The South African College High School (SACS) gave the highly rated Paarl Boishaai team something to think about the week before the biggest game of their season against rivals Paarl Gimnasium. On a magnificent winters morning in Paarl SACS trailed 8-3 at the interval and were in the game throughout before finally succumbing 23-16.
Boishaai were the better team in the first half and only some determined scrambling defence by SACS kept them at bay. Applying wave after wave of attack Boishaai put SACS under a lot of pressure early on. Fifteen minutes in they were held up over the line but SACS had been offside at the previous ruck and fullback Edwin van der Walt put Boishaai ahead from right in front.
SACS were under all sort of pressure in the scrums as Boishaai tighthead and skipper Frans Malherbe, capped for SA Schools just last week, asserted his authority. Boishaai put in some massive shoves but in so doing they injured SACS tighthead Kurt Jaggers, who had to leave the field with a concussion. With a number of frontrow injuries SACS unable to field a suitable replacement the scrums became uncontested.
Boishaai weren’t happy but from the first of these uncontested scrums they scored their only try of the first half. A slick backline move saw them bring right-wing Curt Ruiters in on the opposite side of the field. He cut though to score virtually unopposed. van der Walt was unable to convert from out wide. SACS flyhalf Michael Mohle converted a penalty shortly before the interval to give SACS some hope going into the second half.
SACS came into the game after the break and began putting together some good passages of play. The introduction of the lanky Shaun Colclough saw their lineouts improve markedly. Their rucking became more aggressive and when keeping the ball close to the forwards SACS looked competitive. Unfortunately they were playing this rugby from a little deep and when going wide lacked penetration. They were able to convert pressure to points though as lock Stuart Boliter kicked a long-range penalty to bring them within two points.
The realisation that one week from the biggest game of their season they were stuttering seemed to jolt Boishaai into action and they visibly upped the tempo from the kickoff. They turned SACS over on the halfway line and were awarded a penalty, which they kicked to the corner. The lanky Wilhelm van der Sluys brought the ball down and the pack were clinical in their execution of the maul. Hooker Neil Rautenbach orchestrated proceeding from the back before diving over for the score. van der Walt was on target and things seemed to again be going according to script for the hosts.Â
SACS never lay down though and within minutes were right back in the picture. A fluffed clearance by Boishaai was gathered on the 10m-line by SACS wing Bradley Kayton. He ran the ball up the touchline and chipped head. The ball took a nasty bounce and the Boishaai cover defence were unable to gather. Stuart Boliter had followed up well and dived on the ball to score. Mohle kicked the conversion to once again set the cat amongst the pigeons.
Boishaai had to pull something out the bag and fortunately for them livewire winger Ruiters was on hand to again put them clear. Boishaai attacked wide the left and set the ball up. Moving the ball swiftly across the field to the right they were able to give Ruiters time and space to have ago at his opposite number. Like Boishaai’s favourite son, the “Prince of Wings” Carel du Plessis, Ruiters didn’t need a second invitation and he executed a classic in-out to score in the corner. Fittingly the great man himself was on hand to applaud.
A week away from destiny Boishaai wanted to finish strongly and they applied more pressure as the game drew to a close. They set Ruiters up again but this time his opposite number was up to the challenge. SACS had been offside though and van der Walt put them 23-13 ahead with ten minutes to go. SACS weren’t finished though and came again. Again Boliter was on target from long-range and SACS were back in the game and going for a draw. Boishaai held out until the end and would have been satisfied to have overcome a tenacious SACS side. Maybe just the wake up call they needed before the big game!
Scorers:
Paarl Boishaai
Tries: Carl Ruiters (2), Neil Rautenbach
Conversion: Edwin van der Walt
Penalties: Edwin van der Walt (2)
SACS:
Try: Stuart Boliter
Conversion: Michael Mohle
Penalties: Stuart Boliter (2), Mohle
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