This is the big one. To many, this is the real Interschools. - Paarl Boys' High against Paarl Gim, in Paarl, Galpil against Bloedwors. You have to be there to experience it, for it is a schools rugby match like no other.

The tension is palpable. Breathe and you breathe it in, reach out and you touch, look and you see it in waves. The old ground in Paarl will be packed with passionate people, not a non-partisan amongst them. In fact the rivalry will be walking the streets of the lovely Boland town all week.

It will be all about winning the 1st XV match. Of course, other matches matter but that one matters most. One match determines who won Interschools.

Who will win?

That is what everybody would like to know if only to alleviate the anxiety. This century Gim have dominated. This season Boishaai have done much better.

Boys' High are third on the FNB Top 20, Gim 16th.

Results against common opponents

Grey College. Boys' High drew 15-15; Gim lost 23-6
Bishops. Boys' High won 28-15; Gim lost 11-6
EG Jansen. Boys' High won 45-3, Gim 38-3
Affies. Boys' High lost 25-10, Gim 59-6
Paul Roos. Boys' High won 20-18; Gim lost 34-30
Tygerberg. Boys' High won 44-27, Gim 28-22
Rondebosch. Boys' High won 48-11; Gim lost 34-19

Boys' high have done substantially better. Not that results are going to matter. For one thing Gim will fight every inch of the way.

Representative players

Paarl Boys' High at Craven Week. Jacobus van der Merwe, Sebatstian Ferreira, Ryno van der Merwe, Frederik Nel, Craig Corbett. Of those hooker Craig Corbett and lock Rhyno van der Merwe are injured.

Paarl Boys' High at Academy Week. Takkies Reitz, Ignus Nagel, Rhyno Smith, Wesley Adonis, Pieter Schoonraad

Paarl Gim at Craven Week. Clyde Davids, Handré Pollard.
 
Paarl Gim at Academy Week. Corné Cooper, Johan Laubscher

That would suggest that Boishaai have more outstanding players.

Momentum seems to be with Boys' High if their slaughter of SACS last week is anything to go by while Gim staggered to a controversial two-point win over Drostdy.

But it's being in Paarl that makes the Interschools the festival it is - the colours of the school, green or blue, everywhere in evidence, the colours of dresses, green or blue - the whole experience of it all. This is a week when Paarl wakes up and bounces.

For some it is too divisive, a community rent apart, where sport should be unifying factor. But try telling that to more than 25 000 spectators in the Faure Street Stadium on Saturday as the week reaches its climax when Joey Salmans blows the whistle to start the 1st XV match.

Teams

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Arthur Festus, 13 Donavan Nicol, 12 Johan Peens, 11 JP le Roux, 10 Andreas Nel, 9 Jean Nel, 8 Francois Basson, 7 WJ Smith, 6 Dean Hensley, 5 Sebastian Ferreira, 4 Takkies Reitz (Kcaptain, 3 JE vd Merwe, 2 Derek Taylor, 1 Ignus Nagel

Coaches: Elmo Wolfaardt, Richard Visagie, Gerhard Visser

Paarl Gim: 15 Johannes Human, 14 Daniël du Toit, 13 Johan van Zyl, 12 Neil Bester, 11 Danny de Wet, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Lötter Pretorius, 8 Michael Murphy, 7 Corné Cooper, 6 Hennie Botha, 5 Clyde Davids, 4 Jaco Jordaan (Kapt), 3 Jurgens Hanekom, 2 Wihan du Toit, 1 Anton Versfeld

Coaches: Christoff Lötter, Hendrik Weber

Date: Saturday, 6 August 2011
Kick-off: 16.00
Venue: Faure Street Stadium, Paarl
Expected weather conditions: There will be rain during the week but it seems that Saturday will be dry but chilly getting chillier. Partly cloudy with a high of 13°C, dropping to 2°C
Referee: Joey Salmans (Western Province Referees' Society)

