Gill College play Hoërskool Cradock in an FNB Classic Clash in Somerset East on Saturday. They have been playing each other since 1911. For both schools it's the biggest match of the year, a festive occasion.
They are both gabled and impressive, two of the oldest schools in the Eastern Cape and have their roots around the middle of the 19th century. Cradock and Somerset East are two very small towns and the schools are small, but both schools have a proud rugby heritage.
Both have to move far to get matches. This match is between neighbours who are 150km apart. The match between the two has been dubbed an Interschools since 1986. Gill dominated but Cradock came back to win in 2007 and 2008. Then Gill won again in 2009 and last year (17-8).
Gill had two excellent results this season - beating Kingswood and Cambridge. Cradock's best was probably beating Aliwal-Noord.
Provincial Representation
Craven Week
The players of the two teams are eligible for Eastern Province Country Districts, a strong side that picks from schools such as Marlow, the Grahamstown schools, the Graaff-Reinet schools and Aliwal North. Gill had three players at Craven Week, Cradock two, a good effort for small schools.
Gill: Colin Goosen, Juandré Fourie, Renaldo Meyer.
Cradock: Chris Steyn, Anele Stuurman
Academy Week
Gill: CJ Lombard, who was the captain,
Cradock: Paul Janse van Vuuren
Teams
Gill: 15 Lorenzo van Rayner, 14 Jacques Malisha, 13 Juandré Fourie, 12 Simon Streicher, 11 Camagu Bidli, 10 Renaldo Meyer, 9 Colin Goosen (vice-captain), 8 CJ Lombard, 7 Zandre Schoonbee, 6 Lorenzo Nell (captain), 5 Stiaan Vermeulen, 4 Jaco Botha, 3 Prospero Mboya, 2 Sinethemba Gcaza, 1 Siya Mpumlo
Coach: Eddie Simms
Cradock: 15 D Makonie, 14 M Mjakuca, 13 J Claasen, 12 H Scrooby, 11 S Mbewu, 10 M Volschenk, 9 W du Randt, 8 N Stuurman, 7 K Copeman, 6 P Janse van Vuuren, 5 P van Zyl, 4 C Steyn, 3 A Nteta (captain), 2 R Stroebel, 1 JJ Bekker
Coaches: R Weitz, D Prinsloo
Date: Saturday, 13 August 2011
Kick-off: 15.00
Venue: DA Coppens Field, Gill College, Somerset East
Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy with a high of 11°C, dropping to 2°C
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