Paul Roos’ win streak remains intact with a test match style win over Paarl Boishaai 25-10 in the second fixture of the Sportsmans Warehouse Premier Interschools double-header.
The Maroon Machine has set out a benchmark challenge to opposing schools with a clear message that they will be difficult to beat at home or away this season. What was always going to be a tense battle on the Markotter fields lived up to its pre-match billing as the home fans got their money’s worth.
Paarl Boishaai travelled to Stellenbosch looking to settle the score from last year’s Sportmans Warehouse Premier Interschools fixture where the visitors on the day Paul Roos ran away victors 35-17. Paarl Boishaai have not had the best start to their season but as many know, the form book goes out the window on derby day.
The hosts set the tone early on through their flanker and man of the match Gert Kemp who opened the scoring, busting through the Boishaai defensive line, after a great offload in contact from number eight Reuben Kruger.
The visitors managed the early pressure well and got an opportunity to get on the board and settle the nerves three minutes after Paul Roos drew first blood. Flyhalf Vian Mentoor chipped away at the deficit with a well-struck penalty to close the gap to four points. Paul Roos led 07-03 with 15 minutes played.
PRG continued to ramp up the pressure on the visitors as they marched their way towards the Paarl Boishaai try line. You could sense it was only a matter of time until they broke through once more. Scrumhalf Adeeb Boraine was the benefactor of his forward’s hard work when he sniped around the fringes of the ruck and dived over under the poles. Flyhalf Joshua Dampies had no problem with the conversion giving his team an 11-point lead at halftime.
It was Dampies that got scoring underway in the second half as his educated boot knocked over a drop goal. It wasn’t just off the tee that he was good but his kicking out of hand allowed Paul Roos to play the game in the right areas of the field and manage the outcome throughout.
The Paarl Boishaai effort could not be faulted throughout, and their endeavours finally paid off when wing Ashwin Swarts scored their only try of the game. Mentoor slotted the conversion from out wide to put his team in touching distance on the scoreboard trailing by seven points.
Paul Roos always knew when to up the tempo and it was soon after conceding that they lifted it once more and launched a barrage of attack on the visitors as they looked to put the game beyond doubt.
With eight minutes to go the Maroon Machine maul went into overdrive as they charged towards the Paarl Boishaai try line. Their relenting pressure and powerful forward pack were too much for Paarl, hooker Altus Rabie who had been given a yellow card earlier in the match landed the killer knockout blow that saw the efforts of the blue and white hoops come to an end.
For good measure, Dampies was given the opportunity to add another three points to the hosts' tally which he did as they kept Paarl Boishaai quiet on the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest.
The Maroon Machine were too powerful and clinical for their opponents on the day as they extended their unbeaten run. At the beginning of the season, they set out a marker for the first team to live up to their school's long-admired history, and they have done so with distinction so far.
For Paarl Boishaai it is back to the drawing board as they enjoy a short break after a frantic start to the season.
A derby that delivered once more, Paul Roos defending their home turf against long-standing Western Cape rivals Paarl Booishaai.
