One meets Two in Bloemfontein

Grey is currently ranked No.1 on the FNB Top 20, Paarl Boys' High No.2.

Grey have played eight matches and won them all. Booishaai have played seven matches in South Africa. They also played five (in eight days) in New Zealand and lost their last one by a couple of points after two seasons unbeaten.

Both are certainly top rugby schools and this may well be the battle for the crown this year.

They are both schools who are not shy to take on the best.

Grey have played four teams currently ranked in the Top 20 and beaten them all. Their victory over Affies in Bloemfontein last week was a narrow, last-minute escape. They had big wins over Waterkloof and Boland Landbou and a convincing one over Paarl Gim.

Booishaai have played three Top 20 teams and won them all, including big wins over Selborne and Glenwood.

The only opponents the two schools have in common are Affies.  Grey beat them 35-32 and Booishaai beat them 14-10.

Grey have a particular strength i their centres, Janco van Heyningen and Rikus Pretorius, both of whom played for SA Schools last year. They have skill and vision. Inside of them flyhalf Wycliff Vlitoor had a major hand in two tries against Affies, both scored by Pretorius who scored 22 of Grey's points.

Apart from Van Heyningen and Pretorius, Grey have Naudé Naudé back who was also in the Craven Week side of 2016. In addition the captain Marcel Theunissen Ru-Hann Greyling and Johan Wilken were at the Academy Week. Paarl Boys' High have none of their Craven Week stars back but last year Francke Horn, Vian Fourie and Thaakir Abrahams were at the Academy week

It is a match well worth watching and will be televised live.

Grey College: 15 David Kriel, 14 Henk Cilliers, 13 Janco van Heyningen, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Richard Kriel, 10 Wycliff Vlitoor, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Arno Nieuwoudt, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Jaap van Zyl, 5 Johan Wilken, 4 Handré Roux, 3 Naudé Naudé, 2 Ru-Hann Greyling, 1 Luke Janse van Vuren

Replacements: 16 Wihan Marais, 17 Herman Agenbag, 18 John Henry Fincham, 19 De Wet Marais, 20 Reynardo Gouveia, 21 Dillion Schultz, 22 Marius Kearney, 23 Pienaar van Niekerk

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Thaakir Abrahams, 14 Stuart Tait, 13 Divan Enslin, 12 Le Roux Malan, 11 Luka Ferreira, 10 Abner van Reenen, 9 Eric Myburgh, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Evan Roos, 6 Vian Fourie, 5 Adriaan Alberts, 4 Cornell Kotze, 3 Josh du Preez, 2 Wilhelm Barnard, 1 MJ Strauss

Date: Saturday, 13 May 2017

1st XV kick-off: 14.00

Television broadcast live: Supersport channel 210

Venue: Grey College Main field

Weather expected: Partly cloudy after rain with a high of 15°C and a low of 3°C

Referee: Pieter Janse van Vuuren (Free State Referees' Society)

Rugby Programme

In all 29 matches will take place – 58 teams, nearly 900 boys. Take your hats to enthusiastic schoolmasters.

Hoofveld

07.25: Under-14A

08.40: Under-15A

09.55: Under-16A

11.10: 3rd XV

12.25: 2nd XV

14.00: 1st XV

Oval

07.25: 8th XV

08.40: 4th XV

09.55: 7th XV

11.10: 5th XV

GCB A

07.25: Under-16B

08.40: 6th XV

09.55: Under-14B

11.10: 9th XV

12.25: 10th XV

GCB B

07.25: Under-16D

08.40: Under-15C

09.55: Under-16C

11.10: Under-15B

12.25: Under-16F

Windmill A

07.25: Under-15E

08.40: Under-15F

09.55: Under-16E

11.10: Under-15D

12.25: 11th XV

Windmill B

07.25: Under-14C

08.40: Under-14E

09.55: Under-14D

11.10: Under-14F

Results Down the Years

1950: Grey won 10-6

1953: Grey won 12-9

1954: Grey won 6-3

1954: Grey won 8-3

1956: Grey won 13-3

1957: Paarl Boys' High won 9-3

1960: Grey won 14-0

1960: Grey won 11-3

1973: Grey won 24-0

1974: Grey won 21-7

1977: Grey won 29-13

1978: Grey won 29-13

1979: Paarl Boys' High won 16-13

1980: Grey won 13-4

1983: Paarl Boys' High won 14-0

1984: Grey won 19-14

1984: Grey won 32-12

1987: Grey won 31-14

1989: Grey won 23-6

1993: Draw 0-0

1995: Grey won 18-6

1996: Paarl Boys' High won 16-9

1997: Grey won 20-16

1998: Grey won 20-6

1999: Grey won 34-16

2000: Paarl Boys' High won 17-10

2001: Grey won 38-15

2002: Grey won 23-6

2003: Grey won 27-16

2004: Grey won 38-3

2005: Grey won 38-13

2006: Grey won 20-5

2007: Grey won 48-24

2008: Grey won 34-24

2009: Grey won 50-8

2010: Grey won 32-12

2011: Draw 15-15

2012: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18

2013: Grey won 35-28

2014: Grey won 15-10

2015: Paarl Boys' High won 21-19

2016: Paarl Boys' High won 28-18