It was an ancient story, from olden times, the story of David versus Goliath. The Story of the mighty giant against the puny underdog. The Story of the overwhelming favourite against the long shot, with absolutely no chance.
But this week’s story was different. There was no David. There was no underdog. We didn’t have one Goliath plundering the treasures of the small. This time there were two Goliaths. Gimmies! Boishaai!
Relentlessly these two great teams stomped on, showing no charity nor requesting any as they wrestled for every inch of turf to put on a spectacle that could truly fit the word ‘epic’.
But the point is…What did this and any school rugby match teach us?
That anything in the world can happen on that field. Anything. You always have a chance. We absolutely know it in our bones.
It’s that simple.
It’s true that there is always going to be a winner and a loser, but this time it was only on paper. With only a single point separating these two great teams on the day (Paarl Gim 18-17 Paarl Boys High), few would disagree that school rugby was the real winner and that these two great juggernauts played their part in proving this.
On any give Saturday you are going to win or you’re going to lose. The point is, can you win or lose like a man? For all the players of both teams we can say a definite “YES!”
With regard to the First XV Top 100 Rankings for this Week we are still looking at Grey College way out in front as they look poised to end the season as the undisputed No.1 team in the country.
A gallant effort by Glenwood to move into the top 10 saw the Durban team outplay Maritzburg College and Grey High School cling on to a top 10 slot after their win over the strong Selborne College side.
Please send through your First XV Results to editor@saschoolsports.co.za
| FIRST XV RANKINGS 6 AUGUST, 2019 | |||
| RANK | TEAM | PLAYED | AVG BONUS POINTS |
| 1 | GREY COLLEGE | 16 | 7.569 |
| 2 | PAARL GIM | 16 | 6.800 |
| 3 | PAARL BOYS HIGH | 16 | 6.694 |
| 4 | PAUL ROOS GYM | 13 | 5.723 |
| 5 | FRAMESBY | 19 | 5.495 |
| 6 | GARSFONTEIN | 14 | 5.493 |
| 7 | SELBORNE COLLEGE | 17 | 5.118 |
| 8 | ST ANDREWS COLLEGE | 17 | 5.059 |
| 9 | MONUMENT | 18 | 5.044 |
| 10 | GREY HIGH SCHOOL | 16 | 5.006 |
| 11 | HILTON COLLEGE | 13 | 4.785 |
| 12 | GLENWOOD | 19 | 4.716 |
| 13 | KES | 12 | 4.550 |
| 14 | STELLENBERG | 17 | 4.335 |
| 15 | NORTHWOOD | 13 | 4.185 |
| 16 | BISHOPS | 15 | 4.147 |
| 17 | AFFIES | 17 | 4.094 |
| 18 | HELPMEKAAR | 17 | 4.029 |
| 19 | LEEUWENHOF | 11 | 3.945 |
| 20 | OUTENIQUA | 13 | 3.877 |
| 21 | PIETERSBURG | 8 | 3.813 |
| 22 | DIE BRANDWAG | 16 | 3.669 |
| 23 | WESTVILLE | 15 | 3.640 |
