Border Teams at Grey Festival
Fresh from notable victories over arch-rivals Selborne, both Dale and Queen’s will be looking to make a big impact when they take part.The Border powerhouses have had good seasons so far and confirmed their credentials with the victories over the Eastern Cape’s top schools side in 2015, Selborne, who are at Wildeklawer this weekend.
There will be a strong Border presence at the festival, with East London teams Stirling and Hudson Park adding another dimension to a tournament where 14 schools from around the country will pit their skills against each other.
Besides the first teams, a number of age-group teams, including the Selborne Under-14, Under-15 and Under-16 teams, will be in action in a festival which will see 32 matches played each day.
While they are riding high at the moment, both Queen’s and Dale know enough not to take any of their opponents lightly. Queen’s face tough PE sides Pearson and Framesby, while Dale will come up against St David’s, from Johannesburg, and competitive Welkom side Goudveld.
Dale coach Grant Griffith is delighted with the team’s performances this year, having lost only to the powerful Glenwood side in seven matches.
“We had a great win over Selborne this last weekend and played some really good rugby in the Kearsney Festival, with good wins over Framesby and Maritzburg College,” Griffith said. “We are really looking forward to our matches at the Grey festival against St David’s and Goudveld.”
Queen’s are on a roll, following their win over Selborne with a thumping 50-6 result against Graeme last weekend. Yet coach Dave Bolze is not making the mistake of taking anyone lightly.
“We respect both Pearson and Framesby, and are expecting two tough, physical matches,” Bolze said. “Framesby, especially, are a much better side than what their results have shown this season. They have had some really tough fixtures.”
Having said that, Bolze left no doubt that their intentions were to win both their matches, while not forgetting the friendship aspect these sorts of festivals always promote.
“We want to win both our matches and suffer no serious injuries,” Bolze said. “The Grey Festival is always a highlight for Queen’s. It is not only about the rugby, the boys get to socialise and make friends from other schools.”
As a co-ed school, Hudson Park may lack the numbers of the big boys-only schools, but director of rugby James Winstanley is happy with the competitive instincts the boys have shown, reflected in six wins from nine games this year.
“In fixtures we have lost we have been within a score going into the last 10 minutes, demonstrating that even when we are below par in performance we are able to compete,” he said.
“Hudson Park prides itself on its academic programme. However, we have also established ourselves as the top rugby co-ed of our region and we are constantly closing the gap on our college rivals, which is creating a fantastic buzz and sense of identity with our learners.”
Hudson Park open with an encounter against Muir on Saturday and then face the high-riding Daniel Pienaar on Monday. Daniel Pienaar are fresh from successive wins over Grey High and Framesby, and will be a strong test for the East Londoners.
Stirling will be up against Goudveld on Saturday, followed by Graeme on Monday, two matches the school’s sports officer Reinhard Gerber felt would be interesting challenges.
“I think our matches will be tight affairs,” Gerber said. “Goudveld is an unknown entity to us, so that will be a good challenge, and we are definitely going to back ourselves against Graeme College.
“Our major challenges will always be to get our structure right on the day, execute on the right areas of the field, apply pressure in defence, and to have continuity in attack.”
Stirling are in the process of transforming their rugby and, to their credit, they have not shied away from any challenges, taking on major teams such as Grey High, Grey College and Dale.
Admitting that the transformation would not happen overnight, Gerber said their participation in the festival would be another step in the process.
“We are delighted to attend such a prestigious festival and hope to continue this relationship with Grey PE,” Gerber said. “We are looking forward to the festival rugby, meeting new people, learning as coaches and players, and to make it an educational experience.”
Fixtures
Saturday, 30 April 2016
08.15:
Under-16: Queen’s vs Pearson
Under-15: Selborne vs Framesby
Under-14: Framesby vs Dale
09.30: Muir vs Hudson Park
Under-15: Grey B vs Nico Malan
Under-16: Selborne vs Brandwag
Under-14: Stirling vs Goudveld (Welkom)
Under-14: Queen’s vs Pearson
10.45: Framesby vs St Alban’s
Under-15: Grey vs Parktown
Under-15: Queen’s vs Pearson
Under-15: Stirling vs Goudveld (Welkom)
Under-14: Selborne vs Brandwag
12.00: Dale vs St David’s
Under-16: Grey vs Parktown
Under-15: Muir vs Hudson Park
Under-16: Stirling vs Goudveld (Welkom)
Under-14: Daniel Pienaar vs Graeme
13.15: Daniel Pienaar vs Graeme
Stirling vs Goudveld (Welkom)
Under-15: Outeniqua vs Dale
Under-16: Muir vs Hudson Park
Under-14: Outeniqua vs Nico Malan
14.30: Queen’s vs Pearson
DHS vs Ithembelihle
Under-16: Framesby vs Dale
Under-15: Daniel Pienaar vs Graeme
Under-14: Grey vs Parktown
15.45: Grey vs Parktown
Under-16: St Alban’s vs Nico Malan
Under-16: Daniel Pienaar vs Graeme
Under-14: Muir vs Hudson Park
Monday, 2 May 2016
08.15: St Alban’s vs Muir
Under-16: Framesby vs Queen’s
Under-15: Nico Malan vs Outeniqua
Under-14: Daniel Pienaar vs Hudson Park
Under-14: Goudveld vs Dale
09.30: St David’s vs Ithembelihle
Under-16 Pearson vs Dale
Under-16 Parktown vs Nico Malan
Under-15 Daniel Pienaar vs Hudson Park
Under-14 Outeniqua vs Pearson
10.45: Graeme vs Stirling
Under-15: Grey vs Selborne
Under-16: St Alban’s vs Muir
Under-16: Daniel Pienaar vs Hudson Park
Under-14: Parktown vs Nico Malan
12.00: Goudveld vs Dale
Daniel Pienaar vs Hudson Park
Under-16: Grey vs Selborne
Under-15: Graeme vs Stirling
Under-14: Framesby vs Queen’s
13.15: Parktown vs Pearson
Under-15: Framesby vs Queen’s
Under-16: Graeme vs Stirling
Under-15: Goudveld vs Dale
Under-14: Grey vs Selborne
By Neale Emslie
