Great Record Broken

Grey College came and won 34-20, and they fully deserved to do so.

In the end Grey were more creative than Boys' High when they had the ball and more efficient on defence when Boys' High had the ball.

It was certainly a game of cut and thrust, with many turnovers and two sides set on giving their best, but the home side have nothing to be ashamed if, indeed much to be proud of. A lot of teams will lose to this Greey side.

Grey kicked off but Boys' High attacked first as a strong run by Emile van Heerden, son of Fritz, got them onto the attack. The try came soon, a mixture of skill and good fortune.

Going right well inside the Grey 22, Kian Meadon, Boys' High's flyhalf, chipped into the Grey in-goal. Two defenders were there but the wilful ball bounced high and away form them. Meadon got it and fell to the ground for the try which he converted. 7-0 to Boys' High.

The lead lasted less than a minute!

Grey kicked off, Boys' High did not catch the kick, and Grey's industrious flank De Wet Marais picked it up and plunged over in the left corner. From touch Zander du Plessis converted. 7-7.

Centre Franco Smith, son of Franco the Springbok and coach, was the most creative back on view. He broke strongly and had support from much-involved fullback, Richard Kriel, but a turnover put paid to the attack. 

Grey had a five-metre line-out but lost it. Instead it was Boys' High who scored and regained the lead when Meadon goaled a penalty. 10-7.

Again the lead did not last long. 

Boys' High kicked down on their left. Kriel got the ball in his own half and started a counterattack. Grey went left and out to left wing Lesley Botha in an outside centre position. He simply raced through a gap and carried on till he dived over in the corner 50 metres away, and Grey led 12-10.

Five minutes later Franco Smith had a long break to set Grey well on the attack. Boys' High were penalised and a tap put Grey right at the line. They went left and Du Plessis threw a long pass to WJ Steenkamp, a lock out on the left wing, and the lock scored in the corner. Du Plessis converted. 19-10 after 31 minutes. 

That was the half-time score.

There was some childish squabbling in midfield and Boys' High were penalised. Grey kicked out for a line-out and then ran a  maul towards the Boys' High line. Ball free, Du Plessis took a short pass, sidestepped and plunged over for a try at the posts. 26-10 five minutes into the second half.

In no time Boys' High were at the Grey line and meeting stern defence. But Grey were penalised and substitute scrumhalf, Vian van der Sandt, tapped, plunged and scored. Meadon converted and then kicked a long penalty goal, and Boys' High were back in the game at 26-20 with 19 minutes to play and enjoying the momentum.

A quick, skilful run by fullback Riis du Plessis, son of Carel, promised even better things, but then Grey took over.

They attacked down the left and suddenly lock George Cronjé broke away from a ruck and gave to substitute MJ Odendaal who scored in the corner. 31-20 with eight minutes to play.

Wyclef Vlitoor burst down the left but an ankletap brought him to ground.

Du Plessis goaled a penalty, the final whistle went and Greys swarmed out onto the field to hail their heroes.

Scorers

For Grey: 

Tries: De Wet Marais, Lesley Botha, WJ Steenkamp, Zander du Plessis, MJ Odendaal 

Cons: Zander du Plessis 3

Pen: Zander du Plessis

For Paarl Gim:

Tries: Kian Meadon, Vian van der Sandt

Cons: Kian Meadon 2

Pens: Kian Meadon 2

Teams

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Riis du Plessis, 14 Carlo Uys, 13 Trent Sivertsen, 12 Noegh Hayward, 11 Quan Horn, 10 Kian Meadon, 9 Estiaan van Rensburg, 8 Gideon van Wyk, 7 Evan Roos, 6 Louwan Horn, 5 Adrian Alberts (captain), 4 Emile van Heerden, 3 Rhynardt Rijnsburger, 2 Cullen van der Merwe, 1 De Wet Wolhuter

Grey College: 15 Richard Kriel, 14 Ian Small-Smith, 13 Wyclef Vlitoor, 12 Franco Smith, 11 Lesley Botha, 10 Zander du Plessis, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Werner Gouws, 7 De Wet Marais, 6 Raynardo Gouveia, 5 WJ Steenkamp, 4 George Cronjé, 3 Herman Agenbag, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Jan Hendrik Wessels

Replacements: 16 Schalk Vermaak, 17 Brandon Matthews, 18 Petrus Naudé, 19 Danwich Beukes, 20 AJ Bezuidenhoudt, 21 MJ Odendaal, 22 Riaan Brits

Referee: Quinton Immelman (Western Province Referees' Society)

Results Down the Years

1950: Grey won 10-6

1953: Grey won 12-9

1954: Grey won 6-3

1954: Grey won 8-3

1956: Grey won 13-3

1957: Paarl Boys' High won 9-3

1960: Grey won 14-0

1960: Grey won 11-3

1973: Grey won 24-0

1974: Grey won 21-7

1977: Grey won 29-13

1978: Grey won 29-13

1979: Paarl Boys' High won 16-13

1980: Grey won 13-4

1983: Paarl Boys' High won 14-0

1984: Grey won 19-14

1984: Grey won 32-12

1987: Grey won 31-14

1989: Grey won 23-6

1993: Draw 0-0

1995: Grey won 18-6

1996: Paarl Boys' High won 16-9

1997: Grey won 20-16

1998: Grey won 20-6

1999: Grey won 34-16

2000: Paarl Boys' High won 17-10

2001: Grey won 38-15

2002: Grey won 23-6

2003: Grey won 27-16

2004: Grey won 38-3

2005: Grey won 38-13

2006: Grey won 20-5

2007: Grey won 48-24

2008: Grey won 34-24

2009: Grey won 50-8

2010: Grey won 32-12

2011: Draw 15-15

2012: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18

2013: Grey won 35-28

2014: Grey won 15-10

2015: Paarl Boys' High won 21-19

2016: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18

2017: Paarl Boys' High won 46-31

2018: Grey won 34-20