Home Grey win thriller in PE
Match report
Grey High of Port Elizabeth beat Grey College of Bloemfontein 17-14 in one of the most exciting schools matches imaginable. It was a victory for grit over greater skill. There were some 10 000 spectators at the match.
Both teams went into the match unbeaten. In fact Grey College had last lost on 20 May 2000. In encounters between the two schools, thirty of them since 1974, Grey High had won only six times with one draw. The last time they beat Grey College was in 1996. In 2002 Grey College won 41-3 and in 2003 51-16.
History was against the home side.
Possession and territory were also against the home side. Opportunities were also against the home side but somehow they managed a victory.
One experienced watcher said that it may well have been a case of Grey College losing the match rather than Grey High winning it.
That said, there was great joy in Port Elizabeth as people flooded the field in excited celebration at the final whistle. Famous former referee Jimmy Smith-Belton said afterwards: "I have not seen a crowd so happy since the 1995 World Cup Final."
The hero for Grey High was wing Warren Bell who scored all 17 of his side's points.
Each team scored one try.
The weather was kind but with a Port Elizabeth wind blowing down the field and behind Grey High in the first half. Possession was even in the half but territory belonged to the home side. In the second half both possession and territory went the way of Grey College.
Warren Bell kicked his first penalty after five minutes to open the scoring, but ten minutes later Grey College took the lead when left-wing Pieter van Zyl scored a try. That made it 5-3 to the Bloemfonteiners.
Warren Bell kicked two more penalties to make it 9-5 to the home team after a seesaw half.
Three penalties by the Free Staters' flyhalf Frans Steyn gave his team a 14-9 lead. At this stage Grey College were rampant, their forwards and backs combining in sweeping movements. But they were kept out by ferocious tackling, wonky handling and some wrong decisions. Their backs, especially Pedro du Preez, look much superior to the home side's.
Twenty minutes into the 30-minute half Warren Bell reduced the deficit to 14-12.
With five minutes to go Grey College were again on the attack. he ball fell lose and the defenders hacked the ball downfield. Eventually Warren Bell got the ball with half the length of the field in front of him and the whole of Grey College in desperate cover.
He raced down the left touch-line and dived over in the corner to make the score 17-14, He scored where the Old Greys congregate – much to their delight.
That was the final score as Grey High clung on desperately beg fore a final onslaught.
It was a match which throbbed with excitement and played in an excellent spirit.
Scorers:
For Grey High:
Try: Warren Bell
Pens: Warren Bell 4
For Grey College:
Try: Pieter van Zyl
Pens: Frans Steyn 3
Teams:
Grey High: 15 Ricky Rijs (vice-captain), 14 Peter Furstenburg, 13 Christopher Nel, 12 Juan Coetzer, 11 Warren Bell, 10 Matthew Taylor-Smith, 9 Dale Farnham, 8 Hano Vermaak, 7 Kirwan Frieslaar, 6 Andile Dyafta, 5 Stephen de Villiers, 4 Jacques Naudé, 3 Murray Sparg, 2 Simon Westraadt (captain), 1 Byron Schmidt.
Grey College: 15 Philip Snyman, 14 Renaldo du Preez, 13 Herman Pretorius, 12 J-W Jonker, 11 Pieter van Zyl, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Donald Stevens, 8 Deon Stegmann, 7 Heinrich Brüssow, 6 Richardt Strauss (captain), 5 Pote Human, 4 Roan Pretorius, 3 Koedoe Alexander, 2 Hercu Liebenberg, 1 Sewes Oosthuizen.
Referee: Johan Meuwesen (Eastern Province)
