The match between Jeppe and Pretoria Boys High was rather of importance to history than to the actual performance of the teams as both teams are having a below par 2017 season.
Pretoria Boys High being coached by ex Glenwood 1stXV coach Rudi Dames is showing improvement in every match they played this year but was still the underdogs travelling to Jeppe.
The first half of the game was what is expected from an age old derby between two great schools with everything done with heart and more heart. The second half did not manage to be as physical nor passionate as the first half with Pretoria Boys High controlling much of this half having the answer to all challenges Jeppe could throw at them. Defending and attacking against a predictable opponent will always be easy.
Boys High showed from the start of the match that they prefer the ball to do the work with some sublime interplay between the forwards and the backs. With Dylan Thompson at flyhalf dictating the play very well playing a game of a thinking flyhalf outsmarting Jeppe on several occasions with either well-placed kicks or precision distribution to his willing and able backline.
Jeppe however stuck to their game plan trying to force with their big forwards and then use their forwards again to set up another phase. Jeppe's backline showed some excellent skill on the few occasions they received the ball at speed and that is when they scored the tries. With players like Muzi Manyike and Cameron van Tonder at the back one can only speculate why Jeppe insisted playing a forward orientated game.
Pretoria Boys High may have won the game but the referee certainly did not think so. The amount of penalties Boys High conceded was surely enough to warrant several yellow or even red cards which would have had a big impact on the game and result. Pretoria Boys High won this game by outsmarting their opponents.
The hand of Rudi Dames Director of Rugby, is clearly visible as Pretoria Boys High's teams are playing a game for which Glenwood is well known. Pretoria Boys High maybe still short of talent to become one of the top rugby schools but Rudi Dames has never had that stop him.
Scorers:
Pretoria Boys High (26): Tries: van Rooyen, du Plessis, Another, Classen. Conversions: Thompson (3) Penalty: Thompson
Jeppe (18): Tries: Coetzee, #17 Conversion: O' Connel Penalty: O' Connel (2)