Boland bragging rights on the line as Paarl Gim visits Paul Roos
The home of Stellenbosch University and Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) hockey, the Maties AstroTurf will come to a standstill when PRG welcomes rivals, Paarl Gimnasium, to the venue for a Hyundai Friday Nite Lights clash at 19:10.
Expect a pulsating clash between the Boland juggernauts as they go head-to-head for the provincial bragging rights for at least another year.
It’s been an interesting season so far for PRG and Paarl Gim, who both shone at the Standard Bank Hibbert Shield, in Gqeberha, over the past weekend.
In the Windy City, the rivals showcased their pedigree, played high-quality hockey, and proved why they should be considered among the best teams in the country.
PRG claimed the bronze medal after beating Hoërskool Garsfontein 2-1 in the third/fourth play-off match. They lost out to the eventual champion, SACS, in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals.
Gim, meanwhile, made it to the title game but was outmuscled by South African College High School (SACS), going down 3-6.
Although they both came up narrowly short of the title, coaches Michael Baker, of PRG, and Jacques Grobler, of Paarl Gim, were surely proud of their teams’ efforts. Now, they’re aiming to build upon the momentum they generated at the tournament.
The last time they met, in May 2024, Paul Roos scored a nervy and scrappy 1-0 victory, courtesy of a Christo Swanepoel goal.
In that clash, both sides were far from convincing and played boring one-dimensional hockey, which deprived the spectators of the show that had been hyped in the week leading up to the showdown.
Based on the hockey they’ve played this season, it’s almost certain that won’t be the case this time around. Both units are firing on all cylinders and playing some eye-pleasing hockey. They’re ready to shine under the lights.
There is no outright favourite but reaching a Hibbert Shield final could put Gim ahead of their rivals in some people’s books. Countering that viewpoint is the fact that PRG’s penalty shootout loss to SACS was their first defeat of the season.
Paarl Gim has a formidable team that started the season slowly but has come alive in recent weeks. Led by Juan Swanepoel in the number 10 jumper, they’re playing an unconventional brand of hockey. Mostly, they’re defending deep and playing with pace and creativity on the counterattack, and they’ve scored plenty of goals.
Some of their early-season success can also be credited to their ability to convert penalty corners, with Stefan Wiehahn and John Coetzee the men entrusted with drag-flicking duty at the top of the D.
Defensively, Gim has been sound, and at the Hibbert Shield, Johannes Nieuwoudt, Philip du Preez, Gideon Cronje, and Coetzee combined effectively at the back.
That strong defensive system will need to be on its game against a fiery PRG side that’s hurting after falling short of defending the title they won in 2024.
Captained by Christo Swanepoel, who reached 100 games for his school in Gqeberha, PRG was aiming for three Hibbert Shield titles in succession, but they went down in a repeat of 2024’s final.
They weren’t at their best against Garsfontein but they got the job done. Now, they’re keen to give their supporters something to cheer about at their home Astro.
The last time PRG played in Stellenbosch, they were held to a thrilling 4-4 draw by Grey High School in one of the most entertaining matches so far this season.
They’ll need to be switched on from the first whistle to the last to get one over their rivals and it will all start at the back with Logan Lackay, Jeandre van Zyl, Danesh Titus, and Tylor Carter providing the platform for the Stellenbosch boys.
Swanepoel will be entrusted to lead his side from the midfield, alongside vice-captain, Seth Paterson, Ruben Gouws, and Nicholas Knoll.
PRG has scored goals for fun of late, and their attack has been given life by Callum van Oudtshoorn, Caleb Cilliers, and Matthew Cardoza.
Since arriving at the Stellenbosch school in 2024, Baker has faced Paarl Gim twice and came out on tops on both occasions, but he’ll be wary of the threats posed by this year’s team.
