Faure Street packed again

For the second successive Saturday the Faure Street Stadium in Paarl will be packed with excited spectators for an FNB Classic Clash, this time between Klein Nederburg and New Orleans, two Paarl schools who love their rugby.

All the signs are that, as it has been down the years, so it will be this year - a cliffhanger of a match. That match will be the build-up to a whole week of Interschool activities.

It started on Sunday with a special service at the Bethel Congregational Kerk and then on Monday the games began with hockey and soccer. On Tuesday there was tabletennis and on Wednesday netball at the Boy Louw Grounds and then the rugby and netball start. There is even an Old Boys match at Daljosafat Stadium. On Friday there is the Big Brag.

All of that it is fine but it is the 1st XV match that counts most.

The day could be spoilt by the weather. A strong cold front is approaching the Cape and Saturday is expected to be the height of the storm with heavy rain and strong winds.

The season

New Orleans have the better playing record, winning 14 matches and losing only to Groendal. On the other hand Klein Nederburg have play ted tougher opposition - Langeberg, Marais Viljoen, Daniël Pienaar and Hugenote of Wellington.

Results against common opponents

Scottsdene: New Orleans won 59-0, Klein Nederburg 38-20

Hawston: New Orleans won 20-17; Hawston beat Klein Nederburg 15-5

Higher honours

Craven Week:

New Orleans: Chesné van Wyk, Hillroy Baadjies

Academy Week

New Orleans: Lincoln Grain

Experience

Both teams have players back from last year's close match.

Klein Nederburg : Shane Demas, Jade Hendricks

New Orleans: Chesné van Wyk, Edward Hugo, Hillroy Baadjies, Wesley Williams, Ayyoob Moerat.

Prediction: New Orleans are undoubtedly the favourites, which, in this type of match, may not mean that they are going to win.

New Orleans: 15 Uzair Davids, 14 Angus Cornelissen, 13 Chesné van Wyk, 12 Neil Adriaanse, 11 Edward Hugo, 10 Dale Watts, 9 Lincoln Grain, 8 Hillroy Baadjies, 7 Waldo Riekert, 6 Juandré Alwyn, 5 Wesley Williams, 4 Juan Aaron, 3 Lluchin Ephraim, 2 Ayyoob Moerat (captain), 1 Clyde Fransman.

Replacements: 16 Novellin Julies, 17 Wilbur Julies, 18 Denthen Petersen, 19 Junaid Mowzer, 20 Curtley Andrews, 21 Rantin Fortuin, 22 Asanele Fatyela, 23 Brendell Fortuin.

Klein Nederburg: 15 Owen Krediet, 14 Elrich Koopman, 13 Maxwell Solomons, 12 Fabio Fouché, 11 Furnill Fortuin, 10 Keagan September, 9 lan Paulse, 8 Shane Demas, 7 Conal Brown, 6 Charlton Moses, 5 Jade Hendricks, 4 Hugh-George Clarke, 3 Nathan Simons (captain), 2 Paydon Davids, 1 Carlo Joshua.

Replacements: 16 Leswin Scholtz, 17 Sidney van der Horst, 18 Iver Aanhuizen, 19 Gillroy Farmer, 20 Garren Kulsen, 21 Jovean Jordaan, 22 Jehaan de Kock.

Date: Saturday, 11 August (2012)

1st XV kick-off: 16.00

Venue: Faure Street Stadium, Paarl

Expected weather conditions: 70% chance of rain in the afternoon with strong (45 to 55 km/h) northwester, a high of 14C

Results down the years:

1994: New Orleans won 33-3

1995: New Orleans won 32-0

1996: New Orleans won 19-12

 997: Klein Nederburg won 11-5

1998: New Orleans won 17-8

1999: New Orleans won 9-5

2000: New Orleans won 32-3

2001: New Orleans won 17-0

2002: Klein Nederburg won 14-12

2003: New Orleans won 15-9

2004: New Orleans won 8-0

2005: New Orleans won 12-3

2006: New Orleans won 7-5

2007: Klein Nederburg won 13-10

2008: Klein Nederburg won 24-23

2009: Klein Nederburg won 16-3

2010: Klein Nederburg won 19-17

2011: New Orleans won 15-9