FNB Classic Clash in Wellington

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:23:00 +0200

The whole of Wellington has been eagerly awaiting the FNB Classic Clash at Boland Stadium on Saturday when Bergrivier meet Weltevrede.

The two schools are great rivals and Bergrivier, in their blue and yellow zebra stripes, have won the last four.

For Weltevrede this is do-or-die stuff. Last year Bergrivier won 20-3, and coach Joshua Douw would very much like a fifth win. Coach Bernard Bailey of Weltevrede would very much like to avoid this, and his captain Ivan Smith says that his side's whole focus is winning.

Both schools acknowledge that things are very even this year.

Bergrivier belive in particular that their forwards can do it. They have seven forwards back from last year's First XV, three on the bench.

Still they will have their work cut out against the heavier Weltevrede front row and lock Tarryl Rhoda who, at 1,93m, is far and away the tallest player on the field. Bergrivier's flyhalf Reginald Afrikaner was in the side last year as was outside centre Lehnro Julies who made the successful Boland Craven Week last year.

The match kicks off at four but the gates open at eight and the programme includes drum majorettes, mini-rugby, girls' Sevens and boys' Sevens and a model aeroplane display. It will be a fun day but it is the 1st XV match that will make or break it for each school.

The teams:

Bergrivier: 15 Denzil Hendricks, 14 Angus Bailey, 13 Lehnro Julies, 12 Devon-Myles Claasen, 11 Tyron Abelse, 10 Reginald Afrikaner, 9 Brendon Fortuin, 8 Marquin Solomons, 7 Stuart September, 6 Bronwin Pekeur, 5 Jacquin April, 4 Lorenzo Jacobs, 3 Kelvin Fikster (captain), 2 Kylelan Abrahams, 1 Novellan de Vries.
Replacements: 16 Cashief Cassiem, 17 Byron Kammies, 18 Thurlow Marsh, 19 Crhiswin Julies, 20 Elton Fortuin, 21 Jeneilo Booysen, 22 Wilfred Agulhas.

Weltevrede: 15 Zauno Pieters, 14 Christopher Pietersen, 13 Vineto Pretoruis, 12 Charlton Windvogel, 11 Shaun Jooste, 10 Geraldo Johnson (vice-captain), 9 Audneil van Zitters, 8 Ivan Smith (captain), 7 Percival Koopman, 6 Jason Fortuin, 5 Tarryl Rhoda, 4 Jason Abrahams, 3 Dillon Rudolph, 2 Shaun Matthyse, 1 Willem Baadjies.
Replacements: 16 Cheslin Grobler, 17 Byron Vos, 18 Charlton Loggenberg, 19 Larry Cupido, 20 Duran Brandt, 21 Cheswin Vlotman, 22 Gavin Slamet.

Date: Saturday, July 24
Kick-off: 16.00
Venue: Boland Rugby Stadium, Wellington
Expected weather conditions: Low clouds with a stray shower in the afternoon, with a high of 17°C, dropping to 3°C
Referee: H Volsloo (Boland Referees' Society)