Affies beat ancient rivals

Affies have secured bragging rights in the derby match against their neighbours, Pretoria Boys High. The visitors won the 109th match between the two schools by 36 points to 20 after being only 5-3 up at half-time.

The Wit Bulle started the match like a runaway train when left wing Andries van der Merwe cantered over in the corner after only two minutes following an attacking scrum fifteen metres out. Flyhalf Ryno Eksteen failed to convert.

A highly motivated home team showed remarkable resilience though, and opened their account through a Luke Stevenson penalty after eight minutes. One must question the Affie decision-making in this half as various goalable penalties were pumped into the corners without any reward. The home team defended as if their lives depended on it and no further points were added by either team for the rest of the half.

Affies were guilty of an uncharacteristic individualistic performance before the break, and Boys High never allowed them to gain any momentum.

The Candy Stripes started the second half by gifting the visitors a soft try when a defender tried to prevent a clearance kick from going into touch. His effort found the grateful hands of Affies’ right wing Marcus Kleinbooi who won the dash for the corner without a hand being laid on him. Eksteen’s conversion sailed over to give the Wit Bulle a 12-3 lead. Boys High came back with a vengeance though, and a well-deserved try by centre Stephan Rodgers followed an excellent drive after an attacking line-out. Stevenson converted to cut the Affies lead to two points.

Affies extended their lead to 19-10 after 45 minutes when lock Gerhard de Beer went over in the left-hand corner after some good inter-play by forwards and backs. Eksteen’s conversion found the target.

Boys High were, however, not prepared to let their much-vaunted opponents turn them over without a fight. Reward soon followed when Stevenson found the mark with a penalty from 40 metres out to reduce the lead to 6 points. This was the wake-up call that Affies needed and for the first time in the match they showed the kind of dominance that was expected of them. Superb attacking play lead to two consecutive tries by fullback Constant Pretorius within three minutes of each other to take the visitors into a 31 - 13 lead after 57 minutes. The second of these tries was the result of SA Schools’ centre Jurie Linde showing his class by unlocking the resolute home team defence with a sublime break to put Pretorius into space.

Boys High came back strongly once again to see Ngoako Ralepelle force his way over after another good rolling maul. Stevenson continued his good kicking form to bring the score to 31-20 to Affies after 61 minutes. Affies poured back onto the attack though and Linde’s good form was soon rewarded when he went over in the right-hand corner after some slick handling by the Affies forwards and backs. Eksteen converted to stretch the lead to 36 – 20 after 63 minutes.

Affies will feel very satisfied after an excellent season which saw them ranked in the top three in the country throughout. The Candy Stripes, however, deserve credit for a gutsy performance which must have had the Affies’ faithful chewing their nails, especially after a sub-par performance in the first half. Although it is harsh to single out players in a fine team effort, the name of flanker Michael de Waal has to mentioned. He was superb at the breakdowns and was often the reason that Affies lost possession in good attacking positions.

For the victorious visitors winger Kleinbooi worked hard throughout, and centre Linde was pure class. No.8 Steven Meiring also put in another solid performance.

By Billy Brown

Photo: Henry Kelbrick

Results Down the Years

1923: Pretoria Boys High won 4-3, Pretoria Boys High won 6-3, Affies won 9-0

1924: Pretoria Boys High won 3-0, Pretoria Boys High won  11-3, Draw 3-3

1925: Pretoria Boys High won  14-6, Pretoria Boys High won 14-9

1926: Pretoria Boys High won  7-0, Pretoria Boys High won 6-5

1927: Pretoria Boys High won 6-5

1928: Draw 0-0

1929: Pretoria Boys High won 3-0

1930: Draw 3-3, Pretoria Boys High won 11-4

1931: Draw 3-3, Pretoria Boys High won 7-6

1932: Affies won 8-0, Affies won 10-0, Pretoria Boys High won 9-6

1933: Draw 0-0

1934: Pretoria Boys High won 11-3

1935: Pretoria Boys High won 11-9

1936: Affies won 15-3, Pretoria Boys High won 3-0

1937: Affies won 11-0, Affies won 11-3

1938: Pretoria Boys High won 11-3, Pretoria Boys High won 6-0

1939: Affies won 8-0

1940: Affies won 6-5

1941: Draw 6-6

1942: Pretoria Boys High won 13-3

1943: Pretoria Boys High won 19-0

1944 – No match

1945: Pretoria Boys High won 8-5

1946: Pretoria Boys High won 3-0

1947: Pretoria Boys High won 15-4

1948: Affies won 11-0

1949: Pretoria Boys High won 6-0

1950: Pretoria Boys High won 6-3, Affies won 11-6

1951: Affies won 6-0, Affies won 11-6

1952: Draw 3-3, Affies won 8-5

1953: Affies won 9-0, Pretoria Boys High won 9-3

1954: Affies won 8-0

1955: Affies won 12-3

1956: Pretoria Boys High won 10-6

1957 – No match

1958: Affies won 6-3

1959: Pretoria Boys High won 11-6

1960: Pretoria Boys High won 14-11

1961: Affies won 15-6

1962: Pretoria Boys High won 8-5

1963: Affies won 6-5

1964: Affies won 8-6

1965: Pretoria Boys High won 10-8

1966: Affies won 16-11

1967: Pretoria Boys High won 15-12

1968: Pretoria Boys High won 14-13

1969: Affies won 22-5

1970: Affies won 33-3

1971: Pretoria Boys High won 11-9

1972: Affies won 10-9

1973: Affies won 15-3

1974: Affies won 6-0

1975: Affies won 23-9

1976: Pretoria Boys High won 19-9

1977: Affies won 18-7

1978: Affies won 36-3

1979: Pretoria Boys High won 13-9

1980: Affies won 16-3

1981: Affies won 16-6

1982: Pretoria Boys High won 17-10

1983: Affies won : Affies won 12-6

1984: Affies won 22-6

1985: Pretoria Boys High won 12-9

1986: Affies won 19-12

1987: Affies won 13-10

1988: Affies won 13-3

1989: Affies won 16-15

1990: Affies won 17-9

1991: Affies won 28-3

1992: Affies won 19-10

1993: Affies won 27-9

1994: Affies won 19-3

1995: Affies won 30-22

1996: Affies won 62-13

1997: Affies won 29-12

1998: Affies won 49-0, Draw 21-21

1999: Affies won 31-27, Affies won 30-11

2000: Affies won 32-11

2001: Affies won 24-17

2002: Affies won 21-6

2003: Pretoria Boys High won 18-3

2004: Affies won 34-24

2005: Pretoria Boys High won 25-21

2006: Affies won 27-17

2007: Draw 20-20

2008: Pretoria Boys High won 34-30

2009; Affies won 20-15

2010: Affies won 38-3

2011: Affies won 26-10 and 44-0

2012: Affies won 34-11 and 36-20