This is the Big One

They really are two exceptional sides, but then these two great schools produce exceptional sides year after year.

At present Paarl Boys' High are backed by an unbroken run of 32 victories, one of them over Grey in Bloemfontein last year. Such a record can bring great confidence and determination. It can also be a burden, creating nervousness of defeat. Grey, unsurprisingly, have had their great sequences of successes.

Between 1986 and 1990 Grey went 79 matches without defeat. They had two draws in that remarkable sequence – in 1988 and 1990. Those were when schools did not move about the country as they do now, seeking top competition but still there were sufficient tough encounters in those 79 matches to make it remarkable. Their best unbroken sequence of victories is 46 matches – 46 victories! That was in 2007-2009. Then at the end of 2009 they lost to Paul Roos.

The two schools will make a weekend of it, as rugby will be only one component but the one that carries the possibility of the most kudos. If the first rugby side wins, everybody at that school wins.

There is also tennis, table tennis, squash, mountain biking, crosscountry, debating, hockey (10 matches), golf, chess and, of course, rugby. Grey will bring 26 rugby teams to play 26 Boys' High sides.

The staff who organise all of this certainly deserve loud applause and deserve the gratitude and admiration of every South African.

And there will be parents and Old boys at the match. It will be broadcast live on television and thousands will be glued to their television sets. It is a match worth an effort.

It is a Premier Interschools match and certainly fits that billing.

They certainly make South Africans proud of the schools rugby.

Season so Far

On the Schools Top 20, Paarl Boys' High is ranked No.1, Grey No.2. And they both clearly deserve to be at the top of the ladder.

Both are unbeaten. Boys' High have played 10 matches, Grey 11.  Boys' High and Grey have each played four teams on the Top 20.

The only opponents common to both sides are Affies. Boys' High beat them 29-25, while Grey beat them 53-28 in a great display of rugby in which their centres excelled.

Higher Honours

These are players in the current sides who have played for national or provincial teams.

SA Schools

Paarl Boys' High: Manuel Rass,  Salmaan Moerat

South African Schools A

Paarl Boys' High: Tyreeq February, Khanya Ncusane

Craven Week

Paarl Boys' High:  Tyreeq February, Wikus Groenewald, Salmaan Moerat, Khanya Ncusane, Manuel Rass

Grey: Rewan Kruger, Gideo Beukes.

Academy Week

Paarl Boys' High: Charl Serdyn, Bradley Thain, Rayhaan Lombard (2014)

Grey: Marnus Boshoff

Grant Khomo Week

Paarl Boys' High: Takir Abrahams, Wilhelm Barnard, Vian Fourie, Francke Horn, MJ Strauss, Gianni Lombaard (2014)

Grey: David Kriel, Janco van Heyningen, Christopher Schroeder.

First XVs

Paarl Boys' High: 15 Gianni Lombaard, 14 Urgene Johannes, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Hanri van Heerden, 11 Takir Abrahams, 10 Rayhaan Lombard, 9 Michael Visser, 8 Khanya Ncusane, 7 Francke Horn, 6 Charl Serdyn, 5 Ewie Loubser, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Adam Neethling, 2 Daniel Jooste, 1 Reece Bezuidenhout,

Replacements: 16 Wilhelm Barnard, 17 MJ Strauss, 18 Armandt Conradie, 19 Vian Fourie, 20 Eric Myburgh, 21 Tiaan du Plessis, 22 Gerdre Ferreira, 23 Riaan Barnard

Grey College: 15 David Kriel, 14 Henk Cilliers, 13 Janco van Heyningen, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Marnus Boshoff, 10 Christopher Schreuder, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Dian Schoonees, 7 Michiel Burger, 6 Wihan Kloppers, 5 Marcel Theunissen, 4 Jaco van Tonder, 3 Gideo Beukes (captain), 2 Ru-Hann Greyling, 1 Tristan Spies

Replacements: 16 Thian du Randt, 17 Naude Naude, 18 WJ Kruger, 19 Arno Niewoudt, 20 Jaco Wessels, 21 Mario Vieira, 22 PR Serfontein, 23 Rian Heyman, 24 Marius Kearney, 25 Johan Wilken

Date: May 21

First XV kick-off: 14.00

Venue: Paarl Boys' High Grounds, Brug Street, Paarl

Expected weather conditions: Partly cloudy after recent rains with a high of 24°C, dropping to 12°C

Referee: Francois Pretorius (Western Province Referees' Society)

Rugby Programme

A Field

08.00: Under-14A

09.05: Under-15A

10.10: Under-16A

11.20: 3rd XV

12.30: 2nd XV

14.00: 1st XV

B Field

08.00: 8th XV

09.05: 4th XV

10.10: 6th XV

11.20: 7th XV

12.30: 5th XV

C Field

08.00: Under-16B

09.05: Under-16E

10.10: Under-16D

11.20: Under-16C

12.30: Under-16F

D Field

08.00: Under-15B

09.05: Under-15E

10.10: Under-15D

11.20: Under-15C

12.30: Under-14F

E Field

08.00: Under-14C

09.05: Under-14D

10.10: Under-14E

11.20: 9th XV

12.30: 10th XV

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