Grey Trek from PE to Stellenbosch
This year it is Grey's turn to travel just over 800 km along the beautiful Garden Route to beautiful Stellenbosch in autumn when the oak trees throw down their leaves and reveal their muscularity.
The rugby will be the main event but not the only one because it is a mass migration.
There will be 21 rugby matches, 14 hockey matches and golf, tennis, cross country, debating, chess, squash, mountainbiking and surfing down at the Strand. Rugby and hockey alone will bring about 450 boys to Paul Roos.
And, of course, there will be all those enthusiastic members of staff who will come in great spirits despite the tension of the match played.
All of that effort and excitement gets distilled into the 1st XV match.
So far there have been 13 such occasions. Once there was a draw, Paul Roos have beaten Grey seven times and Grey have beaten Paul Roos five times. We say that glibly, but that is the outcome of 1st XV matches only. But it tends to be like that. Grey beat Paul Roos this year means that Grey 1st XV beat Paul Roos 1st XV this year.
Paul Roos have home advantage. But it does not seem to matter all that much. There have been six matches in Stellenbosch. Paul Roos have won three and Grey have won three.
What does matter is that Paul Roos seem to have an exceptional team again this year, as they reap the fruits of a magnificent Under-16 group last year. Last year Paul Roos's Under 16 A and B won, accumulating 133 points while conceding 12.
This Year's Results
So far this year, Grey have played five matches, Paul Roos four.
Paul Roos have won all of their five matches, scoring 385 points in conceding 36.
Grey have won four of their five matches, losing to Bishops. They have scored 206 points to 59.
Paul Roos Results
beat Golden Lions XV 78-10
beat Swartland 101-0
beat Drostdy 68-5
beat Nelspruit 68-0
beat SACS 70-21
Grey Results
beat Graeme 34-5
beat Maritzburg College 30-15
lost to Bishops 27-10
beat Parktown 61-0
beat Daniël Pienaar 71-12
Top 20
In the very first of this year's Top 20, Paul Roos are ranked third, Grey 17th.
Experience
These players played for the Paul Roos 1st XV in 2017 and are back again this year: Remy Engelbrecht, Brendan Venter, Juan Mostert, Johann Bouwer, Mink Scharink, Jean-Jacques Kotze and Regan van der Westhuizen.
These players played for Grey 1st XV last year and are back again: Corné Slabbert, Warwick Griffin, Laken Gray, Runaldo Pedro, Joshua Oosthuizen, CJ Greeff and LJ du Preez.
Of the Grey players Laken Gray went to Craven Week in 2017.
Yolisa Dlalda is the only one of the Grey players who went to Grant Khomo Week last year.
Of the Paul Roos players in this side, none went to Craven Week last year but they had seven players at the Grant Khomo Week, of whom the following are in the 1st XV this week: Cade Croy, Tiaan Pretorius, Jarod Cairns, Ruben Labuschagne and Robbie Rodgers.
Teams
Paul Roos: 15 Kade Wolhuter, 14 Remy Engelbrecht, 13 Regan van der Westhuizen, 12 Brendan Venter, 11 Tiaan Pretorius, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Xander Botha, 8 André Smit, 7 Herman Heins, 6 Johan Bouwer, 5 Micardo du Preez, 4 Jarod Cairns, 3 Mink Scharink, 2 JJ Kotze (captain), 1 Robbie Rogers
Replacements: 16 Mering Ebersohn, 17 Jan Corrick van der Walt, 18 Hanru Jacobs, 19 Mathew Cordy, 20 Gerhard Cloete, 21 Ruben Labuschagne, 22 Cade Croy, 23 Kobus Tubb
Grey: 15 Enrique Franks, 14 Joshua Oosthuizen, 13 Liyema Matyolweni, 12 LJ du Preez, 11 Andrew Dalgleish, 10 Matthew Easton, 9 Runaldo Pedro, 8 Ryan Adams, 7 Yolisa Dlalda, 6 CJ Greeff, 5 Laken Gray, 4 Dumisa Ngcivana, 3 S Adams, 2 Corné Slabbert (captain), 1 Warwick Griffin
Replacements: 16 Daniel Wolf, 17 Nathan Doster, 18 Marco Nortjé, 19 Litha Adam, 20 Joe Lyons, 21 Darren Vermaak, 22 Mark Michau, 23 Antonio May
Date: 21 April 2018
1st XV Kick-off: 14.00
Venue: Markötter Stadium. Stellenbosch
Expected weather conditions: Sunny with a high of 24°C and a low of 11°C – not the rain the Western Cape would like but excellent for rugby. For the people desperate for rain the good news is that next week will be wet.
Rugby Programme
Hoofveld
08.00: 5th XV
09.10: 4th XV
10.20: 3rd XV
11.30: 2nd XV
12.45: Drumline
13.00: 1st XV
Rivierveld
08.00: Under-16 E vs Grey Under-16D
09.10: Under-16C
10.20: Under-16B
11.30: Under-16A
Meulsloot
08.00: 7th XV
09.10: Under-14D
10.20: 6th XV
11.30: Under-15E vs Strand
Volkskombuis
08.00: Under-15D vs Strand
09.10: Under-15B
10.20: Under-15A
11.30: Under-15C
Doornbosch
08.00: Under-14E
09.10: Under-14A
10.20: Under-14C
11.30: Under-14B
Results Down the Years
2005: Draw, 14-14 in Port Elizabeth
2006: Paul Roos won 28-14 in Stellenbosch
2007: Paul Roos won 31-17 in Port Elizabeth
2008: Grey won 23-19 in Stellenbosch
2009: Paul Roos won 20-13 in Port Elizabeth
2010: Paul Roos won 43-37 in Stellenbosch
2011: Paul Roos won 22-19 in Port Elizabeth
2012: Grey won 23-19 in Stellenbosch
2013: Grey won 23-18 in Port Elizabeth
2014: Grey won 27-26 in Stellenbosch
2015: Paul Roos won 34-3 in Port Elizabeth
2016: Paul Roos won 36-21 in Stellenbosch
2017: Grey won 22-20 in Port Elizabeth
