Landbou visit Paul Roos, Oakdale host Gim
Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:11:00 +0200
The Western Cape's most appetising fixtures this weekend take place in Stellenbosch and Riversdale.
On Saturday Boland Landbou went a long way to eradicating the humiliation wreaked on them last term by Paarl Gim with a pulsating victory away to Drostdy.
The Young Maties, with Renier Marais reappointed captain, put on a five-star display of their own, sinking Oakdale comfortably despite being short of half-a-dozen regulars. Paul Roos should win this one too, but beware the Landbou Big Eight!
Paarl Gim have swept all before them locally this year and are likely to continue their brilliant form against Oakdale in Riversdale on Saturday. The Bulle are the unofficial champions of the Eagles' Nest, so this represents a top-of-the-table clash of sorts.
Even given that Christiaan Rust is back to his sublime best and wing Wentzel Lombard has struck a rich vein of form, a home win is highly unlikely. However, a spectacle of attractive rugby is guaranteed.
Paarl Boys' High are not likely to be troubled too much by Rondebosch at Brug Street.
While Elmo Wolfaardt and Richard Visagie will probably agree that the Streeptruie have not set the world alight this year, due mainly to injury problems, they still possess too much firepower for the 'Bosch, especially at halfback where Gavin Hauptfleisch has been receiving such outstanding service from the cruelly underrated Louis Nel. Plus this is the dress rehearsal for Interschools next Saturday !
Wynberg may have knocked out Rangers/Silvertree on Saturday while Bishops lost by a point to Tygerberg High, but not even the most optimistic of the lads from Lovers' Walk will be staking his allowance on a home win this Saturday. Simply put, the Bishops backs hold all the aces.
The remaining Premier A side, SACS, should be able to take care of HTS Bellville without too much difficulty when they travel down Voortrekker Street this weekend. Godfrey Tundube and company have ridden some hard times with dignity and are now amply rewarding their spectators' abiding faith.
Premier B action sees a rather mixed bag.
First up, the Tygerberg High juggernaut, ranked No.20 among SA Schools this week, invade Kuils River for a meeting with De Kuilen. Despite both sides enjoying current success, the Tiere's indomitable blitzkrieg style is likely to sweep just about everything it still has to meet this campaign before it. With Ruan Mostert at last fit again and dictating play from centre, they are going to damage the Kuile's record, big time.
Poor old Brackenfell. Annihilated by Paul Roos, whacked by Rondebosch and even seen off by Super league President in between, they now face the less than enchanting prospect of welcoming the slick HTS Drostdy team to the northern suburbs. The Donkeys are in devastating form, particularly out wide. Expect a big score in this one.
DF Malan host stop-start Stellenberg, who struggled to subdue a severely injury-plagued Swartland team last time out. DF have such a wretched record this year that even a fifteen-point defeat would probably represent a victory of sorts, but then there is the Stellies' inconsistency to consider
Bellville High must be fairly confident of beating whipping boys Rangers/Silvertree even away, but Durbanville might have quite a tough one on their hands when President come calling. Pressies have at last begun to show consistency, even if their last outing was a simple task against Table View. Monument Park look to be just a bit too strong for visitors Jan van Riebeeck.
It is the final game in this category that could actually be the most interesting. Statistics - but you know how they can lie - show that Strand has the most successful record in the entire Premier League A and B sections this year. They have lost on only two occasions and one of those was against a very good Duineveld team when the Beach Boys had six matrics away river-rafting.
On Saturday they head out to Malmesbury to face a Swartland side that can't wait for the return of SA Schools High Performance squad member Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Up the Garden Route Oudtshoorn, buoyed by a handsome 34-12 win away to Punt on Tuesday, will be up against it when Uitenhage's Die Brandwag come to town, but there's not a great deal else on the menu, what with Outeniqua heading up to PE to play Framesby, although York do host Riversdale's entertaining Langenhoven High and Seavuna welcome PW Botha.
So to the Boland, where top of the bill looks to be the Clanwilliam meeting between Boland Middle-School champions-elect Augsburg Gym and Schoonspruit. Even with No.8 Luzaar Volschenk a doubtful starter, the Gimmies go into this one as favourites. Then again, Vossie's boys have been so out of sorts this year that they might just choose this one to display their undoubted potential.
Charlie Hofmeyr will be staring down the barrel against Hugenote in Ceres, as will Vredendal at home to Piketberg. Dirkie Uys must fancy their chances at home to Porterville, Hermanus are unlikely to slip up against visitors Stellenbosch, Hopefield look good to win in Bonnievale, Robertson should take care of Overberg in Caledon and Swellendam will be hoping to extend their golden run in Montagu.
Come Saturday, it's the West Coast versus Paarl. Vredenburg plays struggling Labori, while Weston Secondary are going to have their hands full against energetic New Orleans.
Next Saturday: all eyes on Faure Street!
By Tony Stoops