Paarl Gimnasium hit their straps early to register the largest winning margin of the 2026 NMI Toyota Noord/Suid Rugby Tournament at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) in Pretoria on Saturday.
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A hat-trick of braces set the Gimmies juggernaut in motion as they cruised to a 61–10 victory over Hoërskool Noordheuwel in the sixth match of day two.
The sustained onslaught left Nories scrambling and forced them to endure a punishing defensive workload that sapped their energy. No one epitomised Gim’s dominance more than blindside flank Dirk Hugo.
Hugo was the first of a trio of players to cross the whitewash twice. Soon, he was followed by his fellow flank, Corné Niemand, and lock Bernhardt Schulze, which underlined the control exerted by the Paarl pack.
Flyhalf Louis Koen was clinical from the tee, missing just one attempt at goal, and that accuracy helped to earn him the Player of the Match accolade.
Earlier in the day, Danie Botma set Affies’ A Field alight with a hat-trick of tries in Hoërskool Menlopark’s emphatic 46-28 statement victory over Boland Landbou.
Botma’s midfield partnership with seasoned inside centre Dylan Stumke posed a potent threat, and it’s one to which Menlo’s future opponents will have to pay close attention. Stumke, too, crossed the whitewash to add another five points to the local side’s tally.
Tighthead prop Tiaan Malan stood out for the Western Cape outfit, despite the defeat. His tireless work in the trenches brought him a well-earned brace of tries.
Divan Meyer impressed in the midfield. Although he operated largely in the shadow of Menlopark’s dominant centre pairing, he exhibited intelligent running lines and dependable goal-kicking, qualities that ultimately proved insufficient to swing the result in his side’s favour.
Scorers
Paarl Gimnasium 61 (35) – Tries: Dirk Hugo (2), Corné Niemand (2), Bernhardt Schulze (2), Charles Whitehead, Corné de Beer, Hannes de Kock. Conversions: Louis Koen (7), Malan Mostert. Noordheuwel 10 (0) – Tries: Armand van Eck, JB Blount.
Menlopark 46 (21) – Tries: Danie Botma (3), Dylan Stumke, Mendriano-Jody Abrahams, Duran Pieterse, Jannes Eksteen. Conversions: Willie Pieterse (4). Penalty: Pieterse. Boland Landbou 28 (21) – Tries: Tiaan Malan (2), Gehano van Bo, Divan Meyer. Conversions: Meyer (4).
Three weeks into the 2026 Gauteng Development League (GDL) season, the statistics are impressive, with 75 goals already recorded in the u19 division.