Article: John McConnachie
Results from the 1st XV school’s rugby programme on Saturday 13 May 2023 are still being received and this review is therefore limited to the top 20 ranked teams following the results of last week’s matches.
The individual results are:-
- Grey College 39 Paarl Boys High 30
- Paarl Gym 36 Boland Landbou 18
- Garsfontein 46 Menlopark 6
- Outeniqua v Brandwag (MATCH CANCELLED)
- Paarl Boys High 30 Grey College 39
- Paul Roos (NO FIXTURE)
- Affies 20 KES 10
- Boland Landbou 18 Paarl Gym 36
- Hilton 39 Pretoria Boys High 15
- Rondebosch 22 SACS 7
- Monument (NO FIXTURE)
- Waterkloof 28 Nelspruit 24
- DHS 27 Michaelhouse 31
- Wynberg 10 Bishops 14
- KES 10 Affies 20
- Michaelhouse 31 DHS 27
- Marlow 25 Nico Malan 15
- Kingswood 18 Pearson 0
- Grey High 19 St Andrews 0
- Noordheuwel 32 Helpmekaar 42.
The only results which were not consistent with the rankings was the loss of 13th ranked DHS to 16TH ranked Michaelhouse by 27-31 with Michaelhouse holding on to a narrow 10-8 half-time lead; 20th ranked Noordheuwel’s loss to 29th ranked Helpmekaar 32-42 after also trailing 10-22 at halftime and 14th ranked Wynberg’s loss to 23rd ranked Bishops, 10-14.
Wynberg led 10-7 and halftime and a spilled pass just before fulltime probably cost them the game.
Helpmekaar produced the win despite being reduced to 13 players after receiving two yellow cards in the final minutes and with Noordheuwel strongly on the comeback.
The weekend’s matches produced several thrilling encounters, none more so than the DHS v Michaelhouse clash with Michaelhouse trailing 24-27 and crossing twice only to have both tries disallowed in the dying minutes but finally getting over and converting with no time left on the clock. The match then continued into extra time and DHS were finally denied by the final whistle as they were threatening the Michaelhouse tryline.
The match between 12th ranked Waterkloof and 62nd ranked Nelspruit also nearly produced a major upset and went down to the wire with Waterkloof also only just hanging on to a 14-12 halftime lead and with Nelspruit coming close to snatching a win on the final whistle.
Most games around the country were played in ideal, cool conditions but the Eastern Cape also experienced heavy rains and the matches between Kingswood and Pearson in Port Elizabeth and Grey High School and St Andrews in Grahamstown were played on waterlogged fields.
The fixture between 4th ranked Outeniqua and Brandwag, ranked 65, which was due to be played in Uitenhage was cancelled in advance because of the predicted weather conditions.
Rain also affected the derby encounter between Dale and Queens in King William’s Town which was won by Queens 21-12 after Dale led 12-8 at halftime.
Paul Roos, ranked 6th, had a break this weekend after last week’s big game against Paarl Gym and with another big game against 10th ranked Rondebosch coming up next weekend. Rondebosch will take a lot of confidence out of their good win against struggling SACS, ranked 46.
The halftime score was 12-0 to Rondebosch.
