Gimmies win Interschools

They went in as the more likely underdogs and emerged triumphant - by a point, but what a difference a point makes. The Waratahs won Super Rugby by a point, 33-32, and Paarl Gim beat Paarl Boys' High 16-15.

There was a difference as the Waratahs came from behind with less than a minute to play while Boys' High got as close as they did with time up. But in each case the winner burst out into barely controlled glee while the loser slumped into a slough of despond.

There was a record crowd in Sydney for the Final and at Paarl there was - yet again - a capacity crowd of over 20 000 for this, the most dramatic of Interschools days.

After Gimmies' second team had won, the ceremonies began at the ground where nobody was neutral. There were drapes on the stands, a march-on of pupils bearing huge flags and others bearing portraits of the players. There were elegant cheerleaders and teams introduced to headmasters, teams lined up for the singing of the schools' songs and the shouting of warcries and then the release of appropriately coloured balloons which rose into the sky, soaring up in the face of Paarl Rock.

That over, Stefan Gouws of Boys' High kicked off for the game to begin.

There had been the promise of no rain but in fact there was morning rain and the field was still feeling the effect of last week's deluge. The field was heavy and soon its underlying muddiness surfaced.

The Gim pack was heavy as well and they were not shy to send the likes of Gavin van den Berg and Jaco Willemse pounding at Boys' High.

Boys' High missed and early kick at goal but from 42 metres out and about eight metres in from touch the impressive Grant Hermanus stroked a penalty over to give Gim a 3-0 lead after 9 minutes.

Twice in the match Boys' High had gilt-edged opportunities to score and on both occasions their hands let them down. The first time happened when centre Curtley Grain, who had a magnificent match and was a real handful for Gim's defence, raced down the left and passed to Justin Solomons on the wing in the place of Wian Gouws who was injured. The wing lost the ball as he made for the line.

A penalty gave Gim a line-out and a chance to batter at the line. But, as was the case for Boys' High later, the defence held. Boys' High won a turnover and Paul de Wet cleared.

Half-time came with the score a meagre 3-0.

When Boys' High were penalised for a high tackle Grant Hermanus goaled. 6-0 after 37 minutes. Then just two minutes later Boys' High got on the scoreboard. Gim were penalised and then marched 10 metres to just in front of their posts and Stefan Gouws goaled. 6-3.

That a try was scored came as a surprise as both sides defended so heroically. The try came when a pass caught a Boys' High player by surprise. He knocked the ball straight into the arms of tall Ernst  van Rhyn who was just inside his own half. The lock raced through empty territory but as the defence closed in he kicked and loped after the ball. Next to him was his scrumhalf Grant Williams. When the ball bounced in kindly fashion under the Boys' High posts Grant Williams was on hand to grab it and dot it down for a try. 13-3 after 48 minutes, which meant there were 22 minutes to play.

Then came a massive blitz by Boys' High. It started when Curtley Grain burst down the left. He played inside to Justin Solomons who was caught by Wayne Visagie about four metres from the Gim line.  Boys' High went right and when they knocked on they went back to a penalty five metres from the line, the first of three in quick succession. Each one was tapped and each one was followed by bashing. CF du Toit was held up over the line and that produced a five-metre scrum and more bashing, till eventually they went wide right where clever running by Curtley Grain put Rayhaan Lombaard in for a try in the corner. 13-8 with 15 minutes to play.

The penalty count in the match was 14-6 in the favour of Boys' High. In the second half they were penalised twice, but Grant Hermanus goaled one of them. 16-8 with 11 minutes to play.

Boys' High had the better of the 11 minutes. They bashed at the Gim line from two more penalties till again Curtley Grain was clever and put Tristan Solomons in for another try in the right corner. Stefan Gouws converted from touch, and the final whistle went .

This signalled an outburst of glee as Gimmies ran onto the field to lift their heroes aloft, arms raised in triumph. Both sides went back onto the stand to rejoice on the green side and sing solemnly on the blue side.

And it's all over till the first weekend of August 2015.

Scorers:

For Paarl Gim:

Try: Grant Williams

Con: Grant Hermanus

Pens Grant Hermanus 3

For Boys' High:

Tries: Rayhaan Lombaard, Tristan Solomons

Con: Stefan Gouws

Pen: Stefan Gouws.

