It was always going to be a clash to be savoured – unbeaten Wynberg Boys’ High School, ranked tenth on the national schools rankings table, travelling to Paarl to face Boys’ High, fourth on that table and unbeaten to date this season.
For the first time in living memory, Berg exited the gates at Brug Street 30-27 victors, after they led 20-10 at the break.
The Berg had only beaten Paarl Boys’ High twice in living memory, the last being in 1991, and before that in 1988, both matches taking place at “The Hawth”, as the Wynberg grounds were then fondly called by the pupils.
Making this victory special on a personal level was that Joe da Costa, father of Berg skipper, Aden, was in the front row for Wynberg in 1988, the first of their now-three victories. By his very clear recollection, that match was a mud-bath, heavy rains forcing the transfer of the match to the high pitches above the sunken cauldron of the Hawthornden main pitch. The weather and underfoot conditions pretty much precluded the contest from being a showpiece. A stop-start affair wherein the participants probably enjoyed the contest marginally more than spectators.
By contrast, son Aden led his team on to the pitch in Paarl, fit, well-prepared and ready for the contest. In their arsenal, a front row topping the scales at a combined 330kg, enough to stop any juggernaut pack from any of the Paarl/Stellenbosch schools.
Their scrumming prowess an undoubted massive cog in the mechanics of the Berg game.
With former top flight professional scrumhalf Nick Groom as Director of Rugby and the iconic Justin van Winkel, Wynberg have been outstanding in recent years.
Their game is a quality hybrid of strengths from ball carrying, scrum power, lineout prowess, kicking mastery, both out-of-hand and at goal, and a healthy blend of attitude and discipline.
Victory out at Paarl was perhaps not high in the expectations of the supporters, many choosing the comfort of their homes to watch the game, which was being streamed, but it certainly was more than just a prayer for coaches and players.
By the time the half time whistle had sounded, the home side found themselves 10 points behind their visitors. Thirty-five minutes can be a lifetime in any contest, especially if defending a lead is the chosen path, but this was not the case on Saturday.
In a match which produced eight tries, five of which belonged to the hosts, the scoreboard reflected 30-apiece as the clock turned red.
It was a wicked twist of fate which gave outstanding Berg pivot, Yageed Ahmed the opportunity to snatch a deserved win. “Boyshaai”, with a man in the sin bin, were observed by the assistant referee as having 15 men on the pitch, and Ahmed was not going to waste the opportunity to secure victory for his team in the last play of the match.
The victory perfectly tees up the annual Grey High School weekend taking place at Wynberg this weekend. This festival of rugby and hockey between hosts Wynberg and “Grey PE” as they are affectionately known, takes place on Friday and Saturday, with the rugby match between the two schools kicking off at 3.30pm.
