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Boishaai out to defend their unbeaten streak against rampant Wynberg

By Willem Louw , in Rugby | Featured Rugby | News , at 2024-04-12 Tags: , , ,

Photo: Deborah Redelinghuys

Thus far in the 2024 season, both Paarl Boys’ High and Wynberg Boys’ High have kept perfect records, producing some outstanding performances along the way. On Saturday, however, one of those perfect records is likely to come to an end when they meet at the Buco Brug Street Stadium in Paarl.

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Last year, when they met, the Paarl outfit sneaked a 33-29 victory away from home, but Boishaai has already shown that previous results are no indicators for this season’s squad.

They avenged a shock defeat to Hoërskool Durbanville in 2023 by crushing them 73-7 in their opening match of this season. Since then, they’ve taken down Jeppe (45-19), Garsfontein (38-36), King Edward VII (22-7) and Pretoria Boys High (24-8).

Most recently, they withstood a stern challenge from a marauding Oakdale squad, beating them 19-10.

The challengers this weekend have also started their season with a bang. They pummelled Windhoek High (84-3) in their opener, then beat St Charles (28-24), St Andrew’s College (43-21) and Kingswood College (35-7). Last weekend, they also beat the Durbies, winning 36-19.

The Boishaai squad remains unchanged from the one that played last weekend, with Viaan Mentoor leading proceedings in the midfield and their big hooker, Christiaan Grundling, setting up the hosts’ destructive set pieces up front.

Wynberg is also unchanged, barring a few positional switches among the forwards.

One of the keys to the visitors’ successes this season has been the play of their flyhalf, Yaqeen Ahmed. If they’re to score an upset, Ahmed will be at the forefront of that effort.

Meanwhile, Boland Landbou takes on Bishops Diocesan College on the Piley Rees Field in Cape Town.

Saturday’s game will be the first for Bishops on their home ground since the Easter break.

In their most recent action, Bishops convincingly beat Dale College 47-24 in their first match at the KES Easter Festival, but they were outmuscled and outplayed by King Edward VII in their last outing, losing 8-45.

They’ll take on the farmers without their talisman scrumhalf, Kashief Joseph, but young Max Marr has already shown up well in his stead. It was his quick thinking that led to Bishops’ only try against KES.

Jack Campbell starts at hooker this weekend. He and the rest of the Bishops’ pack will have to be on top of their game to keep the big Boland boys at bay.

Boland suffered a 13-47 loss to an in-form Paarl Gimnasium last weekend, and Hilton College managed a 17-14 upset of the farmers at the St John’s Easter Rugby Festival, but they remain a side to be reckoned with.

Their results include impressive victories over Outeniqua (15-13) and Maritzburg College (32-17), and they’ll be keen to add another win to their list of achievements.

Flankers Karst Smits and Hans Verster have been the dangermen in the Boland Landbou lineup, and they will seek to continue their destructive form on the Piley Rees this weekend.

Paarl Boys’ High vs Wynberg Boys’ High at 13:30

Paarl Boys’ High: 15 Francois van der Merwe, 14 Aiden Jacobs, 13 Tristan Joubert, 12 Tristan Fransman, 11 Ashwin Swarts, 10 Viaan Mentoor, 9 Keagan Smith, 8 Douw Wessels, 7 Rubin Dames, 6 Anroux du Plessis, 5 Jayden Joubert, 4 Dian Smal, 3 Juan van der Merwe, 2 Christiaan Grundling, 1 Bernard du Toit.

Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Morne Noble, 14 Kunene Gadu, 13 Albert Lourens, 12 Brandon Ashburner, 11 Levi Brown, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Tyrone Gombe, 8 Aden da Costa, 7 Torren February, 6 Jamie Stride, 5 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 4 Jaythen Orange, 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Xabiso Mkiva, 1 Benjamin Matthews.

Diocesan College vs Boland Landbou at 12:30

Diocesan College: 15 Lucca Mynhardt, 14 Cole Robyntjies, 13 Alex Newton, 12 Alex Laspatzis, 11 Iviwe Dadamasi, 10 Jordan Petersen, 9 Max Marr, 8 Aza Gabada, 7 Daniel van den Heever, 6 James le Feuvre, 5 Rieko Kidha, 4 Alex Smith, 3 Yusuf Ahmed, 2 Jack Campbell, 1 Gareth Mckinon.

Boland Landbou: 15 Lyle Lewis, 14 Wehan Lume, 13 Danté Christians, 12 Juan Swart, 11 Sydney Blaauw, 10 Retagan van Rooi, 9 Jayden Brits, 8 Alco Bindemann, 7 Karst Smits, 6 Hans Verster, 5 Ruan Viviers, 4 Kody Nel, 3 Derico Mesina, 2 Thiaan van Zyl, 1 Derik du Preez.

Other fixtures

u19: 12:20 – Hoërskool Bellville vs Tygerberg

Willem Louw
error: Sorry ol' chap, those shenanigans are not permissible.