Schoolboy rugby in South Africa is taken very seriously, with high competitive standards. Rugby fans travelling through South Africa during rugby season should make time to see the stars of the future in action. The live entertainment and social scene at the main schoolboy derby matches will also appeal to non-rugby fans.

One must first stop and ask yourself one question, does one match define five years of high school life? Derbies in schoolboy rugby in South Africa is a huge matter of honor and is often seen as the be all and end all of the sporting year, but is that really a fair reflection? Kids who entered the school in Grade 8 has aspired to run out for the First XV in that one big match, and when that dream realizes, is the pressure so much that the enjoyment of the game takes a back seat?

In the Northern suburbs of Cape Town there are two schools that may not be the most “glamorous”, but boy, when they meet up on the rugby field, you can bet your bottom dollar that it’s no less intense than a Bledisloe Cup meeting. Welcome to the world of Parow and Brackenfell, or more precise, Tygerberg High School vs Brackenfell High School.

Players of these schools who have taken the step up to higher honors include Eben Etzebeth who went to Tygerberg and from Brackenfell Courtnall Skosan who now plays for the Golden Lions and Cheslin Kolbe, a WP hero in the making.

As an ex Northern suburbs “boy” myself, it’s wonderful to see that some of the kids are making it through the system to higher honors. Kudos must go to the WP Union for also acknowledging the so called “smaller” schools and rewarding their players. Believe me, in the 80’s this would have been unheard of.

These two schools started playing Interschools against each other in 2010 and since 2011 this fixture has been part of the FNB Classic clashes.

Tygerberg has been victorious in all the previous meetings, but Brackenfell hope to arrest that trend this coming Saturday when they play hosts.

Both sides have had a mixed bag of results in 2014 and both are coming off a loss last Saturday.

Brackenfell 2014 Results

• 2014-08-16 BRACKENFELL 26 HUGENOTE 29
• 2014-08-09 STELLENBERG 46 BRACKENFELL 24
• 2014-08-02 BRACKENFELL 7 HTS DROSTDY 41
• 2014-07-26 BRACKENFELL 24 HERMANUS 12
• 2014-07-19 BRACKENFELL 52 PIKETBERG 10
• 2014-07-17 BRACKENFELL 54 VREDENBURG 3
• 2014-06-21 BRACKENFELL 33 PRIMROSE RFC 5
• 2014-06-13 BRACKENFELL 33 REDLANDS (CHILE)0
• 2014-06-07 BRACKENFELL 31 SACS 26
• 2014-05-31 BRACKENFELL 48 MONUMENT PARK 15
• 2014-05-24 BRACKENFELL 5 DURBANVILLE 30
• 2014-05-17 BRACKENFELL 21 STRAND 30
• 2014-05-10 MILNERTON 13 BRACKENFELL 30
• 2014-04-22 SWARTLAND 11 BRACKENFELL 28
• 2014-04-12 BELLVILLE HIGH 12 BRACKENFELL 27
• 2014-04-02 OVERBERG 8 BRACKENFELL 21
• 2014-03-31 BRACKENFELL 15 LIGBRON 20
• 2014-03-29 STELLENBOSCH 3 BRACKENFELL 15
• 2014-03-21 BRACKENFELL 65 HTS BELLVILLE 0

Tygerberg 2014 Results

• 2014-08-16 PAARL BOYS HIGH 36 TYGERBERG HIGH 14
• 2014-08-09 TYGERBERG HIGH 15 WYNBERG 24
• 2014-08-02 SWARTLAND 14 TYGERBERG HIGH 40
• 2014-07-26 RONDEBOSCH 22 TYGERBERG HIGH 13
• 2014-07-19 TYGERBERG HIGH 33 RGS, HIGH WYCOMBE(ENG) 7
• 2014-07-17 TYGERBERG HIGH 57 DESPATCH 0
• 2014-06-21 BELLVILLE HIGH 17 TYGERBERG HIGH 66
• 2014-06-07 TYGERBERG HIGH 14 OAKDALE 47
• 2014-05-31 TYGERBERG HIGH 32 DURBANVILLE 6
• 2014-05-24 TYGERBERG HIGH 32 DE KUILEN 14
• 2014-05-17 PAARL GYM 48 TYGERBERG HIGH 0
• 2014-05-10 TYGERBERG HIGH 22 STRAND 20
• 2014-05-03 TYGERBERG HIGH 58 ST DAVID’S 5
• 2014-05-01 TYGERBERG HIGH 50 WINDHOEK HIGH 12
• 2014-04-12 TYGERBERG HIGH 26 STELLENBERG 21
• 2014-04-02 TYGERBERG HIGH 25 NOORD-KAAP 10
• 2014-03-31 TYGERBERG HIGH 45 KLEIN NEDERBURG 21
• 2014-03-29 TYGERBERG HIGH 26 SASOLBURG HIGH 20
• 2014-03-21 TYGERBERG HIGH 44 HOTTENTOTS HOLLAND 0
• 2014-03-15 TYGERBERG HIGH 43 HUGENOTE 23

The current Brackenfell team has managed to beat their counterparts from Tygerberg through all the preceding age groups, and now they stand a week away from completing the big one.

Under the guidance of coaches Philip Taylor and Corne Kannemeyer and the leadership of captain Kabous Voges they are ready to step up and claim the bragging rights for the Northern suburbs.

However boys, don’t forget to enjoy the game, that’s the reason you took started playing the game in the first place.