Gim itching to take on Bishops
Despite a fairly extensive fixture list there is not that much to get the pulses racing in this weekend's Western Province and Boland programmes, while the South Western Districts teams begin with their exhaustive trials.
Although current form indicates a yawning chasm between the two sides, Paarl Gim versus Bishops still tops the bill.
The two sides' last weekends provide an unpleasantly accurate reflection of their overall form. Gim turned in two commanding performances in the cauldron that is the Wildeklawer weekend, beating Glenwood 35-25 before trouncing the supposed dream team that is Waterkloof 38-11. Bishops hit the rocky sea-floor, losing 16-19 to arch-rivals St Andrew's of Grahamstown, their first defeat in the last seven of these derbies.
Gim are really looking the polished article right now, many feeling that at last they deserve top spot in the national rankings. If their forwards aren't scoring many tries, it's only because they're doing a superb job of supplying their prolific backline.
Names like Lotter Pretorius (scrumhalf), Loek van der Merwe (left wing) and Altus Momsen (inside centre) are rapidly joining ace flyhalf Handré Pollard on the lips of schoolboy rugby aficionados. 42 tries in only seven full-length matches - and just one of those fixtures at home - against sides that are arguably the best the country has to offer pretty much says it all.
Bishops are finally finding out the way of life some Premier B outfits experience year after year. As far as the local top tier goes, they are largely a no-name brand, who rely on the boot of flyhalf James van Heerden to help keep them competitive.
Last year Gim graciously (if under huge pressure) caved in at the eleventh hour and consented to two Bishops post-matrics playing against them at the Piley Rees. The indignant Gimmies lost that one 6-11. Payback time has arrived.
Most years would see Boland Landbou start as overwhelming favourites against SACS. I mean, last year the Windmeul Warriors won 40-20 up in Newlands!
Well, the Farmers' season has taken some time to get into something approaching top gear. Tian Smit's boot has kept them just about level with all their opponents. Now they return to their stunning estate for only the second time this year on the back of two morale-boosting wins up at Diamantveld over the weekend.
Blessed with a frightening front row spearhead of Evert Grobbelaar, Arno van Wyk and Matthys Basson, the experienced centre pairing of Faffa Botha and Keagon Gordon have flourished, while full back Heinrich Bühr has emerged as someone every coach dreams of: an extremely versatile utility back just at home behind the kicking tee as flyhalf Tian Smit.
SACS are relishing the chance to fulfil their massive support base's perennial hope: a side more than capable of taking on the big boys.
The front row might face a bit of an uphill struggle, but they want for little elsewhere. Captain Cameron Calder and his halfback partner Chris Smith have formed a combination mature beyond their years, Adam de Carvalho is a second-row battler of great character, while sideman Luke van der Smit is as good as you will find in this province.
The stage is set for a truly epic encounter.
By the way, Paarl Boys' High take a post-Wildeklawer break.
Feature games in the Boland are few and far between.
HTS Drostdy are on a roll and, when you have a pack the size of theirs, that pretty well means that their opposition is likely to be flattened. Come Saturday their eager opponents are traditional Interschools rivals Worcester Gim. Plus the match is on the Donkies' beloved Trappespark.
If you are in the vicinity, this match is a must for any purist. Their huge units named Wilco 'Winkel' Louw, François 'Bees' Pienaar, Izak Burger and Hanru Liebenberg have destroyed bigger opponents than the Bosvarke, while out back the talent is finally showing. Boeta de Wet and Hannes Lochner are formidable finishers and getting the ball to them has become less of a problem than it was earlier this season.
Bankies van der Bank's charges are up against it and will be looking to a strong midfield showing by the experienced Schalk Hugo, Courtney Cupido and Shandro Issel to shore up the dike.
Otherwise, Hugenote should be worth watching after a three-week break, although they are likely to beat visitors Durbanville, and, given the attractive rugby that is fast becoming their hallmark, Overberg are likely to attract many new supporters to Caledon for their game against Ceres's Charlie Hofmeyr. Tough encounters are forecast for Augsburg Gim vs Calvinia and Dirkie Uys vs Bredasdorp.
Saturday, 5 May fixtures:
(Home teams first)
Augsburg Gim vs Calvinia
Boland Landbou vs SACS
DF Malan vs Stellenberg
Dirkie Uys vs Bredasdorp
Hawston vs Gansbaai Academy
Hermanus vs Parel Vallei
HTS Bellville vs Jan van Riebeeck
HTS Drostdy vs Worcester Gim
Hugenote vs Durbanville
Labori vs Robertson
Montana vs Swellendam
Overberg vs Charlie Hofmeyr
Paarl Gim vs Bishops
Paul Roos vs Tygerberg
Piketberg vs Hopefield
Primrose RFC vs Strand
Rondebosch vs Brackenfell
Schoonspruit vs Weston
Stellenbosch vs Montagu
Swartland vs De Kuilen
Vredendal vs Vredenburg
Wynberg vs Bellville
By Tony Stoops