Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool Historic Overview
On Saturday 13 April 2019 the 3rd annual Interschools between Paarl Gimnasium and Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies) will culminate in the final big match of the day. These two schools have met on and off for 50 years but only in 2017 did this become an annual interschool derby where all teams get to compete. Since the first time they met in 1967, they have played only 16 games in 50 years against each other with Paarl Gim winning 8, Affies winning 6 and two draws. Since the introduction of the interschools, Paarl Gimnasium has continued their winning streak and Affies have yet to register a win at 1st Team level.
Scores through the Years:
| Year | Affies | Paarl Gim |
| 1967 | 0 | 11 |
| 1972 | 0 | 19 |
| 1973 | 3 | 38 |
| 1976 | 10 | 3 |
| 1979 | 3 | 23 |
| 1999 | 19 | 11 |
| 2002 | 24 | 20 |
| 2005 | 18 | 38 |
| 2006 | 17 | 17 |
| 2007 | 13 | 8 |
| 2008 | 3 | 21 |
| 2009 | 16 | 22 |
| 2011 | 59 | 6 |
| 2012 | 27 | 20 |
| 2014 | 7 | 40 |
| 2015 | 22 | 22 |
| 2017 | 33 | 35 |
| 2018 | 21 | 41 |
2019 Season:
Both schools competed at the North/South tournament where they played and won both their matches against very good opposition. Affies beat Stellenberg and Outeniqua while Paarl Gimnasium came away winners against Monument and Menlopark. The early form of Paarl Gimnasium suggests that they are once again a team that can run opposition ragged with their speed of play. Affies will have to get their defensive structures in order to be able to contain the Gim wave.
Both of these teams also formed part of the World Schools Festival held in Stellenbosch during the March school holidays. Paarl Gimnasium made short change of their two opponents of Africa Pacific Dragons and Hartpury while Affies found the going a little tougher against the Italian All Stars and Christchurch Boys High, drawing with the latter 31 all in a thrilling end to the match.
This will once again be a great schoolboy match to watch as both teams rely on the same credo. However, we will have to wait and see if it will be “Gimmie Guts” or “Affie Guts” that pulls through on the day.
Rugby at Affies
Affies is famed and regarded as one of the best rugby schools in South Africa. It has delivered many Springbok players in the past and continues to supply loads of talent in the SA Schools and SA Academy sides. Affies also has many players at all provincial levels of rugby.
Affies have a huge talent pool in the school and one that is rich in depth. There are more than 10 senior teams each year, and teams as far as G-teams are filled at each age group.
Each year Affies challenge the country’s leading rugby schools such as Grey College, Maritzburg College, Glenwood High School, KES and many more. At these derby matches each and every team gets a chance to take the field for the Rooi, Geel and Groen. In the last few decades, Affies has produced top quality players such as Louis Schmidt, Wynand Olivier, Fourie du Preez and Pierre Spies (also an Affies choir boy) to name but a few. Perhaps Affies’ most unknown star was Francois Swart who played fly-half for Die Witbulle (the school’s first team) alongside scrum-half Fourie du Preez. The formidable duo played for the Blue Bulls and was fast becoming the next Springbok scrum-and fly-half pair. Tragically Francois Swart died in 2004 and since then Affies hosts an under-15 rugby tournament in the Easter Holidays bearing the name of Francois Swart. The long standing legacy of Affies rugby builds each year and upcoming stars are still being produced.
Their latest two Springboks are Ivan van Zyl and RG Snyman who both debuted for the Boks in 2018.
Affies Springboks
| Player | Debut Year |
| Louis Schmidt | 1958 |
| Tonie Roux | 1969 |
| Pierre Edwards | 1980 |
| Grant Esterhuizen | 2000 |
| Fourie du Preez | 2004 |
| Wynand Olivier | 2006 |
| Pierre Spies | 2006 |
| Dean Greyling | 2011 |
| Ivan van Zyl | 2018 |
| RG Snyman | 2018 |
Rugby at Gim
Paarl Gimnasium is without doubt one of the Big Five rugby schools in South Africa. They have to date produced 23 Springboks of which 21 have been capped in tests for South Africa.
