SCHOOL RUGBY RIVALRY IN PAARL STILL GOING STRONG

The biggest schoolboy rugby match in the world takes place on the first weekend of August in Paarl, when Paarl Gimnasium and Paarl Boys High face each other. During the week prior, there are functions, reunions, and more rugby. Paarl Boys High versus Paarl Gimnasium. The Galpille versus the Bloedworse, South versus North.
On the Wednesday evening, the two Old Boy teams play a friendly but fierce match.
On Thursday afternoon, the Goffels and Hommels (G and H teams) play their match.
On Friday morning the two schools cap their first team players for Interschools.
On the Friday afternoon, the u/14A match takes place, as well as the third teams (aka the Chiefs and Chippies).
Four rugby matches are played on the Saturday: the u/15A, u/16A, the Seccies and then the Firsts.

The first matches started in 1915 when masters, schoolboys, and Old Boys all played together. This was the format up to 1927, after which it was decided that the Interschools matches should only comprise schoolboys. The current format started officially in 1929. The Interschools was only interrupted in 1928 when, for some reason lost in the midst of time, the derby did not take place, and by a forced two-year break in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid.

PAARL GIMNASIUM
Paarl Gimnasium was founded by Rev. Gottlieb Wilhelm Anthonie VAN LINGEN on 12 January 1858 as a Dutch Christian primary school for boys. He became the Dutch Reformed Minister of Paarl on July 5, 1831, and served the congregation for 38 years. He regarded education as the responsibility of the church. Arnoldus PANNEVIS was a Dutch teacher of classical languages at the school and formed the first institute for Afrikaans—Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners.

In the mid-1930s, the school’s educational language changed to Afrikaans. In 1964, the school split into two separate schools—the primary school was housed in the historical Gimnasium building, while the high school moved to a new school building on the former Dammetjie farm. It was also the year in which the school admitted girls for the first time. The hostel, Huis McFarlane, saw its first group of boarders shortly after. In 2006, Huis Kalahari Visser opened its doors for Grade 8 boarders.
The school is one of the Big 5 rugby schools in South Africa. They have produced at least 31 rugby Springboks.

PAARL BOYS’ HIGH
Paarl Boys’ High (known in Afrikaans as Hoër Jongenskool Paarl) traces its history to February 6, 1868, when a public meeting took place in Paarl to discuss opening a school. At the follow-up meeting of 30 March, it was decided to go ahead with founding a First Class Public School. The first day of school was Wednesday, 15 July 1868, with four boys attending The Paarl First Class Public School. Classes were in English. The first building to house the school was a granary on Zeederberg Plein, owned by D. BEYERS, a friend of the first headmaster, Rev. George JEFFREYS from Mowbray. It operated here until October 1869.
On October 15, 1869, the school was moved to Church Square, a property owned by J.A.J. ROOS. In January 1871, a property on Zion Street owned by VAN DER LINGEN was also used. As more students enrolled, the property Rozenfontein, belonging to G. LOUW, was purchased, and the new school building opened on 30 March 1876. The school operated here for 25 years. The street in front of the school was dubbed Lawaaimaak Street by locals due to the noisy schoolboys.

The present school site originally formed part of the farm Berlyn, purchased from J.J. MOLL but still registered in P.J. MALHERBE’s name, as there was no official transfer yet. The school building was completed at the beginning of July 1900, and normal school activities started on 18 July. The first student to matriculate was Carel VOIGT in 1874.
From 1877 on, the school, together with the First Class School for Girls, was known as the Paarl Education Institute. In 1900 the name was changed to De Paarlse Hoogere School voor Jonges (Jongens Hogere School), or Boys’ High.
The first hostel, Monte Bello, was built in January 1901. Further hostels were added: Bellevue (1904), Villieria (1907), Berlyn (1908), and Imhoff (1921). None of these hostels are used as such today. Bellevue and Imhoff were demolished and replaced. Monte Bello burnt down in 1921. The original Villieria and Berlyn no longer belong to the school. The school buildings were continuously expanded from 1909–2018. In 2012, the four hostels, Bellevue, Imhoff (1961), Monte Bello, and Werda (1936), housed over 400 students from all parts of South Africa and abroad. It is one of the top academic schools in the Western Cape. Classes are in English and Afrikaans.
The school has produced at least 26 rugby Springboks.

