Interschools!

It brings a crowd of over 20 000 to the Faure Street ground each year, a crowd that would be the envy of many a professional team. And each year the spirit seems greater, the rugby even more intense.

Add to that Paarl Boys' High's long succession of well over 30 victories. Add to that they are the top two teams in the country. Add to that Gimmies' remarkable ability to pull a surprise, which has given them ten victories in the 15 matches of this century.

It is a defining match. Win and it's been a good season.

It may also be the most divisive match in the country. On Saturday you are either blue or green. In fact in the whole lead-up to the match you are either blue or green and that applies to all the females in your family as well. Woe betide the Gimmie whose mother is seen wearing a blue address at this time.

Faure Street ground will be divided into a blue side and a green side. Even the colour of your programme will give away your affiliation or inclination.

It's a match that demands great strength of mind and purpose, not a game for the faint-hearted, [perhaps not even a game.

Season So Far

Paarl Boys' High are ranked No.1 on the FNB Top 20 rankings, Paarl Gim No.2.  That means that this would be the top schools match in South Africa in 2016.

Paarl Boys' High have a better record - 15 played and 15 won. Gim have played 14 and have won 13, losing 15-13 to Garsfontein. Boys' High have probably played tougher opposition.

Results against Common Opponents

Bishops: Boys' High won 58-12; Gim won 45-10

Oakdale: Boys' High won 35-21; Gim won 41-19

Paul Roos: Boys' High won 28-3; Gim won 28-24

Rondebosch: Boys' High won 25-6; Gim won 48-19

SACS: Boys' High won 28-13; Gim won 17-13

Stellenberg: Boys' High won 41-3; Gim won 47-17

Waterkloof: Boys' High won 51-5; Gim won 35-10

Wynberg: Boys' High won 48-7; Gim won 71-11

Achievers

SA Schools

Paarl Boys' High: Gianni Lombard, Manuel Rass, Reece Bezuidenhout, Daniel Jooste, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Khanya Ncusane, Johan Neethling, Charl Serdyn

Paarl Gim: Muller du Plessis, Muller Uys

Craven Week

Paarl Boys' High: Gianni Lombard, Manuel Rass, Reece Bezuidenhout, Daniel Jooste, Salmaan Moerat (captain), Khanya Ncusane, Johan Neethling, Charl Serdyn

Paarl Gim: Muller du Plessis, Muller Uys, André Booysen

Academy Week

Paarl Boys' High: Francke Horn, Thakir Abrahams, Urgene Johannes, Vian Fourie

Paarl Gim: Sehan du Toit, William Nel, Izak Burger, Theo Boshoff, Wian van Niekerk, Daniël Wessels

That is a lot of star players. It has all the makings of a great match.

Television: This is a Premier Interschools match and so will be televised live on Supersport.

Teams

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Gianni Lombaard, 14 Urgene Johannes, 13 Manuel Rass , 12 Hanri van Heerden, 11 Takir Abrahams, 10 Rayhaan Lombard, 9 Michael Visser, 8 Khanya Ncusane, 7 Francke Horn, 6 Charl Serdyn, 5 Ewie Loubser, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Adam Neethling, 2 Daniel Jooste, 1 Reece Bezuidenhout

Replacements: 16 Wilhelm Barnard, 17 MJ Strauss, 18 Armandt Conradie, 19 Vian Fourie, 20 Eric Myburgh, 21 Tiaan du Plessis, 22 Gerdre Ferreira, 23 Riaan Barnard

Paarl Gimnasium: 15 Wian van Zyl, 14 Jan Jordaan, 13 Christopher Willemse, 12 Wian van Niekerk, 11 Muller du Plessis, 10 Theo Boshoff, 9 Zak Burger(captain), 8 Muller Uys, 7 Henco Martins, 6 Janus Swart, 5 Raymond Nel, 4 Adriaan Ludick, 3 Adriaan Staples, 2 Sehan du Toit, 1 André Booysen

Replacements: 16 Michael Houndsome, 17 Daniël Wessels, 18 Francois Staples, 19 Bryan Buitendag, 20 Ryno Beukes, 21 Bernu Engelbrecht, 22 Morné Buxmann, 23 Ryno Boonzaaier

Referee: Egon Seconds (Western Province Referees' Society)

Date: Saturday, 6 August 2016

1st XV kick-off: 16.00

Live television: Supersport channel 210

Venue: Faure Street Stadium

Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a high of 20°C, dropping to 8°C - good weather for good rugby.

Interschools Rugby Programme

In fact there is something on the whole week. There are lots of things to learn during the week, just not classroom things.

Thursday at Brug Street B

16.10 7th XV

Friday at Brug Street

A Field

14.00: 4th XV

15.10: Under-14A

16.15: 3rd XV    

B Field

14.00: Under-16B        

16.20: 6th XV        

15.10: 5th XV            

C Field    

16.20: Under-16C        

15.10: Under-16D        

14.00: Under-15D        

D Field

14.00: Under-14B        

15.00: Under-14C        

16.00: Under-14D             

E Field

14.00: Under-15B         

15.00: Under-15C                

Saturday at Faure Street

12.05: Under-15A                                                                                                            

13.15: Under-16A                                                                                                              

14.35: 2nd XV

16.00: 1st XV                                                                                                              

Results Down the Years

Both schools are considerably older than the Interschools but take 1915 as the date of the first Interschools, though they were playing well before then.

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

2015: Boys' High won 16-10