Television broadcasts

Saturday, 6 August. 15.50 – 17.30 on SS5 / SS5A / SS5N and 22.30 – 00.00 on SS1 / SS1A
Sunday, 7 August. 12.00 – 13.30 on SS5 / SS5A / SS5N and 19.00 – 20.30 on SS6 / SS6A
Wednesday, 10 August. 21.30 – 23.00 on SS1 / SS1A / CSN
Saturday 13 August. 00.30 – 02.00 on SS1 / SS1A

Friday’s Matches

Jan Kriel Field

14.00: 4th XV
15.10: Under-14A
16.15: 3rd XV

Stofberg Field
  
14.00: Under-16B   
15.10: Under-15B  
16.15: 5th XV  

Dammetjie Field

15.00: 6th XV

Oukraal Field

15.10: Under-16C   
14.00: Under-16D  

Lemoenkloof Field

15.00: Under-15C   
14.00: Under-15D   
 
Fonteintjie Field

14.00: Under-14B
15.00: Under-14C
16.00: Under-14D

Saturday’s Matches

12.05: Under-15 A
13.15: Under-16A
14.35: Under-19B
15.45: Under-19A Mrach-on

Results down the Years

Just for the record and to help with more accurate bragging we give the results of the 1st XV match from 1915 to 2010.

1915. Boys' High won 10-0
1916. Gim won 7-5
1917. Gim won 3-0
1918. Gim won 3-0
1919. Gim won 9-0
1920. Gim won 20-0
1921. Draw 6-6
1922. Draw 3-3
1923. Boys' High won 3-0
1924. Boys' High won 13-5
1925. Boys' High won 7-3
1926. Boys' High won 6-5
1927. Gim won 5-3
1928. No match
1929. Draw 3-3
1930. Boys' High won 5-3
1931. Gim won 6-0
1932. Gim won 7-3
1933. Boys' High won 3-0
1934. Boys' High won 5-4
1935. Draw 0-0
1936. Gim won 11-6
1937. Gim won 5-3
1938. Gim won 5-3
1939. Gim won 9-8
1940. Draw 3-3
1941. Gim won 6-0
1942. Draw 0-0
1943. Gim won 9-6
1944. Boys' High won 6-0
1945. Boys' High won 14-6
1946. Draw 3-3
1947. Boys' High won 8-3
1948. Draw 3-3
1949. Gim won 9-3
1950. Boys' High won 6-3
1951. Boys' High won 6-0
1952. Boys' High won 11-0
1953. Boys' High won 6-5
1956. Gim won 6-3
1957. Gim won 5-3
1958. Gim won 11-0
1959. Boys' High won 11-3
1960. Gim won 9-3
1961. Boys' High won 6-0
1962. Boys' High won 6-0
1963. Boys' High won 8-0
1964. Gim won 9-8
1965. Gim won 11-0
1966. Gim won 8-0
1967. Gim won 8-6
1968. Gim won 3-0
1969. Boys' High won 8-5
1970. Gim won 19-8
1971. Boys' High won 11-6
1972. Boys' High won 6-3
1973. Boys' High won 19-6
1974. Gim won 9-3
1975. Boys' High won 3-0
1976. Gim won 8-6
1977. Boys' High won 15-6
1978. Gim won 13-10
1979. Gim won 12-6
1980. Gim won 9-3
1981. Gim won 12-0
1982. Boys' High won 16-15
1983. Gim won 15-6
1984. Gim won 10-4
1985. Boys' High won 16-6
1986. Draw 0-0
1987. Boys' High won 15-7
1988. Draw 6-6
1989. Gim won 15-4
1990. Boys' High won 10-6
1991. Boys' High won 8-4
1992. Gim won 20-15
1993. Boys' High won 19-17
1994. Boys' High won 11-6
1995. Boys' High won 17-3
1996. Gim won 18-16
1997. Gim won 13-10
1998. Boys' High won 16-5
1999. Gim won 13-6
2000. Boys' High won 15-7
2001. Gim won 13-6
2002. Gim won 15-0
2003. Boys' High won 25-6
2004. Gim won 13-3
2005. Gim won 22-10
2006. Gim won 23-17
2007. Gim won 10-0
2008. Gim won 35-8
2009. Boys' High won 24-12
2010. Draw 19-19