| 24 | JEPPE | 13 | 3.592 |
| 25 | DESPATCH | 17 | 3.576 |
| 26 | ST JOHNS COLLEGE | 12 | 3.533 |
| 27 | MENLOPARK | 16 | 3.488 |
| 28 | DURBANVILLE | 13 | 3.469 |
| 29 | RONDEBOSCH | 17 | 3.424 |
| 30 | WELKOM GYM | 13 | 3.262 |
| 31 | EG JANSEN | 16 | 3.188 |
| 32 | ST STITHIANS | 13 | 3.154 |
| 33 | LIGBRON | 19 | 3.037 |
| 34 | PRETORIA BOYS HIGH | 17 | 3.035 |
| 35 | DALE COLLEGE | 15 | 3.007 |
| 36 | MARITZBURG COLLEGE | 17 | 2.924 |
| 37 | HTS DROSTDY | 16 | 2.888 |
| 38 | PIONIER | 12 | 2.800 |
| 39 | BOLAND LANDBOU | 14 | 2.764 |
| 40 | WATERKLOOF | 19 | 2.516 |
| 41 | MIDDELBURG HS | 16 | 2.481 |
| 42 | DUINEVELD | 8 | 2.400 |
| 43 | LICHTENBURG | 10 | 2.380 |
| 44 | BEN VORSTER | 14 | 2.336 |
| 45 | WYNBERG BH | 12 | 2.275 |
| 46 | KINGSWOOD COLLEGE | 17 | 2.259 |
| 47 | NORTHCLIFF | 15 | 2.180 |
| 48 | MICHAELHOUSE | 13 | 2.092 |
| 49 | SACS | 17 | 2.088 |
| 50 | SECUNDA | 10 | 2.060 |
| 51 | CHARLIE HOFMEYR | 13 | 2.054 |
| 52 | MELKBOSSTRAND | 15 | 2.040 |
| 53 | ROBERTSON | 14 | 2.029 |
| 54 | VEREENIGING GIM | 12 | 2.008 |
| 55 | ST CHARLES COLLEGE | 11 | 1.964 |
| 56 | ELDORAIGNE | 9 | 1.956 |
| 57 | HEIDELBERG VOLKIES | 12 | 1.858 |
| 58 | SENTRAAL | 12 | 1.850 |
| 59 | ALBERTON HS | 12 | 1.842 |
| 60 | LYDENBURG | 13 | 1.815 |
| 61 | HOPEFIELD | 11 | 1.764 |
| 62 | MONTANA PTA | 13 | 1.754 |
| 63 | OAKDALE | 14 | 1.736 |
| 64 | OOS MOOT | 14 | 1.736 |
| 65 | ST BENEDICTS | 11 | 1.691 |
| 66 | NOORD KAAP | 12 | 1.675 |
| 67 | MIDSTREAM | 15 | 1.660 |
| 68 | MARAIS VILJOEN | 19 | 1.653 |
| 69 | DIAMANTVELD | 14 | 1.621 |
| 70 | QUEENS COLLEGE | 18 | 1.617 |
| 71 | JIM FOUCHE | 8 | 1.613 |
| 72 | HTS MIDDELBURG | 21 | 1.581 |
| 73 | BURGERDORP | 10 | 1.450 |
| 74 | KLERKSDORP | 12 | 1.450 |
| 75 | JEUGLAND | 17 | 1.435 |
| 76 | DINAMIKA | 10 | 1.420 |
| 77 | BRYANSTON | 14 | 1.407 |
| 78 | RANDBURG | 11 | 1.400 |
| 79 | ERMELO | 11 | 1.364 |
| 80 | FAIRMONT | 10 | 1.360 |
| 81 | KEARSNEY COLLEGE | 14 | 1.307 |
| 82 | NOORDHEUWEL | 14 | 1.293 |
| 83 | HUDSON PARK | 18 | 1.261 |
| 84 | OVERKRUIN | 10 | 1.260 |
| 85 | GRAEME COLLEGE | 15 | 1.253 |
| 86 | FOURWAYS | 10 | 1.210 |
| 87 | ST ALBANS COLLEGE | 15 | 1.173 |
| 88 | WESVALIA | 9 | 1.122 |
| 89 | HERMANUS | 12 | 1.075 |
| 90 | CENTURION | 11 | 1.036 |
| 91 | MARLOW | 15 | 1.027 |
| 92 | HUGENOTE SPRINGS | 9 | 0.978 |
| 93 | STRAND | 13 | 0.908 |
| 94 | ST DAVIDS | 13 | 0.885 |
| 95 | KRUGERSDORP | 10 | 0.880 |
| 96 | DHS | 15 | 0.860 |
| 97 | CLIFTON | 10 | 0.850 |
| 98 | ANDREW RABIE | 10 | 0.780 |
| 99 | VOORTREKKER BETH | 14 | 0.664 |
| 100 | NELSPRUIT | 11 | 0.645 |
| 101 | OTTO DU PLESSIS | 16 | 0.619 |