Affies head for Gimmies

In the rankings on our Top 20, Affies were ranked fourth and Paarl Gim fifth in 2016 and in 2015 Paarl Gim were second, Affies fifth. They are clearly two of South Africa's top rugby schools, capable of competing with any school sides in the world.

This is only the 17th match between the two schools since the first in 1967, and 11 of those matches will have been this century. It was not easy to find a date, much as the two schools wished to play each other.

The two schools have Afrikaans connections. Apart from being Afrikaans-medium school, Paarl Gim played a leading role in the recognition of Afrikaans. Most of the founder member of the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners had Gim connections. The school had been founded in 1958 as a Dutch-medium school but switched to Afrikaans in the 1930s.

Affies is really Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool. It was founded in 1920 as an Afrikaans-medium school, the first to be founded in South Africa and that five years before Afrikaans was fully recognised.

Both schools were church foundations.

But they are also different kinds of school. Paarl Gim is coed and provides schooling for all 12 years. Affies is a boys-only senior school (Grades 8 to 12). Gim has about 550 boys in the senior school, Affies has roughly 1250 pupils.

The difference in numbers has made it harder to get the schools to play each other. After all, Affies has 28 teams to accommodate each week, while Paarl Gim has 17.

The two schools got together in November and the only day that fitted was March 25, at a time when it is inordinately hot and dry in Paarl. The Western Case has been suffering a drought and heat waves. The match takes place at noon when the temperature is expected to be 28°C

Results Down the Years

1967: Gimmies won 11-0

1972: Gimmies won 19-0

1973: Gimmies won 38-3

1976: Affies won 10-3

1979: Gimmies won 23-3

1999: Affies won 19-11

2002: Affies won 24-20

2005: Gimmies won 38-18

2006: Draw 17-17

2007: Affies won 13-8

2008: Gimmies won 21-3

2009: Gimmies won 22-16

2011: Affies won 59-6

2012: Affies won 27-20

2014: Gimmies won 40-7

2015: Draw 22-22

Results this Season

The season has hardly started. Gimmies have played once, Affies twice. They are hardly at the zenith of their powers yet.

Paarl Gim vs Stellenberg 31-19

Affies vs Diamantveld 45-10

Affies vs Helpmekaar 31-19

Programme for the Day

JA Kriel-veld  

08.15: Under-15A

09.15: Under-16A

10.30: 2nd XV

12.00: 1st XV

The 1st XV match will be televised live on Supersport, channel 206 and channel 210.

Stofberg-veld  

08.15: Under-14A

09.30: Under-15B

10.30: Under-16B

Oukraal-veld  

09.30: Under-14B

First Teams

When Gim played Stellenberg, the entire backline were playing for the side for the first time. For that reason you will see all but the fullback playing with borselkoppe, a Gim tradition. The fullback Muller du Plessis makes up for it. He is a top athlete and played on the wing for South African Schools last year.

Affies have three backs back from last year - Charles Goedhals, who has moved from fullback to flyhalf, Ruben Meiring and Marnus Potgieter, who was the outside centre for the Blue Bulls at the 2016 Craven Week. Gim have two forwards back - eighthman Henco Martins and lock Adriaan Ludick.

Affies: 15 Regardt Roets, 14 Ruan Wasserman, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Zach Briel, 11 Ruben Meiring, 10 Charles Goedhals, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Philip Potgieter, 7 Jaco Labuschagne, 6 Divhan du Preez, 5 Carl Els, 4 Michael de Waal, 3 James Combrink, 2 Janco Uys, 1 Wihan Bezuidenhout

Replacements: 16 Marius Potgieter, 17 Dewald Donald, 18 Sarel Joubert, 19 Michael Harding, 20 Reinhardt Ras, 21 Steyn van der Spuy, 22 Jeandré du Piesanie, 23 Jason Scheepers

Coaches: Jaco Koch, Jan–Hendrik Hattingh

Paarl Gim: 15 Muller du Plessis, 14 Stravino Jacobs, 13 Dawid Kellerman, 12 Ruben Scholtz, 11 Hanco Hanekom, 10 Daniël Beukes, 9 Hanro Geldenhuys, 8 Henco Martins, 7 Dean Nieuwoudt, 6 Corné Uys, 5 Ryno Beukes, 4 Adriaan Ludick, 3 Adriaan Staples, 2 Chris Rossouw, 1 Daniël Wessels

Replacements: 16 Hugo Pienaar, 17 Francois Staples, 18 Dedrich Glas, 19 Dré Engelbrecht, 20 AJ Wedgwood, 21 Jean Janse van Rensburg, 22 Janke du Toit, 23 Curt Mackier

Coaches: Pieter Rossouw, Helmut Lehmann

Date: Saturday, 25 March 2017

1st XV kick-off: 12.00

Television broadcast: Supersport Select (channel 210) and Supersport 6 (Channel 206)

Venue: Paarl Gim

Referee: Divan Uys (Western Province Referees' Society)

Top Achievers

Both have long rugby histories and several Springboks have emerged from the schools.

 

Paarl Gim Springboks

Japie le Roux

Pietie le Roux

Steve Joubert

Pierre de Villiers

JC van der Westhuizen

Jan Pickard

Hugo van Zyl

Wynand Mans

Schalk Burger Snr (Groot Schalk)

Kobus Burger

Kobus Wiese

Balie Swart

Mornay Visser

Pieter Rossouw, who currently the director of coaching at Paarl Gim.

De Wet Barry

Louis Koen

Chris Rossouw

Marius Joubert

Jean de Villiers (captain 37 times)

Schalk Burger Jnr (Klein Schalk) (captain once)

Ashley Johnson

Lourens Adriaanse

Handré Pollard

Affies Springboks

Louis Schmidt

Tonie Roux

Pierre Edwards, who currently is the school's headmaster

Grant Esterhuizen

Fourie du Preez (captain, four times)

Wynand Olivier

Pierre Spies

Dean Greyling