All Eyes on Paarl as Gimmies dare to start as favourites against Grey
It is not every day that a team takes the field against Grey College as the favourites, but that is exactly what Paarl Gimnasium will do this Saturday on their home ground in Paarl in the King Price Derby Series.
Follow all the action live on SuperSport Schools (www.supersportschools.com) or on DStv channel 216. The clash kicks off at 14:00 on the JA Kriel Field.
The Gimmies defeated Grey by 43–31 in Bloemfontein last year. It was the team from the City of Roses’ first home defeat since 2017. Grey’s previous home loss before that was against Paarl Boys’ High, with Abner van Reenen spearheading a 46–31 victory.
No fewer than six players who were involved in that win last year will turn out for the Gimmies again this year – Charles Whitehead (hooker), Jean Dreyer (lock), Hendré van Zyl (loose forward), Mickyle Booise (scrumhalf), Thomas Saunders (wing), and Ethan Barker (centre).
Both teams have only been on the losing end once this year against South African opposition, and against the same opponent. Paarl Gimnasium went down 19–20 to the country’s top school team so far in 2026, Stellenberg, in their opening match of the season.
Grey College lost 21–26 to Stellenberg during the Noord/Suid tournament. Less than 48 hours later, the Bloemfontein side also suffered a 26–29 defeat against Australia’s Nudgee College.
One of Grey’s biggest stalwarts, O’Ryan Kleyn (inside centre), was injured in the clash against Nudgee College. He undoubtedly leaves a gap in the Bloemfontein team and will probably not be in action again this year.
Grey last lost three matches in a row on the rugby field in 2015. At the time, the team were beaten by Monument (7–17), Paarl Boys’ High (19–21), and Affies (18–29).
Only two players in Grey’s squad, Lamla Mgedezi (fullback) and Alexi Tyropolis (captain and lock), were also in the starting line-up against the Gimmies last year.
Eddie Mabena (inside centre) and Hennie Bredenhann (loosehead prop) were on the bench.
Mabena has moved from outside centre to inside centre to fill Kleyn’s boots. His centre partner, Emile Aucamp, can expect a proper baptism of fire in Paarl.
A fair amount of rain is expected in Paarl, which could limit Grey’s dangerous backline.
Paarl Gimnasium recorded a resounding 51–24 victory over Affies in the King Price Derby Series last Saturday. The team’s fullback, Saunders, as well as scrumhalf Mickyle Booise, were on song in that win.
The key to success for Grey in Paarl will lie with their pack of eight, who will need to deliver a similar performance to the one they produced earlier this year in their 38–7 win over Oakdale Landbou.
The teams:
Paarl Gimnasium: 15 Thomas Saunders, 14 Corné de Beer, 13 Derik Cloete, 12 Ethan Barker (captain), 11 De Waal Vivier, 10 Louis Koen, 9 Mickyle Booise, 8 Hendré van Zyl, 7 Dirk Hugo, 6 Corné Niemand, 5 Jean Dreyer, 4 Bernhardt Schulze, 3 Sebastian Bekker, 2 Charles Whitehead, 1 Jayden Steyl.
Grey College: 15 Lamla Mgedezi, 14 Johan Dormehl, 13 Emile Aucamp, 12 Eddie Mabena, 11 JG Horn, 10 Christoff Crous, 9 Jonathan Drysdale, 8 Niel du Randt, 7 Henru Erasmus, 6 Xander de Beer, 5 Jannes Krause, 4 Alexi Tyropolis (kaptein), 3 JW Coetzee, 2 AJ Hendriks, 1 Hennie Bredenhann.
Kick-Off: 14:00
