Both Still Unbeaten

What a wonderful rugby match!

No wonder there were over 10 000 spectators crammed around Dixons Field at Glenwood to see two of South Africa’s very best schoolboy teams play one of South Africa’s very best rugby matches of the year.

Glenwood of Durban were unbeaten going into the match. Grey College of Bloemfontein were also unbeaten. At the final whistle the score was 25-all. They were both still unbeaten.

It took a magnificent team try, scored by an outstanding player and a missed conversion two minutes from time to produce that draw.

The way the scoring went tells something of the close nature of the match. It went like this, Grey’s scoring first:

3-0
3-3
10-3
10-10
13-10, and it was half-time
13-13
18-13
18-20
25-20
25-25, and time was up.

Anything Grey could do, Glenwood could do.

The final result was a fair one. Yet it ended, as draws usually do, with a subdued reaction

In fact in the few minutes left after the scores became 25-all, both sides went flat out for a victory, taking risks. Grey attacked. Time was up when Glenwood got the ball and they ran it from near their own line. Along pass found left wing Siyanda Cele who raced round his man and down many metres. Threatened he passed inside to Le Fleur who had just a try-line in front of him some 50 metres away, but Grey fingers grabbed the tail of his jersey and held on. Le Fleur got the ball back to Cele but Vlitoor tackled him. The ball was alive well inside the Grey 22 when Glenwood were penalised. Grey tapped and ran. Neither side was accepting a draw. Both sides went hammer and tongs for a victory, as indeed they had done right from the first whistle and Grey’s kick-off to start the intense match.

There were six tries.

Grey’s was first. Eighthman Werner Gouws raced down the left touchline to set up the attack. Grey advanced through rapid phases and reached the Glenwood line where the defence was firm. Glenwood were penalised, Grey tapped and again they battered till flank Danwick Beukes, son of Joe, bashed over for the try, which Zander du Plessis converted. 10-3 after 19 minutes.

From a line-out, a switch with sturdy Conan Le Fleur saw the outside centre racing straight ahead on the inside. Hemmed in he gave to eighthman George Luzolo who scored.

in the second half, Glenwood’s handling went awry and Du Plessis flykicked the ball downfield where SA Schools centre Wyclef Vlitoor picked up in his dive for the left corner.

Then Glenwood got the lead. Dylan Pretorius set up the attack and it was the home-side’s turn to batter at the line. They were over but held up. From the five-metre scrum Le Fleur was close and Grey were penalised. Glenwood opted for a scrum! First Le Fleur was close, then fullback Rynhardt Jonker as they moved left and then with great courage wing Jean Roux forced his way over for a try which Joe Jonas converted. 20-18 to Glenwood after 47 minutes.

Now it was Grey’s turn. A penalty gave them a line-out about eight metres from the Glenwood line. They attacked but lost the ball. Five-metre scrum to Glenwood. Grey put pressure on the scrum and SA Schools flank De Wet Marais intercepted and scored. 25-20 to Grey with 19 minutes still to play.

Glenwood climbed in with a will, determination tangible. They attacked, but Grey had a line-out some 12 metres from their line on Glenwood’s right. Line-outs had been working well for them all match but this time Glenwood’s SA Schools lock Lunga Ncube got the ball and he charged ahead through the line-out. Back the ball came to Glenwood and they again battered at the Grey line. Back the ball came to scrumhalf Jonas who sent a beautiful, long pass to Jonker and the fullback flashed over far out on the left.

25-all.

What a splendid game! Would that all rugby were played with such enthusiasm and skill and honourable intent.

Before the start of the match, Grey went onto the field first. Glenwood boys formed a long tunnel fop their team. The players ran through with zest. And in the midst of all this focus a Glenwood prop ran to a Grey prop and the two embraced.

It was a special match all right.

Scorers

For Glenwood:
Tries: George Luzolo, Jean le Roux, Reghardt Jonker
Cons: Joe Jonas 2
Pens: Jonas 2

For Grey College:
Tries: Danwick Beukes, Wyclef Vlitoor, De Wet Marais
Cons: Zander du Plessis 2
Pen: Zander du Plessis
Drop: Zander du Plessis

Teams

Glenwood: 15 Rynhardt Jonker, 14 Jean Roux, 13 Conan Le Fleur, 12 Jacques Conradie, 11 Siyanda Cele, 10 Dylan Pretorius, 9 Joe Jonas, 8 George Luzolo, 7 Lindokuhle Luthuli, 6 Runako Brynard (captain), 5 Lunga Ncube, 4 Werner Coetzee, 3 Thabiso Mdletshe, 2 Ruan Olivier, 1 Jordan Clarke

Grey College: 15 Richard Kriel, 14 Ian Small-Smith, 13 Wyclef Vlitoor, 12 Franco Smith, 11 Lesley Botha, 10 Zander du Plessis, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Werner Gouws, 7 De Wet Marais, 6 Danwick Beukes, 5 WJ Steenkamp (captain), 4 George Cronjé, 3 Roux Duvenhage, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Jan Hendrik Wessels

Referee: Blake Beattie (Kwa-Zulu Natal Referees’ Society)

Results Down the Years

1986: Grey College won 74-4
2002: Grey College won 31-9
2005: Grey College won 58-3
2006: Glenwood won 14-10
2007: Grey College won 81-0
2008: Grey College won 22-14
2009: Grey College won 62-3
2010: Grey College won 16-9
2011: Grey College won 28-6
2013: Grey College won 68-7
2014: Grey College won 29-12
2015: Grey College won 40-10
2016: Grey College won 39-10
2017: Grey College won 83-10
2018: Draw 25-25