Selborne win Thriller
Both teams had lost last week, and both teams had lost players to injury. Grey's most notable losses were captain Marcel Theunissen and SA Schools centre Rikus Pretorius. Injuries also forced Selborne into changes, most notable at flyhalf where injuries to David Coetzer and Jason Raubenheimer brought in Thomas Bursey who today become the Hero of East London.
Two things characterised this close encounter – the willingness of both sides to run with the ball and the determination of both sides to stop their opponents in their tracks.
There was a wind behind Grey in the first half, not that it noticeably affected the match.
Selborne started the match running and Grey rand. Grey's running made greater inroads than Selborne's.
Grey were first to score. Selborne knocked on a grubber and Grey went into pick-'n-drive mode till big De Wet Marais burst over for a try next to the posts. Vlitoor converted. 7-0 after 9 minutes.
Selborne advanced through phases involving forwards and backs, and when Grey went offside in front of the posts, Mitchell Connellan goaled. 7-3 after 12 minutes.
Grey looked more likely to score. Janco van Heyningen broke but his pass went astray. Vlitoor had an overlap and raced for the line, losing the ball as he dived to ground it. Instead it was Selborne who scored.
from a five-metre line-out they battered at the Grey line till somehow eager eighthman Alan Mountfort dived low and scored. Connellan converted and Selborne led 10-7.
Grey ran and passed with sympathy and accuracy, wide left, wide right, back left and Pienaar van Niekerk a late choice after the withdrawal of Pretorius, scored in the left corner. From far out Vlitoor's conversion was brilliant, and Grey led 14-10, which was the half-time score.
Early in the half Grey were offside in front of their posts and Connellan brought the score to 14-13. after 45 minutes.
There was some excellent play by both sides on attack and defence and when the first try of the half came it was exquisite. From a tackle/ruck, flyhalf did the New Zealand foot pass, a diagonal kick that landed in the hands of Van Niekerk and he scored his second try. 19-13 after 52 minutes.
Both sides went at it hammer and tongs and then Selborne began bashing at the Grey line. It was a frantic passage of play that seemed interminable. Penalties did not matter as they just fuelled more battering. And then suddenly the ball ceased to be the property of forwards and it went to flyhalf Bursey, who ran, slightly crouched, at an angle to the left and was over for the try that made the score 19-18 in Grey's favour.
The try was scored nearer the posts than the touchline and Connellan sent the ball soaring between the uprights.
The clock on the ground showed time up and hordes of delighted Selbornians raced onto the field to tell their team that they were heroes. The referee cleared the crowd as there was a minute to play. Selborne did their best to play keep-ball but they were penalised. Grey aimed a kick for the corner but instead it ended up in the Selborne in-goal where Connellan got it and eventually kicked it dead. This time the invading hordes of excited Selbornians were allowed onto the field to celebrate a famous victory.
Scorers
For Selborne:
Tries: Adam Mountfort, Thomas Bursey
Cons: Mitchell Connellan 2
Pen: Mitchell Connellan
For Grey:
Tries: De Wet Marais, Pienaar van Niekerk 2
Cons: Wycliff Vlitoor 2
Teams
Selborne: 15 Miles Norton, 14 Jordan Janse van Rensburg, 13 Siba Xamlashe, 12 Sibahle Kuhlane, 11 Afika Ndinisa, 10 Thomas Bursey, 9 Mitchell Connellan, 8 Adam Mountfort, 7 André Rust (captain), 6 Cody Els, 5 Stephan Niewenhuizen, 4 Grant Meyer, 3 Cameron Moodie, 2 Sisonke Mbadlanyana, 1 Luke Dalbock
Coaches: Kevin Taylor, Josh Fowles
Grey College: 15 David Kriel, 14 Henk Cilliers (captain), 13 Janco van Heyningen, 12 Wycliff Vlitoor, 11 Pienaar van Niekerk, 10 JW de Jager, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Arno Nieuwoudt, 7 Jaap van Zyl, 6 Luke Janse van Vuren, 5 De Wet Marais, 4 Llewellyn Hofmeyr, 3 Herman Aggenbag, 2 Ru-Hann Greyling, 1 JH Fincham
Coaches: Wessel du Plessis, Tewis de Bruyn, Helgard Müller
Results Down the Years
1996: Selborne College won 15-14 in Bloemfontein
1997: Grey College won 38-15 in East London
1998: Grey College won 32-14 in Bloemfontein
1999: Grey College won 5-3 in East London
2000: Grey College won 54-3 in Bloemfontein
2001: Grey College won 32-0 in East London
2002: Grey College won 38-6 in Bloemfontein
2003: Grey College won 57-0 in East London
2004: Grey College won 54-6 in Bloemfontein
2005: Grey College won 38-13 in East London
2006: Grey College won 51-0 in Bloemfontein
2007: Grey College won 68-0 in East London
2008: Grey College won 38-18 in Bloemfontein
2009: Grey College won 33-0 in East London
2010: Grey College won 61-14 in Bloemfontein
2011: Draw 16-16 in East London
2012: Grey College won 28-22 in Bloemfontein
2013: Grey College won 41-5 in East London
2014: Grey College won 34-16 in Bloemfontein
2015: Grey College won 51-21 in East London
2016: Grey College won 48-17 in Bloemfontein
2017: Selborne College won 20-19 in East London
Media credits: Selborne College
