Grey play Grey in Bloemfontein

Match preview

Grey College of Bloemfontein, celebrating their 150th birthday, entertain Grey High of Port Elizabeth who celebrate their 150th birthday next year. They are two of South Africa's top schools and their rugby rivalry is one of the keenest in South Africa.

Last year the PE side won a thriller when Warren Bell scored all his side's point, but usually the Bloemfontein side have been on top. (For results down the years, see the end of this page)

This year will be interesting. Grey Bloem have home ground advantage but Grey PE have the better record this year. Grey Bloem this year are not quite the side they were last year while Grey PE have several back from last year.

Both sides are without a star or two.

Grey Bloem have Joseph Oosthuizen propping for SA Schools while Kirwan Frieslaar, Grey PE's bustling flank, is in the Academy side for the weekend's clash between the Schools and the Academy at Securicor Loftus.

Then Bloem are also without flank Fritz Kamffer and centre, captain and goal-kicker JW Jonker who broke his leg in the last minute of the last match at Craven Week when he was the Free State captain.

PE are without Dave Wannenburg, their Craven Week hooker and an outstanding player. He has a shoulder injury.

Both sides had players at Craven Week. Bloem had 13 there but then two were from lower teams, one from the 7th XV!

Craven Week players:

Bloem: Kevin Stevens, Joseph Oosthuizen, Sybrand Mostert, Fritz Kamffer, Coenraad Pieterse, Donald Stevens, JW Jonker, Wayne Stevens, Roux du Toit, Fana Malebo, Kemsley Wesso, John Mothiba.

PE: David Wannenburg, Morné van der Westhuizen, Jacques Naudé, Stephen de Villiers, Kirwan Frieslaar, Marlin Ruiters, Matthew Tayler-Smith.

Academy Week players:

Bloem: Joe Greyling, Nelis Wilken, Gerhard Swart

PE: None

Bloem have one who has played higher than all these – Frans Steyn, their flyhalf with the big boot, who was in the World Champion Under-19 team this year, a strong player whose omission from SA Schools and Academy sides last year was something of a surprise.

This year Grey PE are third on the FNB Top 20, Grey Bloem seventh.

Bloem have played 11. They have won eight and lost to Outeniqua, Maritzburg College and Affies.

PE have played 17, winning 15. They drew with Paul Roos and lost by a point to St Andrew's in a thriller in Grahamstown.

Maritzburg College are the only opponents they have in common. PDE beat College 28-16 in PE but College beat Bloem 15-13 in Pietermaritzburg.

There is not much to choose between Bloem and PE – as far as Grey rugby goes.

The Grey PE 1st XV will travel up by bus on Friday. The other 20 rugby teams will entrain from PE to Bloemfontein, leaving on Friday afternoon and arriving early on Saturday morning. The train leaves again on Saturday evening. There will also be hockey, golf, chess, debating, squash and tennis teams.

Teams:

Grey College: 15 Joe Greyling, 14 Roux du Toit, 13 Wayne Stevens, 12 Gerhardt Smith, 11 Nelis Wilken, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Donald Stevens, 8 Coenraad Pieterse (captain), 7 Paul Roux, 6 Gerhard Swart, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Sybrand Mostert,  3 Coenraad Oosthuizen, 2 PW van Vuuren, 1 Kevin Stevens.

By the way,  the Stevenses are not related.

Grey High School: 15 Warren Bell, 14 Peter Furstenburg, 13 Ross Goedhals, 12 Wade Roos, 11 William Heydenrych, 10 Matthew Tayler-Smith, 9 Marlin Ruiters, 8 Stephen de Villiers, 7 Yamkela Ntola, 6 Monte Taljaard (captain), 5 Jacques Naudé, 4 Morné van der Westhuyzen,  3 Greg Bonner, 2 Harshil Motha, 1 Michael Denuilly-Rice.

Date: 30 July 2005
Kick-off: 13.20
Venue: Grey College, Bloemfontein
Expected weather conditions: Clear with a high of 21°C and a northwester of 18 km/h
Referee: DJ Cloete (Free State)

Results down the years:

1974: Grey Bloemfontein won 24-16
1975: Grey Bloemfontein won 32-12
1976: Grey Port Elizabeth won 13-12
1977: Grey Bloemfontein won 21-18
1978: Grey Bloemfontein won 19-17
1979: Grey Bloemfontein won 28-6
1980: Grey Bloemfontein won 24-12
1981: Grey Bloemfontein won 50-7
1982: Grey Bloemfontein won 27-9
1983: Grey Bloemfontein won 30-3
1984: Grey Port Elizabeth won 18-10
1985: Grey Bloemfontein won 41-12
1986: Grey Bloemfontein won 26-6
1987: Grey Bloemfontein won 57-0
1988: Grey Bloemfontein won 16-9
1989: Grey Bloemfontein won 39-17
1990: Draw 6-6
1991: Grey Bloemfontein won 30-17
1992: Grey Port Elizabeth won 20-16
1993: Grey Bloemfontein won 38-3
1994: Grey Port Elizabeth won 18-10
1995: Grey Bloemfontein won 38-10
1996: Grey Port Elizabeth won 13-3
1997: Grey Bloemfontein won 23-13
1998: Grey Bloemfontein won 10-3
1999: Grey Bloemfontein won 39-6
2000: Grey Bloemfontein won 31-6
2001: Grey Bloemfontein won 18-15
2002: Grey Bloemfontein won 41-3
2003: Grey Bloemfontein won 51-16
2004: Grey Port Elizabeth won 17-14

For a general view of Grey College,click here.
For a general view of Grey High School, click here.

For a profile of the Grey High 1st XV, click here.