Wynberg ready to tackle Paul Roos, Gimmies on the farm in Riversdal

Wynberg Boys’ High takes on the most in-form team in the country when they travel to face Paul Roos Gimnasium on Saturday.
Both teams have enjoyed stellar seasons thus far, but the Maroon Machine is yet to meet its match despite a gruelling run of fixtures against some of the country’s finest sides.
Wynberg shot out of the blocks early in the season but has recently dropped games against their arch-rivals Rondebosch Boys’ High, 27-49, and Boland Landbou, 10-32.
Despite the losses, however, there can be no doubt that this Wynberg outfit is more than capable of competing against the best, as they showed in memorable wins over the likes of Paarl Boys’ High and St Andrew’s College earlier in the year.
Flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed has been exceptional for the southern suburbs’ side and, up front, captain Aden da Costa, Torren February and Jamie Stride have also been causing their opponents headaches.
PRG will not take the challenge lightly at all, and Riley Norton and his men will be ready for a battle come Saturday.
They start without two of their star loose-forwards, Reuben Kruger and Gert Kemp, but their dual-SA Schools’ star, Norton, seamlessly switches from second row to flank, alongside Malan Erasmus and Christiaan Kolbe.
Last week’s heroes in their 23-17 victory over Paarl Gimnasium, props Hendry du Plessis and Oliver Reid, the livewire scrumhalf Adeeb Boraine, and their midfield maestro Joshua Dampies, are all on post for the Stellenbosch outfit and will be focused on finishing the term strongly.
Last year, the sides did not meet after their game was cancelled due to bad weather conditions, but the last time they played in Stellenbosch, in 2022, the Maroon Machine came out on top 32-19.
Meanwhile, Paarl Gimnasium travels to Riversdal to take on high-flying Oakdale Landbou. It should be a cracking contest.
Oakdale asserted their dominance in the South Western Districts (SWD) last weekend when they stormed to a 60-8 victory over their rivals, Hoërskool Outeniqua. They’ve been setting the pace in the region this season and their success has not gone unnoticed as they have 11 players in the SWD Craven Week squad.
Paarl Gim has two losses on their record this season, but they only narrowly missed out against arguably the two front-runners in the country.
Last week, they fell short against Paul Roos by six points and, earlier, Grey College edged past the Gimmies by two points in a 29-27 thriller.
The battle between the two monster packs this weekend is sure to provide fireworks, with exciting young Oakdale talents, Kai Pratt, Tiaan Turck and Gustav van der Merwe, lining up against one of the most impressive front rows in the country, Ely Williams, JJ du Preez and Dawie Stemmet.
The home team’s captain, Kurt Coetzee, has been immense for Oakdale at centre and will have to deliver another strong performance if the farmers are to upset the Gimmies on Saturday.
TEAMS
Paul Roos Gimnasium vs Wynberg Boys’ High at 13:00 – Link to the game
Paul Roos Gimnasium: 15 Matthew Seymore, 14 Hugo Coetzee, 13 Matthew Kleyn, 12 Sam Badenhorst, 11 Keenan Stoffels, 10 Joshua Dampies, 9 Adeeb Boraine, 8 Christiaan Kolbe, 7 Riley Norton, 6 Malan Erasmus, 5 Jesse Stegehuis, 4 Truspe Schoeman, 3 Hendry du Plessis, 2 Altus Rabe, 1 Oliver Reid.
Wynberg Boys’ High: 15 Morne Noble, 14 Albert Lourens, 13 Ezra Antonio, 12 Brandon Ashburner, 11 Levi Brown, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Tyrone Gombe, 8 Torren February, 7 Aden da Costa, 6 Jamie Stride, 5 Tjeripo Karuhumba, 4 Jaythen Orange, 3 Luqobo Makwedini, 2 Xabiso Mkiva, 1 Benjamin Matthews.
Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale vs Paarl Gimnasium at 13:15 – Link to the game
Hoër Landbouskool Oakdale: 15 Waylon Kortjie, 14 Duraan Janse van Rensburg, 13 Kurt Coetzee, 12 Chistiaan Vorster, 11 Lee-Winn Pretorius, 10 Reinhart Viljoen, 9 Jandrian Goosen, 8 Migail Barnard, 7 Jannes Snyman, 6 Erick Steyn, 5 Roy Viljoen, 4 Zack Wessels, 3 Tiaan Turck, 2 Gustav van der Merwe, 1 Kai Pratt.
Paarl Gimnasium: 15 Josh O’Neill, 14 Freek de Kock, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Kobus Blanckenberg, 11 Markus Moolman, 10 Chandler Green, 9 Sebastiaan Ackerman, 8 Nicolas Nel, 7 Wihan Kotze, 6 Jan Koegelenberg, 5 Marinus Daling, 4 Quintin Potgieter, 3 Ely Williams, 2 Dawie Stemmet, 1 JJ du Preez.