INTERSCHOOLS RESULTS THROUGH THE YEARS:
1915: Paarl Boys’ High won 10-0
1916: Paarl Gimnasium won 7-5
1917: Paarl Gimnasium won 3-0
1918: Paarl Gimnasium won 3-0
1919: Paarl Gimnasium won 9-0
1920: Paarl Gimnasium won 20-0
1921: Draw 6-6
1922: Draw 3-3
1923: Paarl Boys’ High won 3-0
1924: Paarl Boys’ High won 13-5
1925: Paarl Boys’ High won 7-3
1926: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-5
1927: Paarl Gimnasium won 5-3
1928: No match
1929: Draw 3-3
1930: Paarl Boys’ High won 5-3
1931: Paarl Gimnasium won 6-0
1932: Paarl Gimnasium won 7-3
1933: Paarl Boys’ High won 3-0
1934: Paarl Boys’ High won 5-4
1935: Draw 0-0
1936: Paarl Gimnasium won 11-6
1937: Paarl Gimnasium won 5-3
1938: Paarl Gimnasium won 5-3
1939: Paarl Gimnasium won 9-8
1940: Draw 3-3
1941: Paarl Gymnasium won 6-0
1942: Draw 0-0
1943: Paarl Gimnasium won 9-6
1944: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-0
1945: Paarl Boys’ High won 14-6
1946: Draw 3-3
1947: Paarl Boys’ High won 8-3
1948: Draw 3-3
1949: Paarl Gimnasiumwon 9-3
1950: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-3
1951: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-0
1952: Paarl Boys’ High won 11-0
1953: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-5
1956: Paarl Gimnasiumwon 6-3
1957: Paarl Gimnasium won 5-3
1958: Paarl Gimnasium won 11-0
1959: Paarl Boys’ High won 11-3
1960: Paarl Gimnasium won 9-3
1961: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-0
1962: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-0
1963: Paarl Boys’ High won 8-0
1964: Paarl Gimnasium won 9-8
1965: Paarl Gimnasium won 11-0
1966: Paarl Gimnasium won 8-0
1967: Paarl Gimnasium won 8-6
1968: Paarl Gimnasium won 3-0
1969: Paarl Boys’ High won 8-5
1970: Paarl Gimnasiumwon 19-8
1971: Paarl Boys’ High won 11-6
1972: Paarl Boys’ High won 6-3
1973: Paarl Boys’ High won 19-6
1974: Paarl Gimnasiumwon 9-3
1975: Paarl Boys’ High won 3-0
1976: Paarl Gimnasium won 8-6
1977: Paarl Boys’ High won 15-6
1978: Paarl Gimnasium won 13-10
1979: Paarl Gimnasium won 12-6
1980: Paarl Gimnasium won 9-3
1981: Paarl Gimnasium won 12-0
1982: Paarl Boys’ High won 16-15
1983: Paarl Gimnasium won 15-6
1984 Paarl Gimnasium won 10-4
1985: Paarl Boys’ High won 16-6
1986: Draw 0-0
1987: Paarl Boys’ High won 15-7
1988: Draw 6-6
1989: Paarl Gimnasium won 15-4
1990: Paarl Boys’ High won 10-6
1991: Paarl Boys’ High won 8-4
1992: Paarl Gimnasiumwon 20-15
1993: Paarl Boys’ High won 19-17
1994: Paarl Boys’ High won 11-6
1995: Paarl Boys’ High won 17-3
1996: Paarl Gimnasium won 18-16
1997: Paarl Gimnasium won 13-10
1998: Paarl Boys’ High won 16-5
1999: Paarl Gimnasium won 13-6
2000: Paarl Boys’ High won 15-7
2001: Paarl Gimnasium won 13-6
2002: Paarl Gimnasiumwon 15-0
2003: Paarl Boys’ High won 25-6
2004: Paarl Gimnasium won 13-3
2005: Paarl Gimnasium won 22-10
2006: Paarl Gimnasium won 23-17
2007: Paarl Gimnasium won 10-0
2008: Paarl Gimnasium won 35-8
2009: Paarl Boys’ High won 24-12
2010: Draw 19-19
2011: Paarl Gimnasium won 22-19
2012: Paarl Gimnasium won 16-9
2013: Paarl Gimnasium won 37-26
2014: Paarl Gimnasium won 16-15
2015: Paarl Boys’ High won 16-12
2016: Paarl Boys’ High won 26-25
2017: Paarl Boys’ High won 18-13
2018: Paarl Boys’ High won 24-21
2019: Paarl Gimnasium won 18-17
2020: No match
2021: No match
2022: Paarl Boys’ High won 26-24
2023: Paarl Gimnasium won 20-17
2024: Paarl Gimnasium won 30-8