Gimmies win Interschools
There were some 25 000 spectators in the ground in Faure Street to see Paarl Gimnasium beat Paarl Boys' High 37-26 in the main game – the game that really counts.
The gulf between the winners and the losers at passionate Interschools is enormous but it was possibly less so this time when the losers came back from the prospect of a thrashing to be challenging for victory, who scored a try more and in the second half scored 26 to 13.
Traditionally this is a close match, the scoring low. But this match produced the highest winning score and the highest losing score and so the highest number of points in an Interschools match from its beginning in 1915. And yet it became a close match as Boishaai fought back in the second half.
Gimmies rejoiced more boisterously but there was a lot for their old rivals to feel quietly pleased about. They were certainly not disgraced. The week before they had been trailing 20-0 against Rondebosch and came back to win 39-20. They did not come back to win this time but they did score four tries to three.
It was a lovely winter's day out at Paarl, sunny with just a light breeze. There were all the traditional ceremonies – parachutists bringing the flags of each school, a flypast of light planes, the cheerleaders in their tailcoats, the champagne girls, the instroductions to important people, the singing of the school songs and Gimmies with their haka-esque dance.
Then it started. Jonathan Kaplan, the world's most capped referee who is in the process of ending his stellar career, blew the whistle to start the match and Boishaai kicked off.
Gimmies steadily built up points through three penalties by their brilliant fullback Grant Hermanus – 3-0 after 3 minutes, 6-0 after 9 minutes and 9-0 after 21 minutes, as the penalty count in the first half was 6-3 in Gim's favour. In the second half it was 10-5 in Boishaai's favour, which may have contributed to the comeback.
In that first half Boishaai actually had the better of possession and territory but Gim were much more cohesive and their defence watertight. Gim also made more headway on attack as they attacked sharply, directly and at speed.
After his third penalty goal, Boishaai kicked off and Hermanus broke sharply down the field. He chipped and caught the elusive Boishaai fullback Dante van der Merwe, but Boishaai survived.
Then inside centre Wayno Visagie, who had an excellent game, broke well inside his own half and gave to Hermanus just over the half-way line. Hermanus raced the 49 metres and just managed to score as Charl-Francois du Toit was just too late to stop him. Hermanus converted his own try and after 28 minutes, Gim led 16-0
Back came Gimmies with Johan Momsen charging clear towards the Boishaai line. He was felled and Gimmies went right for a try right in the corner by JD du Toit. 21-0 and three minutes later Hermanus kicked his fourth penalty goal to make the half-time score 24-0, though just before the break Boys' High had their best attack of the half and were on the line and right under the posts when they conceded the scrum that ended the half.
Gimmies started the second held poorly when they kicked off directly into touch and from the scrum Boishaai attacked. They won a turnover and carried on attacking with many a clever offload. They went right and Gim were penalised. Boishaai tapped and Thomas du Toit was close. Gim were penalised again and again Boishaai tapped and bashed and this time Charl-Francois du Toit was over in the right corner. 24-5 after 39 minutes
But it seemed that that could have been an aberration as from a scrum Hermanus cut through and gave Wyatt Murphy a perfect pass and he crossed the line and went round for a try that made the score 31-5 after 40 minutes. A penalty – Hermanus's fifth – made it 34-5 after 44 minutes.
To their great credit this seemed not to dismay the boys in blue. Thomas du Toit went on a burst, Gim were penalised and Boishaai tapped. They went left to slender Ferlin Vers who ducked under a tackle, fell, got up and dived over for a try far out. From far out Stephan Gouws converted. 34-12 after 52 minutes.
Lively scrumhalf Brendon Nell, who ran sharply throughout the match, had a long run on counterattack and again Hermanus goaled a penalty. 37-12 after 54 minutes. Gim did not score in the last 16 minutes while Boishaai got two tries.
From a scrum, Boishaai went right and speedy Dante van der Merwe joined in, beat three defenders and scored. 37-19 with 11 minutes to play. At this stage Gimmies were missing tackles and being beaten at the breakdown.
Gimmies were penalised and Boishaai went left – Paul de Wet to Charl-Francois du Toit who pulled in two defenders and gave to Vers on his left and the wing scored his second try. 37-26 with 7 minutes to play.
There was tension in the old ground on Faure Street in Paarl.
Gimmies attacked again but then marvellous Hermanus set Gimmies on the attack and they bashed at the line.
When Kaplan blew the final whistle a horde of Gimmies raced onto the field to fete their heroes. Kaplan had certainly added greatly to the occasion. All the players will remember that he was the referee.