Teams

Paarl Gim: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Paul Human, 13 Taigh Schoor, 12 Willie Smal, 11 Leaviel Gouws, 10 Walter Smit, 9 Grant Williams, 8 HJ Luus, 7 Dieter Leicher, 6 Gustav Marais, 5 Ernst van Rhyn, 4 Jaco Willemse, 3 Adriaan Geldenhuys, 2 Marco Mostert, 1 Gavin van den Berg

Replacements: 16 Willem Moolman, 17 Johan Grobbelaar, 18 Tiaan Kriel, 19 Hennie Beukes, 20 Johan Visser, 21 Wayno Visagie

Coaches: Christoff Lötter, Hendrik Weber

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Rayhaan Lombaard, 14 Tyreeq Cassiem-February, 13 Curtley Grain, 12 Heinrich Möller, 11 Wian Gouws, 10 Stefan Gouws, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 CF du Toit, 7 Christo Mostert, 6 Andreas van Wyk, 5 Ruben de Villiers, 4 Wian Botes, 3 Derrick Marais, 2 Carel van Zyl, 1 Quintin Vorster

Coaches: Sean Erasmus, Elmo Wolfaardt

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (Western Province Referees' Society)

Results Down the Years

1915: Boys' High won 10-0

1916: Gim won 7-5

1917: Gim won 3-0

1918: Gim won 3-0

1919: Gim won 9-0

1920: Gim won 20-0

1921: Draw 6-6

1922: Draw 3-3

1923: Boys' High won 3-0

1924: Boys' High won 13-5

1925: Boys' High won 7-3

1926: Boys' High won 6-5

1927: Gim won 5-3

1928: No match

1929: Draw 3-3

1930: Boys' High won 5-3

1931: Gim won 6-0

1932: Gim won 7-3

1933: Boys' High won 3-0

1934: Boys' High won 5-4

1935: Draw 0-0

1936: Gim won 11-6

1937: Gim won 5-3

1938: Gim won 5-3

1939: Gim won 9-8

1940: Draw 3-3

1941: Gim won 6-0

1942: Draw 0-0

1943: Gim won 9-6

1944: Boys' High won 6-0

1945: Boys' High won 14-6

1946: Draw 3-3

1947: Boys' High won 8-3

1948: Draw 3-3

1949: Gim won 9-3

1950: Boys' High won 6-3

1951: Boys' High won 6-0

1952: Boys' High won 11-0

1953: Boys' High won 6-5

1956: Gim won 6-3

1957: Gim won 5-3

1958: Gim won 11-0

1959: Boys' High won 11-3

1960: Gim won 9-3

1961: Boys' High won 6-0

1962: Boys' High won 6-0

1963: Boys' High won 8-0

1964: Gim won 9-8

1965: Gim won 11-0

1966: Gim won 8-0

1967: Gim won 8-6

1968: Gim won 3-0

1969: Boys' High won 8-5

1970: Gim won 19-8

1971: Boys' High won 11-6

1972: Boys' High won 6-3

1973: Boys' High won 19-6

1974: Gim won 9-3

1975: Boys' High won 3-0

1976: Gim won 8-6

1977: Boys' High won 15-6

1978: Gim won 13-10

1979: Gim won 12-6

1980: Gim won 9-3

1981: Gim won 12-0

1982: Boys' High won 16-15

1983: Gim won 15-6

1984: Gim won 10-4

1985: Boys' High won 16-6

1986: Draw 0-0

1987: Boys' High won 15-7

1988: Draw 6-6

1989: Gim won 15-4

1990: Boys' High won 10-6

1991: Boys' High won 8-4

1992: Gim won 20-15

1993: Boys' High won 19-17

1994: Boys' High won 11-6

1995: Boys' High won 17-3

1996: Gim won 18-16

1997: Gim won 13-10

1998: Boys' High won 16-5

1999: Gim won 13-6

2000: Boys' High won 15-7

2001: Boys' High won 12-3

2002: Gim won 15-0

2003: Boys' High won 25-6

2004: Gim won 13-3

2005: Gim won 22-10

2006: Gim won 23-17

2007: Gim won 10-0

2008: Gim won 35-8

2009: Boys' High won 24-12

2010: Draw 19-19

2011: Gim won 22-19

2012: Gim won 16-9

2013: Gim won 37-26

2014: Gim won 16-15