Boland Landbou are looking to beat Paarl Boys’ High for the first time in nine years, writes THEO GARRUN.

Boland have not had much recent success against Boishaai – no one in the country has – but there will be those among their supporters who will think that this might just be the year.

You have to go back to 2009 to find the last time that Boland Landbou won a 1st XV match between the two schools, although they have come close on several occasions, including last year when Boys’ High’s unbeaten team won 38-33.

That three-year unbeaten run on South African soil came to an end this season when Boishaai were beaten 34-29 by Grey College and then thrashed 44-8 by Paul Roos Gimnasium. They narrowly escaped a third consecutive defeat last weekend when they had to hold out for 14-13 win over Bishops in a mudbath.

Boland Landbou went down narrowly to Paarl Gim last weekend and lost to Framesby earlier on, but apart from that, it’s been a good season for them. By way of comparison, they beat Bishops 24-14 a few weeks ago, although the playing conditions were very different that day.

History says Boishaai must be favourites, but this has not been a great season for them, by their high standards, and Boland will be fired up on their home field.

It’s going to be a cracker.

Past 10 meetings:

2008: Boland Landbou 15 Paarl Boys’ 16
2009: Paarl Boys’ 19 Boland Landbou 23
2010: Boland Landbou 17 Paarl Boys’ 38
2011: Paarl Boys’ 19 Boland Landbou 12
2012: Boland Landbou 10 Paarl Boys’ 20
2013: Paarl Boys’ 24 Boland Landbou 13
2014: Boland Landbou 14 Paarl Boys’ 18
2015: Paarl Boys’ 29 Boland Landbou 24
2016: Boland Landbou 24 Paarl Boys’ 31
2017: Paarl Boys’ 38 Boland Landbou 33

Photo: Boland Landbou Facebook page