to turn a lively match into a thriller for at one stage in the half the score had reached 35-28 after Outeniqua had scored 21 unanswered points. Two tries in the next five minutes and the score was 42-35. It was a tumultuous match.
It was also a match in which both sides made it their first choice to run with the ball. There was little kicking. In fact there was only one penalty kick at goal in the whole match - and that was missed. The 101 points were all try related.
Gim kicked off and, fed off a break by outstanding centre Wian van Niekerk. They kicked a penalty into touch for a five-metre line-out, mauled and scored a try credited to lock Adriaan Ludick. Flyhalf Theo Boshoff converted as he did seven times in the match. 7-0 after three minutes.
It may be worth noting how Gim reacted to a try. They turned and went back to receive the kick-off. Unlike most rugby teams of late, there was no hugging and dancing about. There was perhaps a low five off a long arm. The message was clear - this was a team effort and also it's not a novelty for us. We've done it before and will do it again. In this match again was a further eight tomes. It was as refreshing as the silence when conversions were taken.
Two minutes later Outeniqua were on level terms. They won a Gim line-out and went wide left where JP Duvenage broke and then passed a perfect pass to his centre partner Bradley Kiewitz who scored. 7-7 after 5 minutes.
The match did not get its seesaw back until the second half as Gim piled on the points.
First they used a short blindside on the left to send fullback Wian van Zyl racing down the touchline to score in the left corner. 14-7 after 16 minutes,
Outeniqua, who were in this half more inclined to kick than Gim, kicked and Gim ran with Van Zyl and Bryan Buitendag prominent. They made a penalty into a five-metre line-out, mauled and shoved over for a try for which hooker Sehan du Toit received the credit. 21-7 after 26 minutes.
Eighthman Henco Martins had a strong run off an inside pass by Van Niekerk and soon Gimmies were bashing at the Kwaggas' line. From right on the line Gim went wide left where Christopher Willemse had an easy run-in for the try. 28-7 after 29 minutes. Tog was dit het einde niet.
From a scrum, Theo Boshoff broke at flyhalf and raced downfield. He played inside to Van Niekerk who sped over to score. 35-7, which was the half-time score.
In the second half Outeniqua matched Paarl Gim for speed at the breakdown and the ball rewarded them.
They came with in an ace of scoring in the half but conceded a penalty on the Gim line. Not downhearted they won a Gim line-out and attacked in phases getting closer and closer to the Gim line till Darryle Kameel went left and then played back inside to eighthman Lance Lamprecht who surged over under the posts. 35-14 after eight minutes in the half.
Outeniqua won another Gim line-out and went wide right, then back left. The ball went loose but captain JP Duvenhage swooped on it and raced down the left touch line for a try in the left corner. He converted his try, as he did for everybody's try. 35-21 after 47 minutes.
Grey won an untidy line-out just in their own half but as the ball bounced in front of the scrumhalf, Louis Meiring pilfered it and went right. Tristan Fourie broke brilliantly and passed to Darren Fortuin on his right and the substitute shot over for the try. 35-28 after 50 minutes and the momentum was with Outeniqua.
Boshoff kicked a penalty out for a five-metre line-out. They rushed a maul at the line. The maul fell and sturdy Zak Burger picked up and dived over for a try. 42-28 after 52 minutes.
Outeniqua ran and Gim tackled, both sides determined. Kameel beat a man on the outside and he gave inside to Ishaad Snyman who raced over to score under the posts. 42-35 after 55 minutes, still 15 minutes to play.
From a scrum Gim went wide right, then back left, getting closer and closer to the line through Henco Martens and Van Niekerk till Janus Swart powered over. 47-35 with 11 minutes to play.
In those 11 minutes there were three more tries in this generous match.
First Burger broke off untidy ball from a scrum. He beat two, chipped and forced Kameel to concede a five-metre scrum. From the scrum Gim went left getting close to the line till Jan Jordaan had an overlap and scored in the right corner. 52-35 with 8 minutes to play.
Outeniqua got on the attack, Gim were penalised and Lamprecht tapped and charged straight under the posts. 52-42 with four minutes to play.
Gim attacked left, right, left, made a penalty into an attacking line-out. They mauled, got close and scored a try credited to Bryan Buitendach. That made the breathless final score 59-42.
Then each side lined up in front of their supporters for the singing of the school songs, both schools proud of their players - as they had every right to be.
Scorers
For Paarl Gim:
Tries: Adriaan Ludick, Wian van Zyl, Sehan du Toit, Christopher Willemse, Wian van Niekerk, Zak Burger, Janus Swart, Jan Jordaan, Bryan Buitendag
Cons: Theo Boshoff 7
For Outeniqua:
Tries: Lance Lamprecht 2, Bradley Kiewitz, JP Duvenage, Darren Fortuin, Ishaad Snyman
Cons: JP Duvenage 6
Teams
Outeniqua: 15 Tristan Fourie, 14 Damian Bonaparte, 13 Bradley Kiewitz, 12 JP Duvenage (captain), 11 Emileo Otto, 10 Darryle Kameel, 9 Aylen Schabbort, 8 Lance Lamprecht, 7 Ruben Coetzee, 6 Stiaan Grobler, 5 Louis Meiring, 4 JP Stopforth, 3 Franco Boshoff, 2 Sean Swart, 1 Joshua Reid
Replacements: 16 Wian Ferreira, 17 Alexander van Biljon, 18 Shaquille Cloete, 19 Byron Booysen, 20 Martin Hartung, 21 Sylvester Hassim, 22 Darren Fortuin, 23 Ishaad Snyman
Paarl Gim: 15 Wian van Zyl, 14 Jan Jordaan, 13 Christopher Willemse, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Ryno Boonzaaier, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Zak Burger (captain), 8 Henco Martins, 7 Bryan Buitendag, 6 Janus Swart, 5 Raymond Nel, 4 Adriaan Ludick, 3 Francois Staples, 2 Sehan du Toit, 1 André Booysen
Referee: Bennie Bothma (Western Province Referees' Society)