Lots at stake at season's end
As if five or so months of fiercely competitive top-level rugby isn’t enough, Paarl Gym still face two very real hurdles in their quest to finish top of the SA Schools ranking this year.
The first of these sees them travel through the tunnel to HTS Drostdy on Saturday 25 August 2012.
OK, everyone knows that Boishaai slaughtered the Donkeys 61-18 last Saturday, barely two weeks after having their colours lowered by Gym at Interschools, but Trappespark lends the Worcester side an extra aura of menace. The only side not to lose there this campaign has been neighbours Worcester Gym who held their hosts to a 15-15 draw in their Classic Clash.
All Drostdy had to offer last weekend was sheer guts and that got them nowhere. Just as two swallows don’t make a summer, so, one could argue, the return of two crucial players doesn’t suddenly wave a magic wand over a side. Nevertheless, the crucial stability the return of loosehead Wilco Louw and hooker Marius Paulsen will provide to the front row, the fulcrum of Drostdy’s powerhouse pack, cannot be underestimated.
The hosts still have plenty of problems, what with the well-rested Gym side’s crushing 58-0 over Hugenote on Wednesday, for which they were able to welcome U20 international pivot Handré Pollard and fellow SA Schools player JD Schickerling back to the fold.
While the Donkeys’ backs pose no credible threat to Gym, any thoughts of their replenished forwards doing so take a serious knock when one looks at the Gimmies’ shock troops, their loose trio.
No.8 Rikus Bothma has been huge in every sense of the word this year, while flanks Corné Cooper and Jacques Vermeulen aren’t far behind. This is where the game may well be won or lost as the hosts’ set great store by their inspirational captain, the dynamic Izak Burger, on the flank and the imposing Hanro Liebenberg at No.8.
For once this season, the local loosies take the field as underdogs. How much that concept hurts or motivates them only Saturday will tell. It’s definitely worth the toll charges to find out !
Only two of the remaining last rites catch the eye.
Firstly, SACS and Wynberg, this year’s two stand-out southern suburbs teams, meet up in Newlands for their annual final curtain call.
Wynberg won 26-16 at Hawthornden in June, but that advantage isn’t going to be worth anything against a SACS side coming off the high of inflicting a record 34-3 defeat on Bishops at the Piley Rees field last Saturday. Factor in the staggering kicking performance of Chris Smith (199 points this season, to go with his six tries) and the ’Berg are really up against it.
The all-round competence of the visitors will be sorely tested, especially in the midfield. Centres Justin Scott, the captain, and Jarred Sage have two very accomplished finishers outside them in Josh de Stadler and Darryn Rix, but the Young Ikeys themselves boast SA Schools centre Leighton van Wyk and elusive wingers Suwi Chibali and Mzi Dempers.
In short, a cracker lies in store between two sides who have brought much joy to their delighted supporters this season.
If the SACS – Wynberg game represents the bang at the end of the season, the Bishops – Rondebosch game at the Piley Rees sadly is the whimper. The early season promise created by a successful overseas tour has just not translated into local success for Rondebosch, while Bishops started 2012 on a low note and have maintained that form doggedly throughout 2012.
The second intriguing Interschools saga will be played out in Robertson, where all the signs point to a titanic battle between the home side and arch-rivals Charlie Hofmeyr from Ceres.
Veteran home coach Johan de Jager is a hard taskmaster, rarely one to lavish praise on his team, but even he couldn’t find words to describe their ruthless efficiency in thrashing hosts Swellendam 48-13 last Saturday.
The Charlies will be looking to their two Boland Craven Week caps, flank Cobus Geldenhuys and left wing Luwandré Visagie, their captain, to call the shots against the Red Winos, while the local man to watch seems to be in-form centre Esteban van der Merwe.
Fixtures for Saturday 25 August 2012
(Home teams first)
Bishops vs Rondebosch
Brackenfell vs Tygerberg
HTS Drostdy vs Paarl Gym
Jan van Riebeeck vs Dirkie Uys
Klein Nederburg vs Bergrivier
Labori vs Bosmansdam
Langenhoven High vs Swellendam
New Orleans vs Weltevrede
Porterville vs Augsburg Gym
Primrose RFC vs Paarl Boys’ High
Robertson vs Charlie Hofmeyr
SACS vs Wynberg
Schoonspruit vs Weston Sec
Stellenberg vs Durbanville
Worcester Gym vs De Kuilen
By Tony Stoops