Paarl Gim and Paul Roos get through pool stages untouched at the Marius Schoeman u17 Sevens-tournament
Paul Roos Gimnasium and Paarl Gimnasium got off to a flying start on the first day of the 2023 Marius Schoeman u17 Sevens-tournament on Friday.
Neither team conceded a single try throughout the group stage and enter the playoffs as the favourites.
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The home team scored a massive 193 points over their three games against Tygerberg, Brackenfell and Vooruitsig.
Grey College are the second-highest-scoring team in the group stage. They scored 148 while only conceding 10, and definitely also look on form before the knockout stages.
The proud school from Bloemfontein made it to the finals of the NWU Prestige sevens tournament in Potchefstroom last weekend unbeaten, until Paul Roos pulled off an amazing second-half comeback. After being down 19-0 at half time, the Maroon Machine ended up winning that match, and consequently the inaugural title, by 22-19.
SACS played really well to end second in Group G, after ending all square against the group leaders, Boland Landbou, at 19-all and beating Charlie Hofmeyr (17-0) and Melkbosstrand (24-0) for an opportunity to compete for the Cup quarter-finals.
Group D produced an equally thrilling contest.
Stellenberg and Outeniqua couldn’t find a winner when they met, they also drew at 19-all. After the Jade Brigade then ran 55 unanswered points past Paulus Joubert, it meant that the Kwaggas would need to beat Connect Academy by 68 to finish on top of the pool on points difference.
They gave it their all, but came up just short of their huge target, beating their final opponents by 56-0.
The action continues today as the hosts pick up with their campaign to defend their title from last year. Paul Roos were the first champions back in 2017 and Boishaai won both the 2018 and 2019 editions.
Grey College, Outeniqua, Stellenberg, Boland Landbou and SACS are all still on track for the trophy though, and the beautiful thing about sevens is that it levels the playing field and anyone could win.
A lot can happen on a rugby field in 14 minutes, and from this point on in the tournament, every mistake could have major consequences, as we enter the elimination phase.
All the results:
Pool A – Strand 52, Hoërskool Stellenbosch 0; Paarl Barbarians 21, Worcester Gimnasium 14; Worcester Gimnasium 10, Strand 7; Paarl Barbarians 38, Hoërskool Stellenbosch 0; Paarl Barbarians 21, Strand 12; Worcester Gimnasium 49, Hoërskool Stellenbosch 0.
Pool B – Paul Roos Gimnasium 50, Parel Vallei 0; Hugenote 28, Amdec Blitz 12; Paul Roos Gimnasium 25, Hugenote 0; Amdec Blitz 15, Parel Vallei 7; Hugenote 38, Parel Vallei 0; Paul Roos 46, Amdec Blitz 0.
Pool C – Paarl Gimnasium 74, Tygerberg 0; Brackenfell 19, Vooruitsig 5; Paarl Gimnasium 50, Brackenfell 0; Tygerberg 38, Vooruitsig 0; Tygerberg 19, Brackenfell 14; Paarl Gimnasium 69, Vooruitsig 0.
Pool D – Outeniqua 36, Paulus Joubert 0; Stellenberg 55, Connect Academy 7; Stellenberg 19, Outeniqua 19; Connect Academy 17, Paulus Joubert 5; Stellenberg 55, Paulus Joubert 0; Outeniqua 56, Connect Academy 0.
Pool E – Paarl Boys’ High 31, Milnerton 5; HTS Drostdy 36, Jan van Riebeeck 12; Paarl Boys’ High 29, HTS Drostdy 24; Milnerton 31, Jan van Riebeeck 12; Paarl Boys’ High 56, Jan van Riebeeck 0; Milnerton 24, HTS Drostdy 21.
Pool F – Hoërskool Durbanville 61, Hermanus 0; Oakdale 29, Forward Foundation 22; Oakdale 19, Hoërskool Durbanville 17; Forward Foundation 31, Hermanus 7; Oakdale 22, Hermanus 0; Forward Foundation 12, Hoërskool Durbanville 7.
Pool G – SACS 17, Charlie Hofmeyr 0; Boland Landbou 51, Melkbosstrand 0; SACS 19, Boland Landbou 19; Charlie Hofmeyr 29, Melkbosstrand 7; Boland Landbou 26, Charlie Hofmeyr 5; SACS 24, Melkbosstrand 0.
Pool H – St Andrews College 17, Hoërskool Bellville 17; Grey College 73, Curro Langebaan 0; Grey College 39, St Andrews College 5; Hoërskool Bellville 45, Curro Langebaan 19; Grey College 36, Hoërskool Bellville 5; Curro Langebaan 24, St Andrews College 19.
Round of 16 playoffs:
Pitch 1 (JA Kriel): 09:00 – Strand vs Parel Vallei; 09:20 – Brackenfell vs Paulus Joubert; 09:40 – HTS Drostdy vs Hermanus; 10:00 – Charlie Hofmeyr vs St Andrews College; 10:20 – Paarl Barbarians vs Hugenote; 10:40 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Outeniqua; 11:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs Forward Foundation; 11:20 – Boland Landbou vs Hoërskool Bellville.
Pitch 3 (Oukraal): 09:00 – Amdec Blitz vs Hoërskool Stellenbosch; 09:20 – Connect Academy vs Vooruitsig; 09:40 – Hoërskool Durbanville vs Jan van Riebeeck; 10:00 – Curro Langebaan vs Melkbosstrand; 10:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Worcester Gimnasium; 10:40 – Stellenberg vs Tygerberg; 11:00 – Oakdale vs Milnerton; 11:20 – Grey College vs SACS.
