Paul Roos Review at WSF 2024

Maroon Machine lose out in final to Kelston Boys' from NZ

Paul Roos couldn’t stop a massive Kelston Boys’ High in the WSF Final.

Photo credit: Stuff

Paul Roos went down 20 - 12 to Kelston Boys’ High from New Zealand in the final of the Abu Dhabi World Schools Festival, their first defeat in 2024.

This was their second consecutive December Tour as they took a 1st and 2nd XV to the UAE as preparation for another gruelling season in the competitive WP League in 2025.

Their 1st XV faced Llandovery College (Wales), Harrow (England) and Westlake Boys’ High (New Zealand) in Pool A in the Cup competition. They topped their pool thanks to a convincing win over Llandovery and two nail-biting wins against Harrow and Westlake Boys' High, the defending champions. Paul Roos left wing Jordan Steenkamp was outstanding in the pool stages, scoring two long-range tries that were the difference in the games against Harrow and Westlake.

Paul Roos 36 - 15 Llandovery College

Despite Llandovery taking an early lead from the tee, PRG dominated all facets of play as they bullied their Welsh opponents at the set piece and scored some thrilling tries on the counter attack.

Paul Roos opened their account from a tighthead due to pure scrum dominance, which they sent wide to Jordan Steenkamp for a simple try and a 5 - 3 lead. Steenkamp scored their second as he took advantage of a loose ball, thanks to some solid defence by abrasive centre Matthew Kleyn in midfield and it was 12 - 3 after a quarter of an hour. PRG scored their third just before half time to give them a comfortable 19 - 3 going into the break.

A number of replacements were brought on at half-time as part of the ‘festival’ approach. PRG continued their momentum regardless and scored early in the second period to extend their lead to 26 - 3, underlining their dominance.

Paul Roos’s u16 flyhalf Travis Pheiffer then threw an intercept that you could see coming a mile off and Llandovery accepted the gift. This was Pheiffer’s second intercept pass in the ten minutes since he came on. Any hope that the Welsh may have had was extinguished a couple of minutes later as PRG scored a maul try from 15m out thanks to their second-string hooker. There was still time for a sixth try to u16 lock Reuben Winter, the son of Russell Winter, as their dominant carries took its toll on the Llandovery defence to make it 36 - 10.

The Welsh kept on going and scored a consolation try to make the final score 36 - 15 in favour of the Maroon Machine who started their campaign in dominant fashion.

Paul Roos 15 – 12 Harrow

Paul Roos took a 12 - 0 lead into half-time, thanks to two great counter-attacking tries, with both fullback Keenan Stoffels and left wing Jordan Steenkamp scoring as they linked up brilliantly in a portent of what could be a deadly combination in 2025.

Ill-discipline at the breakdown stymied their momentum on several occasions but they were able to extend their lead after the break thanks to a penalty to make it 15 - 0 as they seemed to be cruising to another victory.

The PRG scrum was dominant with both sets of props demolishing the Harrow scrum, but the penalties at the breakdown were stacking up which gave Harrow field position that they capitalised on. The English school scored two quick-fire tries to set up a nervy ending with the score at 15 - 12 going into the last ten minutes.

Gert Kemp, excellent all day around the field, came up with two crucial turnovers at the breakdown in the PRG 22m to repel two dangerous Harrow attacks in the last five minutes to spare his side’s blushes.

In the final minute, on their scrum feed, all Paul Roos needed to do was kick the ball off the field but there was a shambles at the base and then they were counter-rucked off the ball and conceded a penalty to give Harrow one last chance. It was not to be for Winston Churchill’s alma mater as Paul Roos disrupted their maul and when it splintered, they were in over the ball to win a jackal penalty and then kick the ball out for a win that was harder than it needed to be.

Paul Roos 11 – 7 Westlake Boys’ High

PRG faced the defending champions Westlake Boys’ High in what was effectively a semi-final in their final pool game.

Paul Roos kicked a penalty and missed another in the first five minutes for a 3 - 0 lead to settle their nerves. Similar to the Harrow game, Paul Roos were again guilty of giving away penalties at the breakdown until their star turn of the week Jordan Steenkamp scored another cracking solo try in the 23rd minute. From a turnover at the breakdown, Gert Kemp got his side over the gainline as usual and when Steenkamp got the ball on the edge he still had plenty to do. He beat two, stepped another and then showed strength to take a couple with him over the line for a brilliant try. The conversion was missed and PRG led 8 - 0.

The Maroon Machine had one more chance at the end of the first half but had to settle for the three points to make it a 11 - 0 lead that they just about deserved, with Westlake not really looking threatening to that point.

PRG’s poor discipline prevented them from extending their lead after the break and captain Altus Rabe was given an official team warning ten minutes into the second half for persistent infringing in a very stop-start game that lacked flow, perhaps understandable given it is only December!

Just after the team warning, Westlake brought on a raft of changes to their pack as they looked to up the ante and wrestle some control back up front where they were being shoved back at scrum time. PRG were able to come up with some big turnovers when under pressure in their 22m to frustrate the Kiwis.

With just over six minutes to go Westlake finally got on the scoreboard, helped by the fact that Kemp was in the sin bin for repeated infringing. With the score now at 11 - 7, it was all set up for a grandstand finish.

In the final minute, Westlake stole a PRG lineout in the 22m and moved the ball to the edge before the u16 openside Christiaan le Roux came up with his second jackal penalty to win the game for the Maroon Machine and set up a mouth-watering SA v NZ final against Kelston Boys’.

