Paul Roos looking to build on their recent form against SACS
Paul Roos Gimnasium return to the Markotter this weekend to face SACS after their statement victory against Paarl Boys’ High away in Paarl last weekend.
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The Maroon Machine’s lineup remains unchanged from the team that got their first victory against Booishaai (35-17) in Paarl since 2003 last Saturday.
Their opponents played the other big Paarl school two weekends ago, on the 20th of May, with much less success as Paarl Gimnasium beat SACS 73-3
The SACS boys regrouped well to get back to winning ways against Hoërskool Bellville last weekend, spurred on by a heroic performance by their captain, Ali Osman-Bosch (prop), who scored a hattrick of tries for his team.
They will need to be at their best again to upset a Paul Roos side who seem to be getting better every weekend and have already done away with the likes of Boishaai and Rondebosch Boys’ High (27-7) in the last two weeks, coming up just short against Paarl Gim (24-19) before that.
Zeke January (scrumhalf) and Leejay Pieterse (flyhalf) have been an incredible pairing in the midfield, and much of the home team’s success has also been due to the incredible work rate of players like Ruben Kruger (no. 8) and captain, Andreas Oosthuizen (flanker) at the front.
Boland Landbou have had a weekend off and will be excited to get back out on the field against Wynberg Boys’ High on Saturday.
They need to be wary though, as this is a Wynberg side who have lost three games with the narrowest of margins in the last three weeks.
Despite the fact that they have been playing some really exciting rugby, taking Rondebosch Boys’ High (20-16), Paarl Boys’ High (33-29) and Diocesan College (14-10) to the very last moments, they lost all three of those games and will be desperate to return to the form they showed when they beat Grey High 35-8 at the beginning of May.
Having gone almost a month without a victory can also demoralise a team, it will take some character to keep fighting and gain some momentum again before the holiday break.
They will be bolstered by the return of Ammier Adams at centre but are without the services of their big tighthead prop, Luqobo Makwedini. He is replaced by Leo Addinall.
Boland Landbou takes pride in their forward pack, and the visitors will have to dig in deep to stand against the likes of Cilliers Viljoen (hooker) and Hans Verster (flanker), but Boland will have to make do without their captain and talisman centre, Albie Bester.
Juan Swart starts at outside centre, moving Ruan Jongsma to cover his captain’s positions at inside centre.
The teams:
Paul Roos Gimnasium: 15 Declan Croy, 14 Keehan Etson, 13 Samuel Badenhorst, 12 Phillip Groenewald, 11 Keenan Stoffels, 10 Leejay Pieterse, 9 Zeke January, 8 Ruben Kruger, 7 Riley Norton, 6 Andreas Oosthuizen, 5 Jesse Stegehuis, 4 Truspe Schoeman, 3 Ryan Jack, 2 Christian de Villiers, 1 Oliver Reid.
SACS: 15 Aya Machuli, 14 Jack Benade, 13 Endinako Peter, 12 Raashied Conrad, 11 Ilitha Ntinini, 10 Rayaan Solomons, 9 Sean Grant, 8 Ben van Coller, 7 Khwezi Ndlovu, 6 Richard Skeeles, 5 Pierre van Selm, 4 Zach Kennedy, 3 Ikhona Maxegwana, 2 Alex Viera, 1 Ali Osman-Bosch.
Boland Landbou vs Wynberg Boys’ High at 12:30:
Boland Landbou: 15 Dewald de Villiers, 14 Wehan Lume, 13 Juan Swart, 12 Ruan Jongsma, 11 Enslin Claasen, 10 Retagen van Rooi, 9 Turlon Adams, 8 AJ van der Merwe, 7 Alru Gous, 6 Hans Verster, 5 Ruan Viviers, 4 Karst Smits, 3 Pieter de Jager, 2 Cilliers Viljoen, 1 Christoff Etzebeth.
Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Matthew Ould, 14 Matteo Pascoe, 13 Brandon Ashburner, 12 Ammier Adams, 11 Xolela Hoyi, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Sange Mbuto, 8 Xola Nyali, 7 Torren February, 6 Jarryd Jackson, 5 Michail Kasfikis, 4 Aden da Costa, 3 Leo Addinall, 2 Nicholas van Schalkwyk, 1 Aidan Reid.
Labori vs New Orleans at 11:00:
Labori: 15 Christiaan Beukes, 14 Charlton Robyn, 13 Leo de Wet, 12 Xavier de Wee, 11 Anwill Olivier, 10 MacNiel Thomas, 9 Migael Brits, 8 Matthys Nieuwoudt, 7 O’Shea Pekeur, 6 Christiaan Wearne, 5 Daniël Düring, 4 Heinrich Lategan, 3 Jannie Strauss, 2 Leighton Titus, 1 Christiaan Kershoff.
New Orleans: TBC.
