The Lekkerboet.ruggas.co.za prediction game is growing in popularity, and apart from a few pundits, the rest is struggling as it does require a fairly extensive knowledge of schoolboy rugby. I have decided to provide crib notes to help us ordinary people to maybe win the much sought-after Lekkerboet Cap.
To join the Lekkerboet 1stXV prediction game go to https://lekkerboet.ruggas.co.za and follow instructions to join the Week 13 game.
Match 1 - St Andrew's College (35) vs Selborne College (33)
Both teams are not having a great season. Selborne won seven of their fourteen matches played while St Andrew's College won five of their ten matches played and are only two positions on the ruggas.co.za 1stXV rankings apart.
The opposition of Selborne includes Paarl Boishaai, KES, Jeppe and Grey College while St Andrew's opposition includes SACS, Grey College, Michaelhouse and Grey High School.
It should therefore be a close match with Selborne the favourite to win by seven points.
Match 2 - Oos Moot (41) vs Heidelberg Volkies (42)
Oos Moot has won seven matches of the ten they played while Heidelberg Volkies won eight matches of the twelve matches they played.
Both teams are steadily improving as the season progress. Heidelberg Volkies drew against Menlopark, beat Middelburg and had a close loss to Noordheuwel while Oos Moot beat Rustenburg and Middelburg and also lost to Noordheuwel.
According to the ruggas.co.za 1stXV rankings Oos Moot must be the favourites but this one is too close to call.
Match 3 - Boland Landbou (10) vs Wynberg Boys High (21)
Boland Landbou won eight of the eleven matches they played while Wynberg won seven of their eleven matches played.
Both Wynberg and Boland Landbou do not shy away from playing the best in the country. Wynberg had a close loss to Paarl Boishaai and a close win over Rondebosch during the past two weeks, while Boland had to work hard to beat Bishops, lost against Paarl Gim and had a bye last weekend.
Boland Landbou is the favourite to win by eleven if the ruggas.co.za 1stXV rankings can be trusted.
Match 4 - Wesvalia (84) vs Merensky (85)
Wesvalia not having a good season while Merensky has already improved their ranking points with 3,235 points. Merensky was promoted to the Noordvaal Shield competition in 2023 and is unbeaten in the competition up to date.
This is the one match where I will ignore the rankings and make Merensky the favourite to win by five.
Match 5 - Hilton College (7) vs Maritzburg College (11)
Hilton is unbeaten apart from the surprise loss to Jeppe at the St John's festival while Maritzburg College started the season with three losses from four played, however, currently, they won ten matches from fourteen matches played.
Maritzburg College has become the second team for many rugby supporters due to their fighting spirit displayed at the easter rugby festivals, however, Hilton must be the favourites for this weekend's match.
The ruggas.co.za 1stXV rankings have Hilton to win by five.
Match 6 - Pretoria Boys High (30) vs Jeppe (17)
Jeppe has established them as one of the top 1st XV's in Gauteng and lost to Affies the past weekend after the fat lady ended her song. They won nine of their fourteen matches played while Pretoria Boys High won ten matches out of the sixteen matches they played.
Jeppe must be the overwhelming favourite but with the schoolboy rugby wizard Paul Anthony in charge expect some surprises on the field. However, the ruggas.co.za 1stXV ranking predicts Jeppe by thirteen points.
Match 7 - Rondebosch (14) vs Paarl Boishaai (6)
Paarl Boishaai has been "struggling" in 2023, blowing hot and cold until now. They won eleven of their fifteen matches played while Rondebosch lost only two of their eleven matches played this year.
Rondebosch comes off a close win against Wynberg while Paar Boishaai had to work extremely hard to beat Wynberg two weeks ago. Both teams lost to Paul Roos during the past two weeks.
Paarl Boishaai should be the favourites as they would want to show that the loss to Paul Roos was a minor hiccup. However, firstly they will want to take revenge for their 19-22 loss to Rondebosch in 2022.
The ruggas.co.za rankings have Paarl Boishaai as the favourites to win by eight, however .........
Match 8 - Monnas (9) vs EG Jansen (18)
The kings of the Noordvaal vs the crown prince. Although Monnas lost five of the thirteen matches they played they showed against Grey College a week ago that they can not be written off in the Noordvaal. EG Jansen has lost four of the fifteen matches they played this season, however, more impressive are their good wins against Helpmekaar and Waterkloof the past two weekends.
The ruggas.co.za 1stXV rankings have Monnas winning with nine points, however, the boys from the East Rand will not leave without a big fight, therefore, another surprise loss by Monnas is not too far-fetched.
Match 9 - Bishops (2) vs Paarl Gimnasium (13)
Paarl Gim is unbeaten apart from their loss to Grey College in March at the Noord/Suid festival as has been in a foul mood the past few weekends especially. Bishops only lost to Boland Landbou and Paul Roos in their ten matches played.
The ruggas.co.za 1stXV rankings have Paarl Gim as the winner with eleven points, however, thirty points should be more accurate.
Match 10 - SACS (38) vs Paul Roos (3)
SACS lost seven of the eleven matches they played while Paul Roos lost two of their ten matches played.
If Paul Roos do not rest eight of their regular 1stXV this could become known as the bloodbath on 03 June 2023. Paul Roos by 40.
