Stellenberg is one of those everybody’s second favourite teams

 

 

Likeable Stellenberg prepares to host Paarl Gymnasium in their opening fixture on Saturday 16 March 2024.

Recent history of the derby.

DATE	VENUE	STELLENBERG RESULTS
17Aug13	Stellenberg	LOST	Stellenberg	3	31	Paarl Gim
30Jul16	Paarl Gim	LOST	Stellenberg	17	47	Paarl Gim
17Mar17	Paarl Gim	LOST	Stellenberg	19	31	Paarl Gim
18Mar22	Stellenberg	LOST	Stellenberg	6	12	Paarl Gim
24Mar23	Paarl Gim	LOST	Stellenberg	23	24	Paarl Gim

Fun facts. Did you know that since March 2021, the principal heading up Stellenberg is Mrs Yolandé Havinga. Amongst the many complimentary terms, this headmistress has been described as proactive.

Stellenberg is a neutral’s favourite simply because of the manner they have gone about their school rugby business, which has seen them rise in prominence, including being promoted to be the nineth member of the prestigious Western Province Premier League. This feat was achieved without having a boarding house, which is often regarded as the fundamental for rugby success.

For this first match of the regular season, Stellies will field 19 teams, which is believed to be the most in their school history dating back to 1987. This number will be two more teams than Gim has on the day.

Although Minki van der Westhuizen is always referenced by school rugby commentators as Stellies’ most famous alumni linked to rugby (somehow), the Jade Brigade has produced a Springbok rugby player. Carel van der Merwe is one of those unique handful of rugby players who can call himself a Bok even though he has never played a test match. He belong to a time when touring players were automatically assigned a Springbok number and regarded as full Springboks. This practice stopped in about 2013. Now a player has to take the field in a test international to earn a cap and become a Springbok.

The Stellenberg main field is still nameless after 37 years of history and is therefore referred to as the A-field.

The wide open space that lies to the East of the school, a really massive chunk of land that can often be seen on match broadcasts, is not a farm. It is believed to be open land that belongs to SANRAL. It looks so big that they can probably build a whole new suburb on it.