It’s Oesfees time! Hosts Boland Landbou takes on Milnerton in this first shortened match of their season.
There is an unusual look about this year’s team. Four of their tight-five are still under-17’s yet in spite of being a relatively youthful pack, the Farmers tip the scales at the 810kg. The must-watch player is captain at lock Ruan Vivers. He is one of seven starters with difficult to come by Western Province youth week caps.
There is a lot more experience in the BL backline. Here former Boland Craven Week player Enslin Claasen, a second-year BL 1st XV starter weighing 100kg, is one of just two players who have not been at the agricultural school since Grade-8. He is expected to be a handful out wide if he gets quality ball. Inside centre Juan Swart also a big unit in excess of 100kg. A lot will hinge on halfback combination of Jayden Brits and creative Retagan van Rooy.
Milnerton challenging themselves to climb the ladder
Milnerton is a breath of fresh air. In a year in which so many others are trying to pad their starts and operate within their comfort zones, here is a high school that is relishing the challenge of taking on the so-called big schools of the Western Cape, in the belief that it will help improve their own standard of competitiveness and make them more consistent at a higher level. Amongst their challenges is that many of their English-medium feeder schools do not play rugby, choosing soccer instead. Fortunately two primary schools have upped their game thanks to good rugby structures in place, which is helping Milnerton rugby to grow. Numbers and depth are also an obstacle that they are working hard to get right. As things stand they are proud of the number of boys they have been able to contribute to towards WP Youth Week causes.
| TEAM | BOLAND LANDBOU | TEAM | MILNERTON | ||
| 1 | Henry Rudder | u17 | 1 | Sheldan Puma | |
| 2 | Heinrich Bezuidenhout | u17 | 2 | Keagan Harding | |
| 3 | Derico Mesina | u17 | 3 | Chadley Davids | |
| 4 | Kody Nel | u17 | 4 | Keenan Togni | |
| 5 | Ruan Viviers | u18 | 5 | Mathew Gabriel | |
| 6 | Hans Verster | u18 | 6 | Jeremy Armstrong | |
| 7 | Blake de Kock | u17 | 7 | Dylan Peverett | |
| 8 | Karst Smuts | u19 | 8 | Briint Davids | |
| 9 | Jayden Brits | u17 | 9 | Devon Damons | |
| 10 | Retagan van Rooy | u18 | 10 | Chadwin Sellidon | |
| 11 | Enslin Claasen | u19 | 11 | Jaydin Smit | |
| 12 | Juan Swart | u18 | 12 | Frank Hitimana | |
| 13 | Xavier Vorster | u18 | 13 | Morgan Lodewyk | |
| 14 | Wehan Lume | u18 | 14 | Rami Moatshe | |
| 15 | Lyle Lewis | u18 | 15 | Chadlin Sellidon | |
| 16 | 16 | Divine Ambrose | |||
| 17 | 17 | Liam Ross | |||
| 18 | 18 | Lincoln Corner | |||
| 20 | 20 | Joshua Vomberg | |||
| 21 | 21 | Raqeeb Kapery | |||
| 22 | 22 | Keagan Wood | |||
| 23 | 23 | Litha Tasana | |||
| Coach | JOHAN VAN ROOYEN | Coach |
I liked van Rooi and Viviers a lot. If I was contracting players for rugby after school, the latter would be high up on my wishlist.
I thought Milnerton should plenty of “gees”. They had a good kicker at 10 so let him take shots at goal. Their scrumhalf Devon Damons had game and showed it in the second half when the defensive legs were getting a bit tired on the hot day.
BL got a hard week ahead. From what I saw, I will make Outeniqua the favourites for Saturday. It will be the battle of big packs but the Kwaggas seemed to have more ability for ball retention.
Van Rooi can have a big say in the match. The Kwaggas need a lot more positives out of width. For BL both wings Lume and Claasen got to stretch their legs which was good. Claasen needs to use his 100kg frame to attack the inside shoulder and stay up right until support arrives. He should not make it so easy to get bundled into touch and turnover ball.
Kwaggas 12 is a unit and if they can get him to be like JP Duvenage, he could be a good platform for recycled ball attacks.
@Kantman (Comment #1)
The first and most important of the three pillars to ensure a good schoolboy rugby season is selection, i.e. selecting the right players in the correct positions. This Landbou open group probably has the most talent and depth that I have seen over the past two decades and selection will be the key to success or underachievement this year, in my humble and unsolicited opinion.
What what it’s worth, moving 8 to 4, 4 to 7 and 12 to 8 will balance the pack. With the backs, I would move 10 to 15, 11 to 12, 15 to 11 and bring in the Seccies 10. Ballers don’t make the best 10’s in my opinion, while a reliable decision maker and manager brings the best out of a very talented backline.
These are just my thoughts of course, which I hope will not be perceived as criticism.
Very young pack of forwards with an experienced backline – looking forward on how they play together.