Paul Roos Gymnasium vs Paarl Boys’ High Historic Overview

This weekend, Saturday 21 May, the fifth 2022 Supa Quick Premier Interschools fixture gets underway when Paul Roos Gymnasium host Paarl Boys’ High at the iconic Markötter Fields in Stellenbosch. These two rugby-centric schools have been friends, off the field, rivals on the field, for the past 150 years. While the earlier Paul Roos matches were played against the teams closer to central Cape Town, the so-called “Cape” leagues which included teams like SACS, Wynberg, etc., and the team from Paarl featured in what was known as the “Country” leagues, which meant matches between Paarl Boys’ High and PRG were very intermittent. These two teams – Paarl Boys’ High and Paul Roos – have dominated schoolboy rugby in the Western Province for decades. Alongside Paarl Gimnasium, they have produced more than three-quarter of the Western Province Craven Week players since 1964.

This match is always a highly anticipated one with both sides loving to display their clinical and evasive skills. These two sides have not met since 2019, and PRG have only recorded three victories in the last ten encounters. The last time the Stellenbosch side beat their Paarl neighbours was in 2018 at the very same Markötter. There is a new air of expectancy at the recently upgraded modern-looking home of Paul Roos, which now boasts one of the most advanced training facilities of any school in South Africa.

Expectation ahead of these schoolboy matches are that the home team should walk away with the spoils albeit by the smallest of margins. This, however, was not the case in the 1970’s when Paarl Boys’ High recorded a ten-match unbeaten streak and in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Paul Roos won four matches in a row.

Results Since 2000

Paul Roos Gymnasium 2022 Season

Paul Roos’ 2022 season got off to a rather lacklustre start, losing both opening games to Affies and Helpmekaar at the North-South tournament. They bounced back a few weeks later when they beat Grey PE away and then carried this momentum heading into St John’s Easter festival. This will be a testing encounter for the Stellenbosch side as they hope to find their rhythm with the right combinations hoping to be up for the challenge put forward by the home side. Their most memorable win, so far, of the 2022 season came against Paarl Gimnasium with an against-all-odds last-minute victory.

Paarl Boys’ High 2022 Season

Paarl Boys’ High got off to a better start than their Stellenbosch counterparts, going unbeaten until a shock defeat against Rondebosch, a loss against the Southern Suburbs team for the first time in more than a decade. They bounced back with a win from both of their matches at the Wildeklawer tournament until they came unstuck against Grey College in the second half in Bloemfontein. They will be hurt by that loss and the Maroon Machine can expect a wounded Paarl Boys who would want to set their record straight.

Rugby at Paul Roos

The words Paul Roos and rugby are synonymous as the great man was the originator of the now famous Springbok emblem and name for the South African national team. He is seen by many as the “father” of South African rugby, and it is fitting that the school that carries his name is such a powerhouse in South African schools’ rugby.

Paul Roos has to date produced the most South African players to represent their country on a rugby field with Juandre Kruger becoming their 50^th player when he played against England at Kingspark on 9 June 2012. Their latest Springbok is scrumhalf Herschel who became Springbok no 913 in 2019 and Paul Roos’s 54^th player to represent his country. Willie le Roux, Schalk Britz, Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse and Herschel Jantjies was also part of the 2019 Springbok rugby squad that won the world cup in Japan in 2019. The following players from Paul Roos represented South Africa on the rugby field.

Arthur Nicholas de Kock (1891), Jacob Stephanus (Japie) Louw (1891), James Alexander (Jim) McKendrick (1891), Robert (Bob) Shand, Paul Johannes de Waal (1896), Japie Krige (1896), Bob Loubser (1896), Pieter Albertus Ryno Otto (PO) Nel (1903), Paul Johannes Roos (1903), Koei Brink (1906), Henry John (Pinkie) Daneel (1906), Boy de Villiers (1906), Freddie Luyt (1910), Dick Luyt (1910), Koot Reynecke (1910), Gideon Daniël Roos (1910), Wakkie Krige (1912), John Douglas Luyt (1912), Tom van Vuuren (1912), Nic du Plessis (1921), Theuns Kruger (1921), Charlé Meyer (1921), Mannetjies Michau (1921), Phil Mostert (1921), Tokkie Scholtz (1921), Jackie Tindall(1921), Attie van Heerder (1921), PK Albertyn (1924), Nico Bosman (1924), Daunce Devine (1924), Kenny Starke (1924), George Murray Daneel (1928), Manus de Jongh (1928), AF du Toit (1928), PK Morkel (1928), Boet Prinsloo (1928), Ferdie Bergh (1931), George Lionell van Reenen (1937), Ballie Wahl (1949), Tjol Lategan (1949), Jannie Engelbrecht (1960), Gertjie Brynard (1965), Hempies du Toit (1980), Cabous van der Westhuizen (1994), Justin Swart (1996), Cobus Visagie (1999), Andries Bekker (2008), Schalk Brits (2008), Francois Hougaard (2009), Juandre Kruger (2012),Willie Le Roux (2013), Steven Kitshoff (2016), Damian Willemse (2018), Herschel Jantjies (2019).

Rugby at Paarl Boys’ High

Rugby is an integral part of the Paarl Boys’ way of life. It is important to win, but that should not be the primary objective. A sportsman may never be abused to ensure the success of a team. The primary objective at Paarl Boys’ High must be one of enjoyment, for both player and coach. Whereas they agree with the legendary Vince Lombardi when he said: ‘’Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing’’ they hold winning to be more than just points on the board. Winning relates to the values, commitment, and the pursuit of the best of one’s abilities.

PBHS has produced 21 players that have represented South Africa since 1906 of which 18 have been capped for tests. Their latest contribution is prop Thomas du Toit who donned the green and gold in 2018 for the first time. They have provided some of the legends and most famous Springbok rugby players ever to have played in the Green and Gold. Players like Oom “Boy” and Fanie Louw, Piet “Spiere” du Toit, Mannetjies Roux, Ryk van Schoor, Carel Du Plessis and Corné Krige.

Paarl Boys’ High Springboks

They regularly provide players for the WP Craven Week team and have also produced numerous SA Schools players and captains. They currently hold the record for most SA Schools players in the same season when they provided 8 players in 2016 in Gianni Lombaard (Fullback), Manny Ras (Centre), Khanya Ncusane (8^th Man), Charl Serdyn (Flank), Salmaan Moerat (Lock and SA Schools Captain), Reece Bezuidenhout (Prop), Adam Neethling (Prop) and Daniel Jooste (Hooker).                      

The game will be broadcast live on Saturday, 21 May from 13h55 on SuperSport RUG / RUGA