Affies' toughest test yet
Affies have not lost a game this year, but they face their toughest test yet in their FNB Classic Clash against Grey College in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Matches between these two South African school rugby powerhouses are always hard-fought affairs, and this year promises to be no different as both team take some encouraging form into the encounter.
Whilst Affies have swept all before them, Grey have lost just one match to Outeniqua – and that was only by two points – so there should be little to separate them on Saturday.
The Pretoria side notched their first victory over Grey since 2006 at home last year, so the Bloemfontein juggernaut will be determined to hit back in no uncertain terms in front of their home crowd this weekend.
Affies have only ever won back-to-back matches against Grey once in the history of the rivalry (2005 and 2006), so they will be fired up to take a rare win in Bloemfontein.
Both teams were forced to work hard for their victories at the Wildeklawer festival at Maritzburg College last week, although they took slightly different routes to the finish line.
Affies were forced to fight back from a 10-0 half-time deficit against Paul Roos, and they did so emphatically, scoring 17 unanswered points in the second half to keep their unbeaten streak going.
Grey were pushed all the way by a determined Monument side in atrocious conditions, but showed good character to hang on for a tense 13-8 victory.
It will be a clear day in Bloemfontein on Saturday, so both teams will have the opportunity to showcase their full range of skills which should make for an exciting clash.
Grey captain Marius Louw returns from injury and will add a dynamic presence on the side of the scrum whilst fullback EW Viljoen is always a threat from the back.
Affies' destructive hooker Francois Steyn will look to set the tone up front, and outside centre Jurie Linde will pose a significant threat to the home side's defence out wide.
Grey College: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Theo Ferreira, 13 Stephen Rautenbach, 12 Carel Durow, 11 Henry Immelman, 10 Dwayne Wessels, 9 Heinrich Sander, 8 Reinhard Arndt, 7 Marius Louw (captain), 6 Luan Reynders, 5 Andries Kriek, 4 De Wet Bezuidenhout, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Martin Wipplinger, 1 Andrew du Plessis.
Replacements: 16 Martin van Niekerk, 17 Callie Janse van Vuuren, 18 Dylan Harlen, 19 Johan Venter, 20 Dian Badenhorst, 21 André Swarts, 22 Johan Nel.
Affies: 15 Eduan Keyter, 14 Tian Schmullian, 13 Jurie Linde, 12 Phillip Orffer, 11 Thys van Wyk, 10 Dawie Venter, 9 Ivan van Zyl (captain), 8 Salmon van Huyssteen, 7 Calvonn Allison, 6 Derik Bezuidenhout, 5 RG Snyman, 4 Hanrich Vreken, 3 WP Eloff, 2 Francois Steyn, 1 DP du Plessis.
Date: Saturday, May 11
Venue: Grey College, Bloemfontein
Expected weather: Clear with a 20 km/h wind. High of 21°
Previous results:
1953: Grey won 3-0
1954: Grey won 9-3
1955: Grey won 19-0
1956: Grey won 6-6*
1957: Grey won 22-0
1958: Grey won 14-6
1959: Grey won 14-3
1966: Grey won 25-11
1967: Grey won 22-0
1970: Grey won 16-11
1971: Grey won 19-0
1973: Grey won 10-3
1974: Grey won 14-6
1992: Grey won 24-3
1993: Draw 26-26
1994: Grey won 13-6
1995: Grey won 37-13
1996: Affies won 25-3
1997: Grey won 19-9
1998: Draw 23-23
1999: Grey won 17-13
2000: Draw 17-17
2001: Draw 12-12
2002: Grey won 46-21
2003: Grey won 33-3
2004: Grey won 32-29
2005: Affies won 27-20
2006: Affies won 18-13
2007: Grey won 47-10
2008: Grey won 31-12
2009: Grey won 30-13
2010: Grey won 23-6
2011: Grey won 16-11
2012: Affies won 35-29
