Hoërskool Hangklip of Queenstown plays Hoërskool Aliwal-Noord in Queenstown, about 160km from Aliwal North, on Saturday in an FNB Classic clash, and it is likely to be a close encounter.

It was close last year when a try right at the end won the match for Hangklip. That was in Aliwal North. This time it is a home match for Hangklip.

Results this year suggest that there is nothing much between the sides. Player quality favours Aliwal-Noord. Home ground favours Hangklip.

Both sides lost to Hudson Park and both beat Volkskool of Graaff-Reinet. They both played Cradock. Hangklip drew and Aliwal-Noord just lost. Both schools lost matches because of weather problems.

When it comes to selection for representative teams, Aliwal-Noord seem better off. They had three players at Craven Week and three at the Academy Week for Eastern Province Country Districts. Flyhalf Willem Venter, scrumhalf Nicholas Poone and eighthman JJ Oosthuizen all went to Craven Week. Lock/flank Vuyo Jam, tighthead Stefan Kruger and lock Marius Croucamp were all the Academy Week. In addition lock Danie de Kock and centre Caylen du Plessis were at the Academy Week last year but were not eligible this year. Vuyo Jam is not in the starting team this week but on the bench.

Hangklip had three players in the Border Academy side this year - eighthman Brendon Muller, who is in his fourth year in the 1st XV, inside centre Johannes Roodt and the headboy Marco Marais, who played fullback in this fixture last year but is at outside centre this year while Gerrit Marais, who was wing last year, takes Marco's place at fullback.

Those who played in this match last year

For Hangklip: Marco Marais, Johannes Roodt, Gerrit Marais, Brendan Muller,  Stefanus Sherman.

For Aliwal-Noord: Jan Adam Watkins, Caylen du Plessis, Jan Daniël Schmidt, JJ Oosthuizen, Marko Kruger,  Danie de Kock, Anton Coetzer, Glen Pletzen, Marius Croucamp and Nicolas Poone.

Teams

Hangklip: 15 Gerrit Marais, 14 Chessry Solomons, 13 Marco Marais, 12 Johannes Roodt, 11 Darren Davids, 10 Liam Rittles, 9 Jeandré Smit, 8 Brendon Muller, 7 Ryno van Schalkwyk, 6 Louwie Pretorius, 5 Morné Hartzenberg, 4 Armand Pieterse, 3 Erwin Bosman, 2 Lourens Myburg, 1 Stefanus Scherman

Aliwal-Noord: 15 Martin Bezuidenhoud, 14 Carian Berenos, 13 Caylen du Plessis, 12 Jan Adam Watkins, 11 Jan Daniël Schmidt, 10 Willem Venter, 9 Nicolaas Poone, 8 JJ Oosthuizen (captain), 7 Marco Kruger, 6 Jaco Olivier, 5 Marius Croucamp, 4 Danie de Kock, 3 Stefan Kruger, 2 Glen Pletzen, 1 Anton Coetzer

Date: Saturday, 23 July 2011
Kick-off: 13.30
Venue: Hoërskool Hangklip
Weather forecast: Clear and sunny with a high of 21°C, dropping to 2°C