The Winelands’ only unbeaten team, Boland Landbou will have their work cut out for them on Stellenberg’s A-field on Saturday 15 April 2023.
A titanic battle is expected up front but it’s here that BL can gain the ascendancy with their big pack.
Complicating BL’s life on attack is that the Jade Brigade are known for well-organised gutsy defence systems.
Neither team has managed to fire on all cylinders for prolonged periods when the ball is moved wide.
Nevertheless the Farmers will look to get ball to their big wing Enslin Claasen. The Boland Craven Week 2022 player joined from Porterville and has a Julian Savea like feel about him. Plenty of X. Also watchout for fullback Dewald de Villiers, an underrated threat.
Former Valke youth week player AJ van der Merwe is still searching for his best form, yet there is little doubt that the no.8 will be significant in the visitors challenge.
For Stellies a few players are expected to stand out. No one more so that big No.8 Marco Ferreira, a highlights package player who as the size and power to make a sloppy defender pay a hefty price. Ferreira, a player capable of Juarno Augustus heavy traffic bashing-it-up, also packs decent pace over 40m, which allows him to exploit spaces.
The home team will look to their opensider Damon Perreira to lead by example.
In the potentially exciting head-to-heads, tighthead prop Herman Lubbe gets around the park and looks certain to get provincial opportunities after he matriculates. His battle with BL vice-captain Christolff Etzebeth should be a decent one.
Even though kingpin inside centre Ruben Thompson still ranks as an underrated player in a province known for producing quality players, his service has been invaluable to Stellenberg this season. Facing him is solidly built Albie Bester, who has not quite found his niche in this BL team yet, but has the ability to be a big presence if/when he does get going.
In other high profile WPPL fixtures:
Paarl Gim will be favourites to end Wynberg’s unbeaten start to 2023.
Oakdale are experiencing a difficult season, having lost all four regular season games. Although the home town support advantage of Riversdale will help, it should not be enough to help overcome HJS Paarl Boishaai. The Galpille are gathering momentum and have won their last five in a row.
Paul Roos on Markotter against Grey High from Gqeberha (EC) will be a Premier Interschools event on TV. It could be a goody. PRG are one of the quiet before the storm teams. 2023 was predicted to be a difficult season for the national powerhouse. They will be vulnerable. There is a bit of comfort for the hosts in that Grey haven’t been able to get a strongest XV on the park due to injuries, a trend set to continue. But hope floats. There have only been a handful of chances to beat the Maroon Machine on home soil in the past.
Rondebosch are marginal to firm favourites on the Tinkie Heyns. It really just depends on which Durbanville pitches up. If it’s the spirited Durbies who beat HJS or gave Wynberg a full go, this match is a must-watch affair.
SACS entertain Brackenfell.
Independent school Bishops are still on school holidays.
@NealW: Yes I really like the 10 and 12 of Wynberg. 10 seems really composed in all he does. 12 is dynamite in a small package. I remember him taking on big Bruce Sherwood last year and winning that contest. This year he’s an even more prominent player.
@beet: Agreed Wynberg should have kicked for goal. Their flyhalf has one of the best goal kicking records I’ve seen at school boy level for many years. Instead they kept kicking for the corners followed by over throws which played into Gim’s hands.
I thought Gim vs Wynberg was a close contest for about an hour or so. Wynberg grabbed an early 11-0 lead and then the ref must have awarded a record number of penalties in a row to Gim during the rest of the half. Berg literally didn’t see the ball.
The match remained tight but Berg could not turn P&T into points in the 2nd half. Probably should have kicked at goal to narrow the deficit to 19-17 if successful.
Gim were resilient on D and when the chances broke for them late on they did what their opponents could not and finished with two tries.
Gim had 5 players out including the first choice centre pairing and Louw du Toit who gives them a lot of go-forward from in the backrow. So they did well.
It was good to see the top athlete Nicus van Coller at no.8 for Gim. He looks like a lad who will still have a big influence on games. Decent size and useful speed.
BL vs SB wasn’t a pretty game.
Stellenberg just could not get going.
BL showed their power in the scrum but they too have plenty of issues turning forward domination into scoreboard points.
Enslin did enough to catch the eye.
But in the end a good win for BL. Stellies are a spirited team and will make the best teams fight for every point.
Also looked like a very good crowd attendance.
@tzavosky: Spesiale seun Dok, op en van die veld. Baie goed op 13 maar meer spasie op 11 op skolevlak. Hy het terloops 13, 14 en 11 by St John’s gespeel in die 3 wedstryde
@Ploegskaar: Stem oor Claasen. Hy’t my oog gevang by Noord-Suid (verbeel my hy het toe buitesenter gespeel?), groot, hoë werkverrigting, hardloop goeie lyne.Puik speler.
@Kantman: Dankie man, dit was taai soos verwag. Een ding is verseker, Boland 11 Enslin Claasen is baie goed met rugby. Sal vanaand ‘n rooi teug, waar die eike blaar
17-10 vir Boland. Geluk Ploegie
Thanks Beet, great read that lost out to the great Noordvaal debate
More Manne,
Ek is nou nie bekend met stellenberg se span nie, nog geen wedstryd van hulle gekyk die jaar nie. Easter Festival het die span wie Ek ondersteun verloor teen Boland Landbou, dit gaan n baie besonderse span vat hulle tewen die jaar. baie moeilik om uit tesonder maar ek stem met die bogenoemde die full back is op n ander vlak