Grey Even Better

Grey College of Bloemfontein beat the No.2-ranked team , Paarl Gim, 47-33 on 4 May 2019. Now it has beaten No.4, Paarl Boys’ High 43-24. Grey is clearly No.1

There remains only No.3, Paul Roos, a match to be played in August 2019 in Stellenbosch.

Boys’ High went off at half-time leading 17-10, but then Grey struck gold in the second half, scoring 21 points in seven minutes, and the crown stayed firmly in Bloemfontein.

Grey were livelier, more direct, moire creative and more cohesive than Boys’ High as the match went on up in Bloemfontein, and they deserved their win. Some of their tries were breathtaking – on their own line and then over the Boys’ High line. No wonder they were mobbed at the final whistle as a vast horde of school-mates and Old Boys rushed onto the field to express their delight.

Boys’ High actually scored first and last. Flyhalf Kian Meadon kicked a penalty for a high tackle to start the scoring and then the conversion of Gideon van Wyk’s try to end the scoring.

After the penalty goal, Boys’ High were attacking again when Grey burst out of their 22, attacking down the left through fullback Nabo Sokoyi who gave to strong centre Lesley Botha. It ended when captain George Cronjé shoved his flyhalf FC du Plessis through three defenders to score the first of a hat-trick of tries.

Two tries by exciting wing Javier Farmer benefitted from two long runs by speedy Angelo Osch to score the tries that gave the visitors a handy lead at 17-5 after 29 minutes.

Another breakaway, a penalty, a lineout and a maul brought Grey to the Boys’ High where lock Tiaan Jonker scored to make the half-time score 17-10.

Grey levelled the scores early in the second half with a try that started from a Boys’ High attack. Boys’ High had a maul from a five-metre lineout. Grey stopped the maul and were awarded a scrum five metres from their own line, just in from touch. Boys’ High shoved the Grey pack back, and Grey scored from there. Their scrumhalf JD Oliver got the ball from his chaotic scrum, raced down the left and kicked ahead. Grey got the ball and went wide right where right wing JD Odendal offloaded to flyhalf FC du Plessis, who wriggled through two would-be tacklers and ran off to score. 17-all after 42 minutes.

Grey marched a maul a long way down the field. Boys’ High were penalised twice, which gave Grey a five-metre lineout. They mauled and hooker André-Hugo Venter scored, and Grey had the lead at 22-17 after 50 minutes.

The purple patch was yet to come.

Boys’ High kicked down into the Grey 22, and Grey scored. Captain Cronjé came bursting away on a long run down the left. He kicked, Botha ran with the ball and Du Plessis stepped sharply to score. 29-17 after 598 minutes.

Grey were back at the Boys’ High line and Cronje was stretching to place the ball to scored a try when it was kicked out of his grasp. That produced a penalty try. 26-17 after 63 minutes.

Substitute back Marcell Muller chased a long kick, grabbed a bouncing ball, stepped out of an attempted tackle to score under the posts. 43-17 after 65 minutes.

Bless them, Boys’ High still kept on trying and their efforts were rewarded with a late try by eighthman Van Wyk.

Scorers:

For Grey:
Tries: FC du Plessis 2,  Tiaan Jonker, André-Hugo Venter, penalty try, Marcell Muller
Cons: Juan Dee Oliver 3 + 2 penalty try points

For Paarl Boys’ High:
Tries: Javier Farmer 2, Gideon van Wyk
Cons: Kian Meadon 3
Pens: Kian Meadon

Teams:

Grey College: 15 Nabo Sokoyi, 14 JD Odendal, 13 Ian Small-Smith, 12 Lesley Botha, 11 Franco Knoetze, 10 FC du Plessis, 9 Juan Dee Oliver, 8 George Cronjé, 7 Deon le Roux, 6 Ricardo Fourie, 5 Danwich Beukes, 4 Tiaan Jonker, 3 Petrus Naudé, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels

Paarl Boys’ High: 15 Jacques Rousseau, 14 Angelo Osch, 13 Quan Horn, 12 Tyler Bocks, 11 Javier Farmer, 10 Kian Meadon, 9 Wian van der Sandt, 8 Gideon van Wyk, 7 Eon van den Berg, 6 Stass Nel, 5 Niel Venter, 4 Evan Roode, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 2 Allister Williams, 1 Rhynardt Rijnsburger (captain)

Referee: Darren Colby
Assistant referees; Boela du Plessis, Gerhardt Brandt

Grey College vs Paarl Boys’ High 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