Since I just put it out there that Grey College and Paarl Gim were going to be two sides set to cause big pulses on the radar in 2022, for a bit of fun I tried to think up teams of my favourite players that both have produced since 2010. Definitely not easy. These two schools are ranking toppers for good reason. In terms of unveiling good individuals, they deliver consistently.
To spice things up a bit, I purposely added four worthy prospects set to take the field in 2022.
Given that world rugby places the highest value on tall locks these days, a player you have to assume is going to build the type of career that could turn him into a household name one day is JF van Heerden, who has been at Grey since Grade 8. Grey have had so many great flanks who have doubled as high intensity, high-workrate second-row players over the year but they don’t produce as many tall-timber as a school like Affies, so it’s quite exciting when one comes through possessing ability like van Heerden clearly has displayed in 2021 as an u17.
Returning 1st XV starter Caleb Abrahams in the next in a line of schoolboy standouts at scrumhalf for Grey. Guys like Ruan Pienaar and current Bok Cobus Reinach, who is at the top of his game right now, predate the 2010 start date. Yet the list stretching back to 2010 includes the son of Free State legend Chris Badenhorst and Abrie Griesel, who in spite of being a Cherries (2nd XV) player, was testimony to the tremendous depth at Jock Meiring Street, as he represented the Junior Boks at the u20 World Cup in 2012.
Gim hooker Luca Bakkes is an “yster” in every sense of the word just like his provincial loose-forward father Luther was. Those in the Cape will say they have seen a power player of his potential in recent times in the form of Paul Roos’ JJ Kotze, even SACS’ Liam Larkin. To watch an u17 boy dominate in the way Bakkes was able to in 2021 is quite rare though. It kind of puts in into the class of a Malcolm Marx or Jacques Goosen as a more recent example. Like Marx though, Bakkes will have to overcome some demons in the lineout throwing department as part of his development journey to high levels.
Solid inside centre PA van Niekerk played with a high level of decision-making and execution maturity in 2021. When you think about Gim and the centre position, one can’t help but recall players who have gone on to do great things during their international careers. The likes of De Wet Barry, Marius Joubert and Jean de Villiers. Even those like Johann Sadie and Stokkies Hanekom, who had everything in their respective games to suggest they could also have worn Green and Gold. Those in 12-jumper in 2022 are set to make for top drawer performances. In the Cape alone, in addition to the proven ability of van Niekerk, there are bound to be fireworks from the likes of Dylan Markus (Stellenberg), Bruce Sherwood (Bishops) and not to be underestimated Jamie Ricketts of Rondebosch.
Both Gim boys have been at the North Paarl Co-ed since Grade-8.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.