PREMIER INTERSCHOOLS PRESS RELEASE: Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool 2022

Paarl Gimnasium vs Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Affies)

A mouthwatering humdinger is set to mark the second game for the season when two massive teams – Paarl Gimnasium and Afrikaans Hoërskool – meet for a North versus South encounter, their official 4^th Interschools.

Prior to 2017, the first time this annual fixture was introduced, these two schools did not play each other regularly apart from the occasional rugby festivals. Since the first time they met in 1967, they have played only 19 games against each other with Paarl Gim winning 11, Affies winning 6 and two draws. Affies will look to defend their reputation as they host the team from Paarl.

Scores through the years:

Affies 2022 Season:

Affies have played 6 games since the start of the season winning 5 but it was last week’s narrow one-point defeat against fellow Pretoria school, Garsfontein that will be fresh in the minds of every Affie player, coach, and supporter – a record they would like to set straight. They are showing signs of being back to their best and a win against Paarl Gim will help build momentum for the rest of their season.

Paarl Gim 2022 Season:

In contrast, Paarl Gim have only played 4 games in this season but have impressed with their ability to pull through some tough situations in games and close it down. Against both Stellenberg and Wynberg they were put under pressure but managed to absorb it and come out on top.

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.

The Pretoria school have a huge talent pool in the school and one that is rich in depth. There are more than ten (10) senior teams each year, and teams as far as G-teams are filled at each age group.

Each year Affies challenge South Africa’s leading rugby schools such as Grey College (Bloem), Maritzburg College, Glenwood High School, KES and many more. At these matches each 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 former Blue Bulls captain 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 scrumhalf Fourie du Preez. The formidable duo played for the Blue Bulls and were 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. Prolific batsmen AB de Villiers is also a product of Affies and played in the No 10 Witbulle jersey in his matric year.

Affies Springboks

Rugby at Gim

Paarl Gim 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 and the early years no strict age-groups were defined, and the schools operated as a rugby club, the staff frequently turned out in the colours of the school. The headmaster back then, FC Wahl also captained the school’s 1st XV.

Their biggest rivals are Paarl Boys High with their annual Interschools having the unofficial title of being the “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. Paarl Gym’s latest contribution to the Springbok family is Louis Schreuder, who was capped in 2017.

Paarl Gim Sprinboks

The game will be broadcast live on Saturday, 23 April from 13h55 on SuperSport Variety 3

Premier Interschools will also be broadcasting the Rhenish vs Rustenburg netball fixture. See scheduled times below.