Rondebosch hosts speedy Drostdy, hard-hitting Wynberg visits Parel Vallei
HTS Drostdy visits Tinkie Heyns Field for a 12:15 showdown with Rondebosch Boys’ High on Saturday.
Last time out, the hosts suffered a frustrating 12-48 loss against Paul Roos Gim in Stellenbosch. The visitors also went down last Saturday, losing 7-31 at Oakdale.
It’s been seven years since the schools last met in May 2018. On that occasion, they delivered a cracker, with Rondebosch shading it 43-37.
Both sides have racked up the points in 2025, but they’ve also suffered some disappointing outings. ‘Bosch has, at times, blown hot and cold, while Drostdy has been somewhat unpredictable, too.
Rondebosch certainly has the fire power to get the scoreboard ticking. Caleb Bell, on the wing boasts electric footwork, often dancing through three or four defenders to get over the try line, while Matthew Galpin and David Kadima are also dangermen at outside centre and right wing respectively. They’re good on their feet and equally adept at offloading.
Drostdy likes to play at pace. If they’re able to feed their wings, Adrian Vergotine and Darren Makheza, Rondebosch will be in for a challenging day.
Fullback Pirlo Baron is another player on whom to keep an eye. He scored the Donkeys lone try against Oakdale on the weekend.
The Drostdy back three poses a grave danger to ‘Bosch’s hopes.
Parel Vallei (PV) welcomes Wynberg Boys’ High for a 12:00 clash in Somerset West.
The hosts exhibited commendable spirit to overcome a 3-14 halftime deficit to beat Worcester Gimnasium 24-21 last weekend.
Wynberg, meanwhile, became the latest team to be undone by Paarl Gimnasium, losing 22-68 away from home.
It has been three years since Parel Vallei and Wynberg last did battle. On that occasion, it ended in a one-sided 57-0 victory for the Cape Town school.
Parel Vallei is on the up, but they are very much the underdogs this weekend. Keeping it tight against a star-studed Wynberg lineup might be viewed as something of a moral victory for the Bulldogs.
The hosts will need to be wary of Wynberg’s set piece play. Wynberg prop, Luqobo Makwedini, is 120kg of raw power that’ll be difficult to contain at scrum time, and from close range.
Wynberg captain and lock, Jaythen Orange, a workhorse around the park, is also a serious threat in the lineouts, where he’ll be hoping to steal the ball for his talented backs.
The duo of Achmat Behardien and Yaqeen Ahmed at ten and twelve respectively, provides a double threat that the PV defence will have to try to figure out. Behardien is an excellent playmaker and goal kicker. Ahmed is there to double up the qualities that Behardien brings, goal-kicking and creating tries, when Behardien isn’t quite making his mark.
The visitors usually provide a triple threat, but SA Schools’ scrumhalf, Mornè Noble, is out injured this weekend.
Teams:
Rondebosch vs HTS Drostdy at 12:15 on the Piley Rees Field on Saturday.
Rondebosch: 15 Eathon Williams, 14 David Kadima, 13 Matthew Galpin, 12 Harry Soboil, 11 Caleb Bell, 10 Sebastian Boshoff, 9 James Kirsten, 8 Alutha Wesi, 7 Connor Arbuthnot, 6 Linakho Mehlomakulu, 5 Bertus Versfeld, 4 Dani-Nicolas Oosthuizen, 3 Matthew van der Merwe, 2 Kwaza Gobingca, 1 Bulela Mbala.
HTS Drostdy: 15 Pirlo Baron, 14 Adrian Vergotine, 13 Abdul Fisher, 12 Jacques de Klerk, 11 Darren Makeza, 10 Jano van Deventer, 9 Caleb Cornett, 8 Wynand Fabricius, 7 Mornè Coetzer, 6 Werno Ramsauer (Captain), 5 Jean-Louis Matthee, 4 Eugene Walker, 3 Sandro Smit, 2 JP Lotriet, 1 Stefan le Roux.
Parel Vallei vs Wynberg at 12:00 in Somerset West on Saturday.
Parel Vallei: 15 Shudley Rhoda, 14 Johan van Zyl, 13 Noah Enyang, 12 Tihan van der Colff, 11 Cayde Lucas, 10 Stefhan Niemann, 9 Michael Kent, 8 Bradley Brown, 7 Chris de Jager, 6 Marce Els, 5 James Paxton, 4 Renato Tosi, 3 Cayden Rautenbach, 2 Diaan du Toit, 1 Herman Diedericks.
Wynberg: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Chad Campbell, 13 Kunene Gadu, 12 Daniel Oud, 11 Albert Lourens, 10 Achmat Behardien, 9 Hugo Loggenberg, 8 Alvin Machinja, 7 Tjeripo Karuhamba, 6 Jamie Stride, 5 James Orwin, 4 Jaythen Orange (Captain), 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Noah Gila, 1 Luke Miller.
