Paarl Boys’ High overwhelms SACS
In preparation for next week’s massive derby against Paarl Gimnasium, Paarl Boys’ High hosted SACS at the Buco Brug Street Stadium and set the table for the showdown with a comfortable 51-8 win over the Cape Town school.
Kaleb Holmes, on the wing, scored a deserved hat-trick, finishing superbly, while fullback Mark Grindlay also added to the brilliant Boishaai backline play by bagging a wonderful brace.
It was SACS, though, who took an early lead with an eighth-minute penalty from outside centre Mikey Skeeles, who slotted from nearly 40 metres out.
In an evenly contested first half, both sides went over in the corners. SACS eighthman, Thando Sithole, benefited from quick distribution to make the dive for five, while Boishaai responded shortly after that through right wing, Cole Moultrie, who powered his way over.
At half-time, the home side owned a slim 10-8 advantage. It was a different story in the second stanza.
Boys’ High’s physicality wore down the visitors and they ran in 41 unanswered points, thanks to their domination of the set pieces and the breakdown.
Grindlay opened the second half barrage, sniping from the base of a ruck for a 25-metre run through the middle of the field, which ended with him scoring under the posts.
From there, the Boishaai backs ran riot, finding space galore on their home field.
While SACS should feel rightly proud of their first-half performance, they’ll know they need to maintain that intensity throughout their games. They didn’t on Saturday, and they were made to pay.
Paarl Boys’ High is often characterised by their physical forwards, who came to the party, but eight of their nine tries were scored by the backs, who profited from the quality ball they received. The win showed how well-rounded the Boishaai team is, and how a side can evolve over time.
Next Saturday, the eyes of rugby lovers around South Africa and beyond its bounds will be locked on Paarl when Boys’ High takes on Paarl Gimnasium in a mouthwatering final fixture of the season.
Scorers
Paarl Boys’ High 51 (10) – Tries: Caleb Holmes (3), Mark Grindlay (2), Francois van der Merwe, Gershom Pieters, Cole Moultrie, Josh le Roux. Conversions: Van der Merwe (3). SACS 8 (8) – Try: Thando Sithole. Penalty: Mikey Skeeles.
Other Results
u19 – Paarl Boys II 37, SACS II 5.
u16 – Boishaai 35, SACS 36.
u15 – Boishaai 27, SACS 13.
u14 – Boishaai 21, SACS 5.
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