Wynberg awaits high-flying Paarl Gim, SACS hosts unbeaten Parel Vallei
Wynberg Boys’ High faces an imposing challenge when they host Paarl Gimnasium on Saturday at 12:30 on Hawthornden Field.
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Last year, Wynberg was overrun in Paarl, going down 22-68.
After a 41-17 triumph over Grey High last weekend, they’ll be aiming to deliver a performance of similar substance in the friendly confines of home this weekend.
Gimmies most recently won 66-14 against Bishops. A win this weekend would extend their winning run to 10 successive matches.
Centres Ethan Barker and Derick Cloete have been at the forefront of their challenge, regularly crossing the whitewash in recent matches, with their flanks, Corné Niemand and Dirk Hugo, also scoring threats.
All four of those players have high work rates and get themselves involved in the action as much as possible. Their industry makes them difficult to stymie.
Wynberg scrumhalf Rauf Ahmed scored twice against Grey, which reflects the danger he poses from the base of the ruck. Hooker Ridhau Johnson, at the back of the rolling maul, is another try-scoring threat.
In April, in a 9-20 defeat to Paarl Boys’ High, the hosts showed they know how to get down and dirty in the trenches. Gim will know that Wynberg is an underdog not to be underestimated.
Last season, Hoërskool Parel Vallei narrowly lost 12-14 to SACS at the Wynberg Rugby Festival. This season, the Somerset West school is unbeaten, with nine wins from nine matches.
They face, arguably, the toughest fixture on their schedule when they take on SACS at 12:30 on Memorial-A Field this Saturday.
SACS will be eager to hand the upstart Bulldogs their first loss of 2026, especially since the home side heads into the clash off the back of a couple of tough losses: 22-26 to Boland Landbou and 17-19 to Rondebosch Boys’ High.
Captain and hooker Zac Dall is a key player for the Newlands outfit. He’s battle-hardened, a veteran of many tight contests, and he’ll be keen to rain on PV’s parade.
It has been a fantastic season for the Bulldogs thus far. The closest a team has come to them has been 12 points in a 19-7 win over Swartland. They’re likely to find the challenge to be far stiffer on Saturday, though.
PV fullback Shudley Rhoda is an incredible attacking threat, while left wing Rafael von Loeper has consistently dotted down. Both will relish the opportunity to display their skills in a high-stakes showdown against a high-profile opponent.
Since losing their first five games of the season, Hoërskool Bellville has gone on a four-match winning run. They could make it five from five when they host Hoërskool Melkbosstrand at 12:20 on Saturday.
Bellville topped 30 points for the first time this season in a 45-29 victory over Hoërskool Punt last weekend. They appear to have hit their stride, and they’ll aim to add to the momentum they’ve already built up.
Centres Caylem du Plessis and Xandru Büter both scored tries last week, and are a tough pair in the midfield. The visitors will need to maintain their defensive discipline to keep the duo off the scoresheet.
Melkies have not been as fortunate in recent times as Bellville. They last won in April, when they beat DF Akademie 26-10. They’ve lost their last three, with their offence faltering and producing only 15 points combined in those three matches.
Utility back Craig Solomons has, nonetheless, kicked well all season long, and he is also often involved in the creation of tries. It’s time for him to find his try-scoring form again.
Loose forward Beuren Geduld does much of the dirty work for Melkies, often protecting the ball at the breakdown and making hard carries through the heart of the opposition defence.
Bellville will be favoured at home, but matches are played on the field and not on paper. Nothing is guaranteed.
TEAMS
Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Laeeq Davids, 14 Zachary de Kock, 13 Ithandile Nkohla, 12 Luke Gertze, 11 Chad Campbell, 10 Achmat Behardien, 9 Rauf Ahmed, 8 Esa van der Schyff, 7 Naeem Mohammed, 6 Alvin Machinja, 5 Jack de Beer, 4 James Orwin, 3 Solam Gegana, 2 Ridah Johnson, 1 Boitumelo Mabohlo.
Paarl Gimnasium: 15 Thomas Saunders, 14 Corné de Beer, 13 Derick Cloete, 12 Ethan Barker (captain), 11 De Waal Vivier, 10 Louis Koen, 9 Alexander Kotze, 8 Hendré van Zyl, 7 Dirk Hugo, 6 Corné Niemand, 5 Jean Dreyer, 4 Bernhardt Schulze, 3 Sebastian Bekker, 2 Charles Whitehead, 1 Jayden Steyl.
SACS (likely): 15 Nahum Koen, 14 Luke McKenzie, 13 Luca Orgill, 12 James Sale, 11 Josh Gorgens, 10 Jake Dave, 9 Daniel Draai, 8 Stephan Kruger, 7 Jack Burgess, 6 Kwakhanya Gobe, 5 Cameron Hirst, 4 RJ Cunningham, 3 Qiraan Hermans, 2 Zac Dall (captain), 1 Luca Liebenberg.
Hoërskool Parel Vallei: 15 Shudley Rhoda, 14 Aydin February, 13 Owen Cockroft (captain), 12 Brad Brown, 11 Rafael von Loeper, 10 Stephan Niemann, 9 Michael Kent, 8 Taariq Railon, 7 Ethan Ramos, 6 Marcé Els, 5 Keaton Baird, 4 Herman Kriel, 3 Cayden Rautenbach, 2 Luke Terblanche, 1 Bjan Theron.
Hoërskool Bellville: 15 Alvino Loggenberg, 14 Marlon Claasen, 13 Caylem du Plessis, 12 Xandru Büter, 11 Liam Kuyk, 10 Marno Botes, 9 Juvan Rousseau, 8 Cade Mong, 7 Henré Kleynhans, 6 Zandro Stramrood, 5 Corné Smit, 4 Steven Steyl, 3 Alex Cronje, 2 Ryno Higgs, 1 Werner Slabbert.
Hoërskool Melkbosstrand: 15 Calvin Farelo, 14 Enrique Kastoor, 13 Craig Solomons, 12 Arno Visser, 11 Reese Jooste, 10 Alzano Vigeland, 9 Cole Japhta, 8 Ethan Loncq, 7 Beuren Geduld, 6 Leslie Smyth, 5 Kevin Wessels, 4 O’Ryan Crouse, 3 Jorden Lewis, 2 Darius Prinsloo, 1 Joshua Cloete.