Kemp was outstanding again, his carries always impactful as he smashed through defenders and gave his side front foot ball, whilst also being a lineout option on attack and defence. Reuben Winter, the u16 lock was great too, excellent in contesting in the lineout and getting through a load of work against a big pack. Steenkamp has been the star in a breakout period and he scored another for his highlight reel in a huge game.

Paul Roos 12 - 20 Kelston Boys’ High

PRG faced Kelston Boys' High, the Auckland and Blues region 1^st XV champions in a titanic clash between two excellent teams. One was struck by the sheer size of the Polynesians in the Kelston ranks against a willing, but much smaller PRG pack.

Paul Roos took the lead against the run of play when Steenkamp took advantage of centre Matthew Kleyn’s intercept to run 60m for a 5 – 0 lead, the PRG goalkicking woes at the festival continued with an easy missed conversion.

Kelston then scored two quick tries (both unconverted) in reply to take a short-lived 10 - 5 lead. Their first try was dubious at best with the scoring pass being miles forward but play was allowed to continue. Their second came from a brilliant line by their big blindside flank, again they were perhaps lucky with what looked like a skew lineout throw being overlooked in the build up.

In their second 22m entry, Paul Roos reclaimed the lead thanks to a try by the superb No. 8 Gert Kemp, which was converted for a 12 – 10 Paul Roos lead.

Kelston kicked a penalty in injury time at the end of the first half for a 13 – 12 lead in a tightly contested final, which was punctuated by both sides turning the ball over due to basic errors.

Reserve flyhalf Travis Pheiffer missed a difficult shot at goal in the third minute of the second half when the smarter option would have been to kick for the corner.

In the seventh minute there was high drama with Kelston on the attack as they had their mammoth loosehead prop sent off for using his elbow in a clean out on Paul Roos captain Altus Rabe.

Paul Roos were unable to make this one man advantage count in the final twenty minutes, and they even fell further behind through a brutal set of carries by Kelston close to the line to give them an unassailable 20 – 12 lead that was not threatened in a disappointing finish for the men from Stellenbosch to a great week. The Maroon Machine couldn’t muster one 22m entry after Kelston had a man sent off and they will rue what could have been in the desert.

Kelston made it three wins in a row for New Zealand sides in the World Schools Festival after Hamilton Boys’ High (2022) and Westlake Boys’ High (2023).

Standout Players

5 Reuben Winter

A big step up for the talented and highly-rated u16 lock. He has an excellent workrate around the field and does his primary roles well. A source of good possession from the lineout, he contests well too at the front and is adept at disrupting the opposition maul.

6 Christiaan le Roux

Another highly rated u16 player on tour who forced his way into the starting side for the final three games as an out-and-out openside. He was excellent on the ground, winning several jackal penalties and disrupting the speed of the opposition ruck. He also put in some big hits on players bigger and older than him and he will be key in 2025.

8 Gert Kemp

Their best player for all-round contributions, in a year that saw him come to national prominence with several stand out displays in big ‘test’ matches, he used his experience to lead by the front and set a brilliant example for the talented u16 group. His carries were eye-opening, making huge metres with every possession, bumping players over at will. On defence he was equally as destructive, making several dominant tackles. He offers a jackal threat (like so many PRG players) and was also good in the lineout, on attack and defence. National colours beckon if he continues on this trajectory.

11 Jordan Steenkamp

Perhaps the Player of the Tournament given his array of long range solo tries that would have had unions stand up and take notice if they even bothered to do their due diligence. Excellent on kick chase from Paul Roos’s box kicks, he has the physical stature that not many other wingers in SA at schoolboy level have. One to watch in 2025!

14 Divan Lamprecht

Sadly for Lamprecht, he didn’t get ball anywhere near as much ball as Steenkamp but his work off the ball from kick chase and his physicality in defence means he will be a real threat for any left wing in 2025. A destructive ball carrier when he gets the chance, in Steenkamp and Lamprecht, PRG have the rapier and the sword at their disposal in 2025.

PRG work ons

Despite an impressive set of results for so early in their preparation for the new season, there are three areas that PRG will need to improve if they want to be unbeaten for a second season in a row.

Kick off receipt

Their pods went up far too early and failed to anticipate the trajectory of the ball as they gifted possession back to the opposition from several restarts in the classic ‘coach-killer’. In saying that, if teams persist in kicking on Gert Kemp, there will be some ‘Bounce of the Season’ contenders by the end of Noord-Suid.

Flyhalf

Both their flyhalves were not up to the level required of a top class side. The goalkicking was an issue all week. Also, neither player has a left boot so are easily cornered in exiting. Pheiffer is always a candidate for an intercept and opposition centres would do well to block their passing lanes. Both flyhalves would have question marks against their defence too.

After some flyhalf riches from 2015 - 2019, the well has run extremely dry since COVID.

2015 - Damian Willemse

2016 - Damian Willemse

2017 - Juan Mostert

2018 - Juan Mostert

2019 - Kade Wolhuter

2020 and 2021 - COVID

2022 - Reuben Noble

2023 - Leejay Petersen

2024 - Joshua Dampies

Breakdown discipline

In le Roux and Kemp they have excellent proponents of the jackal but they were guilty of countless needless penalties at the breakdown for straying offside and not rolling quick enough. Much of this can be put down to cynicism in their red zone and this can be fixed fairly easily.

The Paul Roos 2^nd XV played in a second-tier competition and were unbeaten in their three games against weak opposition.

Results

17 December

Paul Roos 2^nd XV 12 – 3 Dubai English Speaking School (UAE)

19 December

Paul Roos 2^nd XV 20 – 12 Rugby Travel Academy Barbarians (SA)

21 December

Paul Roos 2^nd XV 62 – 0 Papakura (New Zealand)