Bloem beats PE

In a Mutual & Federal Premier Interschools match in Bloemfontein Grey College of Bloemfontein beat Grey High School of Port Elizabeth 50-28.

There was much in the match that was splendid but there was a shuddering injury as well. There was nothing illegal about the tackle on Martin Groenewald in the second half, but he was left lying on the ground, his leg twisted. The referee stopped the match immediately and for a long time as an ambulance was brought onto the filed to take Martin to hospital where he was operated on for a double break below the knee. Martin, who played lock for Eastern Province at the Craven Week earlier this month has apparently said that he hopes to carry on with his rugby career. That will have to wait.

It was a sad and frightening incident in a wonderful match.

A surprise was that Grey's usual captain CJ Velleman was able to play after all. It had been thought that he would be out of the match because of a Craven Week injury, but he was there to lead his time in the Grey PE's haka-like performance at the start of the match.

The early part of the match gave no indication of the score that was to come but then this sort of score is always possible for Grey Bloem.

Grey PE played with the substantial wind in the first half  but were quickly taught that kicking onto Grey was not profitable, not against a school side whose first thought is counterattack and has in EW Viljoen a fullback wonderfully equipped for counterattack – fast skilled of hand and foot, possessed of great vision, a big and fearless runner with the ball. He does not confine himself to counterattack but was an essential component in every Grey Bloem attack.

The scoring part of the match started with a Viljoen counterattack. Grey PE were penalised and the left foot of big centre Stephen Rautenbach made it 3-0 after 3 minutes.

Grey Bloem won a turnover and Viljoen went racing down the left. It seemed that he had to score but speedy Dylan Vermaak back-tackled him.

Instead it was Grey PE who scored. Grey Bloem dropped the ball amongst the backs just outside the Grey PE 22. Burly prop JP Jamieson flykicked it downfield where no Grey Bloem players were. Left wing Luca DallaVecchia raced after the ball and flykicked it again, this time into the Grey Bloem in-goal where DallaVecchia scored. Flyhalf Garrick Mattheus converted and Grey PE lead 7-3 after 8 minutes.

From a knock-on Viljoen and Henry Immelman counterattacked but Theo Ferreira was tackled out at the corner.

Twice Grey Bloem tapped penalties five metres from the Grey PE line and on each occasion Grey PE repelled them. But they counterattacked and gave Ferreira space on the wing. As he was about to be tackled he gave to powerful Marius Louw who swept over for his first try. 10-7 to Grey Bloem, a lead they did not relinquish.

Two penalty goals by Rautenbach took the lead to 16-7 after 18 minutes.

Rautenbach had a good break and from a scrum Grey Bloem went wide left and then came back right where Rautenbach stepped and forced his way over. 23-7 after 31 minutes.

Mattheus  kicked diagonally to his left. Grey Bloem got the ball but Grey PE won a turnover and muscular Stephan Ehbersohn took a shirt pass and crashed over for a try. 23-14.

That was a respectable score but 10 minutes into the second half Grey Bloem were leading 38-14 after Viljoen had scored after phases to make it 28-14, Rautenbach had kicked a penalty and Louw had scored his second try when Grey Bloem  countered down the left and then went right where the forceful Louw scored.

It was after this that Martin Groenewald was injured.

Dylan Vermaak had a promising run down the right wing buy chipped dead. Viljoen and Immelman attacked by DallaVecchia's tackle saved the try.

Grey PE had a splendid attack from a line-out with the forwards offloading brilliantly;. Twice Grey Bloem were penalised and Grey PE tapped and charged. The second time Ehbersohn bashed over for his second try. 38-21 after 53 minutes.

Viljoen kicked a great, long touch from a penalty to give Grey Bloem a five-metre line-out. They mauled and the rear man, Alex Jonker, fell down for the try. 43-21 after 55 minutes.

From a scrum, on the right Grey Bloem went wide left where Viljoen scored far out. He converted his own try.

And so the match ended with another big win by Grey Bloem.

Scorers:

For Grey College:

Tries: Marius Louw 2, Stephen Rautenbach, EW Viljoen 2, Alex Jonker

Cons: Stephen Rautenbach 3, EW Viljoen

Pens: Stephen Rautenbach 4

For Grey High:

Tries: Luca DallaVecchia, Stephan Ehbersohn 2

Cons: Garrick Mattheus 3

Teams

Grey College: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Theo Ferreira, 13 Stephen Rautenbach, 12 Carel Durrow, 11 Henry Immelman, 10 André Swarts, 9 Heinrich Sander, 8 Alex Jonker, 7 Marius Louw (captain), 6 Luan Reynders, 5 De Wet Bezuidenhout, 4  Casper Fourie, 3 Ruan Kramer, 2 Martin Wipplinger, 1 André du Plessis

Replacements: 16 Martin van Niekerk, 17 Stephanus Lingenvelder, 18 Dylan Harlen, 19 HJ Primsloo, 20 Dian Badenhorst, 21 Julian Delicado, 22 Johan Nel, 23 Callie Janse van Vuuren.

Coach: Ingo Machts

Grey High School: 15 Keanu Vers, 14 Dylan Vermaak, 13 Thabani Mgugudo, 12 Chad Momberg, 11 Luca DallaVecchia, 10 Garrick Mattheus, 9 Nick Beswick, 8 Lamond Bower, 7 Johan van Niekerk, 6 CJ Vellerman (captain), 5 Gerrit Huisamen, 4 Martin Groenewald, 3 Stephan Ehbersohn, 2 Josh Mudrovcic, 1 JP Jamieson

Replacements: 16Matthew Howes , 17 Luke Oosterhuizen, 18 Bathandwa Cafu, 19 Robin Stevens , 20 Matthew Alborough, 21 Vincent Moss, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Angus van Niekerk.

Coaches: Rory Duncan, Tim Fraser

Referee: Sakkie Meyer (Free State Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Pieter van Vuuren (Free State Referees' Society), Khotso Raleting (Free State Referees' Society)