Rugby started at the school in 1902 with no strict age-groups defined during these early years. The school operated as a rugby club and the staff frequently turned out in the colours of the school. During this time the headmaster, FC Wahl, also captained the school’s 1st XV.
Their biggest rival is Paarl Boys High situated in the Southern Paarl. Their annual Interschools have the unofficial title of “Biggest Interschools” in South Africa. In 2012, while still at school, their captain and pivot Handre Pollard represented South Africa at the u/20 World Cup tournament with aplomb. Called up for the injured Johan Goosen, Pollard played a vital role in SA winning the final against New Zealand. He again represented SA u/20 in 2013 and captained the side in 2014. The young man is currently plying his trade with the Blue Bulls Super Rugby team and in 2014 he became Paarl Gym’s 23rd Springbok. Their latest and 24th Bok is Louis Schreuder who got capped during the 2017 season.
Paarl Gim Sprinboks
| Bok No | Name |
| 94 | Japie le Roux |
| 103 | Pietie le Roux |
| 110 | Steve Joubert |
| 195 | Pierre de Villiers |
| 203 | JC van der Westhuizen |
| 301 | Jan Pickard |
| 340 | Hugo van Zyl |
| 398 | Wynand Mans |
| 535 | Schalk Burger snr |
| 552 | Kobus Burger |
| 585 | Kobus Wiese |
| 595 | Balie Swart |
| 625 | Mornay Visser |
| 652 | Pieter Rossouw |
| 690 | De Wet Barry |
| 693 | Louis Koen |
| 699 | Chris Rossouw |
| 711 | Marius Joubert |
| 735 | Jean de Villiers |
| 754 | Schalk Burger jnr |
| 810 | Ashley Johnson |
| 853 | Lourens Adriaanse |
| 857 | Handré Pollard |
| 891 | Louis Schreuder |
The game will be broadcast live on Saturday 13 April on SuperSport Eleven from 12h10.
You can also catch the build-up Premier Interschools Magazine Show from Wednesday 10 April at 19:00 on SuperSport 1 featuring De Wet Barry and Fourie du Preez.
Live Fixtures
| Schedule Date | Series | Episode | Schedule Time | Duration | Schedule End Time | Channel | |
| 13-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Rugby | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 12:10 | 01:35 | 13:45 | CSN / SS11 | |
| 14-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Rugby | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 10:55 | 01:25 | 12:20 | SS8 | |
| 15-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Rugby | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 02:00 | 01:25 | 03:25 | SS8 | |
| Preview Show: | |||||||
| Schedule Date | Series | Episode | Schedule Time | Duration | Schedule End Time | Channel | Status |
| 10-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 18:45 | 00:15 | 19:00 | SS1 / SS1A | Premier |
| 10-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 22:45 | 00:15 | 23:00 | SS8 | Repeat |
| 11-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 01:45 | 00:15 | 02:00 | SS8 | Repeat |
| 11-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 04:45 | 00:15 | 05:00 | CSN | Repeat |
| 11-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 07:30 | 00:15 | 07:45 | SS1 / SS1A | Repeat |
| 11-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 20:30 | 00:15 | 20:45 | CSN / SS1 / SS1A | Repeat |
| 12-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 08:05 | 00:15 | 08:20 | SS1 / SS1A | Repeat |
| 12-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 13:35 | 00:15 | 13:50 | SS10 | Repeat |
| 13-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Preview | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 03:15 | 00:15 | 03:30 | CSN / SS1 / SS1A | Repeat |
| Build Up: | |||||||
| Schedule Date | Series | Episode | Schedule Time | Duration | Schedule End Time | Channel | Status |
| 13-Apr-2019 | Premier Interschools Build-up | Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool | 12:05 | 00:05 | 12:10 | SS11 | Premier |
