Grey Win Thriller in Stellenbosch

The Markötter ground was packed, with people even on a roof. There was lively enthusiasm, singing and shouting, and the teams responded  with rugby that again affirms that the game is best played at schools.

Grey were without their three SA Schools players who were being humiliated by the English in City Park. Here there was no humiliation as the lead was passed from team to team and in the end it was the 14 Bloemfonteiners on the field that held out against the 15 Stellenboschers, and the margin of victory was two points – a conversion.

Paul Roos started like a house on fire. They kicked off, won a turnover, were recipients of a penalty and kicked out for a five-metre line-out on their left. They won the line-out and mauled before going right where burly hooker JJ Kotze smashed over for a try under the posts. 7-0 after 2 minutes.

Just after this, Grey's outside centre, Henk Cilliers, hobbled off the field. He was replaced by Wycliff Vlitoor. Janco van Heyningen moved to centre and Vlitoor to the wing. Vlitoor, who had played for Free State at Craven Week, had some really good moments in the match.

After Grey had kicked off, they were again penalised, this time for a high tackle, and Paul Roos had an attacking line-out on the right. They went left and sinewy flyhalf Juan Mostert fetched a woeful pass, dummied and broke to score in a tackle. 14-0 after 5 minutes.

Paul Roos was happy, but then Grey started to gnaw away at the lead.

They went through 14 phases till Paul Roos were penalised and flyhalf Zander du Plessis goaled. 14-3 after five minutes. He repeated the dose seven minutes later. 14-6.

Back came Grey, attacking down the left, and soon they were bashing at the line where loosehead Naudé Naudé scored, and after 15 minutes the score was 14-13.

Then it was Paul Roos's turn to advance in phases and kick a penalty goal. 17-13 after 20 minutes.

From a penalty-fuelled line-out, Grey formed a maul on their right. Paul Roos won a turnover and then lost the ball again to a Grey turnover. Grey went wide and strong wing Pienaar van Niekerk cut back to score a try which gave the visitors a 20-17 lead after 26 minutes.

It was a tense match.

Just before half-time, Grey struck again. Nine phases ended with a scrum just over five metres from the Paul Roos line. Grey attacked the line and hooker Wihan Marais picked up and plunged over at the posts. That made the half-time score 27-17.

In the first half, 44 points were scored, in the second 17. Grey in fact added only a penalty goal to their half-time score.

Paul Roos's Colia Louis kicked two penalty goals and then Du Plessis one for Grey. 30-23 but with 19 minutes to play.

In that time Paul Roos came nearer when Grey lost a player to the sin bin for a tip tackle on Remy Engelbrecht and Kotze scored his second try to take the score to 30-28 with 13 minutes to play. It was not a difficult conversion but it was not over and those two points missed proved the difference.

In this last 13 minutes Paul Roos attacked with all their energy. To their credit, even as the time marched on, Grey, too, played with energy in an attempt to score. They did not just wear the clock down, but, with time up, they won a pressurised scrum and kicked the ball out, for an outburst of glee and relief.

It was a fascinating game.

Scorers

For Grey College

Tries: Pienaar van Niekerk, Wihan Marais, Naudé Naudé

Cons: Zander du Plessis 3

Pens: Zander du Plessis 3

For Paul Roos Gymnasium:

Tries: Juan Mostert, JJ Kotze 2

Cons: Colia Loius 2

Pens: Colia Louis 3

Teams:

Paul Roos: 15 Colia Louis, 14 Regan van der Westhuizen, 13 Brendan Venter, 12 Rufus Dercksen (captain), 11 Remy Engelbrecht, 10 Juan Mostert, 9 Gerado Jaars, 8 Matthew Cordy, 7 Philip van Dyk, 6 Johan Bouwer, 5 Ryno Niemand, 4 Mink Scharink, 3 Hanru Jacobs, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Cameron Dawson

Replacements: 16 Willem van der Hever, 17 Alexander Mbete, 18 Kobus Esterhuizen, 19 Micardo du Preez, 20 Jacques Viviers, 21 Antonie Kock, 22 Marias Cloete, 23 Renier Benade

Grey College: 15 David Kriel, 14 Pienaar van Niekerk, 13 Henk Cilliers, 12 JW de Jager, 11 Janco van Heyningen, 10 Zander du Plessis, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Arno Nieuwoudt, 7 Marcel Theunissen (captain), 6 Jaap van Zyl, 5 Johan Wilken, 4 De Wet Marais, 3 John Henry Fincham, 2 Wihan Marais, 1 Naudé Naudé

Referee: Divan Uys (Western Province Referees' Society)

Assistant referees: Clearance Khumalo (Western Province Referees' Society), Carl Bradsky (Western Province Referees' Society)

Results Down the Years

1967: Grey won 22-3

1974: Grey won 24-0

1977: Grey won 20-10

1988: Grey won 16-9

1989: Grey won 28-7

1990: Grey won 17-9

1991: Paul Roos won 20-3

1992: Grey won 20-6

1993: Paul Roos won 27-4

1994: Paul Roos won 31-29

1995: Grey won 21-10

1996: Grey won 18-10

1997: Paul Roos won 12-8

1998: Grey won 23-15

1999: Grey won 29-26

2000: Grey won 42-13

2001: Grey won 15-6

2002: Grey won 19-8

2003: Grey won 18-17

2004: Grey won 24-23 and Paul Roos won 21-18

2005: Grey won 16-11

2006: Paul Roos won 16-11

2007: Grey won 40-14

2008: Grey won 47-15

2009: Paul Roos won 9-3

2010: Grey won 41-29

2011: Grey won 36-35

2012: Grey won 33-23

2013: Grey won 40-8

2014: Grey won 25-20

2015: Paul Roos won 19-12

2016: Grey won 34-32

2017: Grey won 30-28