Grey in late victory

Grey and Paul Roos were each without two players who were in the SA Schools side but Grey had another three away playing for SA Schools A.

It was an astounding game in many ways, a pity that the ending, thrilling as it was, may have been soured.

Grey dominated possession in the match but their efforts met stern defence from Paul Roos, who tackled everyone who ran at them, and the Grey backs found it hard to cope with this defence. Paul Roos on the other hand looked more incisive and with four minutes to play led 32-22. But then they were penalised several times in succession and first Christopher Schreuder, who had replaced David Kriel at fullback, scored down the left wing with two minutes to play and the score 32-27 to Paul Roos.

Three penalties in quick succession put Grey into a position to rumble over from a line-out for a try by lively Wihan Kloppers after 73 minutes. It was not an easy kick but Schreuder sent it flying through the middle of the uprights. And great glee broke out amongst the Grey team and supporters.

After the first of the three penalties, Grey tapped and went right. The siren sounded to signify the end of the match. Then flank Juan Venter was tackled and lost the ball forward into the hands of the Paul Roos left wing, David-Lee Moses, who threw it into touch, believing in excitement, no doubt, that the knock-on had ended the match, but instead the referee penalised Moses for what he called  'cynical play'. Certainly what Moses did was wrong but a prior infringement had occurred.

Grey kicked out for a line-out where Moses was again penalised for a maul offence and sent to the sin bin. Grey again kicked out and scored the winning try.

After the parachutists had arrived at the field, Mario Vieira kicked off and it became Grey's game as they attacked in phase after phase but finding stern defence till Vieira kicked a dropped goal to open the scoring at 3-0 after 7 minutes.

Paul Roos then took the lead which they still held at the end of 70 minutes but not the end of the match.

They were still under pressure when their scrumhalf Tiaan Coetzee kicked a high kick downfield. Right wing Jean Fourie chased after the ball which hit the hard Highveld and bounced high and out of the reach of David Kriel. Fourie got the ball and as he was tackle he managed a great underarm offload to Aidon Topley who scored. Sturdy Joshua Vermeulen, more usually a full back but playing flyhalf, converted, and the visitors led 7-3  after 10 minutes.

This gave the Paul Roos side greater confidence and they increased their lead with a remarkable try from a scrum. Coetzee passed to Vermeulen who dummied and ran through and scored. It seemed too easy. The referee hurried him a long and Vermeulen missed an easy conversion. 12-3.

Then it was Grey's turn to score. Paul Roos knocked on and Paul Roos moved the ball rapidly to Nico Prinsloo on the left wing who had a bit of room to dart ahead and he passed inside excellently to Kriel who swept over for a try which Mario Vieira converted. 12-10 after 25 minutes.

Paul Roos won a Grey line-out and muscled their way over the line but were held up. That gave them a five-metre scrum, at which Grey were freekicked. Coetzee tapped and charged but was brought down. The ball came back to loosehead Cameron Dawson who charged over for a try under the posts. 19-10, and the lead was nearly even bigger but a tackle by Jaco Wessels on Moses at the cornerpost saved the try and brought half-time.

When Paul Roos dropped a pass, Grey footed through to near the Paul Roos line. Paul Roos were penalised. Grey kicked out for a five-metre line-out, mauled and hooker Matthew Wessels scored. 19-15 after 45 minutes.

Paul Roos also used a penalty to get a five-metre line-out but instead of mauling they went wide left and bashed at the line. Coetzee picked up, dummied and dived over for the try which Vermeulen converted. 26-15 after 55 minutes. They came back and Vermeulen goaled a penalty. 29-15 after 57 minutes.

Three penalties in quick succession had Grey tapping and attacking till Vieira darted over and converted his own try. 29-22 with eight minutes to play.

Paul Roos attacked and Vermeulen goaled a penalty. 32-22 with four minutes left.

Grey tapped yet another penalty and gave to Schreuder on the left touch line and the big fullback charged down to score in the corner in Philip van Dyk's tackle. 32-27 with two minutes left.

Two minutes in which the match was won.

Scorers:

For Grey College:

Tries: David Kriel, Matthew Wessels, Mario Vieira, Christopher Schreuder, Wihan Kloppers

Cons:  Mario Vieira 2, Christopher Schreuder

Drop:  Mario Vieira

For Paul Roos:

Tries: Aidon Topley, Joshua Vermeulen, Cameron Dawson, Tiaan Coetzee

Cons: Joshua Vermeulen 3

Pens: Joshua Vermeulen 2

Teams

Grey College:  15 David Kriel, 14 Henk Cilliers, 13 Marnus Boshoff, 12 Jaco Wessels, 11 Nico Prinsloo, 10 Mario Vieira, 9 Rian Heyman, 8 Michiel Burger, 7 Juan Venter, 6 Wihan Kloppers, 5 Jaco de Beer, 4 Marcel Theunissen, 3 Gideo Beukes (captain), 2 Matthew Wessels, 1 Naudé Naudé

Paul Roos: 15 Colia Louis, 14 Jean Fourie, 13 Aydon Topley, 12 Lyle Hendricks, 11 David-Lee Moses, 10 Joshua Vermeulen, 9 Tiaan Coetzee, 8 Bruce Coetzee, 7 Johan Joubert (captain), 6 Josh vd Merwe, 5 Breyten Maritz, 4 Phillip van Dyk, 3 Tristan Leitch, 2 Daneel Steinman, 1 Cameron Dawson.

Referee: Griffin Colby (Free State Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Phillip Kotze (Free State Referees' Society), Marlize van der Merwe (Free State Referees' Society)