Grey festival: Only 2 days but plenty rugby

Additional alteration to the festival is the inclusion of the Under-14, Under-15 and Under-16 divisions.

Even though  the festival formula has changed, the high intensity at which the game will be played will give the crowd the same results as previous years.

The two-day festival comprises of a diverse group of schools, with a dominant Eastern Cape flavour, while schools like St Alban’s College,  St David’s College, Parktown Boys' High School , Durban High School (DHS) and Goudveld Hoerskool from Welkom will add an extra dimension from schools outside the region.

The host Grey High School will be  looking to put in a strong performance during their festival.

Grey will open with a test against Johannesburg side Parktown, a team they last played in 2014 when they romped to a 66-3 victory.

While Grey's unbeaten run was broken this season by Paul Roos, their opponents Parktown have had a fairly mixed results with two wins and three defeats.

DHS should be a bigger challenge for Grey on the Monday, as the Durban school have produced some notable results this season. The school from Durban have registered a win over KwaZulu-Natal rivals Hilton, while suffering narrow losses to Kearsney and Bishops.

In addition DHS have pulled off a win over St Andrew’s (Grahamstown) in the St Stithians Festival and they will be eager to prove themselves in the final match of the festival.

The underdogs from Port Elizabeth Ithembelihle High Comprehensive High School should not be underestimated. Ithembelihle may lack the resources of the leading rugby schools, but their passion and commitment can never be faltered, especially given this rare opportunity to show what they can do.

Ithembelihle will play a the first game  against DHS, and will be in action on the second day against St David’s (Johannesburg).

Goudveld (Welkom) rarely seen in PE, will play their opening match against East London side Stirling, and on the second day will face perennial Border powerhouse Dale.

Queen's another top Border team, will be keen to prove their credentials against two PE teams.

Their opening clash will provide a major challenge for Summerstrand outfit Pearson and they will then feature in the main curtain-raiser on the final day against Framesby.

Day one fixtures :

08:15  U14 Framesby v Dale,  Gordon U14

            U15 Selborne v Framesby,  Old Grey B

            U16 Queen’s v Pearson,  Pyott

09:30   U14 Stirling v Goudveld, Old Grey A

             U14 Queen’s v Pearson, Gordon U14

             U15 Grey (B) v Nico Malan, Pyott

             U16 Selborne v Brandwag, Old Grey B

             U19 Muir v Hudson Park, Philip 1st XV

10:45  U14 Selborne v Brandwag, Gordon U14

            U15 Stirling v Goutveld, Old Grey A

            U15 Queen’s v Pearson, Old Grey B

            U15 Grey v Parktown, Pyott

            U19 Framesby v St Alban’s, Philip 1st XV

12:00  U14 Daniel Pienaar v Graeme, Gordon U14

            U15 Muir v Hudson Park, Old Grey B

            U16 Stirling v Goutveld, Old Grey A

            U16 Grey v Parktown, Pyott

            U19 Dale v St David’s, Philip 1st XV

13:15  U14 Outeniqua v Nico Malan. Gordon U14

            U15 Outeniqua v Dale, Pyott

            U16 Muir v Hudson Park, Old Grey B

            U19 Stirling v Goutveld, Old Grey A

            U19 Daniel Pienaar v Graeme, Philip 1st XV

14:30  U14 Grey v Parktown, Gordon U14

            U15 Daniel Pienaar v Graeme, Old Grey B

            U16 Framesby v Dale, Pyott

           U19 DHS v Ithembelihle, Old Grey A

            U19 Queen’s v Pearson, Philip 1st XV

15:45  U14 Muir v Hudson Park, Gordon U14

            U16 St Alban’s v Nico Malan, Pyott

            U16 Daniel Pienaar v Graeme, Old Grey B

            U19 Grey v Parktown, Philip 1st XV

Day two fixtures:

08:15  U14 Goudveld v Dale, Gordon U14

            U14 Daniel Pienaar v Hudson Park, Police

            U15 Nico Malan v Outeniqua, Old Grey

            U16 Framesby v Queen’s, Pyott

            U19 St Alban’s v Muir, Philip

09:30  U14 Outeniqua v Pearson, Gordon U14

            U15 Daniel Pienaar v Hudson Park, Police

            U16 Parktown v Nico Malan, Old Grey

            U16 Pearson v Dale, Pyott

            U19 St David’s v Ithembelihle, Philip

10:45  U14 Parktown v Nico Malan, Gordon U14

            U15 Grey v Selborne, Police

            U16 St Alban’s v Muir, Old Grey

            U16 Daniel Pienaar v Hudson Park,

            U19 Graeme v Stirling, Philp

12:00  U14 Framesby v Queen’s, Gordon U14

            U15 Graeme v Stirling, Old Grey

            U16 Grey v Selborne, Pyott

            U19 Daniel Pienaar  v Hudson Park, Police

            U19 Goudveld v Dale, Philip

13:15  U14 Grey v Selborne, Gordon U14

            U15 Goudveld v Dale, Police

            U15 Framesby v Queen’s, Pyott

            U16 Graeme v Stirling, Old Grey

            U19 Parktown v Pearson, Philip

14:30  U14 Graeme v Brandwag, Gordon U14

            U15 Grey (B) v Pearson, Pyott

            U15 Parktown v Muir, OLd Grey

            U16 Goudveld v Brandwag, Police

            U19 Framesby v Queen’s, Philip

15:45  U14 Muir v Stirling, Gordon U14

            U19 Grey v DHS, Philip