Rugby First Played By Schoolboys And Still The Best When Played By Schoolboys
Affies will travel the 11km to Hoërskool Garsfontein on Saturday to play in one of the most anticipated matches of schoolboy rugby in 2022 @ 12h50.
Affies have never lost to their hosts with the last match played between these two great rugby schools in 2010 when Affies won 31-07. The results of the other years were 1993 Affies won 63-03, 1994 Affies won 22-11, 1995 Affies won 55-06 and 1996 Affies won 62-07.
However, a lot has changed in schoolboy rugby since 2010 and Garsfontein's 1stXV must be the favourites to win especially taking their 2022 performances into account.
Garsfontein's 1stXV was seen by many schoolboy rugby supporters in the know as one of the hot favourites to be crowned as the top 1stXV in 2022 and they have not disappointed. Their first "official" match was at the Noord/Suid Festival against Drostdy HTS which they won with surprisingly ease (67-00). They displayed an amazing 15 man pattern played at pace by one of the best-conditioned teams in the country. Against Paarl Boishaai two days later they did everything except for winning, drawing the game 16 all. Boishaai maybe showed the way to beat most of the teams in the top ten in closing the game down with a very good pack of forwards, backed by a brilliant defensive pattern that stopped most of the try-scoring efforts from Garsfontein in their tracks.
Affies 1stXV on the other hand was not one of the favourites of the season and although beating Diamantveld (40-03) and Helpmekaar (21-14) not many were impressed. However, at the Noord/Suid we saw a "battered" Affies rising from the "dead". Back, was the well known "Affie-guts" playing a game that was well structured but combined with amazing skill and speed. A great win against Paul Roos (24-18) was followed up by the demolition of Durbanville (73-06).
Our prediction: Apparently the day will start with some light rain followed by thunderstorms later in the day resulting in a wet pitch. This will definately help Garsfontein who have the more "powerful" pack of forwards and Affies showed against Helpmekaar that in the wet they struggle to play their gameplan. However, to use an old cliché the match will be won by the team wanting it the most, the team that will play the conditions and their opponents with aggression and precision and the team that can control the overload of passion and emotions that will accompany them onto the field.
But maybe the most telling factor will be the coaches of the two teams. Garsfontein has a more experienced coaching staff with a better track record that knows how to win tight matches. The Affies newby, Ruan Jacobs will bring the passion as an old Affies 1stXV player combined with a new and modern approach to the Affies team.
Who will win? I know what my heart wants but I also must listen to what my three brain cells are trying to tell me.
May schoolboy rugby win on a day where hopefully a long-lasting friendship will be started.
Other Fixtures for Saturday 09/04/2022
08h00 - u/14A
09h10 - u/15A
10h20 - Seccies
11h40 - u/16A
12h50 - 1stXV