Gim and Paul Roos to do battle for Boland bragging rights in Paarl

Both Paarl Gimnasium and Paul Roos Gimnasium will set their sights on getting back to winning ways when they lock horns in an eagerly awaited Boland Derby in Paarl on Friday night.
The match, to be played on Paarl Gimnasium’s main AstroTurf, kicks off at 19:45.
Catch all the action LIVE on SuperSport Schools.
Last weekend, both produced results away from home which would have disappointed them.
In their most recent match action, coach Jacques Grobler’s Gim side travelled to Rondebosch Boys’ High for a Friday showdown, seeking a boost after the Hibbert Shield.
At the tournament in Gqeberha, Gim, without a doubt, performed below their expectations, finishing in eighth spot after rather unconvincing performances during the knockout stages.
After placing second in their pool, they lost 2-5 to the same Paul Roos in the quarterfinals. Then, they went down 0-2 to Bishops on penalties, before suffering a 1-3 defeat at the hands of Durban High School (DHS).
As much as they were expected to claim the win against ‘Bosch, the boys from Paarl were met by a resilient team that gave little away defensively, and the clash ended in a 2-2 draw.
Juan Swanepoel opened Gim’s account in the second chukka against Rondebosch, but a strike late in the fourth chukka, from Stefan Wiehahn, was needed to rescue a share of the spoils.
Paul Roos, meanwhile, visited South African College High School (SACS) to reprise their meeting in the final of the Hibbert Shield on the Brewery AstroTurf.
They showed great character and composure to claim the Hibbert Shield 6-5 on penalties, after clawing their way back from a 0-3 deficit to tie up matters 3-3 in regulation time, but they couldn’t replicate that brave showing on Friday evening.
They were dominated and outplayed by a SACS side that was intent on avenging their loss. PRG showed positive signs during the first two chukkas, but poor discipline cost them heavily in the second half, and they went down 2-6.
To win, away from home, coach Michael Baker’s team will need to tap into the positivity and big match temperament attitude that took them all the way to the title in Gqeberha.
In the last “in-season” meeting between the teams in May last year, it was PRG who came out victorious with a 2-0 win in front of their home supporters.
To be successful again, Paul Roos will need several players in key positions to deliver the goods. They include Barend Geldenhuys, who has been a lively performer this season. Joshua Smit, who played his 50th match for the first team against SACS, and scored, will be another key player.
Callum van Oudsthoorn, Reuben Gouws, and captain Reuben Sendzul, are others who have the ability to cause the hosts problems.
Gim will not be phased by previous results, and they will head into the match knowing that the result depends on which side better capitalises on their chances.
They will bank on their skipper, LD Nel, finding the back of the net. He’s a proven force at penalty corner time, while Juan Swanepoel has been in prolific goalscoring form, too.
Swanepoel won the Belgotex Sport Easter Hockey Tournament Player of the Tournament accolade and has maintained his strong form ever since then.
His goal glut has continued, and he was a scorer against Rondebosch in his side’s 2-2 draw last week.
Others who could be key performers include Johan van der Merwe and John Coetzee, who have both been included in the Boland u18 A side for this year’s Sashoc u18 Inter-Provincial Tournament.
Fixtures on the main Astroturf
14:30 – Paarl Gimnasium u16C vs Paul Roos u16C
15:30 – Paarl Gimnasium u16B vs Paul Roos u16B
16:30 -Paarl Gimnasium u14A vs Paul Roos u14A
17:30 -Paarl Gimnasium u16A vs Paul Roos u16A
18:45 -Paarl Gimnasium u19B vs Paul Roos u19B
19:45 -Paarl Gimnasium u19A vs Paul Roos u19A
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