Grey PE clinch thriller

Goalkicking was not easy in the cross wind but in the end the difference between the two schools was a conversion kicked at an angle by their excellent flyhalf, LJ du Preez.

Grey kicked off before a large crowd on Philip Field with it's imposing buildings to the side of it, and Grey scored first. Burly eighthman Bevan Prinsloo burst over for a try and his side led 5-0 after six minutes.

Grey lost a player to the sin bin, allegedly for a neck roll, a doubtful decision, but while he was absent Paul Roos scored two unconverted tries, the first after a penalty had given them a five-metre line-out. They bashed and then let the backs have the ball. Right wing Regan van der Westhuizen scored. 5-5 after 11 minutes.

Another penalty, another line-out, and this time Paul Roos went wide left where nippy captain Rufus Dercksen scored. 10-5 to Paul Roos after 15 minutes.

LJ du Preez had a telling break, nullified when a pass went astray, Paul Roos lost a man to the sin bin for a neck roll and Grey's Runaldo Pedro, a livewire scrumhalf, had a break but half-time came with Paul Roos leading 10-5.

A penalty early in the second half by De Preez made the score 10-8 but then a remarkable and rare try was scored. Left wing Rémy Engelbrecht had kicked a long kick well into the Grey 22 to set his team attacking. Grey cleared up to their 10-metre line where the same Engelbrecht got the ball not far infield from the touch line. He set off on a diagonal run of great speed and kept on running till he scored a rare gem of a try on the right of the Grey posts. Fullback Colia Louis converted. 17-8 after 48 minutes.

Two minutes later Grey were penalised for being offside and Louis goaled. 20-8 with 20 minutes to play.

Grey did not give up. They counterattacked  through Sihle Njezula and Waqar Solaan. Then Pedro chipped cleverly and Solaan was over in the left corner. Remarkably, Du Preez converted. 20-15 with 12 minutes to play.

The intensity in the ground grew with each passing second.

Grey attacked with six minutes to go and seemed certain to score but the pass from Solaan to replacement Kholiwe Konza was forward.

A penalty gave Grey an attacking line-out. They mauled and bashed and then played to their backs. Suddenly Konza came cutting back and over for the try. 20-20. Du Preez's nerve held and he converted to give his team an exciting victory.

The blazered school rushed onto the field to celebrate with their heroes.

Scorers:

For Grey High:

Tries: Bevan Prinsloo, Waqar Solaan, Kholiwe Konza

Cons: LJ du Preez 2

Pen: LJ du Preez

For Paul Roos:

Tries: Regan van der Westhuizen, Rufus Dercksen, Rémy Engelbrecht

Con: Colia Louis

Pen: Colia Louis

Teams

Grey: 15 Sihle Njezula, 14 Enrique Franks, 13 Aya Matroos, 12 Waqar Solaan, 11 Uan Tait, 10 LJ du Preez, 9 Runaldo Pedro, 8 Bevan Prinsloo (captain), 7 Dean van Dyk, 6 Travis de Bruin, 5 Laken Grey, 4 Gerik Rautenbach, 3 Philip Weyer-Henderson, 2 Ruan Jonker, 1 James Scott

Replacements: 16 Corne Slabbert, 17 Warwick Griffin, 18 Richard Horne, 19 Dumisa Ngcivana, 20 Darren Vermaak, 21 Jordan Blewett, 22 Joshua Oosthuysen, 23 Kholiwe Konza

Paul Roos: 15 Colia Louis, 14 Regan van der  Westhuizen, 13 Brendan Venter, 12 Rufus Dercksen (c), 11 Rémy Engelbrecht, 10 Juan Mostert  , 9 Gerado Jaars, 8 Matthew Cordy, 7 Philip van Dyk, 6 Willem van der  Hever, 5 Ryno Niemand, 4 Mink Sharink, 3 Hanru Jacobs, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Alexander Mbete

Replacements: 16 Micardo du Preez, 17 Tristan Leitch, 18 Cobus Esterhuizen, 19 Lombard Basson, 20 Jacques Viviers, 21 Antonie Kock, 22Johnny Solms, 23 WJ Smith,

Referee: Phumzile Mbewu (Eastern Province Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Johan Pienaar (Eastern Province Referees' Society), Basil de Doncker (Eastern Province Referees' Society)

Results Down the Years

2005: Draw, 14-14 in PE

2006: Paul Roos won 28-14 in Stellenbosch

2007: Paul Roos won 31-17 in PE

2008: Grey won 23-19 in Stellenbosch

2009: Paul Roos won 20-13 in PE

2010: Paul Roos won 43-37 in Stellenbosch

2011: Paul Roos won 22-19 in PE

2012: Grey won 23-19 in Stellenbosch

2013: Grey won 23-18 in PE

2014: Grey won 27-26 in Stellenbosch

2015: Paul Roos won 34-3 in PE

2016: Paul Roos won 36-21 in Stellenbosch

2017: Grey won 22-20 in PE