13 November 2026
Paarl Gimnasium enters the 2027 schoolboy rugby season as the defending national number one following a dominant 15–1 campaign in 2026. The Paarl side completed a clean sweep against traditional rivals Affies, Grey College, Paul Roos, and Paarl Boys’ High, finishing the year with a record 103,128 points on the Ruggas.co.za 1stXV Rankings.
While their five Elite Player Development (EPD) selections, three U16 and two U17, might seem modest compared to their Stellenbosch neighbours, write off Pieter Rossouw’s charges at your peril. The veteran coach has built a career on extracting magic from his squads, transforming raw talent into cohesive units that punch well above their weight.
A major off-season development in Paarl is the appointment of Chris Rossouw, brother of 1st XV head coach Pieter Rossouw. Chris Rossouw reports directly to Head of Rugby Dawie Theron and works alongside the school’s rugby management and coaching teams.
He brings significant professional intellectual property after serving as the Bulls’ backline and attack coach under Jake White from 2019 until December 2025. During his tenure in Pretoria, the Bulls won the 2020 Super Rugby Unlocked title, secured two Currie Cup trophies, and reached three United Rugby Championship (URC) finals.
Integrating Chris Rossouw’s senior attacking structures with Pieter Rossouw’s established schoolboy coaching methods gives Paarl Gimnasium a formidable technical setup for 2027.
Paarl Gimnasium must replace several key 2026 matrics, including captain Ethan Barker, flyhalf Louis Koen, scrumhalf Mickyle Booise, and fullback Thomas Saunders. However, the school’s internal pipeline provides immediate continuity.
The majority of the 2026 U17 group spent the past season playing together in the 2nd XV. As a result, the core of the 2027 1st XV steps up as a settled, gelled unit already familiar with the senior team’s defensive and attacking systems.
Key EPD Players to Watch
Paarl Gimnasium’s five national EPD representatives anchor both the forward pack and the backline heading into the new season:
• Corné Ferreira (Loose forward | U17): Brings national conditioning and breakdown work rate after earning both U17 EPD and SA U17 7s selection.
• De Waal Viviers (Outside back | U17): Provides experienced strike power out wide following his U17 EPD inclusion.
• Eben Lategan (Prop | U16): Graduates from the U16 EPD setup to bolster the senior front row.
• Lian van Zijl (Loose forward | U16): Adds mobility and physicality to the back-row stocks after earning U16 EPD honours.
• Zeke Finck (Outside back | U16): Steps up from the U16 EPD ranks as an attacking threat in the back three.
With marquee fixtures against Affies, Grey College, and the August Interschools derby against a newly coached Paarl Boys’ High side on the horizon, Paarl Gimnasium relies on cohesion and coaching depth to defend its crown.