Scorers:
For Paarl Gim:
Tries: Grant Hermanus, JD du Toit, Wyatt Murphy
Cons: Grant Hermanus 2
Pens: Grant Hermanus 6
For Paarl Boys' High:
Tries: Charl-Francois du Toit, Ferlin Vers 2, Dante van der Merwe
Cons: Stephan Gouws 3
Teams
Paarl Gim: 15 Grant Hermanus, 14 Ruan Stander, 13 JD du Toit, 12 Wayno Visagie, 11 Dylon Fairbridge, 10 Wyatt Murphy, 9 Brendon Nell, 8 Rikus Bothma (captain), 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Gareth Cilliers, 5 Jaco Willemse, 4 Johan Momsen, 3 DJ van Niekerk, 2 Wilner Conradie, 1 Gavin van den Berg
Replacements: 16 Jasper Wiese, 17 Regardt Louw, 18 Jan-Louw de Jongh, 19 Luhandré Luus, 20 Waldo MacDonald, 21 Walter Smit, 22 Riaan Oosthuizen, 23 Andri Cooper.
Coaches: Christoff Lötter, Hendrik Weber
Paarl Boys High: 15 Dante van der Merwe, 14 Dewald Naudé, 13 Curtley Grain, 12 Luan Boshoff, 11 Ferlin Vers, 10 Stephan Gouws, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Charl-Francois du Toit, 7 Piero Passerini, 6 Charlton Jonas, 5 Hein Kritzinger, 4 Matthew le Roux, 3 Francois van der Merwe, 2 Ruan Brits, 1 Thomas du Toit (captain)
Replacements: 16 Derrick Marais, 17 Wynand Cillie, 18 Burger van Niekerk, 19 JJ van der Spuy, 20 Damian Stevens, 21 Lucian Forbes, 22 Keanan van Wyk, 23 Bulla de Villiers
Coaches: Elmo Wolfaardt, Richard Visagie, Gerhard Visser
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (Western Province Referees' Society)
Assistant referees: Andrew MacNeanney (Western Province Referees' Society), Nathan Barry (Western Province Referees' Society)
1st XV Results Down the Years:
1915: Boys' High won 10-0
1916: Gim won 7-5
1917: Gim won 3-0
1918: Gim won 3-0
1919: Gim won 9-0
1920: Gim won 20-0
1921: Draw 6-6
1922: Draw 3-3
1923: Boys' High won 3-0
1924: Boys' High won 13-5
1925: Boys' High won 7-3
1926: Boys' High won 6-5
1927: Gim won 5-3
1928: No match
1929: Draw 3-3
1930: Boys' High won 5-3
1931: Gim won 6-0
1932: Gim won 7-3
1933: Boys' High won 3-0
1934: Boys' High won 5-4
1935: Draw 0-0
1936: Gim won 11-6
1937: Gim won 5-3
1938: Gim won 5-3
1939: Gim won 9-8
1940: Draw 3-3
1941: Gim won 6-0
1942: Draw 0-0
1943: Gim won 9-6
1944: Boys' High won 6-0
1945: Boys' High won 14-6
1946: Draw 3-3
1947: Boys' High won 8-3
1948: Draw 3-3
1949: Gim won 9-3
1950: Boys' High won 6-3
1951: Boys' High won 6-0
1952: Boys' High won 11-0
1953: Boys' High won 6-5
1956: Gim won 6-3
1957: Gim won 5-3
1958: Gim won 11-0
1959: Boys' High won 11-3
1960: Gim won 9-3
1961: Boys' High won 6-0
1962: Boys' High won 6-0
1963: Boys' High won 8-0
1964: Gim won 9-8
1965: Gim won 11-0
1966: Gim won 8-0
1967: Gim won 8-6
1968: Gim won 3-0
1969: Boys' High won 8-5
1970: Gim won 19-8
1971: Boys' High won 11-6
1972: Boys' High won 6-3
1973: Boys' High won 19-6
1974: Gim won 9-3
1975: Boys' High won 3-0
1976: Gim won 8-6
1977: Boys' High won 15-6
1978: Gim won 13-10
1979: Gim won 12-6
1980: Gim won 9-3
1981: Gim won 12-0
1982: Boys' High won 16-15
1983: Gim won 15-6
1984: Gim won 10-4
1985: Boys' High won 16-6
1986: Draw 0-0
1987: Boys' High won 15-7
1988: Draw 6-6
1989: Gim won 15-4
1990: Boys' High won 10-6
1991: Boys' High won 8-4
1992: Gim won 20-15
1993: Boys' High won 19-17
1994: Boys' High won 11-6
1995: Boys' High won 17-3
1996: Gim won 18-16
1997: Gim won 13-10
1998: Boys' High won 16-5
1999: Gim won 13-6
2000: Boys' High won 15-7
2001: Boys' High won 12-3
2002: Gim won 15-0
2003: Boys' High won 25-6
2004: Gim won 13-3
2005: Gim won 22-10
2006: Gim won 23-17
2007: Gim won 10-0
2008: Gim won 35-8
2009: Boys' High won 24-12
2010: Draw 19-19
2011: Gim won 22-19
2012: Gim won 16-9
2013: Gim won 37-26
