Rondebosch, Wynberg, and SACS hunt big derby wins on the road
Rondebosch Boys’ High, Wynberg Boys’ High, and South African College High School (SACS) will be in action away from home on the first weekend of term three in the Western Cape.
‘Bosch travels to Stellenbosch on Friday to face Paul Roos Gimnasium (PRG) at the Maties AstroTurf at 19:20.
Wynberg, meanwhile, will make their way to Paarl Gimnasium for a 19:15 game, and SACS locks horns with Paarl Boys’ High on Saturday morning at 10:30.
The fixtures on the road will be a massive test for the travelling southern suburbs’ teams.
Bosch won’t be intimidated by their date with PRG after they stunned the Maroon Machine 1-0 in Cape Town last year.
On paper, it’s quite even, and it’ll come down to which team handles the atmosphere better, grabs its opportunities, and executes inside the circle.
Both sides have enjoyed good runs this season. Bosch’s last outing resulted in a 1-1 draw with Bishops, while PRG defeated Wynberg 3-1.
Coach Waseem Domingo understands the task facing his Rondebosch boys as they’ll come up against a side that had a whopping 10 players selected for the u18A Boland side.
On the flipside, Domingo will bank on his provincial players – Daniel Fisher, Joshua Beattie, Thomas Gordon, and Marley Musasa – to come to the fore.
That quartet will be brimming with confidence after helping Western Province win their fifth straight SASHOC National Week title during the mid-year break in Pietermaritzburg.
While that clash plays out in Stellenbosch, Paarl Gim will lock horns with Wynberg on home turf.
Wynberg sealed a fantastic 4-2 victory in last year’s meeting at the Astro of Dreams, in Cape Town. They’ll be aiming for a winning follow-up.
It won’t be a walk in the park, though, with Paarl Gim eager to win the one match that remains for them before they turn their attention to the famous interschools’ clash against Paarl Boys’ High next week.
Paarl Gim’s last two outings resulted in a 1-1 draw with Fairmont High and a 2-2 draw with SACS, which might have felt like a win given SACS’s outstanding season. while Wynberg played a mid-week exhibition match against a touring UK side, King Edward’s School.
The final match of the weekend will pit Paarl Boys’ High against SACS on Saturday.
The Boys’ High first team is currently competing in the Cape Town International Hockey Tournament, along with SACS, who have sent a Stayers’ team to the tournament.
Past results favour SACS, and last year they put seven past their opponents. It could, however, be a different story this time around, and the hosts will bank on their supporters to make it a hostile environment for the visitors.
In Cape Town, Bishops hosts Fairmont High at the Woodlands AstroTurf in a league fixture.
WESTERN CAPE BOYS’ FIXTURES
Friday, 25 July
18:30 – Bishops vs Fairmont
19:15 – Paarl Gimnasium vs Wynberg Boys’ High
19:20 – Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Rondebosch Boys’ High
Saturday, 26 July
10:00 – Paarl Boys’ High vs SACS
