Paarl Gym beat Paarl Boys’ High 16-15 at the Faure Street Stadium, while Grey High shocked Grey College 27-20.
This was Gimmies' fourth consecutive win in this fixture, while Boishaai’s wretched record against their fiercest rivals continues, having won just once in the past decade.
Gym opened the scoring with a penalty by SA Schools Player of the Year Grant Hermanus (fullback), but after that it was all Boishaai. The hosts dominated territory and possession for the remainder of the first half, but their finishing, or lack thereof, meant they went into the break scoreless.
By the start of the second stanza, the visiting supporters were in full voice, willing their team on and three minutes in, Hermanus booted his second penalty goal to reward them. Flyhalf Stefan Gouws pulled three points back for Boishaai, which seemed to spark them.
After the restart, they worked their way into their opponent's half, but a poor pass led to a knock-on and Gym’s Ernst van Rhyn was first to react. Knowing that his pace wouldn't be enough, the lanky lock put in a clever grubber for scrumhalf Grant Williams to chase. He duly collected the ball to dot down under the posts, with Hermanus adding the extras.
The hosts clawed their way back with a well worked five-pointer by fullback Rayhaan Lombaard, but moments later their ill-discipline again proved costly, with a Hermanus penalty stretching his team’s lead to eight points.
Tristan Solomons grabbed a last-gasp try for a determined Boishaai, which Gouws converted, but it wasn’t enough as they fell just short for the right to be called Paarl’s best.
Earlier in the day, Grey High beat number one-ranked Grey College 27-20, in what could be the biggest upset of the season.
Elsewhere, Selborne edged Queens 19-10, Maritzburg toppled Pretoria Boys’ 35-18, Wynberg outclassed Rondebosch 15-0, Monument snuck past Jeppe 24-22, Oakdale thumped Marlow 34-8, Paul Roos hammered Bishops 36-14, Glenwood eased past Affies 36-22 and Boland Landbou converted a late penalty to draw 17-17 with SACS.
Results:
Paarl Boys’ High 15 Paarl Gym 16
Grey High 27 Grey College 20
Selborne 19 Queens 10
Maritzburg 35 Pretoria Boys’ 18
Wynberg 15 Rondebosch 0
Monument 24 Jeppe 22
Oakdale 34 Marlow 8
Paul Roos 36 Bishops 14
Glenwood 36 Affies 22
Boland Landbou 17 SACS 17
Photo: Carl Fourie/Gallo Images
